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.
MO says
Egg allergy
Lori says
These are awesome!! Added 1 mashed banana and 1/2 cup of blueberries and chopped pecans!! So yummy!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kerri. You could always spritz the liners with olive oil. If you are using paper liners, you might find that some paper liner are "stickier" than others. The "If You Care" brand liners work well. ~Amy
Kerri says
Help? Not sure what I did wrong. The muffins tasted good but they stuck to the cupcake liners. Any suggestions.
helpful commenter says
Try getting the Reynolds cupcake liners. When I got cheap cupcake liners from a japanese store, buying it helped my wallet but not my cupcakes. It's best to get a good brand.
Marlana says
What type of container do you use when freezing these? Just a Ziploc-type bag? We're trying to get away from using many of those, but I might have to have them for breads and muffins. Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello. If you label and reuse Ziplocks, you can minimize the waste. You can also use a more durable airtight plastic container. ~Amy
Kiki says
I made these with what I had on hand....I substituted brown rice flour for the ww flour, pineapple juice for the orange juice. My add ins were unsweetened shredded coconut, chopped up dates, slivered almonds.....they came out delicious!!
Jody says
I'd like to make some sort of lemon muffins. We have 4 daughters and I try to bake 3 things every weekend for them to rotate through for their breakfasts and lunches for the week. Do you think I could use this recipe as a muffin "base" and maybe add lemon rind, poppyseeds, and lemon juice and it would create a tasty lemon muffin? I'm not good at tweaking recipes. Thank you! And thank you for the inspiration and passion in what you post about!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jody. I think you should absolutely try. :) It might take more than one pass, however. Anytime you play around with a recipe, it has the potential to be a success or...not so much. I will say, that I've never failed to the point of making something that was inedible. Best of luck! ~Amy
Brooke says
Hi!
I am wanting to make these tonight for breakfast in the morning. All I have at home is frozen blueberries. Will these work, or do I need to use fresh fruit?
Thanks!
Brooke says
Nevermind, just saw my answer on page 10 of the comments :)
Abbey says
This is a great basic recipe, I followed exactly as stated but i grated an apple into the batter (with the wet ingredients) for some added sweetness, and used a combo of orange and apple juice. Of course I'm used to the "fresh" mammoth muffins at our grocery stores "bakery" so they taste more like cake than a muffin, but these were pretty tasty. Because of the different flour, they dont raise like normal muffins made with AP flour so I will remember to add more batter in the liners next time. If you let them sit for a day or so, the sweetness from the honey and juices are more apparent which makes them a little more enjoyable if you're not used to "sugarless" muffins.
Erica says
Made them but they are kinda bland but I still liked them. I would rather put the stuff in the mix then top it because they kind of like fell off.
Susan says
I've made these several times and live them. I used paper muffin pan liners and half the muffin stays with the liner. :( Should I use a different liner? Suggestions as to not have this happen please!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Susan. It might help to spritz the liner with a bit of oil. I use coconut oil spray in a diffuser (like Misto)not in a commercial can with propellants. ~Amy
Kristi says
The "if you care" brand do not stick to anything. They have them at my regular grocery as well as whole foods!
Kelly says
These are delicious & turned out beautifully. I had one problem though, they stuck to the muffin liners. I just used regular paper ones. Anyone else have this problem?
Susan says
Yes. Hoping to find an answer!
Tonya Ward says
Hi! I made these last weekend and mixed the fillings (4 each - banana nut, almond butter, and jelly in the middle) and really liked them. I have a question though - have you ever made savory type muffins by tweaking this recipe? Adding some crumbled bacon or some organic cheese (or both)? Thought about trying it, using different spices/herbs and water instead of apple juice maybe but wondered if you've tried it and how it turned out? Or if any other readers have had good luck with certain variations? I read through some of the comments but didn't go all the way back, lol!
Thanks for a great site with terrific ideas and suggestions - my son and I look at it all the time! :)
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Tonya. We have not attempted a savory version of this recipe. If you do, please share your experiment. :) ~Amy
Linda says
Although I love your muffin recipe, I did a little modification that was a huge success at my house. For the flour I used Almond Meal Flour because I am trying to reduce Wheat a bit in our diet. For the juice I squeezed 5 tangerines that no one was eating because they had pits!!! And for the fruit I chopped up some dried raspberries that I had been using as additive in cereal and salads...my 6 year old grand daughter loved them plain or with a little apple butter. Thanks so much for your great website!!
Maguen says
How long will these stay good in the freezer for?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi. As a rule of thumb, they'll be good for 2-3 months. :) ~Amy
Stacy says
I tried to make these cupcakes and am a little confused about the coconut oil. It was a solid and when I mixed the batter, there were a lot of large, solid chunks of coconut oil that I couldn't seem break up. Was I supposed to use the coconut oil as a liquid or a solid? Is there a substitute for the coconut oil?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Stacy. You should melt the coconut oil first. Here is more information: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. A common substitution for coconut oil is butter. ~Amy
Holly says
Can milk be used to replace the fruit juice? Thanks!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Holly. That should work but you will lose some of the sweetness the juice provides. ~Amy
Kristen says
Holy cow - I made these and used dried blueberries for the fruit. My daughter who rejects all whole wheat things ate one in her lunch (with no prompting of any kind) and said she liked it - woo hoo!!
Hiro says
I need freezing tips!
My daughter started pre-school and I wanted to pack this for her, so I tested out to see if she eats it at home. She loved it when it was freshly baked but she didn't eat it after I freeze them and defrost them. I tested it for myself and brought it to lunch as well. It was not bad, but I have to say I didn't enjoy it very much. It gets little watery on the surface, probably because of the temperature change, and mushy.
I moved muffins from freezer to fridge the night before, and take it out from the fridge and eat it around the lunch time. Any tips I can enjoy defrosted ones better? There is no way I can bake during the weekdays!!
Amy says
Hi Hiro - I think the problem you're having is because you move them to the fridge. The temperature and humidity levels in a fridge pull out moisture from breads and floury foods, so you're left with a wet top and dry inside. I'd try defrosting at room temp :)
Christine says
I made these muffins today, and they were delicious! Only changes was I added thawed, drained zucchini and frozen blueberries. I don't use muffin liner, I just spray my non-stick muffin tins with oil and the muffins just pop right out. I baked them at 350 for 15 min and they were moist. Thanks for a great recipe, the whole family loves them!!
Kristen says
Hi, I love this recipe and make it all the time. I'm wondering if you have the nutrition information per muffin (regular sized muffin tin). Thanks so much!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kristen. We do not provide nutrition information on recipes. We want people to focus on cutting out the processed stuff while replacing it with more real/whole foods and less on numbers. Many do find themselves losing some weight when they make the switch but that is not our focus. :) There are many online tools available for calculating those details if you need them. ~Amy
cassie says
Hi, I was curious on the nutrition info as well, Kristen. I figured out the weight watchers points, if that helps at all ;-) 2.83 per muffin, which means round up to 3 points per muffin. Anyway, don't know if that helps AT ALL, but thought I should put it or there. Lol! Loving this blog, by the way!
Jennifer says
The sparkpeople website has a recipe calculator I use. I have to do this to find carb counts as I have a child who is diabetic. My fitnesspal may also have a recipe calculator.
Shanta Brown says
I tried this recipe today with blueberries. My kids like them but me and my husband didn't care for them. At the end of the day the kids like them so this recipe is a keeper. Next time I'll try them with a filling that is naturally sweet versus just adding more honey and see how that works. Thanks.
Stephanie says
I love these muffins and have made every variation countless mornings. However, occasionally the tops do get dried out since it is a whole wheat recipe. I recently came across a tip that I wanted to pass along. For the first ten minutes of baking, place a pan of water in the oven with the muffins. Remove the water pan for the final 5. This keeps the tops from hardening, thus allowing the muffins to rise and keep moist.
Rinah says
I made these ww muffins today. I used spelt flour instead of the whole wheat and I added in cute up dates and half cup of walnuts, they are the tastiest muffins I have ever made. Thanks Lisa for all of your great recipes.
Stacey says
Made 2 batches of these today - one with blueberries, one with mini chocolate chips. They are packed away in the freezer to serve at brunch on Christmas Eve morning. They are delicious and I LOVE that I can use the same recipe and just add different ingredients/spices depending on what I want to make. Fantastic recipe!
Franki says
This is the second time I've made these. The first time I ran out of coconut oil and tried subbing apple sauce. I also had a hard time seeing the 1/8 near nutmeg and ended up using 1/2 tsp. I don't recommend that:)
Anyhow this time I made them as is. However we recently found out that my daughter has a very severe nut allergy and I can't find coconut oil without the "bottled in a factory that bottles nut oils" disclaimer, so I used expeller pressed organic canola oil. I also used about 3 1/2 tbs of honey because I'm weaning my kids of the more processed baked goods. We put chocolate chips in the middle of half and a spoon of strawberry all fruit jelly and a spoon of sun butter in the others. Yum! These were perfect. Next time I will definitely double the recipe!
Michelle says
Do you think whole wheat pastry flour will work? Also, anything I can sub for the juice?
Thanks! :D
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Michelle. You could substitute another liquid but you would be sacrificing some sweetness. You could also mix a bit of applesauce with water. ~Amy
Amy says
I've subbed a mashed banana mixed with a water. Works great!
Beth says
Made these tonight. Half the batch had chocolate chips to entice my little ones. We are new to whole wheat flour. They were a hit. Is there anything we can sub for coconut oil?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Beth. Try butter. :)
Chris says
Thank you for a recipe without sugar that kids will still love!
Annie says
My secret for good whole wheat muffins is 100% whole wheat pastry flour. Whole different experience.
Rachel says
Any ideas on how to make these without egg? My son is allergic.
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Rachel. Have you tried flax eggs? This is a common substitution and works well as a binder: http://www.veganbaking.net/recipes/egg-replacers/flax-seed-egg-replacer. ~Amy
kristel says
So 12 muffins just came out of the oven. I fillowed the directions except i substitued the honey for pure maple syrup. I have never baked with coconut oil before so i melted my coconut oil in a glass bowl until runny smooth and it measured 1/4 cup in my glass measuring cup so i added that to my eggs and juice then mixed it together with dry ingredients. I lined my muffin tin with liners and when muffins were done after 15 minutrs i left them to cool about 5 minutes. They looked great but when i pulled off the paper liner the bottom of liner and muffin tin where wet like. It was the coconut oil! very greasy bottoms and was disapointed. Kids didnt like them either said they were to bland. :( i wont give up! Any reason why the oil went tto the bottom?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Kristel. Hmmm, I've not had that happen with muffins and coconut oil. This post might help: https://www.100daysofrealfood.com/2012/02/07/how-to-cook-with-coconut-oil/. ~Amy
Heather Bee says
Everyone in my son's class had to bring in blueberry muffins today for their Thanksgiving school party. I made these - excited to bring a healthier version to the table; so I found it sad that they were the last muffins standing at the table. I guess they weren't "covered in sugar topping" enough to get everyone's attention. Oh well, I'm happy to have the leftovers and so are his brothers. Today I am tired of fighting sugar and chemical additives designed to ensnare the senses and encourage over-eating. :P Thanks as always for your recipe index. This is my "second family" cookbook
Thelma says
Hi Lisa and family,
First, thank you for all you do! I am so glad I stumbled upon your blog on pinterest.
I made a batch last night and made mini muffins instead. I put them in the oven for 13 minutes at 375. I tried one this morning and it was dry inside. Do you have tips on how i can make the muffins moist? Is my temp too high? I appreciate your input. Thanks again
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hello Thelma. The cook time sounds about right but I might lower the temp another 25*. Then check it with a toothpick until it comes out clean. ~Amy
Jackie says
YUM! Just made these with mashed banana, added some chia and used my juicer with pears and apple to make the juice since I didn't have any :-)
Liz says
So I wanted to make these but had no juice in the house...but if I have a juicer! So I juiced up apples and carrots, used the juice and the pulp in place of shredded carrot. I was excited to be able to use the pulp from my juicer for once!
Stacy says
I make fresh juice almost everyday and started saving all my carrot pulp and make the apple carrot muffins from Lisa's site . Awesome:)
Jesse says
Can these be stored in the fridge? If so, for how long?
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Jesse. It actually works better to freeze them if you aren't going to be eating them within a couple days. Putting breads in the fridge can dry them out quickly. ~Amy
Vanessa says
My muffins also really stuck to the muffin cups. Next time I will try greasing and flouring the muffin pan instead. Otherwise, definitely a keeper recipe...thanks!
Nina says
Also... was I supposed to grease the muffin cups? My husband and I each ate one and they were stuck to the muffin cups pretty badly. I am new to muffin making... thanks so much!!!
Assistant to 100 Days (Amy) says
Hi Nina. It is normal for them to stick a little. You could always lightly spray the liners with an olive oil sprayer (such as Misto). ~Amy
Nina says
I just popped these bad boys (double batch) in the oven for the first time! I made the pumpkin spelt muffins last week and they were a hit so I naturally turned to these next (zucchini muffins next time!) I have a question though, was I supposed to melt the coconut oil first? If not, what did I do wrong as I noticed as I had chunks of oil in the batter. I hope I didn't ruin them since I doubled the batch. Thanks so much for this and all of your recipes. My family LOVES them!!!