• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
  • Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch & Dinner
    • Salads
    • Soups, Stews & Chilis
    • Side Dishes
    • Baking
    • Desserts
    • Drinks & Cocktails
    • All Recipes
  • Menu Ideas
  • Cooking Tips
  • About
  • Contact
  • FREE eBook

Zestful Kitchen | A food blog with healthy recipes and cooking tips logo

Home » Baking » Healthy Blueberry Lemon Muffins

May 15, 2020

Healthy Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

These are truly the best lemon blueberry muffins I have ever had. Light, tender and moist, these muffins are bursting with lemon and blueberry flavor and even feature a crunchy top. The best part? You’d never know these were healthy!

image of a blueberry muffin dropping with honey

What makes these lemon blueberry muffins perfect?

These muffins have everything going for them, they’re:

  • Tender
  • Moist
  • Sweet, but not TOO sweet
  • Tall (with that gorgeous domed top)
  • Stuffed with fresh blueberries
  • Finished with a bit of sugary crunch on top

I find there are two things that cause muffins to be less-than-impressive—they’re either gluey (which some people like to call “moist”) or dried out. The key to a perfect muffin is achieving harmony between moistness, tenderness and airiness. 

Check, check, check.

To achieve moistness: use a thick dairy product like Greek yogurt or sour cream.

To achieve tenderness: add a bit of cornstarch to the flour mixture. 

To achieve airiness: start baking the muffins at a high temperature to activate the leavener, then drop the temp down for a more even bake. 

muffins in a muffin tin with blueberries scattered around it

Ingredients in healthy lemon blueberry muffins 

  • whole-wheat pastry flour
  • cornstarch
  • baking powder and soda
  • plain Greek yogurt
  • honey
  • olive oil
  • eggs
  • lemons 
  • almond or vanilla extract 
  • fresh blueberries
  • raw sugar (turbinado)
image of a blueberry set on a muffin liner

How to make lemon blueberry muffins

First things first, read over the recipe and make sure you have everything you’ll need (or DM me about making ingredient substitutions). Get out a few mixing bowls, a microplane, whisk, rubber spatula, muffin pan, and cupcake liners.

Preheat your oven to 425ºF before you even get started measuring out ingredients or mixing up the batter. 

In a large bowl whisk together the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. 

In a medium bowl whisk together the yogurt, honey, oil, eggs, lemon zest, and extract until smooth. 

Add the yogurt mixture to the flour mixture and mix until nearly combined but a few pockets of flour remain (this is key, don’t over mix!).

  • lemon zest in a bowl of wet beaten eggs and yogurt
  • muffin batter in a bowl
  • muffin batter in a bowl

Toss the blueberries with a teaspoon of flour (this helps them from dropping to the bottom of the batter). 

Add the blueberries to the batter and fold in JUST until combined. Again, avoid overmixing! 

  • blueberries coated in flour
  • blueberries coated in flour poured over top of muffin batter
  • blueberry muffin batter in a bowl

Divide the batter between lined muffin cups (about 5 tablespoons per cup). 

Combine turbinado sugar with lemon zest and sprinkle evenly over the cups of batter.

Transfer the muffin tin to the oven and bake muffins at 425ºF for 5 minutes. Keeping the muffins in the oven, decrease the oven temperature to 350ºF and continue to bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, about 18 minutes more. 

  • muffin batter being scooped into paper liners
  • muffin batter in muffin cups
  • muffin batter in paper liners topped with sugar

You can also watch the Web Story on how to make these Healthy Blueberry Muffins!

Healthy blueberry muffins with yogurt

Any kind of quick-bread recipe (banana bread, zucchini bread, carrot bread) benefits from a creamy dairy-based product. Why? For one, the acid in the dairy activates with the baking soda. And two, dairy helps to create a baked good that’s tender and airy. 

Common dairy products used in quick breads and muffins include yogurt, Greek yogurt, sour cream and buttermilk. This healthy blueberry muffin recipe calls for Greek yogurt, which makes them tender and moist, but also packs them with protein and calcium. 

image of a blueberry lemon muffin with a bite taken out of it

How to create a tall, domed muffin 

The trick to getting that lovely domed muffin top (that we all love about bakery muffins) is to jumpstart their baking at a high temperature in the oven (this activates the leavener). After a few minutes, drop the temp down to a medium heat (350ºF or 375ºF) to encourage even baking.

That’s it. That’s the big secret. The key is to get the batter to rise, and rise quickly at the beginning of baking. Once the height has been achieved, it’s important to drop the temp back down to ensure the batter cooks through. Otherwise you’ll end up with over-baked outsides and under-baked insides. 

Another thing to keep in mind—don’t be afraid to fill your muffin cups to the top! The same can’t be said for cupcakes as they often have a thinner batter. But with a thick batter like this one, it’s important to fill the cups full. 

muffins in a silver muffin tin with one muffin cut in half, cut side up

How to make healthy blueberry muffins that don’t taste healthy 

The ideal way to eat healthy is to not feel like you’re eating healthy. And these healthy lemon blueberry muffins achieve that and then some. 

  • The first trick to creating healthy muffins that don’t taste healthy is to use whole-wheat pastry flour—one of my all-time favorite ingredients to bake with. Whole-wheat pastry flour is a great way to create 100% whole-wheat baked goods that aren’t dense AF (regular whole-wheat flour can be heavy and dense). This light and fluffy flour keeps your baked goods, well, light and fluffy. Plus, I love that it adds a nutty, toasty flavor to muffins, cookies and breads. 
  • Another great hack is to add a bit of cornstarch whenever you’re baking with whole-wheat flour. Cornstarch is a key ingredient in cake flour and/or cake recipes because it helps to create a tender crumb (which is important when baking with denser whole-wheat four). 
  • My third trick—use natural sweeteners. Natural sweeteners like honey, maple syrup, agave syrup, coconut sugar, and sucanat add more flavor than regular refined sugars and are much better for your blood sugar levels. 
  • An essential step, use ingredients with BIG flavor. It’s important to look at your ingredients and find ways to one, make them healthier, and two make them more flavorful. This recipe uses whole wheat flour which is more toasty and nutty than AP flour. It also uses Greek yogurt, which is healthier and more tangy than regular yogurt or sour cream. Honey adds a floral note and natural sweetness as opposed to using refined sugar. And lastly, don’t be afraid to be a little heavy handed with the added flavors like citrus zest, extracts and spices. 
image of a blueberry muffin dropping with honey

How long do lemon blueberry muffins keep?

Stored at room temperature, lemon blueberry muffins will keep for two days. 

Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, these muffins will last for up to 1 week. 

How to reheat these muffins

I prefer the quick microwave-method for reheating muffins. They don’t need much time, 10–15 seconds is all. 

You can also reheat these in a 300ºF oven until warmed through, 5–8 minutes. 

Check out these other muffin recipes…

  • Healthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Gluten-Free Blueberry Mascarpone Muffins
  • Actually Healthy Bran Muffins
  • Fennel Pear Muffins
  • Healthy Banana Bread Muffins

Blueberry recipes you may like…

  • Lemon Blueberry Tart
  • Blueberry Rhubarb Pie
  • Sweet Corn Pancakes with Blueberry Syrup
  • Low-Fat Blueberry Scones
muffins in a muffin tin with blueberries scattered around it

Make sure to tag me @ZESTFULKITCHEN ON INSTAGRAM or tag #zestfulkitchen on social media if you make a recipe! 

Don’t forget, if you make these healthy Lemon Blueberry Muffins, leave a comment and rating below!

To pin this recipe and save it for later, you can click the button on any of the photos, or the red button on the bar below the recipe. Happy baking!

Print
clock clock icon cutlery cutlery icon flag flag icon folder folder icon instagram instagram icon pinterest pinterest icon facebook facebook icon print print icon squares squares icon
muffins in a muffin tin with blueberries scattered around it

Healthy Lemon Blueberry Muffins

★★★★★ 5 from 7 reviews
  • Author: Lauren Grant
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 45 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Low Fat
Print
Pin

Description

Light, tender and bursting with blueberry and lemon flavor, these perfect lemon blueberry muffins are 100% whole-wheat, naturally sweetened, and made with heart-healthy olive oil!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 2 ¼ cups whole-wheat pastry flour (245g), plus 1 teaspoon for blueberries
  • ¼ cup cornstarch (35g)
  • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon table salt
  • 1 cup plain greek yogurt*
  • ½ cup honey
  • ⅓ cup olive oil
  • 2 large eggs
  • 2 lemons, zested
  • 1 teaspoon pure almond extract (or vanilla)
  • 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (214g)**
  • 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (optional)***

Instructions

Heat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners (or grease the cups with nonstick spray).

Whisk together 2 ¼ cups flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl, set aside.

Whisk together yogurt, honey, oil, eggs, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, and almond extract until smooth.

Add yogurt mixture to flour mixture and stir until mostly incorporated but some pockets of flour remain.

Toss blueberries with remaining 1 teaspoon flour to coat; fold blueberries into the batter just until combined.

Divide batter (it will be thick) between muffin cups, about 5 tablespoons per cup. Combine turbinado sugar with 1 teaspoon lemon zest and sprinkle evenly over cups of batter.

Bake muffins 5 minutes at 425°F then, keeping muffins in oven, reduce oven temperature to 350°F (177°C) and bake until a toothpick inserted in the centers comes out clean, 16–18 minutes more. Total bake time is about 23 minutes.

(For mini muffins, bake 11–14 minutes at 350°F (177°C).

Transfer muffin tin to a wire rack and cool 5 minutes, then transfer muffins from pan to wire rack to cook completely.


Notes

*GREEK YOGURT: I use nonfat Greek yogurt, but you can use 2% or full-fat as well. Just make sure to use Greek yogurt. You can also substitute sour cream for the Greek yogurt here.

**BLUEBERRIES: fresh blueberries are best here (I like to seek out blueberries on the smaller side—they’re more flavorful). You can also use frozen blueberries, if you do, don’t thaw them prior to adding them to the batter, add them frozen. Lastly, if you’re using frozen, try to find some frozen wild blueberries, they add tons of flavor!

***TURBINADO SUGAR: turbinado sugar is raw sugar and has a coarse texture. Not only does it add a dose of sweetness, but it also adds some crunch. You can skip using it, or you can use regular sugar, sucanat or coconut sugar instead.


Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 muffin
  • Calories: 150
  • Sugar: 15g
  • Sodium: 116mg
  • Fat: 6.5
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Carbohydrates: 21g
  • Fiber: 2g
  • Protein: 4g
  • Cholesterol: 31mg

Keywords: healthy lemon blueberry muffins, healthy muffins, lemon blueberry muffins

Did you make this recipe?

Leave a comment below and tag @zestfulkitchen on Instagram and hashtag it #zestfulkitchen!

Recipe Card powered byTasty Recipes

You Might Also Like

  • Healthy Cranberry Orange MuffinsHealthy Cranberry Orange Muffins
  • Actually Healthy Bran MuffinsActually Healthy Bran Muffins
  • Healthy Lemon Blueberry BreadHealthy Lemon Blueberry Bread
  • Lemon Olive Oil CakeLemon Olive Oil Cake

Filed Under: Baking, Breakfast, Easter, Recipes, Spring, Summer, Summer Baking, Year-Round

About Lauren Grant

Lauren Grant is a professional culinary food scientist, food writer, recipe developer, and food photographer. Lauren is a previous magazine editor and test kitchen developer and has had work published in major national publications including Diabetic Living Magazine, Midwest Living Magazine, Cuisine at Home Magazine, EatingWell.com, AmericasTestKitchen.com, and more.

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Abby K says

    May 17, 2020 at 9:45 am

    These muffins have the best texture and great flavor to back them up! I love that they aren’t too sweet! The turbinado lemon zest topping adds the perfect crunch! Thank you for this delicious, healthy muffin recipe!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      May 27, 2020 at 11:34 am

      Oh I am SO happy to hear that Abby! I’m glad you enjoyed them! 🙂

      Reply
  2. Tawnie Kroll says

    June 1, 2020 at 10:23 pm

    I love that tip to bake them at a higher temperature first and then drop it down – perfect muffins every time – thank you for the delicious recipe, obsessed!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  3. Lauren Nagel says

    June 24, 2020 at 10:46 am

    So moist and we couldn’t stop eating them!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  4. Emily Bruno says

    June 28, 2020 at 8:30 pm

    These had such great flavor- so tender!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  5. Susie says

    July 21, 2020 at 9:19 am

    Blueberry and Lemon is one of my favorite flavor combos! I made these and am embarrassed to say we ate them in 2 days! Will definitely make again when we pick fresh berries this summer.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  6. Chuck Bittner says

    August 30, 2020 at 7:34 am

    I made this recipe last night and my wife and mother in law loved them, so gave it 5 stars. I feel they are a bit dry, which I attribute to something I can do better, so what would you suggest to make them just a bit more moist?

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      August 31, 2020 at 7:59 pm

      Hi Chuck, thanks for the comment and for letting me know you found them to be a bit dry. The first thing that comes to mind is to make sure you are fluffing the flour a bit before you measure it out. This is important for all types of flour, but especially whole-wheat because it can become pretty compact over time as it sits in the bag. The second thing I recommend trying would be to decrease the bake time by a couple of minutes or so. I would try reducing the last segment of baking (after you’ve reduced the oven temp) to 14 minutes or so—but I would be sure to check with a toothpick to make sure the centers aren’t too under-baked. Finally, I would be really careful not to over mix—a few pockets of dry flour is OK!

      I hope that helps, let me know if there is anything else I can help you with!

      Reply
  7. Mimi says

    December 31, 2020 at 12:50 am

    Quality recipe – great instructions and tips. Mine rose even higher than yours, and were moist and fluffy!

    I second that they were less sweet than most muffins, but I like this because it makes me feel like less of a pig when I inevitably eat 3 muffins fresh out of the oven.

    I used light sour cream (that’s all we had) and didn’t do the topping, but wished I had done it because there wasn’t much lemon flavor. Still yummy though!

    I’ll be using your tips in future muffin recipes and trying out your other recipes. Thanks!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Lauren Grant says

      January 5, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      Hi Mimi! I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins—you’re right, the topping adds a ton of flavor. If you want to skip the topping next time, I would add more zest to the muffin batter to enhance the lemon a bit more.
      I’m glad the light sour cream worked well, and I love that they rose higher than mine. It always makes me happy to see a tall-domed muffin! 🙂

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Primary Sidebar

image of a woman in a black shirt

Welcome to Zestful Kitchen!
I'm Lo, a professionally trained Culinary Food Scientist, Journalist, and former food magazine editor. I'm all
about cooking healthy-ish—aka healthy recipes that don't sacrifice on flavor. I'm here to help you find confidence in the kitchen and LOVE what you eat.

Click here to learn more about Lo and ZK

  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • YouTube

Search Recipes & Tips

Subscribe for a free eBook on how to store herbs

Footer

text graphic showing eBook details

Subscribe for a free eBook on how to store herbs

Work with Me

Recipe Archive

About

Privacy Policy

Accessibility Statement

Copyright © 2021 Zestful Kitchen - Creative & healthy-ish recipes + cooking tips