Oh muffins, how do I love thee? Let me count the ways… First, you can serve these blueberry (or anything you want) whole wheat muffins as part of breakfast, lunch, or just by themselves as a snack.
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Second, they really are easy to make, and with so many possibilities of what you can add to the muffin batter I am certain that you will find a combination that you (and your kids) will love.
Third, my kids scarf down their beloved customized versions, and I feel good about what they are eating. And last but not least, they freeze beautifully!! Check out all the different types of berries. Try these Lemon Blueberry Muffins too!
The inspiration for these blueberry, fruit, nut, or anything you want whole wheat muffins
I definitely have to give credit to my 5-year-old daughter for inspiring me to make these whole-wheat muffins. She got very excited one morning when I asked her what she wanted for breakfast and responded with “blueberry muffins!” We had not made muffins in years and I think she likes the idea of them because, well, the shape is strikingly similar to a cupcake!
Once we got started my creative juices started flowing … these don’t just have to be blueberry muffins! I put strawberries in some and some leftover pear that I had on hand in others … and why not raisins? My 3-year-old loves raisins.
So anyway, you get the idea how you can take the plain batter and add whatever flavors your heart desires. Make one big batch that's all the same or make each one different…and most importantly, have fun with it!
Are whole wheat blueberry, fruit, nut, etc. muffins healthy?
The whole wheat muffin batter that I used in this recipe is made from real food ingredients. That means no processed flour or refined sugar! And the overall amount of sweetener used is reduced compared to store-bought muffins. When you add healthy ingredients like fruit, veggies, and nuts, whole wheat muffins end up being a pretty balanced breakfast or snack.
If you’re new to doing real food swaps in your house, this is a great replacement for busy families to skip processed cereal in the mornings. Plus you can sneak an extra serving of fruit or veggies in for picky eaters!
Tips before you get started making these blueberry (or anything you want them to be) whole wheat muffins:
Why does this recipe use juice?
I’ve used both apple and orange juice to make this muffin recipe, it just depends on what I have on hand. The juice adds liquid/moisture to the recipe, which is needed for these whole wheat muffins to bake properly. It also doubles as a substitute for refined sugar.
Some people may find orange juice too bitter, so in that case I’d recommend just using apple juice (we prefer unfiltered organic juice not from concentrate). You could also substitute another juice variety of your choice such as pear. Just make sure it’s 100% juice!
Finally, you can also substitute the juice with milk if you prefer. The muffins will still turn out moist, but you may find them less sweet. If you opt for milk, I suggest using sweeter mix ins or adding a bit of additional honey, depending on your preference.
Can you use frozen blueberries or raspberries in whole wheat muffins?
Frozen blueberries and raspberries should bake the same as fresh berries in this recipe. Just make sure your berries don’t melt while you’re mixing them in! If the frozen berries start to melt, they’ll start to release juice into the batter and may not hold their shape as well.
Try this Lemon Blueberry Bread too!
What foods make good fillings for muffins?
I call these “whatever you want them to be” muffins because you can add pretty much anything to the batter, and they still turn out. You can also combine more than one filling for unique flavors!
Fruit (fresh, frozen, or dried, for sweet muffins)
- Blueberries
- Raspberries
- Diced strawberries
- Chopped and peeled apple or pear
- Applesauce
- Mashed banana
- Raisins
- Dates
- Dried cranberries
- Lemon or orange zest
Vegetables (for savory muffins)
- Grated carrots
- Zucchini
- Pumpkin
- Corn
- Sweet potato
- Bell pepper
- Garlic
- Onion
Nuts (chopped)
- Pecans
- Almonds
- Walnuts
- Pistachio
Dairy & Meat
- Grated cheddar cheese
- Cream cheese
- Sour cream
- Cubed pieces of cooked meat (great for a breakfast muffin!)
If your whole wheat muffins with dried fruit, nuts, or other mix-ins come out dry
Sometimes homemade muffins can come out dry. This usually happens when you scoop the flour on the heavier side or slightly under measure the liquid in the recipe. It can also happen if you’re using dried fruit or nuts that absorb the liquid (vs fresh or frozen ingredients that have a lot of internal moisture).
Depending on how dry they are, you can add ¼ to ½ cup of applesauce, Greek yogurt, mashed banana, or grated zucchini.
How to keep muffins from sticking to the pan
I always bake my muffins inside muffin liners to make it easier to remove them. If you're using paper liners, look for the parchment variety. Another idea is to use foil cupcake liners and lightly spritz them with an oil of your choice.
If you don’t want to use liners, you’ll need to properly grease the muffin pan. Use your favorite method, or try spreading butter inside the muffin tray’s cups, then dusting with whole wheat flour. Shake off the excess.
Other muffin recipes you might like
- Whole Wheat Lemon Raspberry Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana (Nut) Muffins
- Whole Wheat Carrot Applesauce Muffins
- Apple Walnut Muffins
Fruit, Nut, or Berry Whole-Wheat Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups whole-wheat flour (I used King Arthur’s white whole-wheat flour)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ⅛ teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ¼ cup coconut oil (or other oil of your choice)
- ¾ cup apple juice (or orange juice)
Filling Options - about 1 cup needed (see below for details)
- berries
- fruit
- nuts
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400 degrees F.
- In a large bowl with a fork or whisk mix the flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Make a well (hole) in the center of the flour mixture and pour in the eggs, honey, vanilla, oil and orange juice. Mix the dry and wet ingredients together – do not overmix.
- Now here is the fun part. If you are in a hurry just add 1 cup of blueberries, mashed up banana & nuts, or other filling of your choice. If you have 5 or 10 minutes extra (and some anxious helpers) do not add anything to the muffin batter before continuing with the next step.
- Line a muffin pan with liners and fill ⅔ to ¾ of the way full with batter. If you didn’t already add your filling, sprinkle 1 – 2 teaspoons of whatever you would like (from the list below or from your own creation) onto the top of each raw muffin in the pan. Then gently mix each one with a fork or spoon.
Here are some options to consider for the fillings:
- blueberries
- diced strawberries
- peeled and diced pears
- applesauce
- either diced or mashed up bananas and chopped walnuts
- raisins and chopped pecans (I add an extra pinch of cinnamon to the muffins with this filling)
- grated carrot and chopped walnuts
- orange or lemon zest (only add ¼ to ½ teaspoon of zest per individual muffin)
- a mix of dried fruit bits
- jelly - After the filling has been mixed into each muffin slide the tray into the warm oven and bake for 10 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Serve warm or at room temperature and freeze some for a later date.
Enjoy!
Notes
We recommend organic ingredients when feasible.
Alana says
Made the muffins this weekend, added Chocolate Chips for my 3YO. Just happy she is eatting Whole Wheat and trying to get her used to it :) Thanks for all the tips & ideas
ecochicmama says
love it, im so doing that for the soup.
my issue is that my boys do not like food unless its the right temp...
We have used laptop lunch box and goodbyn and like them just fine.
I have also used the ziplock one and my 10 year old prefers that one its not a "kid" lunch box.
I will say to those with kids 10 and under enjoy because you can send them with fun things.. the 9/10 and up.. not so much!
Liz Stewart says
did the cup of applesauce instead of the oil and juice. We really loved them. I'm so glad I can come here and find healthy alternatives to the ones loaded with sugar. Plus, didn't use liners; just greased the pan. Thank you thank you thank you. My husband just said - ya that was really good!!!
Melissa McKnight says
I also substituted applesauce for the oil and juice. I made a double batch to freeze, but they didn't even make it to the freezer. The kids and their friends loved them.
Kelly says
I made the recipe exactly as it was listed with OJ, banana and blueberries. They were great. Not dense or dry at all. Based on comments, I made half of them in paper muffin liners and half of them directly in a greased muffin tin. I did not try my silicon liners because I think they are more diffficult to clean than just cleaning the pan. The ones baked in paper muffin liners did stick to the paper badly. I am going to freeze them and then try to remove them and see if that helps. However, I will not bake them in the liners again. Those baked in the pan turned out perfectly. From now on I will make them all directly in a greased muffin pan. No wasting paper and no sticking muffin liners. I might also try the loaf pan. I think it would turn out well. I might also try making a savory muffin with this recipe with turkey bacon, cheese and maple syrup instead of honey.
Angie says
Thank you for the great recipe. I followed it exactly, using apple juice and adding blueberries and chopped almonds. They were great. I did have the same issue others have mentioned of the muffins sticking to the papers. I'd like to try the recipe in a loaf rather than muffins. Anyone else tried this yet?
Ashley says
I went ahead and made the muffins with applesauce as a substitute for both the juice and oil as Tricia said she did. They turned out really well. They did stick to the liners and are a little more dense than my usual muffin. But they were tasty. My oldest (6)is currently eating his second. He did drizzle a little cinnamon agave on top ; )
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Ashley. Thanks for following back up with a review...glad it worked out. Jill
Ashley says
I was wondering the same thing as Rachel. We do not buy/drink juice so it's not something I would have in the house. Any suggestions for a substitution?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Ashely. I have not tried substituting anything else for the juice. Obviously, anytime you start changing the recipe it becomes an experiment. Let us know how it works out. Jill
Rachel Mitchell says
We don't drink juice so I don't keep it in the house. Can I use something else for the liquid? like milk? I saw that someone used applesauce, did that work?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Rachel. I haven't tried substituting anything other than different types of juice for the orange juice, but, you could give it a try. Let us know how it goes. Jill
Brittany says
I was so excited when these came out of the oven because for the first time in my life I baked something that came out perfectly--not burnt on the bottom, not soggy on the inside, perfect texture!
Then... we took a bite... and they were disgusting... My 3 yr old ate one. My husband said he's not doing real foods if they taste like this...
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Brittany. Thanks for leaving a review. Sorry they did not work out for you. Jill
Bailey says
Is baking powder "real food approved?"
Lisa says
Yes, sort of as a necessary exception to the rule because it can be hard to find baking powder w/o additives.
Sherry says
Why not make your own baking powder
2 tsp cream of tartar + 1 tsp baking sod a= 1 tbsp of baking powder
You have to use it right away as far as I know because this recipe doesn't include cornstarch.
Jennifer @ Kiddie Blanket says
Try these liners by If You Care, they are absolutely wonderful and nothing sticks to it! The liner almost slips right off the muffin. I found them at Whole Foods.
http://www.amazon.com/If-You-Care-Unbleached-60-Count/dp/B000FAIR96/
Sharon says
Is there any nutitional information on these muffins??
Lisa says
No because part of eating real food is not having to count calories, fat grams, etc.
Tricia says
Made these today! I swapped the juice and oil for 1 cup of applesauce and used King Arthur 100% WW flour and they turned out great. My mix in was about 3/4 cup diced apple and 1/4 cup chopped pecans. May try using maple syrup next time as the sweetener just because :-) I frequent the site, but this is the first recipe I've made. It definitely wont be my last. Thanks!
Michelle says
Other than sticking to the liners, no complanits here! They were good! I don't understand how some people thought they were dry. Mine came out super moist, soft, and fluffy. I stuck to the recipe exactly. Thank you for a muffin recipe that isn't packed with sugar!!!
Nina says
Made these last night and they are good!!! I drizzeled a little honey on top and they were perfect!!! Thanks Lisa, for the time that you put into this website!! Please keep up the great work!
Brandy says
My DD8 and I had at day in the kitchen yesterday and we made these. She just recently decided she liked blueberries so we made blueberry muffins. They were easy enough she could do most of the recipe hersel! She said they were good enough to have as dessert! I personally do not like blueberries...I did try a muffin and I liked the taste so I will certainly be making more in other flavors! Baby coming in Septmeber...these will be great to have in the freezer for a quick breakfast or snack!
Ashleigh says
I love this recipe and have really enjoyed experimenting with it - it's one of my husband's favorite breakfast foods! I hope you don't mind, I blogged about the recipe today - you can see my muffins and mods right here: http://www.dearlyashleigh.com/2012/06/in-kitchen-clean-eating-muffins.html
AP says
These muffins were horrible I had to choke them down. They literally made me gag they were so dry. Mine also stuck to the liners as many other have mentioned. Apparently, you need to sift whole wheat flour to make it less dense and increase the amount of liquid used.
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
AP - Thank you for leaving a recipe review and sorry they did not work out for you. Jill
Katie says
Hi! I just made these and they turned out good with the exception of them sticking to the liners like I was reading in other comments. I won't use liners next time either. I followed the recipe exactly with the exception of the Coconut Oil. I used olive instead. (I just used 3/4 cup of coconut oil in the zucchini muffin recipe :/) I do like the taste and they weren't dry! We'll see how if my 3 year old approves tomorrow ;)
Thanks for all the wonderful recipes! I've made 3 this past week so far!
Lyndsey says
Hi Lisa! You're the best :) I was wondering what your trick is for freezing these. The last time I made them I freezed them in a plastic container and then microwaved them to defrost when we were ready to eat. They turned out very dry after being frozen. Any suggestions?
100 Days of Real Food says
Hi there! And thank you :) When I defrost any breads/muffins I do so at room temp or in the fridge (over several hours or overnight). I haven't tried defrosting them in the microwave so I wonder if that was the culprit for you?
Andria says
I just made these and can't wait to try them. I had about 3/4 cup of leftover granola (your recipe) that I made this week so I threw it in with a cup of frozen blueberries.
Inez says
Just made these, followed the recipe exactly and used OJ and blueberries. These may have been the driest muffins we've ever eaten. My kids did not like them, said they needed water. I'd use applesauce in place of the eggs and add maple syrup instead of the honey in a higher quantity next time. Think I'll stick to my vegan muffin recipes :)
Hailey says
can you e-mail me at [email protected] - I'd love to try your recipe too....
I have these ones in the oven now and can't wait to try them :) I substituted applesauce for the eggs though :)
Angi says
I made these (blueberry) this afternoon and while they taste yummo (will be a nice dessert this evening with a touch of whipped cream!) they do, indeed, stick to the liners. I think in the future I'll forego liners entirely (i don't care for the silicone liners, as I think they are way more trouble than they're worth with cleaning them) and merely brush the muffins pan holes with a bit of butter. But tasty, nonetheless, just not "easy" to dole out when Mom has to peel the liner off and scrape the bottom of the muffin off the liner to also give to the kiddo. LOL
amy says
Love these muffins! Thank you for the recipe. They have turned out great each time!
Melanie says
I made these today and they are delicious! I actually used Spelt flour and they came out great. I used mashed banana and walnuts and apple juice instead of orange. Yum! Thanks!
Dina says
I've made these a few times now and we absolutely LOVE them. I'm having a bit of a problem with the muffins really sticking to the muffin cups. I don't really want to use a cooking spray on them but I don't know what else to do... any suggestions?
100 Days of Real Food says
You could try silicone muffin liners to see if you have better luck...and maybe brush them with melted butter. Hope that helps!
Trish says
Hello! I love your website, thank you for taking the time and effort to put all of this together and making it public for anyone to read. Fantastic! I do have one question though. My roommates and I make a recipe called "primal pizza" every once in a while, but instead of using normal pizza dough, they use 'Almond Meal' (which we buy from trader joes), mixed with egg and olive oil. I am wondering if you could replace flour with almond meal in certain recipes. It does say on the label that it can be substituted for up to 50% of the volume of flour called for in recipes, however the final product might not hold together so well. It works for our pizza and tastes great, (though I usually eat pizza with a fork, so for others, it might not be the best) What are your thoughts?
100 Days of Real Food says
Anytime you start making substitutions it definitely becomes an experiment...but almond meal is a great "whole food" choice if you can get it to work!
valleygirl says
Ok, update on the next day. Kids would not eat them. Said they didn't taste good anymore. Anyone else run into this? Why would that be?
100 Days of Real Food says
How did you store them...in the fridge or on the counter?
valleygirl says
Counter. Bad choice?
100 Days of Real Food says
No, that's what I would recommend for the first couple days. If it was fridge I would say it could have been the different consistency. My girls sometimes love our dinner then won't eat it leftover the next day. They love to keep me guessing!
Courtney says
I just made these, the "longer" way. I put in mashed up bananas and blueberries. They are so yummy! Perfect to take away this weekend for our breakfast. I know these are going to be a hit with the kids.
Thanks for another great recipe.
Tasha says
Lisa, thank you for the work you do encouraging us to eat whole foods. Your website has been a real blessing to my family, and I'm constantly sending links to your blog to friends. Anywho...
My three year old daughter wanted to make muffins, so this was the first place I looked. I thought, surely 100 days of real food has *something* practical and yummy. Score! Most muffin recipes have an obscene amount of sugar, which is why I rarely make them. These were delicious with the orange juice and cinnamon. Such a nice flavor combination. I let my two older kids add their own stuff (6 year old chose chocolate chips, three year old chose raisins?!) , my ten month old is eating hers plain, and I spread honey butter on mine. This recipe is getting printed and put in my cookbook!
PS: I'm apparently not giving the baby her muffin bites fast enough. She's really honked off about that! And, she's on muffin #3.
valleygirl says
Making these right now. A few with cinnamon applesauce, some with raisins and the others chocolate chips. My girls don't go crazy with fruit hidden in things but add choco chips and they will devour them....will make sure to have fruit WITH it in the am though! ;)
2 questions: Do you heat your coco oil first so it's liquid? I did not and had lumps of it in my batter. Hoping it'll turn out fine.
Next, any idea with flour substitutions? Am wanting to slowly move us more gluten free over time and wondering what kinds of flours I can sneak in that would give a similar texture? Even just doing a half and half thing for now to ease us over would be fine. Thoughts?
valleygirl says
Hm, mine totally stuck to the liners...what's the trick? Also, taste a bit too coconutty but I guess that's probably bc of the chunks left in the batter. Otherwise they are nice and soft. Turns out to be a good after school snack...8 yr old is on her second muffin (they are so small anyways since most are sticking to the liner).
carissa says
You def have to heat the oil. Only a few seconds will do it. I always oil my liners. I use the silicone baking cups.
100 Days of Real Food says
They could be sticking so much because of the oil being in chunks. They might stick a little, but not half the muffin like it sounds.
100 Days of Real Food says
Here is a post all about coconut oil (it can be tricky!): https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/ And for gluten-free ideas check out Deliciously Organic and Elana's Pantry.
Emily says
I followed exactly except for the oil (I used what I had on hand, *unmentionable refined oil*). They turned out with a texture similar to bread pudding, dense - not exactly unpleasant, but not like the lovely muffins in your picture. I will try the recipe again sometime - thank you for this resource!
Vicki says
I made these on Wednesday with flax instead of egg and I used pureed pumkin and they were excellent! Thanks!
valleygirl says
Is it flax meal that you use to replace the egg? I just bought some on a whim the other day and would love to do some replacing here and there (leaning towards a hypoallergenic diet with my son, gradually)
Sierra says
Do you think it'd be better for me to use regular whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour to make these? I have tried the white wheat with other recipes and ended up with a bad bitter flavor :-(
100 Days of Real Food says
You could try any of those flours and see what you like the best. Also, be sure to keep your whole-wheat flour in the fridge or freezer otherwise it will spoil.
Christy says
I liked these but they were really dense, so I was wondering about using the whole wheat pastry flour as well. Is there a specific exchange for that?
Assistant to 100 Days (Jill) says
Hi Christy. I've not tried substituting the whole wheat pastry flour but I think it should work. Hope it works out. Jill
Rachel W says
I realize this is waaaay after the fact and you've likely tried already, but I really like the Bob's Red Mill whole wheat pastry flour for stuff that doesn't use yeast as a rising agent. I've never tried a different brand so can't say for sure if they all work well but there's my two cents worth :o)
Leanne says
Oooh, these were so good! Followed most of your recipe, down to the brand of flour but I used a 1/2 cup of Santa Cruz Organic apple&peach sauce and 1/4 a cup or organic apple juice as a substitute for the 3/4 cup of OJ. Added a little more honey (1/2 tbs) and mixed in a cup of organic blueberries along with a little bit (1 tbs or so) of the juice that was in the bag from defrosting the berries. Baked them a bit longer (20 mins or so), and they are so moist and sweet! I think the apple/peach sauce really helped w/ the sweetening :) Thanks for the recipe!
Emily says
I just tried this recipe, a few with blueberries and lemon zest, and the rest with mashed banana. The taste was alright, but they turned out pretty rubbery and didn't rise very much. Did I overmix?
100 Days of Real Food says
Rubbery? Did you follow the recipe exactly?
Emily says
I followed exactly except for the oil (I used what I had on hand, *unmentionable refined oil*). They turned out with a texture similar to bread pudding, dense – not exactly unpleasant, but not like the lovely muffins in your picture. I will try the recipe again sometime – thank you for this resource!
Carrie says
Making these for Easter breakfast tomorrow! This time, I'm going to sprinkle some mini chocolate chips in them instead of fruit. It is a holiday after all. :) Maybe I'll do half choc. chips and half blueberry.
Courtney says
Going to make these this morning! I'm using 1/2 c white chocolate chips and 1/2 c dried cranberries. Very excited! My favorite scones (which are not so healthy) use this combo and I'm excited to experiment! My husband only likes chocolate chip muffins, so I figured this would be a good transition!
carissa says
I made these tonight and I really don't know what people are talking about saying they aren't good. I actually forgot the vanilla extract and these were still very good. They aren't crazy sweet but that's fine with me. Maybe people are just too used to the really sweet stuff. I put orange juice in mine and dried cranberries. I was going to add orange zest but forgot that too :/ maybe they turn out rubbery for some people due to overmixing? Anyway I thoroughly enjoyed them, thanks for the recipe.
Kristin says
I wasn't saying they were bad, they just didn't turn out they way I was expecting. We have been eating "real food" for about 12 months, so I feel our sweet expectations are well adjusted. Mine just had no sweetness and I am looking for some help on what I may have done wrong. Thanks in advance to anyone that can help me out. I love this website and its recipes!
carissa says
Oh no I had read a couple of reviews on these that were a little negative but I really thought they were good. I didn't think you meant they were bad, maybe you could try adding just a touch more honey....I was thinking next time I am going to use maple syrup and add apple bits and oats and atouch more cinnamon and see what happens.
Kristin says
Did I do something wrong? To use my son's words, "these just taste like plain bread". I felt so bad cause he was so looking forward to them! I made w/fresh blueberries and double checked that I used the correct measurements of all of the ingredients. He was right...they had no flavor. Help!