The Nutritional Breakdown: How many calories in a Trader Joe's protein muffin?

November 6, 2025 •

4 min read

According to nutrition tracking apps, one Trader Joe's Gluten Free Dark Chocolate Protein Muffin contains 270 calories, while the Maple variety clocks in at 260 calories. These single-serve muffins offer a convenient, high-protein snack, but it's important to understand the full nutritional profile when managing your diet.

Quick Summary

This article provides a complete breakdown of the calories and macronutrients in Trader Joe's protein muffins, examines the ingredients, and compares them with other snack options and homemade recipes for a balanced nutritional perspective.

Key Points

Calorie Count Varies by Flavor: The Dark Chocolate protein muffin contains 270 calories, while the Maple variety has 260 calories per serving.
Significant Fat and Sugar: Despite the protein, the muffins contain a notable amount of saturated fat and added sugars, influencing their overall nutritional value.
Compare to Alternatives: For those watching their intake, these muffins have a higher calorie, fat, and sugar content than less-processed protein snacks like Greek yogurt.
Consider Homemade: Homemade protein muffins allow for complete control over ingredients, enabling you to reduce calories, sugar, and fat while boosting fiber.
Mindful Consumption: As part of a balanced diet, the muffins are acceptable in moderation, but they should be viewed as a treat rather than a primary health food, especially for those with specific dietary goals.
Ingredients Can Include Processed Items: Ingredients often include milk protein isolate, coconut oil, and cane sugar, so it's not a whole-food product.

A Closer Look at the Calories in Trader Joe's Protein Muffins

Many shoppers gravitate toward Trader Joe's single-serve protein muffins, a gluten-free and convenient snack option designed to deliver a protein boost. However, despite their 'protein' title, it's essential to analyze their full nutritional content to determine if they align with your health and fitness goals. The total calorie count, along with the distribution of fat, carbohydrates, and protein, tells a much more complete story.

The Dark Chocolate Protein Muffin: What's Inside?

The Gluten-Free Dark Chocolate Protein Muffin is the more decadent of the two primary flavors. A single container, which is a serving size, packs a significant number of calories for its small stature. Besides the protein, it also contains notable amounts of fat and sugar, and a decent serving of fiber.

Calories: 270 calories
Protein: 12 grams
Total Fat: 11 grams, with 8 grams of saturated fat
Total Carbohydrates: 31 grams
Total Sugars: 15 grams
Dietary Fiber: 5 grams
Sodium: 410 mg

The Maple Protein Muffin: The Sweet Alternative

For those who prefer a less chocolatey option, the Maple Protein Muffin offers a slightly different nutritional profile. It's a bit lower in calories, carbs, and sugar, which can make it a more appealing choice for some diet plans.

Calories: 260 calories
Protein: 12 grams
Total Fat: 13 grams, with 9 grams of saturated fat
Total Carbohydrates: 22 grams
Total Sugars: 9 grams
Dietary Fiber: 3 grams
Sodium: 350 mg

Ingredient Analysis and Dietary Considerations

The ingredient list reveals some of the factors contributing to the calorie and macro counts. Common ingredients include cassava flour, milk protein isolate, cane sugar, and coconut oil. The inclusion of milk protein isolate is what boosts the protein content, but the use of cane sugar and coconut oil contributes significantly to the calories and saturated fat.

For those on a diet, understanding these components is key. While the muffins offer a protein boost, they are not low-calorie and contain a considerable amount of sugar and saturated fat, especially compared to less-processed, high-protein options like Greek yogurt or nuts. The convenience is a major selling point, but for regular consumption, particularly for weight management, portion control and ingredient quality are important considerations.

Comparison of Protein Muffin Options

It’s helpful to compare the Trader Joe's version to a traditional, higher-calorie muffin and a homemade protein muffin to put its nutrition into perspective. This table highlights how the different options stack up across key nutritional markers.


Nutrient	TJ's Dark Chocolate Muffin	Standard Store-Bought Muffin	Homemade Protein Muffin (Example)
Calories	270	~400-500	~260
Protein	12g	~6-8g	~8g
Total Fat	11g	~15-25g	~14g
Saturated Fat	8g	~5-10g	~4-8g
Total Sugars	15g	~30-40g	~15g (depending on sweetener)
Dietary Fiber	5g	~1-2g	~3g

Note: Values for 'Standard Store-Bought Muffin' and 'Homemade Protein Muffin' are estimates based on typical recipes and products.

Are Trader Joe's Protein Muffins a Good Fit for Your Diet?

Whether these muffins are a good choice depends entirely on your individual nutritional needs and goals. They can be a satisfying, protein-rich snack, especially for those who need a grab-and-go option that is gluten-free. For people trying to gain weight or fuel a very active lifestyle, the calories and macronutrients can be beneficial. However, individuals managing weight loss, diabetes, or a low-fat diet should be more mindful due to the sugar and saturated fat content. There are healthier alternatives available, both at Trader Joe's and from homemade recipes, that offer a better nutritional profile.

Smart Substitutes and Healthier Choices

If the sugar and fat content of the TJ's protein muffins is a concern, there are many alternatives to explore. For a more balanced snack, consider some of the following options.

Homemade Protein Muffins

Making your own protein muffins allows for complete control over ingredients, portion size, and nutritional content. Many recipes utilize healthier alternatives to refined sugars and flours, such as:

Oats and oat flour
Bananas and applesauce for natural sweetness and moisture
Greek yogurt for added protein and moisture
Unsweetened protein powder
Healthier fats like coconut oil or nut butter

Other High-Protein Snacks at Trader Joe's

Trader Joe's offers a wide range of high-protein snacks that may be more suitable for your diet. Some great alternatives include:

Non-Fat Plain Greek Yogurt
Perfect Bar Peanut Butter Protein Bars
Just Chicken breast
High Protein Organic Tofu
Peanut Butter Protein Granola

Conclusion: Balancing Convenience and Nutrition

The question of how many calories in a Trader Joe's protein muffin reveals a larger dietary consideration: balancing convenience with nutrition. While these muffins provide a quick dose of protein and satisfy a craving, they also contain significant levels of saturated fat and sugar. They can be a viable part of a diet when consumed in moderation and with awareness of their full nutritional impact. However, for those seeking lower-calorie or lower-sugar options, exploring homemade recipes or other protein-rich snacks at Trader Joe's and elsewhere is a healthier, more sustainable strategy for long-term nutritional goals. By understanding the data, you can make an informed choice that best supports your wellness journey.

For a great homemade option, check out this BBC Food recipe for high protein muffins.

Frequently Asked Questions

While they offer protein, the muffins are relatively high in calories, saturated fat, and sugar, which can hinder weight loss goals. Healthier, lower-calorie protein sources might be a better fit.

Yes, Trader Joe's markets their protein muffins as gluten-free, using a mix of gluten-free flours like cassava and coconut flour.

Each Dark Chocolate muffin contains 15 grams of sugar, with the Maple flavor having 9 grams. For a small item, this is a moderate to high amount of sugar.

The muffins are made with a mix of flours (cassava, coconut), milk protein isolate, chocolate chips, cane sugar, coconut oil, and natural flavors, among others.

Yes, alternatives include non-fat Greek yogurt, protein granola, and various nuts or seeds, which offer protein with less processed ingredients, sugar, and fat.

Absolutely. You can make homemade protein muffins using healthier ingredients like oats, bananas, and a quality protein powder, which gives you complete control over the nutrition.

The protein in the muffins primarily comes from milk protein isolate.