Grain-Free Cinnamon Bun Protein Muffins

Have you ever walked through the mall and experienced the irresistible smells coming from the Cinnabon counter?

I swear it follows me while I’m shopping. Just when I think I’m of clear distance from the food court, my nose catches the smell once more. I can’t escape it. The smell of freshly baked cinnamon rolls drowning in icing has a way of tempting even those with the strongest of will power. Is this smell patented or something? Seriously, can it be bottled up and sold as perfume or bath soap?

You may be asking, “If you like the smell so much, why don’t you marry it just eat a Cinnabon?” Valid point, however, my body would not really appreciate all the sugar, fat, and unnecessary calories/carbs. I’ll stick with the smells.

When I made these muffins, I was doing nothing more than a spontaneous Saturday afternoon experiment in the kitchen while my husband watched football. I wasn’t even planning on blogging this recipe because I was skeptical to how everything would turn out on my first try. Let me just say, I was pleasantly surprised by two things:

1. These muffins were ridiculously delicious, and they actually tasted like a cinnamon bun.

2. My kitchen smelled JUST like the beloved Cinnabon counter at the mall.

I’d say this is a win-win situation if you ask me. You know what makes it a win-win-win situation, though? The fact that these muffins are grain-free, dairy-free, refined sugar-free, AND have tons of added protein to keep you fueled and energized throughout the day.

Next time you nearly get knocked off your feet at the mall by the sinful scent of Cinnabon, resist the urge to indulge with a smile on your face because now you can enjoy the sweet cinnamon goodness in a way that makes your body happy 🙂

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Here’s what you’ll need:

Batter:

1/2 cup of unsweetened, plain almond milk

1/4 cup of organic, virgin coconut oil (melted)

2 eggs

12-15 drops of vanilla cream liquid stevia

1 1/2 cup of almond flour

1/2 cup (about 2 scoops) of vanilla protein powder

1/2 cup of flax meal

1/4 teaspoon of salt

1/2 teaspoon of baking soda

Topping:

2 tablespoons of ground cinnamon

2 tablespoons of organic, virgin coconut oil (melted)

1 tablespoon of ghee (melted) (*or vegan butter to make this dairy free)

1/8 teaspoon of salt

5-6 drops of vanilla cream liquid stevia

Seeds from 1 vanilla bean pod

 

Preheat your oven to 310 degrees.

In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the almond milk, coconut oil, eggs, and stevia. Fold in the almond flour, protein powder, flax meal, salt, and baking soda with a wooden spoon or spatula. If you don’t have flax meal, finely grind flaxseeds in a blender or food processor.

Fill 8 cupcake liners halfway with batter. Spoon about a teaspoon of topping over the center of each muffin, pushing the spoon in a bit to set the filling mainly in the center of the muffin.

Spoon another scoop of batter over each muffin until the liners are almost full. Evenly distribute the remaining topping over each muffin. Use a toothpick to swirl the topping throughout the muffin batter.

Bake for 20-23 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick placed in the center comes out clean.

Store these muffins for about a week in your fridge or freeze them for up to 2 months.

Enjoy and live well!

Kelsey