Easy and healthy Protein Apple Cupcakes topped with a Protein Peanut Butter frosting; Made with whole wheat flour, protein powder, greek yogurt and applesauce, these have no oil and are sugar free too! Pipe on some high protein peanut butter frosting and you have the perfect apple cupcake for breakfast or dessert!

To be honest, the only reason I went for these cupcakes was because I wanted to try a cupcake recipe with pretty frosting. I really like all those pictures of cupcakes with that perfectly piped frosting and all that.

As you can see I need to work on my piping skills – or lack thereof.

At least the actual cupcakes were easy to make.

And no falling short on the taste and texture either.

These cupcakes were definitely spot on there – soft, fluffy, light, all the goodness. And with the PB frosting? Just perfect!

Ingredients for Healthy Protein Apple Cupcakes:

This recipe for whole wheat protein apple cupcakes is is a bit like healthy apple muffins with applesauce, Greek yogurt and protein powder. What makes them even better though us that there’s no oil or butter, no sugar and no buttermilk either!

Here’s what you need to make a batch of this good stuff:

Whole Wheat Pastry Flour for a healthy, nutritious and whole grain muffin recipe that’s still light and fluffy!
Feel free to use regular all purpose flour if you wish.
Unflavored protein powder to replace some of the flour and make these low calorie, but you can feel free to bring the flour back in. I used Quest multipurpose mix protein powder for this recipe.
Vanilla Protein Powder as a replacement for the sugar – this is what makes this a sugar-free protein cupcake recipe; I use Quest Vanilla protein powder
Unsweetened Applesauce to replace most of the fat in the normal recipes, and also add some more apple flavor.
Non-fat Greek Yogurt to add even more protein and keep these low fat too
Almond Milk – feel fee to use any other non dairy or normal milk here
Maple Syrup but sugar free!
Eggs
A bit of Vanilla
Cinnamon (and cloves) because apple cinnamon protein muffins are amazing, so this recipe definitely will be too!
Baking Soda and Baking Powder – you need them both for that perfect rise!

And then for the key apple-ness:

Finely Chopped Apples – You can even grate them if you’d like. I used the Fuji, but any other type will work as well.

How to make High Protein Healthy Apple Cupcakes:

These fat free high protein apple cupcakes are super easy to make, and take less than 30 minutes from start to end!

First make the protein cupcakes batter:

Preheat your oven to 350°F, line 14 cups of a muffin tin (12 cup pan + 2 more) with cupcake liners. Lightly spray the insides with cooking spay.

In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: whole wheat pastry flour, unflavored protein power, vanilla protein powder, cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg, baking powder and baking soda.

In another bowl whisk the wet ingredients: applesauce, Greek yogurt, milk, maple syrup, eggs and vanilla.

Add the dry mix to the dry and gently fold together using a large spoon or spatula.

Add in the grated apple and gently fold again until just combined.
The batter will be thick.
DO NOT OVER-MIX the batter or the cupcakes will be tough and dense.
Divide the batter into the muffin cups, filling them about ¾ way to the top.

Then for the Protein Peanut Butter Frosting to top these Apple Cupcakes

If you thought high protein cupcakes were all you were getting here, no.

For an extra high protein dessert recipe, these cupcakes have a protein peanut butter frosting too! There’s no cream cheese and no sugar involved, but Greek Yogurt and Protein Powder instead.

Follow my peanut butter protein frosting recipe here and then pipe it onto the apple cupcakes once they’ve cooled.

Tips for making perfect healthy Apple Pie Protein Cupcakes

Use unsweetened applesauce so there’s no added sugars in the recipe

Don’t over-mix the batter!
Pour the dry mix into the dry and just fold them together or too much gluten will develop, again giving you dense and gummy muffins. The protein powder could also cause toughness.

Don’t skip out on the almond milk or the yogurt
They add a fair bit of moisture to the muffins since there’s no oil here, also the protein powder in the muffins needs extra moisture.

Chop the apples fine – I even recommend using grated apples like in protein muffins.

Spray the insides of the cupcake liners with oil spray so the cupcakes come off easily without anything sticking to the liner.

Can you store Apple Cupcakes with Peanut Butter Frosting?

If you’re looking for apple protein recipes that store well for dessert – or even breakfast – you’re in luck!

How to store cupcakes with frosting:

Frosted cupcakes will keep on the countertop at room temperature for 2-3 hours, after which you need to move them to the fridge. Use an airtight container and they keep for 4-5 days.

To keep cupcakes without frosting:

Store them on the countertop for 2 or 3 days, or in the fridge for or 4 or 5 days in an airtight container.

To freeze the cupcakes, wrap them plastic wrap, and place in a freezer-safe zipper bag. They’ll last for 2 or 3 months.

These cupcakes are now a great addition to your list of healthy apple recipes for breakfast or Thanksgiving!

More healthy apple breakfast and dessert recipes to try?