Cinnamon Swirl Protein Cupcakes 🧁🔥
Servings: 14
Gluten-Free | Grain-Free | High-Protein | Low-Carb Option
These cinnamon-swirled cupcakes are packed with protein and can be made two ways—sweetened with zero-calorie Lakanto for a low-sugar option or with traditional sugars for a sweeter, more classic treat. Perfect for a cozy morning bite or a protein-packed snack, they bring flavor and flexibility together in one easy recipe. 🙌
Choose Your Sweetener Path
Low-Sugar/Low-Carb Option:
- Lakanto Brown Sugar Sweetener
- Lakanto Classic Sweetener (or similar zero-calorie granular sweetener)
Traditional Option:
- Brown Sugar
- White Sugar
Cinnamon Swirl
- ¼ cup butter, softened (almost melted)
- Choose: ¼ cup Lakanto Brown Sugar Sweetener OR ¼ cup Brown Sugar
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
Directions (Swirl):
In a bowl, blend butter, chosen sweetener, and cinnamon until you get a smooth, thin paste. Set aside.
Cupcake Batter
- ¾ cup low-fat cottage cheese
- 3 large eggs
- Choose: ⅓ cup Lakanto Classic Sweetener (or similar) OR ⅓ cup White Sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cup almond flour
- 3 scoops Option Blends PURE (unflavored collagen, 18g protein/scoop)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
Directions (Cupcakes):
- Preheat oven to 325°F and line two muffin pans with parchment or silicone liners.
- Add cottage cheese, eggs, chosen granular sweetener, and vanilla to a blender. Blend until smooth.
- Add almond flour, collagen, baking powder, and salt. Blend again until the batter is creamy and lump-free.
- Fill each muffin cup halfway with batter.
- Spoon about ½ teaspoon of the prepared cinnamon swirl into the center of each cupcake. Use a toothpick to gently swirl it into the batter—just enough to create a cinnamon ribbon without pushing it down.
- Bake for 18–20 minutes, until puffed and lightly golden. The tops may appear slightly soft because of the buttery swirl, but they’ll set as they cool.
- Let the cupcakes rest for 20 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Approximate Macros per Cupcake (with Lakanto Sweeteners)
- Calories: ~149
- Protein: ~9.6g
- Carbs: ~4g
- Fat: ~11g
- Sugar: <1g
Approximate Macros per Cupcake (with Regular Sugar)
- Calories: ~182
- Protein: ~9.6g
- Carbs: ~12g
- Fat: ~11g
- Sugar: ~9g
Made with love by Nina Nyiri for Option Blends
Enjoy these cinnamon-infused cupcakes however you like—low-sugar for a lighter treat or traditionally sweetened for a more classic taste. Either way, you’re getting a protein boost in every bite! ✨