Air Fryer Protein Muffin – Healthy and So Quick!

A super quick single serving Air Fryer Protein Muffin with vanilla and unflavored protein powder. This healthy air fryer muffin recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour, and has no sugar or oil either. A perfect base for mix ins like chocolate chips too.

One thing I have to say about this air fryer protein powder muffin is: weigh the ingredients and get it right!

I had to give this recipe a second attempt because the first one had too much milk and just left me with a soggy muffin. The bottom of the muffin needs to cook fully in the air fryer, which might make it hard with the ramekin in a small space.

Well, at least I get to eat 2 of these healthy air fryer muffins now 🙂

Ingredients for Single Serve Air Fryer Protein Muffin

This giant single serving air fryer protein muffin is made with clean and healthy ingredients – whole wheat pastry flour, protein powder, and greek yogurt – and makes a great high protein snack or breakfast. 

• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour
• Vanilla Protein Powder needed for high protein chocolate muffins and also replaces the ‘sugar’. I used the  Vanilla Milkshake protein powder from Quest Nutrition for this recipe (it’s a whey-caesin blend and bakes really well).
• Unflavored Protein Powder to replace some of the flour (and carbs) in the recipe for a slightly low calorie protein muffin. I used a whey-caesin blend from Quest Nutrition
• 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Substitute – I use Lakanto, to keep this recipe sugar free;  (code HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here)
• Non-Fat Greek Yogurt for extra protein
• Almond Milk to add moisture to the muffins – the protein powder absorbs a lot.
• A bit of Almond Butter
• Vanilla Extract
• Baking Powder

Optional Mix-ins

• Chocolate Chips: To make an air fryer chocolate chip muffin! I use the sugar free from Lakanto (code HAYLSKITCHEN gets you a discount) 
• Nuts/Seeds: Walnuts, Almonds, Pumpkin Seeds
• Dried Fruit: Cranberries, Raisins

Tips for Single Serving Protein Powder Muffin in the Air Fryer

This air fryer protein powder muffin recipe is really easy to make, but here’s some pointers to keep in mind so it actually turns out right!

• Weigh the ingredients, especially milk!
  I accidentally used 1 teaspoon of extra milk the first time I tried this recipe, and it just would not cook through; I really recommend being precise about it.

• Use drippy almond butter so it mixes well with the other wet ingredients.

• Use room temperature yogurt and milk;
  This is so the wet ingredients and dry ingredients can mix well, and does not harden the almond butter.

• Don’t over-mix the batter!
  Make sure you gently fold the dry mix into the wet to combine them.
  If you over-mix it, the protein powder – will make it tough, dense and gummy.

• Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener. I’d recommend using stevia powder to maintain the consistency of the batter and have sugar free protein muffins.

• Lightly grease the cupcake liners or muffin pan with cooking spray – this will allow the protein powder muffin to come off easily!

• Remove muffin from ramekin partway so that the bottom can cook; This might be difficult with a small air fryer otherwise.

Can you bake air fryer muffin in the oven?

Yes! You can convert this air fryer muffin recipe into a regular oven one.
Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F  then lower the heat to 350°F to and continue to bake for another 15 minutes (the total time should be about 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into the center comes out dry).

Alternate ingredients for Healthy Air Fryer Muffin Recipe

I strongly recommend using the ingredients and brands I recommended to get the perfect single serve healthy air fryer muffin recipe, but here’s some alternatives to try.

I haven’t testing them all, so I can’t say how your muffin might turn out.

• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour: All purpose flour or 1:1 gluten free baking flour in the same amount by weight not cups
• Unflavored Protein Powder: More flour, but reduce the amount of milk (maybe by ½-1 Tbsp)
• Vanilla Protein Powder: Use a different flavor
• 1:1 Zero Calorie Sugar Replacement: Regular confectioners sugar or coconut sugar (this won’t be sugar free though, and also higher in calories)
• Almond milk: Any regular milk
• Greek Yogurt: Coconut yogurt, or even Applesauce, Banana or Pumpkin Puree
• Almond Butter: Peanut Butter, Cashew Butter, Tahini, Hazelnut Butter; Anything, but make sure it’s runny!

A Vegan Air Fryer Muffin for One

This air fryer muffin recipe has no eggs, so can easily be made Vegan too.

For the perfect homemade Vegan high protein air fryer muffin, make sure you use a plant based vanilla protein powder and coconut yogurt, and replace the unflavored protein powder for more flour.
ProteinWorld has a Vegan protein blend what might work well (HAYLSKITCHEN for a discount here too).

More Air Fryer Protein Dessert Recipes you’ll love:

• Triple Fudge Air Fryer Chocolate Protein Cookie
• Air Fryer Protein Donut Holes
• Healthy Protein Pop Tarts
• Chocolate Protein Donut Holes
• Air Fryer Protein Cookie for One
• Single Serve Protein Donut
• Triple Chocolate Protein Pop Tarts

Or Some Protein Muffins Recipes You’ll love

• Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins in a Blender
• Single Serve Chocolate Protein Muffin
• Pancake Mix Protein Muffins
• Baked Oatmeal Protein Cups
• Keto Chocolate Protein Muffins with Coconut Flour
• Miracle Coconut Flour Protein Muffins

Air Fryer Protein Muffin – Healthy and So Quick!

Print recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time5 minutes mins

Cook Time25 minutes mins

Total Time30 minutes mins

Servings: 1 muffin

Calories: 193kcal

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Post-Workout

Cuisine: American

A super quick single serving Air Fryer Protein Muffin with vanilla and unflavored protein powder. This healthy air fryer muffin recipe uses whole wheat pastry flour, and has no sugar or oil either. A perfect base for mix ins like chocolate chips too.

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoon Whole Wheat Pastry Flour, 19g, see post for sub
• 2 tablespoon Vanilla Protein Powder, 11g
• 1½ tablespoon Unflavored Protein Powder, 8g, see post for sub
• ½ teaspoon Zero Calorie 1:1 Sugar Replacement, 2g
• ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
• 3 tablespoon Almond Milk, 45ml
• 1 tablespoon Non fat Greek Yogurt, 14g
• 1 teaspoon Almond Butter
• ¼ teaspoon Vanilla Extract

Instructions

• Line small ramekin with cupcake liner (optional), and lightly spray insides with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk together whole wheat pastry flour, vanilla protein powder, unflavored protein powder, sugar free sweetener and baking powder.
• In another bowl whisk together milk, Greek yogurt, almond butter and vanilla extract.
• Add wet mix to dry; Stir to combine.

  Don’t over-mix or muffin will be dense.
• Batter should be fairly thick; Taste and see if it needs more sweetener; Add stevia powder if it does.
• Add optional mix-ins and gently fold.
• Pour batter into muffin cup, sprinkle toppings.
• Place in air fryer basket and cook at 300°F for about 15 minutes.

  Remove from ramekin and cook another 10 minutes (start checking at 5 mins depending on size of ramekin).
• A toothpick inserted into center should come out dry.

  Cool for 5 minutes, then remove from ramekin.

Notes

• Taste the batter and see if you need some extra sweetener; I’d recommend stevia if needed.
• Nutrition value is calculated using products recommended below.
• See post for alternate ingredients, tips and storage options.

Product Recommendations:

• Quest Nutrition Multi-purpose Mix Protein Powder
• Quest Nutrition Vanilla Milkshake Protein Powder
• Lakanto 1:1 Sugar Substitute
  • Use code HAYLSKITCHEN for 15% off your order

Nutrition:

• Servings: 1 muffin | Serving size: 1 (with chocolate chips)
• Calories: 193kcal
• Fat: 4.4g | Saturated fat: 0.3g
• Carbohydrates: 19.6g | Fiber: 2.9g | Sugar: 1.1g
• Protein: 22.2g