Kodiak Cakes Muffin recipe (without banana) is easy to make and perfect for breakfast or a snack. We love that these muffins are full of whole grains and protein.
I am a muffin lover. They are the perfect quick breakfast for busy mornings when you need a grab-and-go option. Muffins also make a great snack or even dessert.
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We wanted to make a yummy protein muffin but I didn’t really want to use protein powder. I came across Kodiak Cakes muffins recipe and thought it would be a great way to accomplish this. Kodiak Cakes Pancake mix is made with 100% whole grain wheat flour and 100% whole grain oat flour. Plus, one muffin has 6 grams of protein. So I set out to find Kodiak mix at the grocery store and was pleasantly surprised to learn that both of the grocery stores I shop at carry a wide variety of the product.
The recipe on the Kodiak Cakes website calls for mashed banana. I didn’t think that finding Kodiak Cakes mix would be the the easy part, but it definitely was. When I went to buy bananas they had zero ripe bananas. I mean none! They were some of the greenest bananas around. There was no way these would be ripe any day soon.
I heard you can ripen up a banana by putting it in the oven but I have never tried it. My assumption is that the banana you are starting with would at least need to be yellow. So it seemed if I was going to make my Kodiak muffins that day I would need to come up with something to use instead of banana. I decided applesauce would be a great alternative.
Next decision was do I use sweetened or unsweetened applesauce? Bananas are sweet, and over-ripe bananas are even sweeter so I went with sweetened applesauce. There is added sugar in the sweetened variety but I decided that was okay with me. I think I made the right choice because our yummy muffins had great taste. Just sweet enough without being too sweet.
Ingredients
See recipe card for exact amounts.
Ingredient Notes
High protein pancake mix is the main ingredient and then you just need a few simple ingredients you may already have in your pantry.
Kodiak Pancake Mix – The exact variety we use is Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk Power Cakes Waffle and Flapjack Mix.
Milk – we use whole milk because that is what we have on hand. You can use whatever milk you have.
Egg – we use a large room temperature egg.
Maple Syrup – pure maple syrup, not pancake syrup.
Applesauce – we use this instead of mashed bananas and we want it to have a little sweetness so we use sweetened applesauce.
Cinnamon – this ingredient gives our protein muffin recipe great flavor.
Vanilla Extract – we use pure vanilla, not imitation.
Baking Power – Kodiak power cakes mix does have some leavening agents in it but we add a little extra to get light and fluffy muffins.
Mini Chocolate Chips – these are semi-sweet chocolate and give our muffins yummy flavor. See below for other options.
How to Make Kodiak Cake Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350° and spray muffin tin liberally with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the pancake mix, cinnamon and baking powder in a medium bowl.
- Beat the egg slightly in a small bowl.
- Whisk the milk, beaten egg, maple syrup and applesauce in large bowl.
- Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix, muffin batter will be lumpy. Fold in chocolate chips.
- Divide batter between twelve muffin cups, they will be almost full. Top with reserved chocolate chips, if desired.
- Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and the top springs back when touched.
- Cool 4 – 5 minutes in the pan and then run a knife around the muffin to loosen the edges, move to a wire rack to cool.
Alternative Method
Use cupcake liners instead of nonstick cooking spray.
Make mini muffins, bake 8 – 10 minutes.
Storage
Store cool muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Are Kodiak Cakes Power Cakes muffins good for you?
Yes, they can be a healthy snack or breakfast option because the pancake mix they are made with contains extra protein and less sugar than most brands. Weight Watchers official website even makes a muffin similar to this one using this exact pancake and waffle mix.
Everything in moderation is a good philosophy so if you only eat a muffin or two in one sitting then they can be part of a healthy diet.
Substitutions & Additions
- Virtually any type of milk will work in this recipe. Unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, cashew milk or oat milk are all great options.
- Unsweetened applesauce can be swapped for the sweetened applesauce.
- Use different flavored chips. Peanut butter chips, butterscotch chips, cinnamon chips, dark chocolate chips or milk chocolate chips would all be great in these muffins.
- Swap the chocolate chips for fruit. Frozen or fresh blueberries, chopped strawberries, blackberries or raspberries are all great ideas.
- There are different varieties of Kodiak mixes so use a different flavor. They even have chocolate, pumpkin and birthday cake flavors.
Why We Love This Kodiak Cakes Muffin recipe (without banana)
- They are easy to make.
- These muffins are high in protein.
- A great make ahead healthy breakfast option.
- There is a cool grizzly bear on the box. This is especially cool to me because I love bears! In fact, the decor in my bedroom is bears. Literally over a hundred bears are in there. Stuffed bears, glass bears, brass bears, porcelain bears, a blanket, wall decor, clocks, hat boxes, and even books.
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Kodiak Cakes Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk Power Cakes Waffle and Flapjack Mix
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 cup milk
- 1 egg
- 1 cup sweetened applesauce
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- 2 tbsp mini chocolate chips
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Spray muffin pan liberally with nonstick cooking spray.
- Combine the pancake mix, cinnamon and baking powder in a medium bowl.2 cups Kodiak Cakes Buttermilk Power Cakes Waffle and Flapjack Mix, 1 tsp cinnamon, 1 tsp baking powder
- Beat the egg slightly in a small bowl. Whisk the milk, beaten egg, maple syrup, applesauce and vanilla in large mixing bowl. Add the dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Do not over-mix, muffin batter will be lumpy. Fold in chocolate chips.1 cup milk, 1 egg, 1 cup sweetened applesauce, 1/4 cup maple syrup, 1 tsp vanilla, 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips
- Divide batter between twelve muffin cups, they will be almost full. Top with reserved chocolate chips, if desired. Bake for 18 – 20 minutes or until the edges begin to brown and the top springs back when touched.2 tbsp mini chocolate chips
- Cool 4 – 5 minutes in the pan and then move to a wire rack to cool. Run a knife between the muffin and muffin cup to loosen the muffin.
Delicious and moist!
Thank you!
These were so delicious! My kids love muffins, but I was looking for a somewhat healthier version than the packaged mixes and this is a great alternative.
I am so glad you like them, thanks for commenting and reviewing!