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 190C/375F.
- 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.
Tried baking these delicious treats today it took my oven 30mins to bake it. I’ve swapped flour & baking power with ST flour. It was beautiful on top, except my muffins taste quite doughy at the bottom & it’s quite moist at the bottom too. Not sure what’s issue, could it be under baked?
I mean I’ve swapped flour & baking powder with SR flour
Hi Crystal! It’s hard to know exactly what happened, but it could be that the ratio of flour to baking powder was a little off if you used SR flour. It doesn’t sound like they were under baked. Did you use frozen blueberries or fresh? Was the oven fully heated before you put the cakes in (I’m sure it was, but just to check 😉 I hope you’ll give these another go!
Yup, over was pre-heated. I used fresh blueberries from the fridge. Will definitely give it another go!
Hmmm, really don’t know what happened then, Crystal. Maybe give them another go with plain flour + baking powder and soda (if you can find plain flour these days!). Use traditional Greek yogurt if you can (not the one with cream). Make sure a skewer/knife comes out clean before taking out of the oven. Good luck! 🙂
I just finished making your blueberry muffins.
I made two batches one gluten free and the other regular. Neither of them browned on the top. Did i do something wrong as I didn’t see anyone else commenting on it.
Hi Pauline, and thank you so much for your feedback! I’ve made these muffins so many times I can’t count, and in several different ways, several different countries, and with many different brands of the main ingredients. I have to say that a few times the muffins have turned out less browned than usual, although they still tasted good. I ‘think’ that it was to do with the brand of yogurt I used. I always use traditional Greek yogurt now, made with milk and not cream. Also, obviously oven temperatures do vary according to the oven. Try turning the oven up slightly to see if that makes any difference? Anyway, I hope they still tasted good and that you’ll give them another go!
They were delicious my daughter is celiac and pregnant was craving muffins they were a hit
Also my 4 year grandson had the regular he said they were the best and ate 3 from late afternoon til bed. Thanks for the tip.
Wonderful! Thanks so much for letting me know, Pauline!
I never leave online replies but I had to for this one! They were the softest, moistest, beautifuly golden muffins I’ve ever made. My kids ate 2 after school and were begging for more despite noticing the low sugar levels. Made a huge batch. Thank you for this brilliant recipe. The only thing I think I’ll change next time is the Blueberries size, I had big ones which went to the bottom and made it a bit soggy. Will opt for smaller berries next time. Used demerara to sprinkle small amounts on top – DIVINE!
Hi Fara! Thank you so much for such a glowing review! I don’t know what it is about these muffins, but they just work time and time again. It’s interesting that your blueberries sank though – was the batter quite runny? Sometimes the appearance of these muffins varies according to the exact type of ingredients, but the taste is always good. I’m about to post another recipe you might be interested in (should be in the next few days) – healthier vanilla cupcakes!
I just made these and added a tablespoon of tumeric and a tablespoon of ginger and it goes so well with the blueberries!! Thank you for this recipe.
Hi Suzanne! Wow, that sounds amazing! I love the idea of combining those flavours with the blueberries… and very healthy, too!
I would love to recommend this recipe, this muffin is absolutely delicious. Is so moist and airly. I’ve made 14 standard muffins by following the recipe given above. On the side note, I did added some milk where she mentioned on her note that it really depend on the brand on yogurt. But it turn out really nice and fantastic.
Thanks for the recommendation, Coco. I often add a drizzle more of milk. Sometimes it even depends on how much runny liquid there is in the yogurt pot – whether it’s been open for a while or not. Glad you enjoyed them!
I wanted to thank you for this recipe – it is absolutely delicious. I’ve made it so many times now and have made variations with raspberries, mixed berries, etc and every time it has been absolutely 100%.
I first made them a few months ago, rather dubiously as I’ve not been a big muffin fan as they are so often so dry, but these are delicious and moist and absolutely loved by everyone.
Thank you so much, Liz! I really appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. I too have made these more times than I can count, and in many different ways, and they have never failed me. I’m so glad they’ve become one of your favourite recipes too! my husband really isn’t a fan of muffins either, but he loves these, so that alone makes them a winner for us. Happy New Year!
I have never seen your measurement for oil (.67 cups) before, and I do a lot of baking,. Is that a miss print? After googling it decided to use 11 Tablespoons which was almost 2/3rd cup of oil.
They taste good but partly collapsed after cooling.
Hi Sharon! Yes, you’re right, that should read 2/3 of a cup of oil. The ingredient amounts were automatically converted from gram measurements, and that’s why it showed as 0.67 cups! I will fix it to make it clearer. Not sure why your muffins collapsed. It can be from a bit of over-beating of the mixture, or a slightly too hot oven, or… who knows? But anyway, glad they tasted good! 🙂
Just made these! They really are delicious! Used vanilla greek yogurt and truvia for the sugar. Had to bake it 26 minutes in a convection oven. It made a 12 large muffin batch! This is a keeper! Thank you soooooo much!
Hello Marlene. Thank you so much for the positive review! It always helps to know what subs worked!
I followed the recipe pretty closely except that I used frozen blueberries and added flax seeds. I added about 1/8 cup more milk because of the flax seeds and I ended up having to bake for 23 minutes.
The muffins were very fluffy. Next time I’ll add more sugar but that’s just a personal preference.
Thank you so much for sharing how you adapted the recipe, Liz. I think it might be time for me to add a ‘reader adaptations’ section to this post. There are so many ways to make these with substitutions! My favourite is adding just a little bit of coconut flour and hemp seeds! Interesting that you felt you wanted a bit more sugar. Try sprinkling a bit of brown sugar over the top before you put them in the oven!
Thanks for the recipe. Been looking for a simple muffin recipe to adapt to my requirements. This worked perfectly! I went half wholemeal and half white flour. I used a heaped 1/2 cup of apple sauce (no sugar added) instead of sugar and put a teaspoon of cream cheese in the middle of each muffin! Tastes more like a savoury blueberry muffin but we are trying to cut down on sugar as a family so this was great for us and our toddler.
Thank you!!! 🙂
Thank you so much for reporting back, Ashley – really appreciate it! Very interesting that you added apple sauce instead of sugar. And that’s a good idea to add a cream cheesy based filling. I would add a bit of icing sugar or healthy sweetener like maple syrup, but I like the idea a lot!
Has anyone made substitutes for the greek yogourt? If so which and what was the outcome.
Thinking of substituting with sour cream or regular yogourt.
Hi Sandra! Yes, readers have used ordinary yogurt before and reported that the muffins still turned out well. I also suspect that sour cream would work too because I often substitute sour cream for Greek yogurt in other recipes and I find the taste and consistency very similar. No guarantees, but this recipe seems to be very forgiving so I’m pretty sure you’ll be OK! Good luck!