Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins (Low Sugar Recipe)
on Oct 12, 2022
This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure for more info.
Everyone loves a good blueberry muffin, don’t they? Enter these super light, moist and airy blueberry muffins made with protein-packed Greek yogurt.
Super easy to make in around 30 minutes, these delicious yogurt muffins have a perfect ‘muffin top’ and always seem to turn out well. And as they’re relatively low sugar, you can enjoy one (or two – why not?) guilt free!
The best blueberry muffins you’ve ever had
I received a rare compliment indeed from Mr. Scrummy the first few times I made these Greek yogurt blueberry muffins.
He said “As you know, I’m not much of a muffin man, but I think this was the best muffin I’ve ever tasted. It was perfect.” I take this as an extra vote of confidence that these are good – really good.
Years later, I still make these muffins regularly for morning or afternoon teas, lunch boxes, portable and healthy-ish breakfasts, and even gifts. Every time, I think to myself that this is definitely one of the very best recipes here on Scrummy Lane. I really hope you try them, and come to love them as much as we do!
Why you’ll love them
✔ THEY’RE EASY. Like, I’ll stick my neck out and say that these yogurt blueberry muffins are impossible to mess up. I’ve made them more times than I can count. I haven’t always (ahem) been super accurate with the ingredients amounts, but they pretty much never fail.
✔ PERFECT TEXTURE. You’ll love how light, fluffy and moist they are! They’ve been described as the fluffiest muffins ever, and also as having ‘the perfect muffin top’ – nicely risen, golden brown, and lightly crisp!
✔ THEY’RE A HEALTHY BLUEBERRY MUFFIN RECIPE. Or at least healthiER. Low sugar, high protein, packed with nutritious blueberries, and fairly low calorie. Each of these muffins only contain about 270 calories.
[I’m not sure if that makes these ‘skinny’ muffins, but then again Starbucks’ skinny blueberry muffins contain 317 calories, so I’ll leave you to decide ;-)]
✔ SO QUICK TO MAKE. You can cook up a batch within about 30 minutes. No fancy beating or creaming of ingredients. Just mix the wet ingredients into the dry, pop into muffin cases, and bake.
✔ ENDLESSLY ADAPTABLE. Really. Take a look at the hundreds of comments below the recipe. It constantly astounds me how many successful adaptations and substitutions readers have tried. Apparently, they even turn out well at high altitude!
5* Reviews
“I have been baking for well over 65 years and these are the best blueberry muffins I have ever made. I love them!” (Marybeth)
“Unbelievably amazing! I’ve finally found the perfect blueberry muffin recipe, so light and fluffy. They’re perfect for both breakfast or dessert!” (Ella)
About the ingredients
As you can see, you only need 7 main ingredients (plus raising agents and salt) to make these failsafe Greek yogurt muffins.
Here’s what you need to know.
All-purpose flour (plain flour): Sometimes I replace some of the flour with whole wheat flour (wholemeal). Readers have reported successfully using all white whole wheat flour, cake flour, and gluten free flour. I’ve also successfully substituted in a little spelt or coconut flour.
Sadly these muffins do not appear to work with all almond flour, but you can try substituting a little.
You may need to add a little more milk to compensate for different types of flour.
Baking powder: Yep, there’s a whole tablespoon of baking powder in these muffins – around a teaspoon per cup of flour. It might seem like a lot, but the muffins turn out with a great ‘muffin top’. And don’t worry, there is no horrible aftertaste.
Baking soda: Just a little, apparently to balance out the acid in the yogurt and make sure you get a good rise and colour on your muffins.
Sugar: For me, just half a cup of plain white sugar provides the perfect amount of sweetness. If you have a sweeter tooth, you might like to sprinkle a little extra over the top of the muffins before baking. You can also use even less sugar if you like.
The recipe doesn’t seem to depend on the sugar for the texture of the cake. Many readers have successfully replaced all or some of the sugar with alternative sweeteners such as Stevia.
Salt: After feedback from readers over the years, I now include half a teaspoon of salt to round out the other flavors.
Eggs: 2 large, lightly whisked. I haven’t tried it myself, but several readers have successfully used egg replacements to make the muffins vegan.
Oil: I use either canola oil (or another vegetable oil), light olive oil, or a mixture of the two. Another oil such as melted coconut oil would work, as would melted butter.
Several readers have tried substituting around half of the oil with more yogurt. They’ve been happy with the results!
Greek yogurt: I always use an authentic style Greek yogurt made with just yogurt cultures and milk. However, readers have reported using ALL KINDS of Greek and Greek style yogurts in this recipe, even flavored versions. It seems they all work!
Since the yogurt is the key ingredient in these muffins, I wouldn’t try to completely miss it out.
Milk: I usually add between a quarter and a half cup of milk. The amount I add seems to depend on the particular brand of yogurt that I use i.e. how thick it is. Add even more if you think the batter needs it. It should be quite thick and fluffy, but not dry.
Blueberries: Around a cup and a half of fresh blueberries makes sure there are blueberries in every bite! Feel free to use frozen blueberries. Frozen sometimes create a few blue streaks in the muffin batter. I don’t find this to be a problem if I fold the fruit in carefully with just a few brief folds with a wooden spoon.
How to make them
The step-by-step guide below should help you make the recipe perfectly first time. Scroll down to the end for the full recipe including ingredient amounts.
it couldn’t be easier to make a batch of these healthy blueberry muffins with yogurt. Here’s what you do.
Step 1: Line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners (or silicon if preferred). I usually lightly spray them with oil to help prevent sticking. I also start preheating the oven at this point.
Step 2: Mix together all the dry ingredients (including the sugar) in a large mixing bowl.
Step 3: Mix together all the wet ingredients in a medium mixing bowl or jug.
Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until ‘just’ combined.
Step 5: If the mixture is at all dry, add a little more milk until it isn’t any more.
Step 6: Fold the blueberries through the mixture gently. Then divide batter between the muffin liners (you can fill to the top).
Step 7: Bake for anything from 17 to around 25 minutes. This will depend on the size of the muffins, really. As soon as a skewer or sharp knife poked into the center of a muffin comes out clean, they’re ready!
Helen’s top tips
- Don’t forget the ‘basic’ rule of homemade muffin making i.e. keep the dry and wet ingredients separate until the last minute, then mix until barely combined. A few lumps are fine.
- Don’t be afraid to add a little more milk than the recipe calls for. The batter should be thick but not dry.
- Experiment! Feel free to tweak the recipe to make these blueberry yogurt muffins your very own (see ideas for variations below!).
Variations
These Greek yogurt muffins are the most (successfully) tweaked and altered recipe on the site! It’s a fantastic recipe to experiment with and make your own.
Here are my favorite ideas (thanks to reader feedback over many years).
- Replace some or all of the blueberries with different fresh or frozen fruit. Make alternative healthy berry muffins with raspberries or blackberries, or how about grated apple, chopped pear, chopped banana or peaches? I’ve tried nearly all of these. All turned out great, and I’m pretty sure other fruits would work too.
- These Greek yogurt blueberry muffins have proven so popular that I decided to create a chocolate chip version. Take a look at my recipe for Greek yogurt choc chip muffins (also fairly low sugar) as well. Enjoy!
- Add chopped nuts or dried fruit.
- Add a teaspoon of vanilla extract or almond essence, or some lemon zest.
- In the mood for a slightly sweeter treat? Sprinkle a little brown sugar and cinnamon on top before baking.
- Make a Greek yogurt blueberry bread instead! It’s just as phenomenally delicious as the muffins. Simply reduce the oven temperature by 50F/10C and bake for about an hour until a skewer poked into the center comes out clean.
- Try these Greek yogurt banana muffins (with caramel chips) as well some time!
Recipe FAQ
4 days after baking, these muffins are still light, moist and delicious if they’ve been stored in an airtight container in a cool spot. In the summer, it’s best to keep them in the fridge. They’ll keep well for up to 5 days.
When they truly are on their last legs, just pop them in the microwave for about 15 seconds before eating. Spoon over a little extra Greek yogurt (why not?) and enjoy!
Yes, these yogurt muffins freeze really well. Just make sure you cool them completely, then store in freezer bags for up to 3 months. Perfect for a grab-and-go healthy breakfast, or for school lunches or afternoon snacks.
A thousand times YES! I’ve never received so much positive feedback on a recipe after people have made different substitutions! You can make these with dairy free Greek yogurt (try coconut) and dairy free milk, with gluten free flour, with a sugar substitute such as stevia, and even with an egg substitute to make them vegan.
As already mentioned, you can even replace some of the oil with more yogurt, and reduce the sugar more if you like. If I haven’t mentioned the particular substitution that you want to try, I highly recommend browsing through the reader comments below. There’s a good chance your substitution has already been tried!
You can! Simply bake for 10 to 13 minutes, checking after 10 and then every minute after that if not ready.
More healthier cakes
- Not in the mood for blueberries? Try these Greek yogurt choc chip muffins instead, or these healthy banana muffins (also with Greek yogurt and low sugar!).
- Pumpkin season? This healthy pumpkin bread with pear is phenomenal, with just the right amount of sweetness.
- Looking for healthy party cakes? No one will believe this 30-minute healthy chocolate cake is a healthier cake, and these healthier vanilla cupcakes with a 2-ingredient cheesecake frosting are so easy to make.
Or check out all my healthier desserts.
Also check out this list of 25 low sugar cakes (that still taste great!).
IF YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE, LET ME KNOW HOW YOU GET ON BY LEAVING A COMMENT AND RATING BELOW… AND DON’T FORGET TO SIGN UP TO RECEIVE ALL MY NEW RECIPES BY EMAIL!
Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins (Low Sugar Recipe)
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, (= plain flour) Cake flour also works. You can substitute some or all for white whole wheat flour if you like.
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda, (= bicarbonate of soda)
- ½ cup sugar, (heaped)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- ⅔ cups oil, (I use either canola or light olive oil, but any oil is fine.)
- 1 cup Greek yogurt, I prefer authentic Greek yogurt, but any Greek yogurt works. You may have to adjust the amount of milk.
- ¼ cup milk, (Actually, ¼ to ½ cup. The mixture should be quite thick, but if it's dry add a little more milk.)
- 1½ cups blueberries
- extra sugar, for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F/190C (this is the temperature I bake them at in my convection/fan oven. If you're using a conventional oven, increase temperature to 400F/205C.)
- Combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, sugar and salt in a large bowl.2½ cups all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ cup sugar, ½ teaspoon salt
- Combine the eggs, oil, yogurt, and milk in another bowl or jug.2 large eggs, ⅔ cups oil, 1 cup Greek yogurt, ¼ cup milk
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry. Stir until just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Add a tiny bit more milk if the mixture still seems too thick (the consistency of the batter can vary depending on which brand of yoghurt you use). The batter will be fairly thick, but not dry.
- Spoon the batter into muffin cases placed in muffin pans (you can fill almost to the top). Sprinkle a little extra sugar (white or brown) over the top of the muffins, if you like, then bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until risen and golden and a skewer pushed into the centre comes out clean.extra sugar
- Cool on a wire rack, then store in an air tight container.
Hey Helen
I made the muffins as instructed. The only thing I didn’t have was the soda but I increased the baking powder. The muffins came out very white. The taste was ok, not sweet as expected. Any idea why the muffins are so white. Also they were very dense. What makes them brown as in the photo. And more fluffy or less dense. They are fully baked too. The yoghurt I had was Greek high protein vanilla yoghurt from Costco. I want to try them again but hoping more brown.
Thanks
Hi Nadeem! I think it would be the lack of baking soda! Also make sure that the baking powder isn’t too old. These muffins are usually known for being light and fluffy and nice and browned on top. If you prefer them sweeter, add a sprinkle of sugar on top before baking. A large pinch of salt in the batter is good, too. Let me know how you get on next time. It’s usually a very forgiving recipe!
okay I will try and let you know – Thanks Helen for responding.
I’ve made these muffins so many times I felt confident to start “changing it up.” These muffins are so delicious and so simply to make! I switching out the blueberries and trying different combinations (banana/walnut, strawberry, blueberry coconut, banana/chocolate chip, etc). They always come out perfect and delicious! I just put a batch in the oven (blueberry white chocolate chip) and can’t wait to have one warm with a pat of butter. I’m finally leaving a comment because I misplaced my paper copy of the recipe and frantically had to search the internet trying to find you! Figured while I was here, I would leave you a note to say what an awesome recipe this is!
I just love this, Taya! What a huge compliment, and I’m so happy you managed to find the recipe again. Happy experimenting and thank you so much for taking the time to report back – I appreciate it so much! 🙂
Thank you for this recipe. I couldn’t find any comments regarding using date sugar or honey. I tried a batch with each and the muffins turned out perfectly. That was my only modification. You were right when you said “couldn’t be easier!”
Hi, Julie! It’s so helpful to get your feedback on these switches! Over the years I feel like readers have tried every substitution imaginable, and most of them do seem to work. I’m so happy they turned out so well. Thank you for letting me know!
Easy, healthier and delicious.
I used more yoghurt and reduced oil by equal amount (250g natural light Chobani Greek yoghurt, 100ml vegetable oil), used frozen blueberries and raspberries, and sprinkled rolled oats on top, and baked in 2 x 12-mini-muffin tins.
They tasted soft and moist, and just the right amount of sweetness. My son and his friend demolished almost 1 tray in no time. Thank you for a great recipe!
Hello! To hear about someone demolishing the tray like that truly makes my day! I’m so glad you dove in and tweaked the recipe to your liking, and that it went down so well. Thank you so much for letting me know 🙂
Stumbled upon this recipe by chance, but definitely saving it for the next time. Used brown cane sugar, used white chocolate chips and raspberries and the conclusion is that one batch is not enough 😊
This makes my day – thank you so much for letting me know! It’s the biggest compliment that you’ll be making them again, and I love that you’ve already started experimenting with the recipe! 🙂
These muffins are wonderful!! Definitely use full fat Greek yogurt. I live at high altitude and cut both leavenings in half and it worked great. I was confused about using a recipe that called for so much baking powder, but the muffins baked up beautifully tall and fluffy, even with altitude adjustments. Perfect amount of sweetness. I also used 50% fresh milled soft white wheat flour and about 15% added germ and bran that I had leftover, rest was all purpose.
Thank you so much for letting me know how you got on, Erin, and for the helpful information on how you adapted the recipe for high altitude. Many have been concerned by the amount of leavening over the years, but it’s based on just over a teaspoon per cup of flour, and as you found out makes for lovely light and fluffy muffins! I’m very happy you enjoyed them so much!
Amazing recipe!! I’m always on the lookout for lower sugar baking recipes and this one did not disappoint! Incredibly fluffy with a touch of sweetness, I was pleasantly surprised with how these turned out. I used frozen blueberries and reduced the sugar to 1/3 cup, and still worked perfectly. I also used a passion fruit yogurt so the muffins had a hint of tropical flavour which was delicious! Definitely making the bread version. Thank you for an absolute winner recipe.
You’re very welcome, Phoebe, and I’m so happy to hear that the muffins exceeded your expectations! I love that you made a few tweaks, too 🙂
Happy New Year! Love this recipe. Made muffins 2x and this is first time I made the bread. I use Greek yogurt and coconut oil. The bread was even better than I muffins. I am baking another loaf now!!
Oh thank you so much for letting me know, Laura, and it’s great to hear that you enjoy the recipe as a bread, too. Happy New Year to you and your family, too!
These were dry and the bland tasting, even for being low sugar. The only tasty part of the muffin was the berries. I used 2% vanilla greek yogurt and mixed frozen berries half thawed. My batter was thick but moist and I was careful to not over mix.
Sorry to hear this, Kathy. That’s unusual for this recipe. I’m wondering if they could have been slightly over-baked since the batter was nice and moist. Usually the yogurt and oil make sure these are muffins on the moister side. I’d say give them another chance! Also a half a teaspoon of salt should enhance the flavors.
That’s exactly how mine came out. I didn’t mind the taste but was thick and so white. Not too much flavour. I will try again though with modifications
My whole family loved these. I used 1/2 cup of white whole wheat in addition to 2 cups of all purpose. Also used avocado oil and butter to make the 2/3 cup! Came together quickly and were delicious. Thanks!
Oh I’m so so happy to hear this, Maci, and it’s great to hear that your avocado oil/butter mixture worked well. Happy New Year!
I was a little concerned how these would turn out because they were so thick but they turned out amazing! I substituted the white sugar for 1/4c brown sugar and 1/4c maple syrup and they still turned out amazing!
Oh this is so great to hear, Evie! I’ve always found it a very forgiving recipe and I’m thrilled that you found that too. I love your swaps, too! Happy New Year!
Loved it, not very sweet, turned the oven down to 180 C after 10 minutes for another 10 minutes. Cooked perfectly. Better than the ones in the supermarket.
That’s the biggest compliment, Alessandra – thank you so much for letting me know. A very happy new year to you! 🙂
I seldom leave comments but gosh this was DELICIOUS. The perfect amount of sweetness without it tasting too sweet. It’s officially going to be a staple recipe!
Ahh, I’m so pleased to read this, Justina! It’s the biggest encouragement that you’re planning to make them again. Thank you so much for letting me know!
Hi, could I use wholemeal/wholewheat flour and with the same gram measurements to get a similar result, or will I have to adapt the measurements? I am aware the texture will change. Thank you!
Hi Maria! I usually recommend replacing around half of the flour with white wholewheat flour (or regular wholewheat flour) for best results, but the recipe is very forgiving and many have successfully made them with all wholewheat. You may need to add a little more milk to compensate (just so it’s not too dry) and you should be fine. I hope you like them! 🙂
These whipped up nicely, but I balked at the oil amount. Surely enough these muffins smell like oil after baked, which kind of turns me off. To each their own, as much as I loved that these were lower sugar I would either drastically reduce the oil or probably not make the again.
Hi Hollie, some have successfully made these with less oil. It’s a very forgiving recipe. Thanks for the feedback!
Good result overall.
Had a hard time folding in the blueberries due to the oil content – many berries just kept rolling around the bowl being pushed by the dough.
Next time I’ll try adding the berries to the dry ingredients before adding the wet.
Oh hello John – that’s interesting, I don’t remember ever having that issue, but it’s no problem at all to add the berries to the dry ingredients then fold that in. I’m glad you liked them, and thanks for letting me know how you got on 🙂
So simple to make and delicious. Freeze well also.
Yay, I’m thrilled to hear the recipe worked out well for you, Anh. And yes, they do freeze very well! Thank you so much for the feedback!
One of my better efforts thank you!
Wonderful! I love making people look good. Thanks so much for letting me know!
Amazing recipe! Thank you.
Wonderful to hear this! Thank you! 🙂
Easy to make, they look and taste good.
I’m so glad you liked them, Lesley – thank you!
I’ve never commented on a recipe but these are delicious. The only thing I’m confused about is do I let them cool in the muffin tin once they come out or remove from the muffin tin and let them cool individually on a cooling rack?
Hello! Aw, I’m so happy to read this, and honored that you took time out of your day to comment. Thank you! As for how to let them cool, I usually leave them for 5 to 10 minutes in the pan, then pop them out and let them fully cool on a cooling rack so that the bottoms don’t go soggy. You can certainly enjoy them warm, but I find that leaving them until completely cool is better because then the paper cases peel off more cleanly. Enjoy!
Helen, I love this recipe so much that I decided to try it as a vegan recipe because my grandson cannot have eggs or regular flour. I cut the recipe in half ( just to test it out first) Substituted regular flour for Gluten free flour and used one flax egg instead of the regular egg. I also olive oil instead of the other oil. I did use regular milk because my grandson is not allergic to dairy. I was absolutely delighted with the way it came out !! Absolutely moist and delicious 😋. If there’s anyone who wants a vegan recipe… give it a try.You will love it!!
This feedback has me smiling from ear to ear, Monica – thank you so much! It’s incredibly helpful to hear that the recipe can even be made vegan! I surprised that you didn’t need more than one flax egg, but that is so great to hear. Thank you again and enjoy the rest of your day! 🙂