Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins (Low Sugar Recipe)

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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 inside of a fluffy Greek yogurt blueberry muffin on a paper liner and dark background with a light blue tea towel in front and more muffins and milk in the background.

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)

Greek yogurt blueberry muffins just baked in the muffin pan with a blue tea towel next to it.

About the ingredients

Overhead view of all the ingredients needed to make Greek yogurt blueberry muffins including blueberries, eggs, milk, Greek yogurt, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt, oil and sugar.

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.

collage of 2 images showing Making  the batter for Greek yogurt chocolate chip muffins

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.

Closeup of Greek yogurt muffin batter in a big glass bowl on a marble background and with a wooden spoon in it.

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!

Just baked blueberry muffins from above on an old table with a light blue tea towel.

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.
Greek yogurt blueberry muffins on a cooling rack from above.

Recipe FAQ

How long do these blueberry muffins last?

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!

Can you freeze them?

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.

Can these muffins be adapted to suit special dietary requirements? (gluten free, dairy free, sugar free etc.)

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!

Can I make mini muffins instead?

You can! Simply bake for 10 to 13 minutes, checking after 10 and then every minute after that if not ready.

More healthier cakes

Or check out all my healthier desserts.

Also check out this list of 25 low sugar cakes (that still taste great!).

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The inside of a fluffy Greek yogurt blueberry muffin on a paper liner and dark background with a light blue tea towel in front and more muffins and milk in the background.
4.87 from 497 votes

Greek Yogurt Blueberry Muffins (Low Sugar Recipe)

These Greek yogurt blueberry muffins are the lightest, fluffiest and most versatile blueberry muffins ever! They're pretty low in calories, and they couldn’t be easier to make – just throw the wet ingredients into the dry, stir, and bake!
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 – 14 muffins

Ingredients 
 

  • 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
  • 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.)
  • 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.

Notes

Sugar content
These are NOT like the super sweet blueberry muffins you usually find in cafes and bakeries. If you have a sweeter tooth and think you’d prefer them a bit sweeter, simply sprinkle a bit of extra sugar over the top of your muffins before baking. Brown sugar works well!
Batch size
Although I’ve said this recipe makes 12 to 14 muffins, it really depends on the size of your muffin cases! I’ve made just 10 in big muffin cases, and a lot more in smaller ones.
If you prefer to make mini muffins, bake for 10 to 13 minutes, checking after 10 minutes and every minute after that.
Getting your batter just right
I find that sometimes my batter is a bit thicker than other times, depending on which brand of yoghurt I use. If the mixture still seems dry or super thick (you want it to be quite thick, but not at all dry) just add a little more milk.
Don’t worry too much. These muffins are hard to mess up!
Bake time
Although I usually bake my muffins for 17 to 20 minutes, sometimes they take longer to bake if they’re bigger.
Really big muffins could take 5 to 10 minutes longer to bake. Just keep checking with a skewer every couple of minutes if you don’t think they’re done after 20 minutes.
A final note on substitutions/variations!
This is now one of my oldest and most successful recipes! 
I still make these fluffy blueberry muffins regularly – at least once a month. So we can safely say this is a tried and tested recipe. I hope you like it as much as we do. 
Feel free to make substitutions e.g. whole wheat flour, dairy free yogurt, sugar substitutes. Of course I haven’t tried them all. I recommend taking a read of the comments below to see the different ways readers have adapted them.
Note: A few readers have tried making these with almond flour, but unfortunately it does not work well. I recommend looking for a different recipe instead of trying to adapt this one using almond flour. Sorry!
How to make Greek yogurt blueberry bread instead
I sometimes make a blueberry loaf out of this recipe instead of muffins, and it’s just as moist, fluffy and delicious! Simply pour into a lined and oil sprayed loaf pan and bake for about an hour until a skewer comes out clean. Reduce the oven temperature by about 50F/10C and keep an eye on the top. If it’s browning too quickly, just tuck a piece of aluminium foil over the top.
Not in the mood for blueberries? 
Replace the blueberries with another berry or grated or chopped fruit. Alternatively, try these Greek yogurt chocolate chip muffins, these carrot banana muffins (these ones are dairy free), or these Greek yogurt banana muffins instead.

Nutrition

Calories: 272kcal, Carbohydrates: 32g, Protein: 5g, Fat: 13g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 28mg, Sodium: 65mg, Potassium: 183mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 11g, Vitamin A: 60IU, Vitamin C: 1.8mg, Calcium: 77mg, Iron: 1.5mg
Like this recipe? Rate and comment below!

About Helen Schofield

Don't expect to find anything fussy or complicated here. Just QUICK, EASY & (mostly!) HEALTHY recipes from the Mediterranean and beyond. ENJOY!

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4.87 from 497 votes (201 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




1,021 Comments

  1. Absolutely perfect. I used all white wheat which is all I had. Added shredded coconut and cinnamon! Thanks so much for what will be my go muffin recipe from here on out! Have a great day!!

    1. So pleased to hear this, Barbara! I sometimes add a little coconut, too. I so appreciate the feedback! 🙂

    1. Hello, Lee. Aw, what a huge compliment. Thank you very much, and I’m so glad you liked them so much! 🙂

  2. 5 stars
    These are outstanding! I’m pregnant and have been wanting a blueberry muffin, but am also trying to be mindful of my sugar intake. These almost defeat the purpose because I ate 3 of them out of the oven 😬 I was out of baking soda so they don’t rise much, but they were still tasty and surprisingly not too dense (I’m at altitude which helps). Like someone else said, they kind of taste like a blueberry pancake. I think the sweetness level is perfect. Next time I will try with some melted butter in place of some oil. Will be making these often!

    1. Hello Elizabeth, and congratulations on your pregnancy! Better to crave blueberry muffins than McDonald’s egg and sausage muffins like I did lol! I’m so happy these hit the spot for you, and very interesting to hear again that you thought they tasted a bit pancake-y. I’ve actually noticed that American-style pancakes over here in Australia sometimes taste like cake, so maybe it’s that pancakes over there are more cake-y than I’m used to. Anyway, really pleased you like them, and I think you’ll love them made with butter too. Definitely a richer taste!

  3. 5 stars
    This is such a well laid out recipe, I often find ones that say cup confusing but being able to toggle into grams is brilliant. The muffins are delicious so moist, I used slightly less oil and a bit more yoghurt to compensate and they worked a treat. Made a second batch with chocolate chips at my sons request. Thanks you for such a great recipe

    1. Hello Clair, and thank you so much for this lovely feedback! I’m so glad you found the recipe easy to follow and make. As you found out, it’s no problem at all to play with the oil/yogurt amount a bit. I hope you enjoyed the choc chip ones as much!

  4. 5 stars
    Yum!
    I’m going to make these for my daughters lunches, I was wondering if I can substitute half of the flour with oat flour?

    1. Hello Rene! It should be fine. I’m pretty sure others have tried that before. Usually those sorts of swaps work well. I hope you enjoy them!

  5. 5 stars
    I am from a small city in Asia. I have been in search for a healthy and tasty blueberry muffins recipe for a long time, and have tried different recipes with disappointment. This is definitely the best ever blueberry muffins recipe I have come across. The muffins are moist, fluffy and the batter rises beautifully! Helen thank you for this excellent recipe!

    1. Hello Millie. Aw, thank you so much for this beautiful review! It’s made my day, actually. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave your feedback, and most of all I’m so happy you finally found a blueberry muffin recipe that you like! Best wishes, Helen 🙂

  6. Hi, I’m excited to try this recipe, and I’d love to make it still today. I’m out of frozen fruits (and also choc chips) Can i skip the berries without replacing it with something sweet?

    1. Hi Trany! Have you got any ripe bananas? I sometimes make these muffins with bananas but I use this recipe instead: https://scrummylane.com/greek-yogurt-banana-muffins/ You don’t have to add the caramel chips. Alternatively, I honestly use whatever fruit I have in these muffins: even chopped apple or pear will work, or you can add some coconut. If you don’t have anything at all to add (fruit, chocolate etc), try adding a tablespoon of cinnamon and sprinkle some brown sugar on top. Let me know what you decide!

  7. I made these using cooled melted unsalted butter and light sour cream instead of greek yogurt since my greek yogurt was spoiled, and they turned out great. Very moist and light.

    1. Hi Krista, thanks so much for the feedback. Really good to hear that they turned out well with the changes you made, and I bet they tasted delicious with the butter, too! 🙂

  8. Hi! Just wondering if I could sub dairy milk with an oat or almond milk?
    Thank you 🙂

  9. 5 stars
    This is such a great recipe! I think of it as a blank canvas and you can adjust to your personal preference.

    1. Aw thanks so much for the feedback, Shawna! Yes, great summary! Coincidentally I made these again yesterday and as always they came out well.

  10. 5 stars
    Hey, this is my first time doing a recipe from your website and I have to say I am super impressed about it! I am neurodivergent and having the measurements as the recipe goes is just perfect, I did this recipe with a mix of Skyr blueberry yogurt and plant based vanilla yogurt, I added some lemon jam from my country and brown sugar ! I did make an experience and bake them on fan oven and normal one, the difference is very interesting ! I recipe your website and recipe to anyone, cheers x

    1. Hello Matthew! Aw, thank you so much for taking the time to let me know! I’m very grateful to hear your experience with the site as a neurodivergent individual and actually others have also said they like that feature – I love it too as I hate having to scroll back up to see how much of each ingredient I need. I’m so glad the recipe worked out well for you with the changes I made and please let me know if you ever have any other feedback – good or bad!

      1. Hi Karyl, I don’t always add any vanilla, but if I do it’s usually about a teaspoon. Delicious with or without!

  11. I’ve made this recipe twice before and they turned out amazing both times. But I always made them with Greek yogurt, is it possible to swap out the Greek yogurt for normal yogurt?

    1. Hello, Kiki! Yes, they do work with normal yogurt! I just like to use Greek yogurt for the extra protein and creaminess! 🙂

  12. 5 stars
    Great simple process, super result (ie delicious and rose up really well even with 100 per cent wholewheat atta flour) and super appreciate the way you set out the method in your recipe ie by including the ingredient quantities within the method- thank you!!!

    1. This is wonderful to hear, Eden – thank you so much for letting me know! Thanks also for the feedback on the ingredient quantities – I love that feature too! 🙂

      1. Tried these muffins today. First, easy to make and ingredients are
        Not complicated. Second, delicious! My husband and I do not like the over sweet type muffins.
        Gale

      2. Thank you so much for the feedback, Gale! I’m so happy you had a good experience with these! 🙂

  13. 5 stars
    I love this recipe! I’ve probably made it a dozen times by now. It always comes out perfectly. The only change I make is to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract. I like that extra vanilla flavour. They freeze really well, so I always make a double batch and have easy snacks for our lunchboxes.

    1. Thank you so much for the feedback, Eileen! I often add vanilla to mine, too, and oh yes to double batches!!

  14. Others are good they basically taste like blueberry pancakes in muffin form. Next time I will add a brown sugar and cinnamon mixture to the top I think!

    1. Yes, a fair point, Jolene, and I think your idea for next time is great! So happy you liked them! 🙂

  15. 5 stars
    I’ve been trying many different muffin recipes for the past year or so. Healthy muffins, low carb muffins, low sugar muffins, etc. They have come out good sometimes and sometimes not so good. Your muffin recipe is THE BOMB!! I did make some alterations, which I will add at the end but I wanted to thank you for sharing this recipe. They literally are the BEST blueberry muffins I’ve ever had (including from a bakery!!!). So, I used vegetable oil instead of canola, i used a combination of 1 cup AP flour, 1 cup whole wheat pastry flour, and 1/2 cup almond flour. I also substituted monkfruit for half the sugar. I added probably 3/4 cup milk as it was so thick and i added two teaspoons vanilla extract. I didn’t add any additional sugar. My timer quit working about half way through the baking process, which is just my luck LOL But, i think i did 20 minutes at 375. Thanks again for the recipe. It is a keeper for sure!!!!!

    1. Hello Taya! Ahh thank you so much! You’ve made my day and I’m particularly happy to hear that your substitutions worked well.

  16. 5 stars
    This recipe looked so easy and forgiving, I decided to try it with the modifications I wanted to make:
    2 cups AP flour + 1/2 cup spelt flour, the 1/2 cup sugar had combination white + monkfruit sugar, and to all the dry ingredients I also added 1.5 Tbsp psyllium husk powder and 2 scoops Orgain vanilla protein plant powder to add more protein. To the wet ingredients, I added 1 Tbsp lemon zest & 1 Tbsp lemon juice, and knowing that my dry ingredient additions would make the batter extra thick, I started with 1/2 cup milk, but probably ended up adding another 1/2 cup perhaps until it was not too thick. Only after getting the consistency right did I fold in almost 2 cups fresh mulberries from our tree. Scooped into 18 regular greased muffin tins and baked 20 minutes and they were delicious! Because of my lemon juice & zest addition, I could probably added a touch more sugar but they were nice and fluffy and moist. I’ve been experimenting with the psyllium husk powder in my baking when the batter can be heavy, and so far have been very pleased. For example I add some when my make my Kodiak high protein pancakes (to which I also add the extra protein powder), and they pancakes stay fluffy. Thanks so much for sharing this recipe and all of your notes which were super helpful. For the ones who didn’t like the recipe, more than likely they didn’t adjust the milk & sugar the way you suggested. Btw, I’ll store these muffins in the fridge, but will toast up lightly before serving.

    1. Hello Billie, and thank you so much for the detailed description of how you adapted this recipe. I’ve never tried adding psyllium husk to any of my baking, but will now look into it since you had a big success with it in this recipe. I really appreciate you taking the time to leave your feedback – thank you again, and I hope you enjoy these many times more. I’m so happy you ended up with the result you were looking for.