Three months ago, my friend Brittany shared the story behind her latest half-marathon running race, including how she carbo-loaded on healthy options the day before. When I scrolled down to the first photo in her blog post, I nearly closed my laptop and dashed straight out to Trader Joe’s.
The whole grain mixed berry muffin sitting on her plate, with juicy red raspberries poking out of every inch of the pastry, completely tempted me for a taste!
Later that afternoon, once I scribbled down a grocery list as a guise, I headed across town to check out the TJ’s bakery. I picked up my usual six bananas and Brussels sprouts to avoid appearing too suspicious, then slowly wandered over to the shelves in the back of the store.
Prominently displayed front and center, and the perfect eye level, sat those muffins. I reached for the four-pack, staring at those bright berries, and then glanced at the price tag. Ohmygosh… That much for four muffins??
I always love supporting TJ’s, but as a blogger, I feel intense baker’s guilt bringing home store-bought pastries instead of making them myself. (But six-layer chocolate cake slices are an entirely different story!)
So I carefully put the muffins back on the shelf, but I completely forgot to add “mixed berry muffins” to my baking list when I arrived back at home… Oops!
When I stopped by TJ’s last week in search of tortillas, I spotted those muffins again, practically smacked my forehead in the middle of the store, and strode straight over to the frozen aisle to pick up a bag of their mixed berries.
A few hours later, these Maple Mixed Berry Muffins sat cooling on my countertop! Soft, tender, and full of juicy fruit, these healthy pastries are still a sweet way to start your day. Unlike other low-calorie muffins, these don’t taste a thing like cardboard, so it can be our little secret that they’re low fat and completely clean-eating friendly!
Just like with my recent brownies and coffee cake, I decided to branch out and try incorporating gluten-free flour into these skinny muffins. I created my own blend with four different types: brown rice, millet, almond, and tapioca. Since gluten-free flours almost never have the same texture as all-purpose or whole wheat, it’s much better to combine multiple varieties to come closer to imitating that same flavor and mouth-feel.
Because any type of berry breakfast reminds me of my childhood weekends where Mom made herself blueberry pancakes with real maple syrup (my brother and I demanded plain with the artificial stuff), I wanted to sweeten these with that same natural flavor. You’ll just detect a hint of that warm taste: not enough to overpower the berries, but the perfect amount to trigger those tender memories of the maple scent wafting through the house as you devoured hot pancakes fresh off the griddle at the kitchen table.
When it comes to baking with berries, I prefer to use frozen and save the fresh for snacking. I picked TJ’s Fancy Berry Medley, a mix of blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries. However, the latter two were ginormous compared to the blueberries, so I chopped them into smaller pieces before folding them into the batter.
Frozen berries generally release a little more moisture as they bake compared to their fresh counterparts, so I left my muffins in the oven for a full 30 minutes. When they’re finished, the tops should look golden and feel fairly firm when you gently tap your finger in the center. If you’re using fresh berries, start checking for doneness about 5 minutes early just to be on the safe side. Nobody likes burnt, dry muffins!
As soon as I popped these healthy Maple Mixed Berry Muffins from the tin, I sliced one in half and stuck a sliver of butter on each half, watching as it slowly melted into the cracks before I took my first bite… Pure breakfast bliss!
But if you manage to save a few and seal them up overnight, they develop that soft sugary coating on their tops that banana bread usually does. It’s absolutely irresistible! I’ve already gone through five muffins in one day…
I might need to bake more tomorrow!
If you like this recipe, be sure to follow my Healthy Baking board on Pinterest!
With their soft and tender texture, these sweet muffins practically taste like cupcakes! Feel free to substitute your favorite fruit in place of the mixed berries. Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and lightly coat a 12 standard-sized muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk together the coconut oil or unsalted butter, egg, and vanilla. Stir in the maple syrup and yogurt, thoroughly mixing until no large lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and the milk, stirring just until incorporated, beginning and ending with the flour. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts and the milk in 2 equal parts.) Gently fold in the berries.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and bake at 350°F for 29-33 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (If using fresh berries, check for doneness about 5 minutes early.) Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully turning out onto a wire rack to cool completely. (The berries will still be extremely hot, so don’t burn yourself!)
Notes: For the gluten-free flour, I used as follows: ¾ cup (90g) brown rice flour, ¾ cup (90g) millet flour, ¼ cup (28g) almond flour, ¼ cup (30g) tapioca flour, and 2 teaspoons (6g) xanthan gum.
You may also substitute all-purpose or regular whole wheat flour in place of the whole wheat pastry flour.
I prefer a mixed berry blend with raspberries, blackberries, and blueberries. Sometimes the raspberries and blackberries are much larger than the blueberries; if that’s the case, chop them into halves or quarters to ensure there’s a more even distribution throughout your muffins.
{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, low calorie}
AHH, I don’t even know where to start with this post! You are SOOOO sweet to remember the post about these muffins. Your version looks WAYYYY better than the TJ’s version, and you know I love me some TJ’s muffins!! I must make these before my half in October! I know what you mean about always wanting to make your own baked goods though, I much prefer to make my own. I need more people to share the aftermath with though so I don’t eat them all!
Aww thank you Brittany!! 🙂 You had the best recommendation to try those muffins. If you didn’t say anything, I never would have seen them on the shelves! And I know what you mean about sharing baked goodies… I don’t have anyone else in the house who eats them, so I basically knock on my neighbors’ doors every other day. They don’t seem to mind too much!
Yes – the guilt!! I get that too! These are gorgeous muffins Amy!
I knew you’d understand Dorothy! There’s only so many times I can call that “research” without feeling a guilty pang. 😉
I’m a sucker for bakery-style muffins! I’m sure these ones are a lot better for me…
Me too! Whenever we used to go on vacation as kids, they were the breakfasts that our parents bought for us since hotels didn’t always have a fridge for milk and cereal. Although we were forced to split them back then… We were tiny kids!
I just made these maple mixed berry muffins, they were delicious, very moist (cake like) and the perfect level of sweetness. They really did taste like I was having cake for lunch! I will definitely be making these again very soon. Thank you!
I’m so happy you enjoyed the muffins! That’s a huge compliment that you thought they tasted like cake too. 🙂
I am anxious to try these! Was wondering how you think using kefir milk would go in this recipe? Also, have you made a batch using almond milk? I’m wondering how subbing that instead of regular milk would go? Just a few thoughts
I’ve tried almond milk, soy milk, and cashew milk in these muffins, and all of those turn out perfectly! I haven’t worked with kefir milk before, so I can’t vouch for that though. I hope you enjoy the muffins Sarah!
These are super yummy! They came out moist, with lots of berry flavor, and not overly sweet like most sugar-filled muffins. Just tasting them I never would guess they’re a healthy muffin! I checked mine at about 26 minutes and they were golden and baked through with frozen berries. I also mixed the berries with that last third of dry mixture to help keep them from sinking to the bottom. Pinned and will definitely make again! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins Noelle! That’s quite a compliment if you couldn’t tell they were healthy — so thank you! 🙂
Hi Amy, I’m just trying this recipe out now. It says to whisk in the egg but there’s no egg in the list of ingredients. Is there meant to be egg, and if so, whole or just the white? Also, the salt is listed as 1/4 tsp or 2 g, and both the baking soda & powder are listed as 3/4 tsp or 2g. Can you clarify these measurements, so I know I’m putting the right amounts in. Thank you xx
The egg is listed in the ingredients list! It’s right below coconut oil. (Because it says “room temperature” after, sometimes readers skip right over it!) ¼ teaspoon of salt = 2 grams, and ¾ teaspoon of baking powder and baking soda = 2 grams. The teaspoons and grams are the same amount! It’s just whether you’re using measuring spoons or a kitchen scale. I hope you enjoy the muffins Viola!
Ah I see it now, I don’t know how I missed the egg! I’m not sure you got what I meant about the the salt measurement.
It says 3/4 tsp or 2g of baking powder – I understand this. Then it lists 1/4 tsp or 2g salt. Clearly both 1/4 tsp and 3/4 tsp can’t each weigh 2g?
I measure in g rather than Tsp, so just need to know the correct weight in each case – if one is incorrect, or is it the tsp measurement that is possibly a mistake?
It isn’t a mistake Viola. Salt, baking powder and baking soda have different densities. This means that the same volume of each will weigh different amounts. So yes, ¼ teaspoon of salt and ¾ teaspoon of baking powder weigh the same because they have different densities. This is also why 1 cup of flour weighs 120 grams, where as 1 cup of sugar weighs 192 grams — they have different densities. (I was a chemist before a baking blogger, so I love food science things like this!)
Have enjoyed your blog the past few months, but had to leave a note about this recipe. At eight months pregnant I saw these and needed one…NOW!!! Due to some dietary restrictions I used Spelt Flour and then coconut milk. Pregnancy brain kicked in and I grabbed the wrong measuring spoon and added to much BS and too much BP…. HOWEVER, the baking angels were watching out for me because after all of that they still turned out AMAZING! Thankful for a recipe that works even with a glitch or two!!! Thanks so much-I may go grab a second:)
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins and that they still turned out for you! I’ve definitely had my fair share of baking mishaps too, but the baking angels weren’t always watching out for me — lucky you! 🙂 I’m sure your little bundle of joy already appreciates that you’re eating yummy, healthy food. You’re going to be such a wonderful mother Patience!
Hi 🙂
I want to know if I can use oatmeal flour instead of wholewheat and if I can use “just like sugar” instead of maple syrup (this is a sugar made from chicory root and is the only one that I can use ). If your answer is yes ,please let me know if I should use the same amount of oatmeal flour and if I have to make some adjustments due to the lack of liquid (no maple syrup). Thanks in advance
You should be able to use the chicory root sweetener just fine! You may need up to an additional ¼ cup of milk. Add 1-2 tablespoons at a time to the batter until it looks like normal muffin batter consistency (on the thick side, but not as thick as cookie dough). I can’t guarantee that oat flour will work; you’d probably need to add xanthan gum to ensure the muffins rise and hold their shape. I hope you enjoy the muffins if you try them Chana!
Thanks 🙂 I will try to make them today and let you know how they came out.
¿Can I use agar agar instead of the xanthan gum ?
I haven’t worked with agar agar before, so I can’t vouch for its results. I hope you enjoyed the muffins!
I can’t wait to try this recipe but I don’t have Greek yogurt on hand, can I do plain yogurt instead?
Yes! Plain yogurt will work just fine. I hope you enjoy the muffins Christina!
Hi Amy!
These look yummy. I found your website a few days ago. Tried the Raspberry cookies and they were a hit- now can’t wait to try these!
Is it alright to use Honey instead of Maple Syrup?
I’m so glad you liked the cookies! Yes, honey will work in place of maple syrup in this muffin recipe. I hope you enjoy them just as much as the cookies!
Amy: these are delicious!!! I used fuller fat Greek yogurt, but almond milk (unsweetened). They turned out perfectly. Thank you for your amazing work!!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins Ashley! 🙂
I don’t know if I am over thinking this but do you thaw the berries or use them frozen?
I incorporated them while still frozen Allison! But either should work. 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of the muffins!
I can’t get over how good they are! I have made them twice now. So easy for a quick breakfast!
I’m so happy to hear that Allison, and I’m touched that you’ve already made them twice! Thank you for sharing that with me!
Can’t wait to try these!! Thanks for posting on Instagram. My 17 month old loves your banana chocolate chip bran muffins. Thank you for creating such great recipes!
Do you think adding some lemon zest would work? I love a little lemon flavor to blueberrie muffins. 😀
I’m touched that you’re following my Instagram account Emily, and that means a lot to me that your little one is enjoying the bran muffins! Thank you for sharing that with me! 🙂 I think that lemon zest would be a lovely addition to these muffins, and I’d love to hear how that turns out for you!
I know these muffins are supposed to be healthy, but I was wondering if they can be made with unbleached, all purpose flour and not whole wheat? They sound delicious but I don’t have any whole wheat flour in the house. Thanks for your help!
Yes, regular all-purpose flour will work just fine! I’m excited to hear what you think of the muffins Nancy! 🙂
Just made these absolutely wonderful , amazing and good for you too. Thank you.x
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins Paula!
These turned out terrible! All I tasted was whole wheat bran and I loveeee bran flakes cereal but these were just bland and boring. Sad I wasted berries on these.
That sounds frustrating Kate. I’d like to work together to fix the issues you describe so it doesn’t happen again! I’m confused about your reference to the bran flavor since this recipe doesn’t include bran, only whole wheat flour. Did you substitute bran for some or all of the flour?
Hi Amy! This is the third time I bake these and they are always delicious and just the right level of sweet :).. Just thought of letting you know and thanking you for the recipe!
You’re so sweet Lena — I’m truly touched that you’ve made these muffins so many times! That means the world to me that you love them that much! 🙂
Hi Amy, the recipe looks great. I actually stumbled upon it bc I am trying to use up a bunch of fresh berries I have on hand. Do you think the recipe needs to be tweaked at all to use fresh instead of frozen berries in it? Thank you!
Thanks Kimberly! You can easily use fresh berries instead. Start checking on the muffins a few minutes earlier since they may finish baking a tad bit sooner, but you don’t need to do anything else differently. 🙂 I’m excited to hear what you think of the muffins!
I would like to try these but Maple syrup is not readily available here, could I change it for some Honey and add extra Milk to keep it moist?
Yes, you can easily substitute honey for the maple syrup! It’s a 1-to-1 substitute, so no need to add extra milk. 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of the muffins Mariska!
Hi Amy, made Mixed Berry muffins but noticed when peeling case away from muffin there seemed to be alot of the mixture left stuck to the case. my oven is fine, followed method . First time i have come across this in my baking.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Tillyann! Did you use paper or metal liners when making these muffins? Low-fat muffin batter (and cake batter, too!) sticks to liners like superglue because of the very small amount of butter or oil in the batter. My trick is to spray the liners with nonstick cooking spray — that way, they peel away from the healthy muffins just like with regular full-fat muffins after baking! 🙂
Just made these tonight, they are SOOOO GOOD! Thanks for the tip on chopping the berries, they’re delicious and I’ll be making these again and again!
Have you tried freezing these? Would like to make ahead and freeze.
Thanks
Sue
These muffins freeze quite well Sue! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of them!
Amy,
they turned out perfectly and are super yummy – thanks
I’m so happy to hear that Sue! Thanks for letting me know! 🙂
Hi! I was just wondering if I can replace the maple with honey instead? I dont have maple in hand so I hope it works! Let me know asap thanks.
Yes, honey works in place of the maple syrup! 🙂 I can’t wait to hear what you think of these muffins!