I have spent the last few months in search of the perfect blueberry muffins, and now I can happily report that these are the ones!

Packed with real blueberries and perfect batter, these blueberry muffins are just divine. They are easy to make, they are not too sweet, and they are bursting with blueberries in every bite.

The addition to these muffins is sour cream, which makes the difference between classic muffins and those that are super delicious and perfectly moist.  

Making The Muffins (Overview)

I’ll give you a full recipe with ingredients and step-by-step instructions at the end of this article, but here’s a brief explanation so you know what you’re getting yourself into first.

Most muffin recipes are built on the muffin method. This method consists of mixing dry and liquid ingredients in separate bowls, then combining these two. The muffins we have today are made in a single bowl.

The mixture is more similar to the cake method; the dry and liquid ingredients are both added to the butter-sugar-egg mixture, and all are mixed in a single bowl.

Once you have the batter, fold in the fresh blueberries, and make sure to do it very gently.

Fresh Vs. Frozen Blueberries

Both fresh and frozen blueberries work great in muffins. I made these muffins with both types, and I had a really hard time telling the difference in flavor. However, there are some differences in how they interact with the batter. 

Fresh blueberries are easy to work with; you just fold them into the batter, and you’re done. They are sturdy and they do not break. Peak season blueberries also taste wonderful and are a great addition to any cake or muffins. 

However, off-peak blueberries can lack flavor. Something like this will never happen with frozen blueberries because they are picked at the peak of their ripeness. 

Now, the issue that comes with the frozen blueberries is that they can color your batter.

The unbaked batter has a beautiful color, but once baked it can turn into something kind of purple-grey-green color that does not look appealing (unless you want to add blue-purple or indigo food coloring to make it look like the blue is purposeful).

So, if you want to use frozen blueberries in these muffins, make sure to add them when they are completely frozen and bake the muffins immediately. 

The color of the batter can be also affected by its acidity to alkaline features. The alkaline batter, or plain batter, can turn your blueberries a bluish-green color, while the acidic batter (like this one because it has sour cream) can turn your blueberries reddish-purple. 

Preventing

As mentioned, the easiest way is to use fresh blueberries. This issue may happen only with the frozen blueberries, because of the juices that bleed into the batter.

So, always use frozen blueberries, and I even like to spread them onto paper towels just to grab some of the extra moisture before use.

When you place them on a paper towel and cover and roll for 20 seconds, you can see that much of the color (I assume it is that some may be coated with juices) stays behind on the paper towel.

Toss the blueberries with some flour, not only to prevent them from sinking into the batter but also to prevent color transfer on the batter and you will be good to go.

Key Steps For Making Blueberry Muffins

Use oil or melted butter; the base of these blueberries are oil (or melted butter) and sour cream. These ingredients will make your muffins moist. For some extra flavor, you can use butter.

Do not over-mix; as you already know, you should try not to over-mix the batter. Over-mixed batter will result in dense muffins. 

Lemon zest is a must; lemon balances the sweetness of the muffins and makes the flavor of blueberries even brighter.

Make sure to look for organic lemons for the perfect amount of zest. If you cannot find these, then choose either dried lemon peel or freeze-dried lemon peel.

How To Serve And Store Blueberry Muffins?

Nothing can beat freshly baked blueberry muffins and these are best served with some tea or a glass of milk. The leftovers will keep well at room temperature for a few days.

My favorite way to serve these muffins is to cut them in half and toast or set them under a broiler for a few minutes, and then slather them with butter. This is my version of a perfect breakfast.

Blueberry Muffins With Sour Cream

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 25 minutes

Servings: 6

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 tsp for coating blueberries
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen)

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat egg and sugar until you have a fluffy and pale mixture.

3. Add vegetable oil, sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.

4. Add flour and baking powder to the liquid ingredients, 1/3 at the time, whisking after each addition, but do not over-mix the batter.

5. In a small bowl, toss to coat, blueberries with flour.

6. Add the blueberries to the batter and use a spatula to get the blueberries just incorporated. 

7. Spoon muffin batter equally into muffin pan, filling muffin cups to the top. 

8. Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes. If you are using frozen blueberries, increase the baking time to 30-35 minutes.

9. Cool the baked muffins for 5 minutes in a muffin tin. 

10. Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely before serving and enjoying.

Blueberry Muffins With Sour Cream

Yield: 6 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

These muffins are soft and fluffy with the perfect berry-to-fluff ratio and sweetness that isn't overpowering.

Print

Ingredients

• 1 egg
• ½ cup sugar
• ¼ cup vegetable oil
• ½ cup sour cream
• 1 tsp lemon zest
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup all-purpose flour + 1 tsp for coating blueberries
• ¾ tsp baking powder
• 1 pinch of salt
• 1 cup fresh blueberries (or frozen)

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, beat egg and sugar until you have a fluffy and pale mixture.

Add vegetable oil, sour cream, lemon zest, and vanilla extract.

Add flour and baking powder to the liquid ingredients, 1/3 at the time, whisking after each addition, but do not over-mix the batter.

In a small bowl, toss to coat blueberries with flour.

Add the blueberries to the batter and use a spatula to get the blueberries just incorporated. 

Spoon muffin batter equally into muffin pan, filling muffin cups to the top. 

Bake muffins for 25-30 minutes. If you are using frozen blueberries, increase the baking time to 30-35 minutes.

Cool the baked muffins for 5 minutes in a muffin tin.  

Transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely before serving and enjoying.

Related Articles

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Without Yogurt

Blueberry Muffins Without Baking Powder

Blueberry Muffins With Oil

The word itself was first found in print in 1703, spelled “moofin.” It is of uncertain origin but possibly derived from the German “muffen,” meaning a small cake. 

It seems the Germans had their recipe for the perfect muffins way before the U.S. did, and therefore, I bring you an authentic recipe for the muffin, coming from Germany. 

The German recipes for muffins and sweet bread are usually enriched with ingredients that give them extra flavor. 

German muffins are different from the classic muffins in the States, or muffin recipes usually found on the internet. These are less sweet in comparison to classic muffins and have some delicious, dried fruits inside.

Let’s get into it!

What Are German Muffins?

As mentioned above, German muffins are muffins with less sugar content. Although they are not as sweet as we’re used to in America, they are perfect to be served as a dessert or lightly sweet treat with a cup of hot tea or coffee. 

German muffins also come in different varieties. Besides muffins with dried fruits, there are also muffins with nuts and citrus zest.

For this recipe, I kind of mixed it all, to get amazing flavors and a great texture. I did add a bit of brown sugar, but just a tiny amount to round it out.

What Are The Ingredients?

As you can already tell, the German muffins I have today are packed with different ingredients. Besides classic ones, like flour, milk, eggs, sugar, and butter, I added a few extra. 

• Candied orange zest – This ingredient is very popular in Germany and I use it in many cakes and sweet bread recipes. The most popular recipe using candied orange zest is Stollen – a sweet Christmas bread, similar to Italian Panettone. 

• Raisins – Raisins are a fantastic ingredient in muffins and cakes. As they are dry, they tend to soak up some liquid from the baked goods. Therefore, I suggest you soak them in water before use. You can also soak them in rum, but water will be perfectly fine, especially if you are serving these to kids.

• Almond meal – German muffins are usually made with almonds or walnuts, and they are added as chopped or slivered nuts. I was thinking about how to improve the texture, as chopped nuts sometimes ruin smooth batter during baking, so I decided on almonds in the form of almond meal. You will have a subtle almond flavor, but with a perfect muffin texture. 

How To Make Muffins Perfectly Moist

This is a very common question from home bakers. There are a few tips, but they are all very easy:

1. Use room temperature butter and milk. This will ensure all is blended easily. Leave your ingredients on the kitchen counter for at least 1 hour before use. 
2. Don’t over-mix your ingredients. Mix the ingredients until just combined. Do not use a whisk like your life depends on it. 
3. Don’t over-bake your muffins. Bake the muffins until just browned and a toothpick comes out clean. 

How To Store Freshly Baked Muffins

You can store the muffins on your kitchen counter, at room temperature in a sealed container. They will last for 4 days. Just make sure to cool them completely before transferring them into the container. 

You can also prolong their shelf life by storing these in a fridge. This way, you can enjoy muffins for up to 6 days.

Delicious German Muffins

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 20 minutes

Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• ½ cup softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp rum extract
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 2 tbsp chopped orange candied zest
• ¼ cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.

2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter with brown sugar. 

3. Add in eggs and rum extract.

4. Gradually whisk in the milk. 

5. Fold in flour, almond meal, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir until just combined. 

6. Finally fold in orange zest and raisins. 

7. Spoon the muffins into a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.

8. Cool on a wire rack before serving. 

Delicious German Muffins Recipe

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 20 minutes

These delicious German muffins will satisfy even the pickiest of breakfast lovers!

Print

Ingredients

• ½ cup softened butter
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp rum extract
• ¾ cup milk
• ½ tsp cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• 1 ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• 3 tbsp brown sugar
• ¼ cup almond meal
• 2 tbsp chopped orange candied zest
• ¼ cup raisins

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and line 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a mixing bowl, beat butter with brown sugar. 
3. Add in eggs and rum extract.
4. Gradually whisk in the milk. 
5. Fold in flour, almond meal, baking powder and cinnamon. Stir until just combined. 
6. Finally fold in orange zest and raisins. 
7. Spoon the muffins into a muffin tin and bake for 20 minutes.
8. Cool on a wire rack before serving. 

Related Articles

Banana Muffins Without Baking Soda

Banana Sourdough Muffins

Eggless Vanilla Muffins

The most popular way to spare aging bananas is with banana bread, which is perfectly delicious. But may I suggest something even more exciting, like muffins?

And for that matter, why not add another layer to the mix and make banana sourdough muffins?

You will love how moist and delicious these muffins are. They are perfect for making ahead and freezing, so you can reheat them any time you like for the perfect breakfast treat.

These banana muffins are my favorite – they are moist and tender, and unlike the classic banana muffins they have a bit of a sour and tangy flavor pairing perfectly with the sweetness of the bananas and the salty notes of the cashews.

Making your own sourdough starter is not as hard as you think, and making this muffin recipe is definitely not hard either! So grab your apron and let’s get baking!

Saving Freckled And Browning Bananas

When you have a load of bananas, it’s hard to eat ’em all while they’re still bright-yellow. So what to do when you end up with aromatic and freckled bananas?

People usually turn them into a banana bread, but recently I tried something even more delicious – sourdough banana muffins! 

Why Do Bananas Go Brown?

Bananas are a climacteric fruit. This means they do not have to be on a plant to ripen fully.

If you did not know, bananas are in most cases picked from the tree while still green. This is done to minimize the bruising and damage of the bananas during the transport.

By the time they arrive at the store, bananas are usually almost perfectly ripe. Once you buy these it is often only a matter of time, day or two, before bananas begin to get spots and freckles over their skin.

Then, it is time to take out your muffin pan and turn these freckled bananas into something really special. Sourdough banana muffins are just that special something.

Should I Use Chopped Or Mashed Bananas?

If you’ve baked banana bread before, you probably know already that you will need to demolish those bananas before baking with them. But does it matter if you chop or mash them? Is it just a matter of preference?

I made both versions, and truth to be told, I like the “middle” version – a mix of fine mashed banana and chunks.

The mashed banana really provides an amazing flavor, while the chunks become a fruity pockets of creamy banana after the muffins are cooked. 

What Is A Sourdough?

As I’ve said, this isn’t just any old banana muffin recipe – it’s a sourdough recipe.

For you baking beginners, what is sourdough?

Sourdough is a dough made with a sourdough starter. The sourdough starter is actually a wild yeast in form that we can use for baking. The wild yeast is present in all flour and you just have to add some water to it.

Afterwards, the mixture is left aside in the warm place for several days, so the natural yeast can become active. You do not have to use any fancy ingredients just some bread flour. I have mixed my bread flour with whole wheat flour, just to give it a bit twist. 

After a day or two the bubbles will appear on the surface of your mixture. This is the time when you will start to feed your yeast with fresh flour and water. 

How To Make A Sourdough Starter

If you’ve never made your own sourdough starter, it may seem a little intimidating, but it’s not as bad as you think! It just takes a little time. If you don’t already have a starter, you will need to plan ahead (or simply wait) to make this recipe.

Here is how I make a sourdough starter:

1. Use the digital scale and set unit to grams. I find this the most accurate and easiest to use.
2. Combine 50g of bread flour, 50g whole wheat flour and 100g water.
3. Place the starter in a clean jar and cover with a lid. Set the jar in a warm place. If you are combining the ingredients directly in a jar, make sure you clean the sides or scrape them with a rubber spatula. 
4. After a day or two, you should see the bubbles. At this point, remove 2 tbsp of the starter and place in a clean jar. Add 100g of water, 50g of bread flour, and 50g of whole wheat flour.
5. Leave it aside again. Repeat the process for 6 days, until the starter is bubbly and billowy. 

Here’s what it should look like in the middle of the process:

Note: When the starter starts to bubble after a day or two, it may seem subtle. So you want to get up close to the jar and check.

Are These Muffins Easy to Make?

Don’t let the name ‘sourdough’ fool you – these are probably the easiest banana muffins to make!

They can be made in one bowl. Well, technically I used two bowls, but just for the purpose of taking pictures (as I whisked dry ingredients separately). However, you can make all in a single large bowl. 

To start, beat butter and sugar in a bowl. Add sour cream, vanilla, and egg. Beat and add mashed bananas. You can start by mashing the bananas in a bowl, then beating these with butter and sugar.

Once all is blended, you can add the starter, followed by flour and finally some nuts. 

For this recipe I used salted cashew nuts, but you can choose any type of nut you like – walnuts, almonds, hazelnuts or pecans.

If you want an extra nutty flavor, you can toast the nuts in a dry skillet for 3 minutes over a stove. The heat will release some of the natural oils and the nuts will become more fragrant. 

How To Make Banana Sourdough Muffins

Step 1

Note: Your sourdough starter should be at least a week old and ready to use (see above for guidance).

Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.

In a mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder.

Step 2

In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar. 

Add egg, sour cream and vanilla. Beat until fluffy.

Step 3

Add mashed bananas and sourdough starter. 

Fold in the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Finally, fold in the cashews.

Step 4

Spoon or scoop the batter into paper liners.

Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes. 

Step 5

Cool the muffins on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from the tin. Enjoy!

Banana Sourdough Muffins

Yield: 6 muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These moist and delicious banana sourdough muffins are the perfect blend of tangy, sweet, and just a little salty cashew crunch!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp butter
• ½ cup brown sugar
• 1 egg
• 2 ripe bananas, or ½ cup mashed
• 1 tbsp sour cream
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¼ cup sourdough starter
• 1 cup flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ cup salted cashews, chopped

Instructions

Banana Sourdough Muffins:

Note: Your sourdough starter should be at least a week old and ready to use (instructions below).

1. Preheat oven to 375 Fahrenheit. Line a 6-hole muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.
2. In a mixing bowl, combine flour and baking powder.
3. In a separate large bowl, beat butter and sugar. 
4. Add egg, sour cream and vanilla. Beat until fluffy. 
5. Add mashed bananas and sourdough starter. 
6. Fold in the flour mixture and stir until just combined. Finally, fold in the cashews.
7. Spoon or scoop the batter into paper liners. 
8. Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes. 
9. Cool the muffins on a wire rack for 5 minutes before removing from the tin. Enjoy!

Sourdough Starter:

1. Use the digital scale and set unit to grams. I find this the most accurate and easiest to use.
2. Combine 50g of bread flour, 50g whole wheat flour and 100g water.
3. Place the starter in a clean jar and cover with a lid. Set the jar in a warm place. If you are combining the ingredients directly in a jar, make sure you clean the sides or scrape them with a rubber spatula. 
4. After a day or two, you should see the bubbles. At this point, remove 2 tbsp of the starter and place in a clean jar. Add 100g of water, 50g of bread flour, and 50g of whole wheat flour.
5. Leave it aside again. Repeat the process for 6 days, until the starter is bubbly and billowy. 

Notes

The muffins can be frozen once baked. Wrap each muffin in a parchment paper and place in an airtight container. Freeze up to a month. To serve, thaw overnight and reheat in a microwave. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 317Total Fat: 14gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 53mgSodium: 233mgCarbohydrates: 42gFiber: 2gSugar: 18gProtein: 6g

Up Next: Banana Cake With Oil

Plus, it pairs perfectly with a swipe of butter and a strong cup of coffee. The twist here, as you can conclude from the title, is that it does not require eggs. 

Eggs are an obviously important part of baked goods. They provide structure, leavening, color and flavor. They are a key component in marrying all the ingredients into one smooth batter.

But what if you don’t have eggs? Or you may be working with an egg allergy or hoping to treat a vegan guest (if this is the case, keep in mind you will need to have butter and milk substitutes as well).

There are multiple reasons you may want to bake without eggs and alternative ingredients are coming more and more common.

Fortunately, you can make deliciously moist and sweet vanilla muffins with no eggs at all!

These eggless vanilla muffins are a favorite, whether first thing in the morning with a cup of coffee, as a teatime treat, or even as a dessert.

Substituting eggs is really simple, too. All you really need to substitute is some flaxseed. With the right ratios of your other key ingredients, it is actually a breeze to make these eggless treats.

Now, let’s make some muffins! 

Substituting Egg

It is easier than you may think to substitute eggs when cooking or baking.

Some egg substitutes you may already have on hand include applesauce, mashed banana, a chia seed and water mixture, greek yogurt or a commercial egg replacement.

All are effective and all provide their own variation to the recipe. My favorite egg replacement option, which I utilize in this recipe, is to make a “flax egg” out of ground flaxseed (also called flaxseed meal) and water. 

Making a flax egg is as simple as combining 2 parts flaxseed meal with 3 parts water and allowing it to sit.

This causes the ingredients to sort of gel together, becoming almost egg-like in texture – making it the perfect replacement for eggs in baking!

I keep a bag of flaxseed meal in the kitchen at all times and have found it comes in handy more than I expect. No more panic moments when I start baking and realize all the eggs were used at breakfast!

An important note on flaxseed meal is that it can easily go rancid. It needs to be refrigerated after opening to maintain a longer shelf-life. You likely won’t notice when looking at it that it has gone bad but you will not achieve the same results with flaxseeds past their prime. 

Making Eggless Vanilla Muffins – What to Know

One of the best things about muffins is the work vs reward ratio. Very little work yields a beautiful, delicious reward. Recipes can easily be doubled (even tripled if you dare) to feed a crowd and the only increase in effort is rotating pans into the oven. 

Still, if you’re not careful, or if you’re new to baking, there are some easy ways to accidentally harm your precious treats!

Just to be perfectly clear, let’s go over the general process, pointing out some things you’ll want to take special care with. We don’t want your efforts to go to waste.

The first matter of business is to make our flax “egg”. Again, this is really quite simple. In a small bowl, mix together two tablespoons of flaxseed meal and three tablespoons of water. Set it aside to combine, about five minutes. 

This makes one “egg” so for a recipe that calls for two eggs, you will need to double this. 

Don’t forget to preheat your oven to 400 degrees and gather the remaining ingredients while letting your egg sit to save some time.

In a medium to large sized bowl mix together the dry ingredients. A whisk is my tool of choice for this part and I continue to use it for the wet ingredients. Flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Stir to combine and set aside. 

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the now gel like flax egg, the melted butter, milk, and tablespoon of vanilla. 

Your butter can, of course, be melted on the stove or in the microwave. Be sure to let it cool for a bit before combining so it doesn’t shock the other ingredients with heat.

If you have time, allowing your milk to come to room temperature is always a plus for baking. 

It is worth noting, when it comes to vanilla, it’s important to buy a quality vanilla – specifically a pure vanilla extract.

I stand behind this in all baking, but it’s absolutely vital when creating a vanilla flavored product. Vanilla is the star of the show, make sure it’s a product worth making the star! 

And yes, just 12 muffins requires a full tablespoon of vanilla. Don’t skimp!

Now, combine the wet ingredients into the dry. This should be done with care, stirring until just combined and not over mixing. Mixing too much makes for a tough muffin. This is not an adjective you want used for your muffins. 

Now that your batter is prepared, line your muffin tins with cupcake liners, or grease them with your preferred greasing method. I use butter because I love butter and a little extra only adds to the joy of eating these. 

Filling each muffin tin about ¾ full, this should yield you 12 muffins. If you like, you can sprinkle a little raw sugar (or granulated sugar if that’s what you have) to give them a really nice, sweet crunch on top when they are done. 

Bake for 16-20 minutes. Check them with a toothpick or give the top a gentle touch to see if it springs back softly. Let them cool about 5 minutes in the pan before taking them out to serve. 

As is the beauty with vanilla, it goes with anything, so feel free to stir in fruit or cinnamon or chocolate chips at the end if you want to jazz these up. Or keep them as is, give them a generous swipe of salted butter and enjoy with a nice, strong cup of coffee and someone you love.  

Now that you understand the process more thoroughly, with a greater explanation and some tips to help you make the best muffins possible, let’s try this again with pictures, step by step!

How To Make Eggless Vanilla Muffins 

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 400. 

In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and water. Set time for 5 minutes for the ingredients to combine to a gel type, your flax egg. 

Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. 

Step 2

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla and the flax egg. 

Step 3

Gently combine the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. 

Step 4

Grease or line your muffin tins with cupcake wrappers and fill them about ¾ full with the muffin batter.

If you’d like, sprinkle each muffin with raw sugar for an extra bit of sweet crunch. 

Step 5

Bake for 16-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan slightly, about five minutes. 

Enjoy! 

Eggless Vanilla Muffins

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes

These perfectly soft and sweet eggless vanilla muffins taste even better than the traditional egg version!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 Tbs Flaxseed Meal
• 3 Tbs Water
• 2 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 1 Cup Granulated Sugar
• ½ Tbs Baking Powder
• 1/2 Tsp Salt
• 1 Cup Milk
• ¼ Cup Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 Tbs Vanilla
• Optional: ⅛ cup raw sugar, for sprinkling

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400. 
2. In a small bowl, combine the flaxseed meal and water. Set time for 5 minutes for the ingredients to combine to a gel type, your flax egg. 
3. Meanwhile, in a medium size bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt with a whisk. 
4. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, vanilla and the flax egg. 
5. Gently combine the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Be careful not to overmix. 
6. Grease or line your muffin tins with cupcake wrappers and fill them about ¾ full with the muffin batter. If you’d like, sprinkle each muffin with raw sugar for an extra bit of sweet crunch. 
7. Bake for 16-20 minutes. Let cool in the pan slightly, about five minutes. 
8. Enjoy! 

Notes

Let butter cool a moment before combining with wet ingredients. It is a good idea to let milk come to room temperature, too.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 201Total Fat: 5gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 12mgSodium: 171mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 3g

Up Next: The Best Starbucks Coffee For French Press

But what if you don’t have baking soda in the pantry? Don’t worry, muffins are easy to make without baking soda. You just need to know what to substitute for the rising agent. That’s why we made this recipe!

I hope you enjoy these ultra-delicious banana muffins.

If you want to make these extra decadent and dessert-like, I have an awesome tip for you toward the end of the post, so make sure to keep reading!

How To Choose Bananas For Muffins

Bananas are rich in potassium and vitamin K. They are also packed with fructose, which gives them extra sweetness. That means, when you add them to a dessert, they sweeten the dessert naturally, so you don’t need to add much more sugar.

These muffins require very little processed sugar thanks to the banana puree that we use for their preparation.

Make sure the bananas you choose are ripe. The more mature they are, the better the muffins will be. In fact, the best muffin bananas are the ones with small black spots on the skin.

How To Substitute Baking Soda In Muffins

There are generally three ways to make a muffin fluffy. The first is to beat the whites to stiff, the second is to use baking soda, and the third is to use baking powder.

The first way is the oldest. Before 1900, no chemicals were used to make cakes rise and feel fluffy, so the bakers made use of their arms and ingenuity.

In this way, the preparation of any cake involved beating the egg whites until stiff. Today, the famous Viennese cake is still prepared with this method.

The second way is to use baking soda. Baking soda has a high PH, and when mixed with an acidic ingredient, it produces a chemical reaction that generates CO2 which causes food to sponge or rise.

In recipes that recommend using baking soda, an acid ingredient must be added. Lemon juice or vinegar is generally used (as in the case of red velvet cake).

We do not recommend the use of baking soda for muffins. Most of the time muffins are baked in several batches, and the chemical reaction of baking soda is very fast. This means, if you use baking soda, you should add it last to the mixture and put it in the oven immediately.

The third form is baking powder. The baking powder formula is more complex, although it also has sodium bicarbonate, the acid component is already included in cream of tartar.

If you want to ensure your muffins rise well, you should use baking powder rather than baking soda.

Although these substances are physically very similar, they have different functions and results in baking. Avoid substituting them, and if you use baking soda, don’t forget to add an acid ingredient to ensure that the muffins grow properly.

This recipe is very simple. The mixing of the ingredients takes less than 15 minutes, and if you follow the indicated amounts, you cannot fail.

You just have to be careful not to fill the muffin cups too full to avoid spilling when you are baking them.

How To Make Banana Muffins Without Baking Soda

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the paper cups in the cavities of the muffin tin that you will use to bake the muffins. Reserve while you mix.

Step 2

In the bowl of the mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until the butter turns a light yellow color and is completely creamy.

Then add the eggs one by one. Without stopping stirring.

When the mixture is sufficiently diluted, add the banana puree and the vanilla essence. Beat for one more minute.

Step 3

Sift the flour from the muffins with the baking powder and add it to the mixture. Make sure there is no flour stuck to the edges of the container, if so, you can beat a little more.

Step 4

At this point, the mixture is ready. You just have to place them in the molds. Fill them with mixture up to 2/3 full.

Bake the banana muffins at 325°F, for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.

Make sure they are well cooked before removing them from the oven, prodding with a toothpick.

Step 5

Remove the muffins from the oven and wait a few minutes before removing them from the mold.

Let them cool. You can keep these muffins for up to 5 days in a cool place.

If you feel like getting extra fancy and turn these into banana cupcakes, then I recommend topping these with this amazing frosting recipe. I originally made it for cinnamon rolls but quickly discovered that it’s delicious on just about anything!

Banana Muffins Without Baking Soda

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 40 minutes

These simple banana muffins are seriously the best!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups self-rising wheat flour
• 1 ¾ cups sugar
• 3 large eggs
• 1 ¼ cup butter
• ½ cup mashed banana
• ½ tsp of vanilla essence
• 1tsp of baking powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place the paper cups in the cavities of the muffin tin that you will use to bake the muffins. Reserve while you mix.
2. In the bowl of the mixer, beat the butter with the sugar until the butter turns a light yellow color and is completely creamy.
3. Then add the eggs one by one. Without stopping stirring.
4. When the mixture is sufficiently diluted, add the banana puree and the vanilla essence. Beat for one more minute.
5. Sift the flour from the muffins with the baking powder and add it to the mixture. Make sure there is no flour stuck to the edges of the container, if so, you can beat a little more.
6. At this point, the mixture is ready. You just have to place them in the molds. Fill them with mixture up to 2/3 full.
7. Bake the banana muffins at 325°F for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
8. Make sure they are well cooked before removing them from the oven, prodding with a toothpick.
9. Remove them from the oven, and wait a few minutes before removing them from the mold.
10. Let them cool. You can keep these muffins for up to 5 days in a cool place.

Notes

For this recipe, it is essential to have cupcakes liners and a muffin tin. We chose cupcake liners in size N°10.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 383Total Fat: 21gSaturated Fat: 13gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 97mgSodium: 459mgCarbohydrates: 47gFiber: 1gSugar: 30gProtein: 4g

Up Next: Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Bananas give these muffins a very nice flavor and moist texture. Best of all, you can use bananas that are very ripe at home, and thus avoid throwing them away.

If you are a fan of the Chunky Monkey flavor of Ben & Jerry’s ice cream, you will absolutely adore these banana nut chocolate chip muffins!

7 Reasons To Make Muffins

We love muffins, and we make them in all their versions, but here is a list of reasons that make them better than other baked goods:

1. They bake much faster than a cake.
2. They are portable. This makes them ideal for storing in an airtight bag and taking them anywhere as a snack.
3. You can decorate each one differently. You can even add different toppings before cooking.
4. Children love to eat muffins because of their size and practicality. You can make fun decorations for the little ones in the house.
5. To serve the muffins, you do not need to use an additional plate or napkin.
6. The size of the muffins helps you control portion sizes.
7. Half a dozen muffins are a nice gift, made with love, and at a low price.

Can you make muffins without a mold?

Muffins can only be baked in muffin or cupcake molds. The good thing is that muffin tins are very inexpensive.

If you don’t have one yet, the following section will provide some suggestions for the pros and cons of each type of mold.

3 Types Of Muffin Pans

Muffin molds are made of different materials and shapes. In relation to the materials, you can find molds made of aluminum, Teflon, or silicone.

The choice of material will depend on the use you want to give it. Here we leave you a brief explanation of 3 types of muffin pans:

1. Aluminum molds are stronger and can last a lifetime. This type of mold distributes heat very well.

Its only downside is that muffins often tend to stick out of the mold. When you use this type of mold, you will always need cupcakes liners.

2. Teflon molds are my favorite because they distribute heat very well and are non-stick. Teflon molds are the best for making muffins.

However, if you have had other Teflon pots, you should know that Teflon tends to wear out with time and use. When the film that covers the Teflon mold wears out, the mold is no longer non-stick.

Of course, you can always continue using this mold, but with cupcake liners.

3. Silicone molds are non-stick forever. They serve perfectly for baking and refrigerating.

However, silicone does not distribute heat as well as metal. Many times, cakes baked in silicone molds can be pale underneath.

What muffin tin should you use?

One last item to consider is whether you need an integrated mold or small individual molds.

If you cook in small batches, it may be more helpful for you to have individual molds.

You just have to keep in mind that to bake muffins in individual molds, you need a base pan because muffin molds are so small that they tend to fall between the oven racks.

If you happen to love silicone molds and also want to purchase some individual muffin molds, I highly recommend these ones from The New York Baking Company.

What nuts should you use for banana nut muffins?

This recipe is very versatile, and any dried fruit you have in your pantry will be a great addition too.

You can use walnuts, cashews, macadamias, hazelnuts, peanuts, and even pistachios.

Obviously, the nuts give an additional flavor, but the most important thing is the texture. With the nuts, you achieve that “crunch” factor that we like so much.

You can even use a combination of nuts. In this case, we do not recommend raisins or any other type of dehydrated fruit because it would change the flavor of the muffins too much and be a little chaotic flavor-wise.

If you have dehydrated bananas, feel free to try them for this recipe. They are exquisite.

Regarding the chocolate chips, you can use chips of any size, even chocolate cut into pieces. The important thing is that your muffins have chocolate of some kind.

Just pick your favorite kind of chocolate, make sure the pieces are appropriately sized, and throw them in your muffin batter!

How To Make Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Step 1

Gather your ingredients and preheat the oven to 325°F. Place cupcakes liners in muffin cups. We use No. 10 cupcake liners.

Step 2

Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until you see that the butter turns light yellow.

Reduce the speed and add the eggs one by one. Beat each egg well before adding the next.

Step 3

Smash up the banana and bathe it with lemon juice to prevent it from turning dark.

Step 4

Add the milk, the bananas with the lemon, and the vanilla and continue beating at low speed for a couple more minutes.

In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Stir with a spoon until well mixed.

Then add the flour little by little to the previous mixture. Beat for about three more minutes until the mixture is completely homogeneous.

Step 5

Finally, add the chocolate chips, the peanuts, and mix slowly until they have been well distributed throughout the preparation.

Distribute the mixture evenly in the cups previously placed on the cupcake baking trays.

The easiest thing to do is use a ¼ measuring cup or ice cream scoop. With this trick, you will put the same amount of mixture for each muffin.

Step 6

Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out dry.

Let cool to room temperature and serve.

Store the muffins in a cool and dry environment.

Banana Nut Chocolate Chip Muffins

Yield: 16 muffins

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

These Chunky Monkey inspired muffins are a dream come true!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose wheat flour
• 1 cup of mashed bananas + 1 tbsp of lemon juice
• ½ cup butter
• 1 ¼ cups sugar
• 3 eggs
• 1 tsp of vanilla essence
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• ½ cup of milk
• ½ cup of chocolate chips
• ½ cup peanuts chopped

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F. Place cupcakes liners in muffin cups. We use No. 10 cupcakes liners. Reserve.
2. Cut the banana into slices and bathe it with lemon juice to prevent it from turning dark.
3. Place the butter and sugar in a mixer bowl, and mix on medium speed for 3 minutes, until you see that the butter turns light yellow.
4. Reduce the speed and add the eggs one by one. Beat each egg well before adding the next.
5. Add the milk, the bananas with the lemon, and the vanilla and continue beating at low speed for a couple more minutes.
6. In a separate bowl, sift the flour, baking powder, and ground cinnamon. Stir with a spoon until well mixed.
7. Then add the flour little by little to the previous mixture. Beat for about three more minutes until the mixture is completely homogeneous.
8. Finally, add the chocolate chips, the peanuts, and mix slowly until they have been well distributed throughout the preparation.
9. Distribute the mixture evenly in the cups previously placed on the cupcake baking trays. The easiest thing to do is use a ¼ measuring cup or ice cream scoop. With this trick, you will put the same amount of mixture for each muffin.
10. Bake the muffins for about 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a cupcake comes out dry. Let cool to room temperature and serve. Keep in a cool and dry environment.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 16 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 162mgCarbohydrates: 36gFiber: 2gSugar: 21gProtein: 5g

Up Next: Chocolate Cake With Banana Frosting

These lemon poppy seed muffins are made bakery style and without any yogurt. I have decided to share this recipe just because of one simple reason – what if there is no yogurt in the house? Do you want to miss a really great recipe just because you do not have an ingredient?

Luckily, this lemon poppy seed muffin recipe does not contain any yogurt.

Why do people use yogurt anyways? The creaminess of yogurt helps keep baked goods moist and the tanginess imparts a craw-worthy, old-fashioned flavor. In addition, the acidity helps activate baking soda which can make baked goods fluffy and light.

The Best Yogurt Substitutes For Muffins

So, is it possible to make light and fluffy muffins without the yogurt?

You can easily substitute yogurt with one of these:

• Sour cream – the sour cream will give the creaminess and the tangy taste. 
• Buttermilk – it will give moist, a bit of tangy taste, and will make the muffins light.
• Cottage cheese – yes, you can even use cottage cheese, just make sure to blend it until smooth before use. It will be a good idea to blend the cheese with 1-2 tbsp of water.

Tips For Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Without Yogurt

Here are some tips on how to make the best lemon poppy seed muffins:

• Use real lemon juice: it is important to use the freshly squeezed lemon juice. The bottled lemon juice is not a good option. The real lemon juice has fewer preservatives and less time to oxidize, plus it brings the brighter flavor. 
• The rest period: with any baked goods, the rest period is almost mandatory. During the resting period, the flour molecules are absorbing the liquid ingredients, allowing them to swell and get a better consistency. You can leave the batter for 10 minutes at room temperature or cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.
• Correct baking: start your baking at a high temperature around 425F for 7 minutes. Lower the temperature and finish baking at 350F. The high initial temperature will cause the batter to rise and give muffins their well know shape.
• Filling the cups: although it is a basic rule to fill the cups up to ¾ full, I advise you to fill them a bit extra. This will give a nice shape at the top and once cooled you will have a big and full muffin. 

The Best Toppings For Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins

You can leave your muffins “naked” without and topping. It is not a sin! If you want to go a step further, you can top your muffins with these:

• Lemon glaze: combine ½ cup powdered sugar with 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice. Drizzle the mixture over the muffins
• Plain glaze: instead of the lemon juice, you can use simple water. Just combine the water with the powdered sugar and drizzle over the muffins
• Turbinado sugar: sprinkle the muffins before baking with the turbinado sugar. The turbinado sugar will produce a sweet, crackling top that complements the texture of poppy seeds

The finished muffins, after baking (and if you follow the tips) will dome up nicely with a rich texture, almost like a pound cake.

You can serve these at any occasion and anytime. They pair great with ginger or green tea, as well as warm milk. 

Pro tip: For some extra flavor I recommend that you rub sugar and lemon zest in a bowl. This way you will release lemon oil and get some extra fresh lemon flavor.

When you go to buy lemons, make sure you are getting the organic ones as this recipe calls for lemon zest. You do not want to fill your muffins with pesticides. 

How To Make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Without Yogurt

Preheat oven to 425F and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.

Step 1: Gather your ingredients.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, and baking powder.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, beat buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, and butter.

Step 4: Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until you have a smooth batter.

Step 5: Divide the batter among the paper liners. 

Step 6: Bake the muffins for 7 minutes at 425F. Reduce heat to 350F and continue baking for 10-11 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool the muffins on a wire rack before removing from the tin.

Step 7: Drizzle the muffins with the prepared glaze or serve just as they are.

Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins Without Yogurt

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes

Total Time: 27 minutes

These lemon poppy seed muffins without yogurt are rolled with a sugar coating and topped with vanilla glaze.

Print

Ingredients

• 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup of sugar
• 2 tbsp poppy seeds
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 3 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 2 ½ tbsp lemon zest, finely grated
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• ½ cup butter, melted

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425F.

Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, poppy seeds, and baking powder.

In a separate bowl, beat buttermilk, lemon juice, lemon zest, eggs, and butter.

Fold in the dry ingredients and stir until you have a smooth batter.

Divide the batter among the paper liners. 

Bake the muffins for 7 minutes at 425F.

Reduce heat to 350F and continue baking for 10-11 minutes or until the inserted toothpick comes out clean. 

Cool the muffins on a wire rack before removing from the tin.

Drizzle the muffins with the prepared glaze or serve just as they are.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 257Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 195mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 5g

Up Next: Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream

These muffins have a light crumb which is not overly sweet.  The addition of plump blueberries adds a sweet tang to the muffins and makes them absolutely irresistible!  The secret is to add a lot of blueberries to your batter to really boost the berry flavor.

It’s always great to use fresh blueberries if you can get your hands on some, but if they aren’t in season, then frozen blueberries will work just as well.

If you’re feeling especially ambitious, you can stock up on fresh blueberries and freeze them at home yourself! 

After you’ve washed and dried the berries, lay them out in a single layer on a cookie sheet and put into the freezer to freeze.

Note: if you’re going to use frozen blueberries in this recipe, you don’t have to thaw them before baking.  You’ll just want to add an additional 5 minutes to the bake time.

These muffins make an excellent breakfast treat or a snack and we’re sure they’re going to become one of your favorite recipes too!

What You’ll Need to Make These Blueberry Muffins

• 12-hole muffin tin and muffin tin paper
• Butter – We use unsalted butter
• Sugar – We use granulated sugar in this recipe.  If you’re looking for a healthier alternative, you can use coconut sugar.
• Zest of 2 large lemons – (if you don’t like lemon, you can omit this; however, the zest brightens up the batter and adds a nice zing which goes really well with the blueberries!)
• 1 large egg
• Vanilla extract
• All-purpose flour
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Sour cream
• Blueberries – frozen or fresh 

How to Make Blueberry Muffins in 4 Easy Steps

1. Cream together butter, sugar, and lemon zest, then beat in the egg and vanilla.
2. Combine flour, baking soda, and salt.  Fold in half the flour mix and half the sour cream.  Then fold in the remaining flour and sour cream.
3. Fold blueberries into the batter and bake.
4. Top with a butter bath and a sprinkling of sugar and enjoy!

The best thing about these muffins, (besides the amazing taste!), is that you can mix the batter by hand.

Hand mixing is preferable, as over beating the batter will overwork it and your muffins will turn out dry and hard.

Tips for Making Blueberry Muffins

1. To measure your flour, use a dessert spoon to pour it into your measuring cup, then level the flour off with the back of a knife.  This method is called the ‘spoon and level’.
2. Put your spoon down! The enemy of muffins is overmixing. Overmixing allows the gluten to develop and too much gluten makes your muffins dry and hard.
3. If you are using frozen berries, there’s no need to thaw them before baking.  Just make sure to add 5 extra minutes to your bake time.
4. Fill your muffin tins ¾ full.  If you fill them all the way to the top, the batter will overflow in the muffin tin.
5. After you bring the muffins out of the oven, allow them to rest in the muffin tin for 10 minutes before you turn them out onto a wire rack to cool further.  The muffins may fall apart if you try to remove them too soon.  Also, allow the muffins to cool completely before you try to remove the muffin paper, otherwise, half your muffin may stick to the paper.

What Makes These Muffins Moist and Fluffy?

In addition to the egg, we’ve used sour cream and baking soda as our leavening agents in these muffins. 

Sour cream and baking soda react to create gassy bubbles in your bakes, which in turn, helps your muffins to rise. 

The sour cream also provides the added bonus of lending moisture to the batter, so you can say goodbye to dry muffins!

Will Berries Fruits Work In This Recipe?

Of course!  You can use whatever you have on hand.  Strawberries, raspberries, and even cherries would make excellent alternatives for these muffins!

How Do I Store Muffins?

Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.

You can also freeze these muffins for up to 2 months. Frozen muffins can be thawed at room temperature for a couple of hours.

How to Make Blueberry Muffins Without Baking Powder

Step 1: Preheat oven to 375 F. In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy.

Step 2: Beat in the egg and vanilla.

Step 3: In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Spoon half the flour mixture and half the sour cream into the batter/sugar mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until flour has mostly disappeared.

Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream, folding in just until the flour disappears.

Step 4: Fold in the blueberries.

Step 6: Fill the muffin pan ¾ full. 

Step 7: Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Step 8: Let the muffins cool in the tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes. 

Then, remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

Blueberry Muffins Without Baking Powder

Yield: 12

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Additional Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 50 minutes

These are the easiest blueberry muffins that I've ever made. As a bonus, there are only 100 calories per muffin!

Print

Ingredients

• 4 tbsp (2 oz) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup (100 g) sugar
• zest of 2 large lemons
• 1 large egg
• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup bleached all-purpose flour
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/3 cup sour cream
• 3/4 cup blueberries

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375 F/190C.

In a large bowl, cream butter, sugar, and lemon zest until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg and vanilla.

In a small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt.

Spoon half the flour mixture and half the sour cream into the batter/sugar mixture and fold in with a rubber spatula until flour has mostly disappeared.

Repeat with the remaining flour and sour cream, folding in just until the flour disappears.

Fold in the blueberries.

Fill the muffin pan ¾ full. 

Bake for 20 minutes or until the muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Let the muffins cool in the tins on a wire rack for 10 minutes.  Then, remove from the tin and cool completely on a wire rack.

Notes

These muffins can be served warm or at room temperature.

Store your muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 5 days.  

Freeze your muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 months.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 100Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 114mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 1gSugar: 2gProtein: 2g

Up Next: Pancakes Without Butter

There’s a reason that apple picking is such a popular outdoor activity in the fall. Apple orchards are not only beautiful, but they also offer a bounty of fruit that’s perfect for baking.

From apple pies to doughnuts to scones to pancakes, there are countless ways to make the most of a good apple harvest. 

Apple muffins might be one of the best ways to use your haul of fruit. These apple muffins are spiced with warming cinnamon and topped with brown sugar for a crumbly, streusel-like topping.

Plus, the addition of applesauce ensures that your muffins are incredibly moist and bursting with pure apple flavor. 

Ingredients for Apple Muffins with Applesauce

If you have a jar of store-bought or homemade applesauce on hand, you’re well on your way towards a fresh batch of apple muffins. 

Here are the other ingredients for these fall-flavored pastries:

• All-purpose flour – which you can substitute with gluten-free measure-for-measure all-purpose flour blend. 
• Baking soda – the necessary chemical leavener to make light and bouncy apple muffins. 
• White granulated sugar – for sweetness.
• Eggs and oil – which ensure your muffins are super moist. 
• Applesauce – choose high-quality, unsweetened applesauce, which allows you to taste all the apple flavor and control the sweetness of your muffins. If you only have sweetened applesauce, reduce the amount of sugar added to the muffin batter. 
• Cinnamon and vanilla extract – the two important flavor enhancers to highlight the warming fall flavor. 
• Granny smith apples – which you’ll dice into small pieces and fold into the muffin batter for delightful pops of softened baked apples throughout your muffins. 
• Dark brown sugar – which adds just the right amount of sweetness and texture to the tops of your muffins. Of course, you can omit the dark brown sugar on top of the muffins if you don’t have any or want to cut back on some of the sugar in this recipe. 

What Kind of Apple is Best?

Granny Smith apples are the best for baking recipes like this. Instead of turning to mush as they cook, granny smiths hold up well.

The result is that your muffins are flecked with delicious pops of tender, caramelized apples throughout. 

While granny smiths are a little more tart than other red-skinned apples when they’re raw, fear not. The green apples bake down into a naturally sweet, almost syrupy flavor that permeates your muffins. 

Can I Double the Recipe?

Yes, this recipe makes 15 regular-sized muffins. However, you can easily double the ingredients to make a larger batch of muffins. 

Can I Make Mini or Large Apple Muffins?

You can also make mini or larger muffins if you have the right tins.

For mini apple muffins with applesauce, I’d cut the baking time in half. The small ones cook quickly, so to avoid burning, check them early. 

For larger muffins, on the other hand, you’ll need a longer baking time. Start by adding 5 minutes to the regular baking time.

Check them by performing the toothpick test, and add another 5-10 minutes if your toothpick doesn’t come out clean. 

How To Store Apple Muffins

I recommend enjoying these homemade muffins as soon as they cool down enough to handle!

There’s no question that your kitchen will be full of the smell of warm cinnamon, baking apples, and sweet applesauce, so it’s going to be hard not to dig into a freshly baked muffin. 

However, you can also store leftovers (once they’ve cooled completely) in an airtight container on the counter for about 3 days.

Any longer than that and the muffins may start to stale, so I would transfer them to the freezer, where they’ll stay fresh for up to 3 months. 

To reheat frozen applesauce muffins, allow the muffins to come to room temperature on the counter overnight. Then warm in the microwave in 15-second intervals until hot. 

For a quick thaw, you can also place one muffin straight from the freezer into the microwave and heat in 30-second intervals until warmed through.

You might find that the defrosted muffins don’t have quite the same moisture as when you pulled them fresh from the oven. Of course, that’s nothing that can’t be fixed with a generous pat of butter or cream cheese!

How To Make Apple Muffins With Applesauce

Check out these step-by-step instructions for making apple muffins with applesauce. You can also find these same instructions in the recipe card below. Enjoy!

Step 1: Gather your ingredients. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin pans with 15 liners.

Step 2: In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. 

Step 3: In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. 

Step 4: Gradually add the dry ingredients to the oil and sugar mixture and mix until combined.

Step 5: Add in the eggs and applesauce, mixing well between each addition.

Step 6: Fold in the diced apples. 

Step 7: Divide the batter between the muffin liners and sprinkle with brown sugar. 

Step 8: Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Apple Muffins With Applesauce

Yield: 15

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

These apple muffins are perfectly sweet and packed with delicious applesauce!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1½ cups sugar
• ½ cup canola oil
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 2 eggs
• ½ cup applesauce
• 2 granny smith apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line two muffin pans with 15 liners.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon. 

In a mixing bowl, beat the sugar, oil, and vanilla extract. 

Gradually add the dry ingredients to the oil and sugar mixture and mix until combined.

Add in the eggs and applesauce, mixing well between each addition.

Fold in the diced apples. 

Divide the batter between the muffin liners and sprinkle with brown sugar. 

Bake for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 15 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 236Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 7gCholesterol: 25mgSodium: 165mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 25gProtein: 3g

Up Next: Blueberry Muffins With Oil

This simple blueberry muffin recipe swaps out butter for oil. The result is a soft, moist muffin that’s jam-packed with sweet berries. 

Before you head to the kitchen, let’s cover some helpful tips and tricks to ensure your blueberry muffins come out perfectly. 

How To Make Blueberry Muffin Batter

There are just two simple steps to making this oil-free blueberry muffin batter. 

First, combine your dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. In a second bowl, mix together the wet ingredients. Then, you guessed it: combine the two and add the blueberries! 

One important note: Be sure not to overmix the muffin batter.

When you add the wet ingredients to the dry, whisk them together for just 20 to 30 seconds. The batter should be lumpy. Any more mixing may result in tough muffins that don’t rise well. 

Once the blueberries are well incorporated into the batter, it’s time to bake.

This recipe makes 12 regular-sized muffins. You can also make 24 mini muffins or about 8-9 large muffins, depending on your pan preference.

Mini muffins will cook in about half the time, so be sure to check them earlier. Large muffins, on the other hand, will take 5-7 minutes longer. 

Ingredients In Oil-Free Muffins

The ingredients in this blueberry muffin recipe are all kitchen staples that you’re likely to already have on hand. 

• All-purpose flour, which you can swap for gluten-free all-purpose flour if you’re avoiding gluten. 
• White sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to these muffins, though the blueberries themselves add a lot of natural sweetness and flavor. 
• Baking powder is the all-important leavening agent to make light and fluffy muffins. 
• Milk adds moisture to the batter. You can also use buttermilk or plant-based milk, such as oat or almond milk, for a dairy-free recipe. 
• Oil is our butter substitute. It yields a softer, more tender muffin that’s moist and flavorful. 
• Eggs add lightness, tenderness, and protein structure to baked goods. 
• Vanilla extract adds just a touch of warm flavor to balance out any tartness in the blueberries. 
• And last but certainly not least, blueberries are the star of the show. You can use frozen or fresh berries for this recipe. 

What Kind of Oil is Best?

Opt for a neutral oil, like canola or vegetable oil. It has a mild flavor that won’t overpower the sweetness in this muffin recipe. 

Avocado oil will also work without any change to the recipe. You could also try any of these oils.

Stronger-tasting oils, however, like olive oil, or walnut oil, will add their own flavor that might not play so well with blueberries. 

How Do I Know if My Muffins Are Done Baking?

The best way to know that your muffins are ready to take out of the oven is the skewer test. This is the classic baking trick of sticking a toothpick or cake tester into the center of a muffin. If the skewer comes out clean, with no visible batter or crumbs, then your muffins are fully cooked. 

If there’s any wet batter stuck to the tester, keep baking the muffins for another few minutes. 

As far as visual cues go, your muffins should be golden brown on top, with slightly darker edges. 

As soon as your skewer comes out clean, pop your muffin tins out of the oven and onto a wire rack to cool. After about 5 minutes, you can gently turn the muffins out of their pan to finish cooling. 

How to Store Blueberry Muffins

If you don’t finish these pastries when they’re hot out of the oven, they also freeze well to stay fresh.

To freeze, let the muffins cool fully. Then wrap them tightly in plastic wrap and place in an airtight bag or container in the freezer. They’ll last for up to 3 months.

To reheat, you can defrost the muffins on the counter and warm in the microwave for about 15 seconds. 

Defrosted muffins are also delicious when toasted. To toast, slice a muffin in half lengthwise and place under the broiler for 1-2 minutes. Keep a close eye on anything being broiled, as it can go from perfectly toasted to charred in no time!

Whether you’re serving these oil-free blueberry muffins to a hungry crowd for brunch or taking them on the go for breakfast before work, this is a simple go-to recipe to rely on all year long. 

How To Make Blueberry Muffins With Oil

Step 1: Gather the ingredients. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a muffin pan or line with paper liners.

Step 2: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

Step 3: In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. 

Step 4: Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or whisk very briefly until just combined, being careful not to overwork the batter. A few lumps of flour are totally fine.

Step 5: Fold in the blueberries until just combined.

Step 7: Divide the batter between wells in the muffin tin and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes.

Step 8: Cool the muffins on a wire rack and remove them from the pan when they’re cool enough to handle. 

Blueberry Muffins With Oil

Yield: 12 muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

These blueberry muffins with oil [no butter] are so fluffy and delicious!

Print

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ½ cup white sugar
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons whole milk
• 2 eggs
• ⅓ cup vegetable oil
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Grease a muffin pan or line with paper liners.

In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. 

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, eggs, oil, and vanilla. 

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix with a fork or whisk very briefly until just combined, being careful not to overwork the batter. A few lumps of flour are totally fine.

Fold in the blueberries until just combined.

Divide the batter between wells in the muffin tin and bake until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 15-20 minutes. Cool the muffins on a wire rack and remove them from the pan when they’re cool enough to handle. 

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 183Total Fat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 31mgSodium: 224mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 1gSugar: 10gProtein: 3g

Up Next: Coffee Cake Without Sour Cream