Vegan Blueberry Muffins

These vegan muffins are bursting with juicy blueberries, suspended in a vanilla perfumed batter that bakes up perfectly fluffy yet still moist. Extra virgin olive oil delivers richness while aromatic vanilla provides the ideal complement to bright blueberry flavor. 

You can stick me in front of any bakery or cafe menu, and I can already tell you I’m going to have a hard time not going with a blueberry muffin. The “try something different!” voice in the back of my mind will have me strongly considering my alternatives, but I know it, and you know it: the most classic and unfailingly good choice is always The Blueberry Muffin. 

Setting out to make my own vegan blueberry muffins at home was, therefore, not the easiest endeavor, as each attempt was up against some serious competition! But in the end, I’ve come up with a recipe that fills the blueberry muffin shaped hole in my heart just right. The muffin batter is sweet and simple (just 7 ingredients!), yet each muffin is certifiably loaded with big, juicy blueberries that gently burst open when you take a bite.

Ingredients

• Non-dairy milk - I always reach for unsweetened, unflavored almond milk for baking recipes like this one. It has a tasty yet low key flavor and the water content is just right for baking with! Scroll down to our Chef Tips section for more on choosing a plant based milk to bake with.  
• Extra-virgin olive oil - If you ask me, using olive oil is one of the best kept baking secrets out there. It adds incredible richness and a light yet unique flavor to these muffins. You could certainly use vegetable or coconut oil here if you prefer though, just make sure to use refined coconut oil so that the coconut flavor does not overpower the blueberries.
• Vegan cane sugar - I like to use organic cane sugar in baking. It behaves just like regular cane sugar but is 100% vegan. Raw, unprocessed sugar is typically vegan too, just be sure to check the specifics of whichever variety you use. 
• Vanilla extract - The bright, floral hit from vanilla pairs beautifully with bright blueberries! 
• All-purpose flour - To ensure light and fluffy muffins, it’s best to stick with regular AP flour here and stay away from any blends or whole wheat flour varieties. 
• Baking powder - The all-important leavening agent responsible for giving lift and airiness to your muffins! 
• Fresh blueberries - Use fresh berries when possible! Frozen blueberries will certainly add the right flavor and come with the added benefit of being more readily available, but they don’t produce the best results here.

How to Make Vegan Blueberry Muffins

1. Preheat and combine. Preheat oven to 350℉. Line a 6-hole muffin pan with paper liners, or use silicone liners if you have them. In a large bowl, combine the non-dairy milk, extra-virgin olive oil, cane sugar, and vanilla extract.
2. Whisk liquids. Use a whisk to mix the ingredients until well combined. 
3. Add dry ingredients. To the non-dairy milk mixture, add the flour and baking powder. 
4. Fold the batter. Use a rubber or silicone spatula to fold the dry ingredients into the liquid mixture, stopping when the batter is just combined. 
5. Add blueberries. Add your fresh blueberries to the batter and fold them in–as gently as possible!-being careful not to crush or break them. Using care here will preserve those pleasant pops of blueberry in your finished muffins. 
6. Divide into muffin cups. Use a spoon or cookie scoop to evenly distribute the batter between the 6 muffin cups. Sprinkle some extra cane sugar on top of each full muffin cup--this will help produce a crunchy, extra sweet top!
7. Bake and cool. Bake your blueberry muffins in the 350℉ preheated oven until they are lightly golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. 
8. Serve. Allow the muffins to cool before removing them from the pan, then serve with toppings or spreads as desired! 

Watch Us Make Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Chef Tips

Stir your muffin batter gently. When it comes time to add your dry ingredients into the wet, fold gently just until the mixture comes together. Mixing the batter too much at this point could cause the overdevelopment of gluten, which may result in chewy, dense muffins as opposed to the light and fluffy muffins we’re looking for here! 

Fresh berries are best. I’m a big fan of frozen fruit and like to have my own frozen blueberries on hand, however, I try to avoid using them in this muffin recipe. They tend to leak their juices into the batter during mixing and baking, thereby resulting in muffins that have an overall green-ish coloring. Fresh berries, on the other hand, are more likely to stay intact during the stirring and baking process--producing cleaner looking muffins that have distinct pops of blueberry speckled throughout! 

Plant based milks behave differently in baking. My top choice for baked goods like these vegan muffins is always unsweetened almond milk. It has a pleasant subtle flavor and high water content that helps the baked goods to rise and set more quickly. Soy milk is another good choice, as its high protein content makes it ideal for baked goods that need a lot of structure like muffins, cakes, and breads. While I love coconut milk, it likely would be too dense and strongly flavored for this recipe. I’d also advise against using rice milk here as I find it performs unreliably when it comes to baking. 

How to Store Vegan Blueberry Muffins

At Room Temperature. Keep your blueberry muffins in an airtight container (i.e., large tupperware or zip-top bag) and they are good at room temperature for up to 3 days. 

Refrigerating. If you live in a humid environment, I’d recommend placing muffins in the fridge to avoid the risk of spoiling. Or, if you simply want them to last a bit longer, refrigerate them for up to a week. 

Freezing. If you opt to freeze your blueberry muffins, make sure they are in an airtight container and they should keep nicely for 2-3 months. When you’re ready to eat them, you can thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or reheat them in a low oven until warmed.  

📋 Recipe