Low Carb PB&J Muffins – A Great Breakfast Idea (Gluten Free Too!)

Oh, who doesn’t love a good old PB&J?  My wonderful husband sat and ate one in front of me not too long ago, and the craving set in.  I decided to do him one better and make these low carb PB&J muffins. 

My muffins were a much better PB&J experience.  

If you like peanut butter, and you like strawberry jam, these might make your little toes curl.

 

PB&J muffins with options, oh my!

Don’t like peanuts?  Well, you my friend, have options. 

Feel free to use any other nut butter.  Here are just a few combination ideas you could pull together: 

• Almond would be amazing with a sugar-free raspberry jam. 
• Cashew butter would pair very well with sugar-free lemon jam.
• Hazelnut butter would be over the top amazing with no sugar added cherry jam.   

Or keep the peanut butter, and switch out the jam for your preferred low carb jam, like our sugar free blackberry jam recipe!

You can get pretty creative with these PB&J muffins, but remember if you change the nut butter and jam be sure to verify the carb counts. 

Want more muffin recipes?  

How about a dark chocolate chocolate chocolate muffin? (so good I had to say chocolate thrice).  

A delicious chocolate chip muffin that has a crunchy top, just like a bakery-style muffin. 

Oh and these wonderful bursting blueberry muffins that pop with flavor.  

A bit about the PB&J muffin batter (tips, tricks & additions)

The muffin base is pretty simple.  It’s a vanilla muffin mix with a few tablespoons of peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter) added to the mix.   

It is important to not over mix the batter.   You want to fold the dry into the wet until just incorporated.  If you mix too much, the mixture will be super heavy. Still tasty, but a bit too dense. 

The batter also calls for xanthan gum, and in low carb baking, it does make a difference.  We only add a small bit and helps to replace the lack of gluten in recipes and gives baked goods a bit of stability. 

What’s the best sweetener to use in this PB&J muffin recipe?

Feel free to use your favorite 1:1 sugar substitute.  

Powered is preferred over granular, as it blends better and has a nicer texture.  At least I think so, but since different folks react to and prefer different sweeteners, I say use what you like best. 

My favorite powdered sweetener by far is So Nourished Monk Fruit Blend; I find it has almost no aftertaste at all.   This sweetener is what I use in most of my baking recipes, including this one. 

Swerve, Truvia and stevia will work perfectly fine here as well as does any powdered erythritol or xylitol brand. 

Allulose will also work great in this recipe.  

** Remember, xylitol is poisonous to dogs and cats, so if that’s your choice and you have little furry friends running around, be aware that it can be deadly for them.**

Simple PB&J muffin assembly (tips and tricks to make it go quick and easy) 

Fill your muffin tin with standard size liners and fill about 3/4 of the way to the top. 

Let the muffins cool completely after they come out of the oven.  Once cooled use a small spoon, or melon baller to remove a small bit of muffin from the center. 

Tip:  Heat your peanut butter a bit in the microwave (20 seconds or so) to soften it up for spreading. 

Each PB&J muffin gets 1 tablespoon of unsweetened peanut butter (or your favorite nut butter).  Spread the peanut butter over the top of the muffin allowing a bit to dribble into the hole. Be sure to leave a bit of room in the hole for the jam.   

Sprinkle a few crushed nuts around the rim of the muffin for texture (completely optional!). 

Finish up with a teaspoon of no sugar added strawberry jam (or your jam of choice) dolloped in the middle. 

A bit about the jam filling (you have even more options)

You have more options!  

1. You can make and preserve your very own strawberry filling.  I am big into having a pantry filled with homemade canned goods where I control the ingredients and the level of sweetness.  I make my jams, so when I want to make desserts like this, I can pull a jar out of the cupboard.  If you check out my strawberry jam recipe, you will see how I use 100% pure pectin to preserve all my sugar-free jams. 
2. You can also use commercially made low carb and no sugar added jams.  Just remember that these jams have different nutritional values and you will need to verify the carb counts. 
3.  Probably the easiest – cook down fresh strawberries with a bit of sweetener until it naturally gels and thickens.  

I’ve added nutritional information for the 3rd option to the recipe.  

I also want to note that the glossy jam in this photo is one made with allulose.   Allulose makes jam taste and feel just like jam made with sugar.  It’s glossy, and sticky and has a very similar mouthfeel to regular jam.  If you make your jam on the stove or even buy a commerical brand, it may not have that shiny look. 

You can also check out the other tested no added sugar homemade jam recipes I have on the site. 

Storage & Serving Suggestions

These PB&J muffins do well covered on the counter for up to 3 days.  You can also store these in the fridge for a few days longer, but the texture is best at room temperature. 

You can freeze them too, even with the peanut butter and jam topping.  Add the muffins you want to freeze in a single layer on a cookie sheet and freeze completely.  Once frozen add the muffins to a freezer-safe container or bag. You can store them like this for 2 months. 

If freezing, you can defrost on the countertop for an hour before munching down. 

They go great with a hot cup of tea too!