This highly requested blueberry muffin recipe is from our restaurant! Lightly sweetened and enhanced with lemon zest, vanilla, and cardamom made with fresh or frozen blueberries, with optional streusel topping!
These blueberry muffins are moist and delicious and completely irresistible! A tried and true recipe from our vegetarian restaurant, we give them a boost of healthy nutrients with whole wheat flour and minimal sugar- just enough to bring out their lovely flavor!
Creamy yogurt, lemon zest, vanilla, and a touch of cardamom all work together to create a synergy of flavors. Every bite delights the palate.
To elevate, sprinkle on the streusel crumb topping for a delicious crunch and a lovely presentation- optional but delicious!
healthy Blueberry Muffin Ingredients
- Blueberries– fresh or frozen. When using frozen blueberries, give a quick rinse if covered in ice crystals and pat dry as best you can with a paper towel. But do not thaw, add in frozen. The batter may tint blue slightly but the muffins will still be delicious.
- Flour – we love using whole wheat pastry flour– this very light wheat flour adds a nutty flavor, beatuiful texture and more nutrients. You can substitute all-purpose flour, or use 1/2 wheat, 1/2 white, or cup-to-cup gluten-free flour mix.
- Greek Yogurt– the thick consistency of Greek yogurt is important in creating a thick batter, helping the blueberries to stay suspended throughout the muffins rather than sinking to the bottom.
- Olive oil– skip the vegetable oil and try olive oil! Feel free to replace it with a neutral oil like avocado oil. You can use butter or coconut oil though they tend to create a dry muffin, especially the next day.
- Cardamom– the combination with blueberries and lemon zest is so lovely. Leave it out if you prefer or replace it with cinnamon.
- Vanilla extract- use real vanilla extract for the best flavor.
- Lemon zest– for a zesty brightness!
- Sugar– we use just enough to give the muffins flavor and help to brown the tops. These muffins are not super sweet.
*See the recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
Step-by-step instructions
Heat the oven to 375F degrees. Oil or line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper (spray oil the papers!)
Step one: mix the streusel topping. Stir the flour, sugar, and salt, and mash the butter with your fingers until it forms a coarse crumb. Pop it in the freezer while you make the muffin batter.
Step two: Mix dry ingredients. Measure flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom (if using), and salt into a large bowl. Whisk the flour mixture.
Step three: Mix wet ingredients. Thoroughly whisk olive oil, eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, milk, and lemon zest in a separate medium bowl.
Step 4: Combine. Add the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until mostly incorporated. Add the blueberries, folding in just enough to distribute.
Step 5 Fill. Spoon the batter into the muffin pan using paper liners. (You can also use a nonstick muffin pan sprayed with olive oil cooking spray.) An ice cream scoop works great for this. Fill up to the top. Press a few blueberries into the top of each muffin. Sprinkle 1-2 teaspoons of the streusel over the top of each muffin.
Step 5: Bake. Place in the oven (middle rack) for 20-25 minutes, until puffed and golden or a toothpick comes out clean ( or200-204F degrees internally on a thermometer). Remove muffins from the tin and let cool on a wire rack.
Storage
Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 3-4 days. To freshen up, pop in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes or air fry at 300F for 3 minutes.
Chef’s Tips and Variations
It does not seem to make a huge difference. If the batter is thin, the berries will sink anyways. A thick batter helps to distribute the berries more evenly.
It is easier to use fresh blueberries though sometimes they can be lacking in flavor when they are off-peak. Frozen berries may streak the batter with blue ribbons though the berries are frozen at peak harvest and can have more flavor.
Yes, choose a flour blend that will replace the flour cup-to-cup.
Yes. Cool completely and place in a freezer bag for up to 6 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and warm if you like!
Using wholegrain flour and minimal sugar is a great way to make blueberry muffins healthier!
More favorite Muffin recipes!
Enjoy these “healthier” blueberry muffins! Let us know what you think of them in the comments below.
Watch how to make Blueberry Muffins
Blueberry Muffin Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: baked
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Description
Ingredients
- 2 1/2 cups (300 grams) ww pastry flour (use all purpose or 1/2 wheat 1/2 white)
- 1/2 to 3/4 cup (100 to 150 grams) sugar (see notes)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 teaspoon cardamom (optional or use 1 teaspoon cinnamon)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2/3 cup olive oil (or a more neutral oil if preferred)
- 2 eggs, room temperature
- 1 cup Greek yogurt
- 2 teaspoons vanilla
- 1/4 cup milk (plant based is fine if preferred)
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 1/2 cups (220 grams) blueberries, fresh or frozen (do not thaw-*see notes)
Streusel Topping (optional- but makes them special!)
- 1/4 cup flour (use a gluten free blend if desired)
- 1/4 cup sugar, coarse or regular
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil or butter
- pinch of salt
- pinch of cardamom
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 375F degrees. Oil or line a 12 hole muffin tin with papers (oil the papers!)
- (Optional Streusel topping: Mix together the streusel by mixing together the flour, sugar, salt and mash the butter in until in forms a coarse crumb. Pop it in the freezer while you make the muffin batter.
- Dry ingredients: Measure out flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cardamom (if using), and salt. Stir together.
- Wet ingredients: In a separate bowl whisk together thoroughly olive oil, eggs, Greek yogurt, vanilla, milk, and lemon zest.
- Combine: Add the wet ingredients into the dry and gently mix until mostly incorporated. Avoid over mixing! Add the blueberries, folding in just enough to distribute.
- Fill: Scoop batter into the muffin tin, a mechanical ice cream scoop works great for this. Fill up to the top. Press a few blueberries into the top of each muffin. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the streusel over the top of each muffin.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until they bounce back when pressed in the center or around 200F degrees, internally, on a thermometer. Remove the muffins from the tin and let them cool on a rack.
Notes
Store at room temperature in a sealed container for up to 3 days. To freshen up, pop in the oven at 350F for 5 minutes or air fry at 300F for 3 minutes.
Sugar– 1/2 cup (100 grams) gives a light sweetness which we prefer, but adding another 1/4 cup will give them a full sweet flavor.
Frozen blueberries– give a quick rinse if covered in ice crystals and pat dry as best you can with a paper towel. But do not thaw, add in frozen. The batter may tint blue slightly but the muffins will still be delicious.
Freeze- in a sealed container or bag up to 3 months.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin (without streusel topping)
- Calories: 261
- Sugar: 11.1 g
- Sodium: 125.6 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 2.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 31 g
- Fiber: 3.3 g
- Protein: 6.1 g
- Cholesterol: 31.8 mg
Omg, these are THE BEST blueberry muffins I have ever made! No need for any other.
Yay, so glad you liked them!
Yum! Had some Bobs Red Mill 1:1 GF flour to use up and it worked great in this recipe! I haven’t liked its texture in cakes, but for these muffins, nice crumbles and neutral flavor. Maybe it’s because of the olive oil? These will be delicious with tomorrow morning’s coffee. For reference I used Chobani 0% Greek (what I had in fridge) and Kirkland organic olive oil. No baking cups. Oiled the cups with avocado oil. Absolutely love the tip about 200 degree internal temp.
Perfect Tanja! Thanks for your helpful review!
How would you adjust this to bake as a loaf?
We haven’t tried this Amy. I’ll put it on list to experiment with. Just a guess though – 350F for 45 minutes, then check internal temperature-should be around 200.
Can I sub the oil with butter? I prefer the butter taste t oil. Thanks!
Yes! Butter is just not as moist (especially when eaten cold the next day)-but I hear you on the flavor!
I’ve made these 3 times. Yum! This time I used blackberries I had just picked. Very juicy, so I had to extend bake time a couple mins. I’m thinking of trying cranberries. But the blueberries may still be the best–really tasty!
So glad you are enjoying!
This recipe looks really good. I would like to use a gluten free flour instead of the whole wheat flour. I don’t like GF 1:1 flours. Do you have a recommendation of another GF flour, like almond or coconut. What do you think would be nice in this recipe. Thank you
Almond and coconut flours need a different ratio with the wet ingredients, so you would have to play around with the recipe.
Too much oil. Ended up with a sloppy mess. At least the tops are still edible
Oh shoot Aurelia- did you follow the recipe exactly? Using thick Greek yogurt?
I made the blueberry muffins this morning – really good! I made just a few tweaks: reduced the olive oil to 1/2 c & sub’d in 1/2 c ground almonds. There was plenty of sweetness with 1/2 c sugar, and I used 0% greek yogurt. My husband had 2 right away. Thanks for the recipe!
Great Madeleine, love that you made them your own!
Best blueberry muffins I have ever made!!♥️♥️
Great to hear Hema!!
Absolutely delicious, like all of your recipes! Thank you. This will be a hit repeat at my place 🙂
So happy you liked the muffins Sally!
Great tasting muffins! I used half whole wheat and half white flour and added a tad more milk because the batter seemed thick (thought I forgot to add an ingredient). I was nervous about the cardamom so added only 1/2 tsp but next time will use the full amount. Love the flavor and that they are not too sweet.
Happy you enjoyed these Julie!
Great muffins, omitted the milk and the streusel and didn’t add spice (my children prefer the muffins on the plainer side). Added 3/4 cup sugar, I think half a cup would be not at all enough.
Hi Ginka, so happy you adapted these and enjoyed!
These are AMAZING! I made them vegan with vegan butter, a flax egg, and vegan yogurt and they were absolutely delicious!
That is great to hear Wendy! Thanks so much for letting us know.
Delish! Make the streusel topping, it really takes them to the next level!
Great to hear Ashley!
Amazing recipe – I followed it exactly, used a gluten free 1:1 flour, olive oil, followed your recipe exactly, including strusel. Batter was stiff and I thought uh oh, but had faith because love your work at feasting at home. These turned out perfectly. (Also, I’m from Canada and we use cup measurements here too). I will make these regularly. Thank you! 🙂
Yay Kim! So happy these worked out for you and appreciate hearing the process! 🙂
These were amazing muffins! I made six, (instead of 12) using a large muffin pan. Bake time 30-35 minutes.
Awesome Lisa, thanks!
These were very good. Just the right amount of ‘sweet’. I used 1/2 c of sugar and cut the oil to 1/2 c using half grape seed 1/2 evoo. I love the blueberry cardamom lemon trio. Also used frozen berries. Left them in the freezer until needed added to dry ingredients then immediately adding the wet and gently mixing..no purple muffins! Also used 0% Greek yogurt. No problems! Light and moist and a good size muffin too! Thank you, will make again and again!
Perfect! Appreciate this Ally.
Will definitely try this recipe, have several on file always happy to try a new one! Especially since I love blueberries!
Did I mention I love blueberries!!
Thank you for the recipe
Jim B
Hi Jim, yay for blueberries! Let us know what you think! 🙂
This was just what I was hankering for! Oh my… so good. Luckily I had all the ingredients so made them as written.
Yay! Glad you enjoyed.
Very good and very light, no doubt due to the olive oil. That being said, I found these to be a bit too “rich” (oily isn’t quite the right word, but somewhere on that spectrum), no doubt due to the combination of olive oil and full-fat yogurt.
Although we enjoyed them, not sure I would make them again.
Thanks Mary.
Outstanding recipe Tonia! I reduced the olive oil to 1/2 and used just a 1/2 c sugar. The lemon zest and cardamom are a match made in muffin heaven. Thanks so much for sharing with us.
So happy you enjoyed Dee! Thanks for the report on your adjustments, good to know!
Hey Tonia you may want to review the metric equivalents in the recipe, they are incorrect. Ie amount of yogurt in the ingredients. It says 1 cup/414ml….414ml is not equal to one cup. Should be 250ml.
2/3 cup of oil is not equal to 80ml.
In Canada we use metric and these are not the usual equivalencies.
Oh dear! Thanks so much Ally!
Can this be made sugar free?
You might be able to cut out the sugar and use applesauce for part of the yogurt measurement though we have not experimented with this. Let us know if you give it a try.