Breakfast Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato Muffins
40 min
|
easy
|
vegetarian
Recipe by Eunice
Introduction
Meet the breakfast muffin that actually pulls its weight: blended cottage cheese for creamy crumb and real protein, sweet potato and honey for moisture and natural sweetness, plus cinnamon and nutmeg that make your kitchen smell like you mean it.
Perfect for meal prep and grab-and-go mornings, these tender, not-too-sweet muffins stay soft thanks to olive oil and oat flour, pack clean in a glass container, and are killer warm with coffee.
Ingredients (12 servings)
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Ingredients:
- 1 large, (8 oz) sweet potato, cooked, mashed sweet potatoes 0.33 lb large, (8 oz)
- ¾ cup whole-milk cottage cheese, blended until smooth whole-milk cottage cheese 5.77 oz
- 2 large eggs large eggs 2 ct
- ⅓ cup honey honey 3.91 oz
- ¼ cup olive oil olive oil
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract pure vanilla extract 1 tsp
- 1 cup all-purpose flour all-purpose flour 0.28 lb
- ¾ cup oat flour oat flour 0.15 lb
- 1 tsp baking powder baking powder 0.17 oz
- ½ tsp baking soda baking soda 0.08 oz
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon ground cinnamon 0.09 oz
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg ground nutmeg 0.04 oz
- ¼ tsp salt salt
How to Make Breakfast Cottage Cheese Sweet Potato Muffins
-
Heat the oven and prep the pan
Set the oven to 350 F and line a 12 cup muffin tin with parchment liners or grease well.
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Smooth the cottage cheese
Blend the cottage cheese until silky with no curds visible so it disappears into the batter instead of leaving little pockets.
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Mix the wet ingredients
In a large bowl whisk the blended cottage cheese with the mashed sweet potato, eggs, honey, olive oil, and vanilla until glossy and uniform.
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Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl whisk together the all purpose flour, oat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until everything looks evenly speckled.
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Bring the batter together
Fold the dry mix into the wet mix with a spatula until just combined and no dry streaks remain, then stop before you overwork it.
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Rest the batter
Let the batter sit for 8 to 10 minutes so the oat flour hydrates and the muffins bake up taller.
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Fill and bake
Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling about three quarters full, then bake 18 to 22 minutes until the tops spring back and a tester comes out with a few moist crumbs.
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Cool and finish
Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, move to a rack to cool completely, and if you like brush with a whisper of warm honey while still warm for shine.
Substitutions
- Cottage cheese -> Greek yogurt (1:1)
- Thick full fat Greek yogurt gives similar moisture and subtle tang, and the crumb stays tender without any curdy bits.
- Honey -> Maple syrup (1:1)
- Maple brings a toasty caramel note that pairs beautifully with sweet potato and keeps the muffins just as moist.
- Olive oil -> Tahini (1:1)
- Tahini adds gentle nuttiness and a plush texture, making the muffins taste like a cozy sesame bakery treat.
Tips
- Roast your sweet potato for flavor
- If you have time, roast the sweet potato at 400 F until collapsing because dry heat concentrates sugars and gives deeper caramel notes than boiling or steaming.
- Room temperature ingredients win
- Cold eggs or dairy seize the batter and slow leavening so bring everything to room temp for a smooth mix and better rise.
- Resting the batter is not optional
- Those oats need a short soak to hydrate which reduces tunneling and gives a higher dome.
- Scale check on leaveners
- Use fresh baking powder and soda because stale leaveners mean flat muffins and heartbreak.
- Pan heat equals lift
- Preheat the oven fully and keep the batter moving because a hot start helps the muffins spring before the structure sets.
- Finish with texture
- Sprinkle turbinado sugar before baking for a delicate crunch that contrasts the soft crumb.
- Freeze like a pro
- Cool completely, wrap individually, and freeze up to 2 months then rewarm at 300 F for 8 to 10 minutes so they taste freshly baked.
Nutrition Facts *
| Energy | 232 | kcal |
|---|---|---|
| Protein | 5 | g |
| Total Fat | 7 | g |
| Carbohydrates | 35 | g |
| Dietary Fiber | 0 | g |
* Approximate, per serving.
Data source: USDA FoodData Central.
FAQ
- My muffins baked up dense, what went wrong?
- Overmixing toughens gluten and collapses air so fold just until combined, make sure leaveners are fresh, and let the batter rest to hydrate the oat flour.
- Can I make these gluten free?
- Yes, swap the all purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten free baking blend and use certified gluten free oat flour, then rest the batter 10 to 12 minutes to hydrate.
- How can I make them dairy free?
- Use a thick unsweetened dairy free yogurt in place of cottage cheese and choose a neutral oil like avocado or light olive oil.
- Can I use canned sweet potato or pumpkin puree?
- Canned sweet potato works perfectly and pumpkin works too but the flavor is less sweet so consider an extra tablespoon of honey to taste.
- Why are my muffins sticking to the liners?
- Use parchment liners, let muffins cool 10 to 15 minutes before peeling, and avoid cheap paper liners that glue to moist batters.
- How do I know they are done without drying them out?
- Look for domed tops that spring back and a tester with moist crumbs, or aim for an internal temp of 200 to 205 F.
- How should I store them on the counter?
- Keep in an airtight glass container at room temperature for up to 2 days with a paper towel under and over to catch moisture.
Serving Suggestions
Warm one up and hit it with a swipe of salted butter or a dollop of Greek yogurt and a drizzle of honey for that not-sorry breakfast energy.
Fold in toasted pecans or chocolate chips for texture, or grate in orange zest to brighten the sweet potato and make your kitchen smell like a bakery.
More pairings:
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