Moist and bursting with berries, these homemade blackberry muffins with oatmeal are easy to whip up with healthy ingredients. They are perfect for breakfast, school lunch box or after school snack.
The BEST Blackberry Muffins
Just like with all my baked goods, these blackberry oatmeal muffins are made with simple, wholesome ingredients.
My family always tend to gravitate towards blueberries or strawberries so this is a nice change of pace! Perhaps it may be for yours as well!
Soft and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness, not only do these muffins taste divine, the blackberries impart a beautiful color that may totally pique your child's interest ;).
I like to keep a variety of muffins in my freezer for an easy and healthy breakfast option as well as to add to lunch boxes.
If you do too, you must try these blueberry or raspberry muffins, ok? OK!
Or any of these sweet or savory muffins.
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Ingredients
I am highlighting just the ones that need further explanation. The complete list is in the recipe card below.
- Blackberries - Use fresh blackberries when in season. Frozen blackberries will work as well. Refer to the FAQ section below.
- Milk and Greek yogurt - the combination of these two ingredients imparts great texture, flavor, and nutrition! I recommend using full fat, as it is essential for optimal brain development in the early years.
- White whole wheat flour - You will love baking with this flour. It's the same nutritionally as whole wheat flour but is lighter in texture and a little sweeter in flavor. You can use all-purpose flour, whole wheat, or a combination both.
- Oats - rolled oats will work best but you can use quick oats. Steel cut oats will not work.
- Baking powder and baking soda - be sure to check the expiration date so that your muffins will rise properly.
- Lemon zest - adds incredible brightness to the muffins
Step by Step Instructions
- In a large mixing bowl, soak the oats first in milk and yogurt. You can skip if you are pressed for time BUT I highly encourage you to plan ahead and account for this extra time. The oats will absorb some of the liquid, resulting in soft, tender muffins
- Add the wet ingredients to the soaked oats.
- In a medium bowl, combine all the dry ingredients.
- Pour in the wet mixture. Be careful not to over mix.
- Scoop batter evenly into a 12-cup muffin tin. I like to use a silicone muffin pan because there's no need to grease and the muffins just pop right out!
- Bake until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Variations and Substitutions
- Dairy-free? Any plant-based Greek style yogurt and milk (such as unsweetened almond milk) will work. As for butter, use vegan butter or coconut oil. You can also use olive oil, if you prefer.
- Egg-free? Use flax egg. In a bowl, combine 2 tablespoons of flaxseed meal (ground flaxseed) and 6 tablespoons of water. Allow the mixture to sit for 8-10 minutes until thickened like gel-like consistency.
- Alternative to white whole wheat flour? You can use all purpose flour, whole wheat flour (muffins will be denser and heartier), or a combination of both.
- Gluten-free? Use a 1:1 gluten free flour like this one and certified gluten-free oats. Almond flour will not work.
- No blackberries? You can use whatever berries you wish - strawberries, blueberries, and raspberries will all be delicious in this recipe. During the fall season, you should totally add pears!
- An alternative to honey? You can use maple syrup, over ripe banana, or unsweetened applesauce, if avoiding added sugars.
- You can also add some chocolate chips for older kids.
Tips for Success (be sure to read!)
- Slice the blackberries in half lengthwise to spread them throughout the muffins.
- Use a spoon to scoop the flour into the measuring cup rather than scooping the flour out of the container or bag with your measuring cup. Using the latter method, you could end up with a lot more than what you need.
- Take all the cold ingredients out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to baking.
- Do NOT over-mix the muffin batter after combining the dry and wet ingredients. Mix lightly with a spatula until just combine. Otherwise you will end up with dense, tough muffins.
- Blackberries are quite tender so gently stir into the batter.
Storage Suggestions
Transfer to an airtight container and keep on the counter for up to 2 days. You can also refrigerate or up to 4 days. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave briefly (no more than 15-20 seconds)
To freeze, I recommend flash freezing. Will keep for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator overnight.
Here's a step-by-step guide on how to store and freeze muffins.
Frequently Asked Questions
You can but be sure to use straight from the freezer! There is no need to thaw. Otherwise, you will end up with soggy muffins. You will also need to add 2-3 more minutes to your baking time.
Yes! The only change you have to make is to use 1 medium overripe banana (will be about ½ cup mashed) or ½ cup unsweetened applesauce instead of honey. That's it!
Here's a master list of healthy baby muffins that I believe your baby (and YOU) is going to love!Â
Did you make this recipe? Leave a rating below and let me know how you liked the recipe! Your feedback means so much to me!
Healthy Blackberry Muffins with Oatmeal
Equipment
Ingredients
Wet
- ½ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt, preferably full fat
- 1 cup (100g) rolled oats
- 3 tablespoons melted butter (or olive oil)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup honey , see note
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest (do NOT leave this out!!)
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup (120g) white whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
Fold in
- 1 ½ cup blackberries, halved
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the yogurt and milk until smooth. Stir in the oats. Set aside to soak for 10-15 minutes.
- Stir in the rest of the wet ingredients into the oat mixture.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Add the wet ingredients. Be careful not to over mix. Use a spatula (instead of a whisk) to gently stir together until all the flour is wet. The less you stir the mixture, the lighter and fluffier your muffins will be.
- Gently fold in the blackberries.
- Divide batter evenly into a greased, lined or silicone 12-cup muffin pan.Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool for 3-5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Take all the cold ingredients out of the refrigerator at least 15 minutes prior to cooking.
- If your blackberries aren't very sweet, you can add up to ⅓ cup honey
- You can also substitute honey with: one medium overripe banana (will be about ½ cup mashed) or ½ cup unsweetened applesauce.
- Do NOT leave out the lemon zest!Â
Janean Brudvig says
Great use of our wild blackberries! Love the no sugar - but may have sprinkled a bit of cinnamon and turbinado sugar on the top! Will definitely make this again!
Min says
Yay! Happy to hear that!
Nivedya Valappol says
I'll give 5 stars to all of your recepies ! I used to cook only for survival and now only my husband cooks. Since I've started following your recipies for my toddler, I've become one of the best bakers amongst our friends circle! I strictly follow your recipe and no matter how many times I make those muffins or oat bars or bliss balls, it's always a hit ! I'm so glad that I've found you. Thank you for making my life easier and tastier. Sending you lots of love!
Min says
This is EVERYTHING! Thank you for being here, for trying out so many of my recipes, and taking the time to share! This encourages and motivates me to keep going!
Lauren says
Hi Min! Can I please confirm the correct amount of banana to use (instead of honey)?
The blog post states "1 cup of mashed bananas (about 2 medium ones)" but the notes under the recipe state "one medium overripe banana (will be about ½ cup mashed)"
Thanks so much! Love your work!
Min says
Hi Lauren! So sorry that's def a typo. You can use 1 medium overripe banana which is about 1/2 cup mashed! Hope you enjoy these muffins :).
Rachel says
These were so yummy! I've been making blueberry for the last month and wanted to switch it up. I added cinnamon and a bit of cardamom to mine....just cuz..I'm addicted to them! Also the oats I used are from Thrive market, they have a little chia, flax, and hemp seed for added healthy yumminess...Thanks for the recipe!
Min says
Love it!! Thanks for sharing!!
Ashley says
This was one of our favorite toddler muffins yet, and I bake 1-2 batches a week! I used a ripe banana and 3 tbsp of maple syrup as a sweetener.
Min says
So happy to hear!! These are one of our favs as well!!!
Megan says
Hi!
I wanted to share some substitutes I made! I live in India, so while we can not get blackberries or lemons, I was able to use a mulberry and lemon extract. Additionally, I only had strawberry yogurt, so I used that instead of plain.
They turned out super moist and delicious! My toddler is a big fan. Thank you!
Min says
Mulberry!! What a treat! And thank you for sharing. I'm so glad you guys enjoyed this recipe!!
Susan says
Hi - can I use whole milk yogurt instead of greek yogurt?
Min says
HI! I haven't tried but I believe it will work. Let me know if you try!
Caitlin says
These are so good! My toddler has been on a muffin kick lately, so this recipe came at the perfect time. I really like that they’re not overly sweet, and my toddler loves them!
Min says
So happy to hear! Yes that's always my goal when developing baked goods recipes - just the right amount of sweetness for our little ones (and us too!)
Menna Ahmed says
Can I use frozen blackberries for this recipe?
And Thankyou for sharing your lovely recipes 🥰
Min says
You can! Refer to the FAQ section 😉
Caramel says
Thank you for the recipe. Can i substitute wheat flour with either oat or almond?
Min says
Oat flour will work although texture will be denser. Not almond flour though. Are you looking for gluten-free options?
Marie says
Hello, the oats seem to be missing in the recipe (the quantity)?
I want to thank you for the great blog, I really get inspiration here and I have tried several of your receptors.... Looking forward trying this one too!
Min says
HI! It's there! look under wet (the third ingredient). You are going to soak it in milk and yogurt for at least 10 minutes!