Lightened Up Blueberry Muffins
Isn’t it frustrating when you buy a blueberry muffin thinking it’s a good breakfast option and it’s basically a dessert disguising itself as something healthy? (And why are coffee shop muffins so huge?!) This blueberry muffin recipe is lightly sweetened, with only 2 teaspoons of sugar per muffin, and applesauce replaces most of the butter or oil. The results are moist, delicious, and will satisfy that blueberry muffin craving without the stuff you don’t need!
Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Blueberry muffins, made better. These muffins are low in calories and fat, high in fiber, and absolutely fantastic for breakfast! Super moist. Most of the fat has been replaced by applesauce, which gives you a very moist muffin without all the added fat. Easy to scale. You can make a half batch just as easily as making a whole batch if 12 muffins are too much for your household. Great for meal prep. I love this blueberry muffin recipe fresh out of the oven, but as with my blueberry oatmeal muffins and peanut butter banana muffins, they’re great for stashing in the freezer for meal prep.
What You’ll Need
You’re just a handful of ingredients away from moist, delectable blueberry muffins! Scroll down to the recipe card below for exact measurements.
Unsweetened applesauce – A tried-and-true swap for oil in baked goods! Whole wheat pastry flour – I highly recommend buying Bob’s Red Mill stone ground whole wheat pastry flour if you like to bake. It’s superb for baking muffins, cakes or cookies. If you only have regular whole wheat flour, you can do a blend of half white, half whole wheat and sift before using. Raw sugar – Raw sugar is less processed than white sugar, so it has more depth to its flavor. Baking soda – For leavening the muffins, giving them lift. Salt – Just a bit for balance. Blueberries – Rinse and dry these well to keep extra moisture out of the batter. Egg – Let this come to room temperature if you can remember to; it’s not a big deal if it’s cold, but a room temperature egg mixes more smoothly into batter and holds more air when beaten, giving baked goods a lighter texture. Vanilla extract – Use pure vanilla extract, not imitation, for the best flavor. Butter – I recommend using unsalted butter since we’re already adding salt to the batter.
Can I Use Frozen Blueberries Instead of Fresh?
You can use frozen blueberries instead of fresh in this blueberry muffin recipe, but don’t thaw them first and fold them in gently to keep them from turning the batter blue.
How to Make Blueberry Muffins
Here’s a quick overview of the steps involved in making this blueberry muffin recipe. See the recipe card below for more detailed instructions.
Prepare. Preheat your oven to 325ºF and line your muffin pan. Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Mix the wet ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, melted butter, vanilla, and applesauce.
Combine wet and dry. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients; stir to combine, then fold in the blueberries. Bake. Divide the batter into the muffin tip cups and bake for 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool for at least 10 minutes.
Tips for Success
Don’t over-mix. As with all muffin recipes, it’s important not to mix the batter too much. Doing so will over-activate the gluten in the flour and keep your blueberry muffins from being light and fluffy. Portion the batter evenly. It can help to use a cookie dough scoop or measuring cup. This ensures that your muffins all finish baking at the same time. Let them cool completely before storing. You don’t want them to release steam into the airtight container, which will ultimately cause your blueberry muffins to get soggy.
Blueberry Muffin Variations
Add lemon zest. I love the combination of blueberries and lemons! Use your fingers to rub the sugar with the zest of one small lemon; I know it sounds odd, but this releases the lemon oils into the sugar, which infuses every bite of these muffins with flavor. Switch up the berries. Swap half of the blueberries for chopped strawberries or raspberries for mixed berry muffins. Try using almond extract. Swapping the vanilla extract for almond extract is a small change, but it gives these muffins a unique flavor that I think you’ll love.
Proper Storage
Room temperature. Store this blueberry muffin recipe in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Freeze. Freeze these muffins individually wrapped, in an airtight container, or in freezer bag for up to 2 months. Let them thaw at room temperature before serving or reheat them in the microwave until they’re warmed through.
More Muffin Recipes You Will Love
Ricotta Cheese Chocolate Chip Muffins, Chocolate Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Glaze Banana Bread Muffin in a Mug Yogurt Chocolate Chip Muffins Whole Wheat Irish Soda Bread Muffins
