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Tropical Cottage Cheese Muffins

Tropical Cottage Cheese Muffins

High-protein and surprisingly wholesome muffins packed with tropical pineapple and mango, topped with toasted coconut. A delicious and easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack that's ready in under 40 minutes.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 22 minutes
Total Time 37 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Calories: 235
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

  • 250 g plain flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda
  • ½ tsp ground cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp salt
  • 250 g full-fat cottage cheese
  • 2 large free-range eggs at room temperature
  • 120 ml maple syrup
  • 80 ml melted coconut oil or other neutral oil
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Zest of 1 large lime
  • 150 g tinned pineapple chunks well-drained and roughly chopped
  • 150 g fresh or frozen mango diced into small pieces
  • 40 g desiccated coconut for topping
  • Genuine Flavour: The taste is genuinely tropical and fresh. The natural sweetness from the mango and pineapple means we can use less added sugar while the lime zest cuts through the richness, and the toasted coconut topping adds a satisfying, nutty finish.
  • Ready in Under 40 Minutes: The whole process from getting your bowls out to pulling a batch of golden muffins from the oven, comes together in about 37 minutes, making it a very manageable bake for a busy morning.
  • Flexible Recipe: This recipe is a brilliant base. You can easily swap the mango for diced papaya add 50g of chopped macadamia nuts for extra crunch, or even stir in some passion fruit pulp for an extra tropical tang.
  • Great for Meal Prep: These muffins work wonderfully for prepping ahead. Bake a batch on a Sunday and you'll have a wholesome grab-and-go breakfast or snack sorted for the next few days.
  • Family Tested: Everyone seems to love this recipe. My children are particularly fond of them for an after-school snack and they have no idea their tasty treat is secretly loaded with protein!

Method
 

  1. Preheat and Prepare: Preheat your oven to 180°C (160°C Fan) and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.
  2. Toast the Coconut: Spread the desiccated coconut on a small baking tray and toast in the preheated oven for 2-3 minutes, watching it carefully until it's lightly golden and fragrant. Set it aside to cool.
  3. Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the plain flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon, and salt. This helps to distribute the raising agents evenly.
  4. Blend the Wet Ingredients: In a blender or a bowl using an immersion blender, combine the full-fat cottage cheese, eggs, maple syrup, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract. Blend for 30-60 seconds until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy. This is the key to a non-grainy muffin!
  5. Mix Wet and Dry: Pour the smooth wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, mix until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small streaks of flour are perfectly fine at this stage.
  6. Fold in the Fruit: Gently fold in the drained pineapple chunks, diced mango, and lime zest until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter. What works best for me is using a light touch to keep the batter airy. For a great visual guide on this technique, BBC Good Food has an excellent tutorial.
  7. Fill the Muffin Cases: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cases. They should be about three-quarters full.
  8. Add Topping and Bake: Sprinkle the toasted coconut generously over the top of each muffin. Bake in the centre of the oven for 20-22 minutes.
  9. Check for Doneness: The muffins are ready when they are golden brown, springy to the touch, and a skewer inserted into the centre comes out clean. I find that checking at the 20-minute mark helps prevent them from drying out.
  10. Cool Down: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. This prevents them from getting a soggy bottom.

Notes

These muffins are great for meal prep; store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For variations, try swapping mango for papaya or adding 50g of chopped macadamia nuts.