Healthy-ish Blueberry Muffins
January is the kick off to a season of new beginnings, resolutions, and possibilities. A lot of us go into the new year with goals about what we want to accomplish in the next 365 days, many of those goals having to do with eating healthier. This is tricky because the holidays are a time of indulgence, particularly when it comes to sugar. And if you’re anything like me, you’re actively trying to kick that sugar addiction that developed from all of the desserts over the holidays. This recipe is the perfect middle ground to getting into the swing of eating healthier while not depriving yourself of something tasty and sweet in the meantime. On top of that, this recipe only makes 6 muffins — the most realistic amount to set you up for a few breakfasts throughout the week or satisfy your sweet tooth in the evenings.
Can you use other fruit besides blueberries in blueberry muffins? Yes, this recipe works wonderfully with any berries you might have on hand or in the freezer – raspberries, strawberries, or even blackberries. In fact, this batter is a great foundational muffin mix. If you cut out the addition of lemon, cinnamon, and blueberries you can create any kind of muffin you want. Examples would be chocolate chip muffins, banana nut muffins, lemon poppyseed, the possibilities are endless.
Are blueberry muffins healthy? Yes, these blueberry muffins are packed with good-for-you ingredients such as cinnamon, oats, greek yogurt, and of course, blueberries. This recipe perfectly balances creating a flavorful, moist muffin with also adding in the health benefits we’re looking for when nourishing our bodies.
How long does it take to bake blueberry muffins? For a large blueberry muffin like this recipe creates, I recommend baking them at 375 degrees for around 30 minutes. One of my pet peeves as a chef is undercooked baked goods, so when in doubt give it a few extra minutes.
How to tell when blueberry muffins are done? When baking your muffins, look for brown, crispy tops as well as a nice springy texture that doesn’t have any appearance of wetness or gloopiness — for lack of a better word.
Why does this recipe call for greek yogurt and oats? These two ingredients are great to add to baked goods because they increase protein, making us feel fuller throughout the day. In addition to that, oats are a great source of fiber. Having both of these in the blueberry muffins boost the overall health benefits of the recipe and help make it a little better for you.
Why did my blueberry muffins turn blue or gray? This occurs when the muffins are over-mixed, breaking up the delicate berries and leeching out their liquid into the batter. To avoid this, I recommend adding blueberries at the very last step and only mixing a few times very gently to avoid crushing the berries. If you’re using frozen berries and see that the ice on the berries has a blue color, I recommend giving them a rinse to thaw them and remove that extra juice.
Can you use frozen blueberries to make blueberry muffins? Absolutely! Using frozen blueberries is a great way to prioritize creating a perfect final product when blueberries aren’t in season.
Can blueberry muffins be frozen? Yes, these muffins are great to prepare ahead of time and freeze for a quick snack or breakfast. I recommend freezing them in a large zipper bag once baked and cooled. Defrost them in the microwave for a few seconds when ready to eat.
Why are my blueberry muffins flat? Typically this happens when the muffin isn’t fully cooked. Often, in these cases, the fluffiness of the batter hasn’t had a chance to cook thoroughly and fully rise, giving your muffins a flat appearance. I recommend continuing to bake them for an additional amount of time, looking out for brown, rounded muffin tops.
Healthy-ish Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- ¼ cup butter, softened
- ¾ cup sugar
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- ¼ cup greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 cup flour
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch salt
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ¼ cup oats
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375 degrees and prepare a muffin pan by greasing it lightly with cooking spray. In a large bowl, beat together softened butter and sugar until well combined. Next, add the rest of your wet ingredients to the butter and sugar mixture — egg, vanilla, lemon zest, milk, and greek yogurt. In a separate bowl, mix your dry ingredients (flour, cinnamon, salt, baking powder, and oats) until all components are evenly distributed. Slowly add your dry ingredients to your wet ingredients, mixing thoroughly until you have a cohesive batter. Last but not least, add the blueberries to the batter and gently fold them until incorporated. Be sure to not over-mix at this step or you will crush the blueberries.
- Add a heaping ¼ cup of batter into each section of your muffin pan, creating 6 large muffins. Bake for around 30 minutes, checking periodically to ensure that you end up with a crispy, brown top and fluffy interior.
