The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

 
For all four years during high school, I participated in marching band. With nearly the same competition season as football, from mid to late September through Thanksgiving, we began practicing nearly two weeks before school officially started.  

Band camp consisted of “9 to 9’s” nearly every day. We rehearsed from 9 am to 9 pm, with two breaks from 12 to 2 pm and 4 to 6 pm. We always spent the afternoon session indoors to learn the music for our field show, and we always walked down to the football field for the evening session to go through the show’s formations. We split the morning sessions between the football field and the band room — it just depended on the outdoor temperature and whether our band director was worried about heatstroke!
 

 
I basically collapsed into bed shortly after arriving home each night, completely exhausted after the full day of rehearsals, and I slept in as late as I could before heading back to campus the next day. Since each year’s show was nearly 15 minutes long, that was a lot of music and formations to learn — and my brain needed to sleep as a break, too!

Before driving back to campus each morning, I usually poured myself a bowl of cereal for breakfast. Although it took very little effort to make, I couldn’t exactly eat it in the car for fear of spilling… So I knew I’d have to set my alarm a little bit earlier to have enough time to eat.
 

 
But these Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins would’ve been a much better option! They’re totally portable and perfect for quick grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks (unlike bowls of cereal!), and they’re really moist and tender, just like true bakery-style muffins. Yet these contain no refined flour or sugar, and they’re also simple to make!

I definitely would’ve loved to eat one or two of these for breakfast back then… Yummy muffins + extra sleep = bliss!
 

HOW TO MAKE BLUEBERRY OATMEAL MUFFINS

Let’s go over how to make these ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins!

You’ll start with instant oats (this kind — or this for gluten-free!). Instant oats are also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats. They’re smaller and thinner than traditional old-fashioned rolled oats. That means they soften faster, which gives your ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins the best moist and tender texture!

Hint: You can usually find instant oats in containers right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store!
 

 
You’ll mix your instant oats with some Greek yogurt, milk, and vanilla extract next. This trick makes a huge difference in these ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins’ texture… And their appearance! Soaking the oats gives these muffins a really moist and tender texture, and it also helps them rise taller. Don’t skip this step!

Just remember, it’s extremely important to measure your oats (and flour!) correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out your muffins and make them crumbly, instead of moist and tender. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and soak up as much moisture from the batter as they can!
 

 
As the next step for these healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins, you’ll whisk together white whole wheat flour (like this!) with baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (this kind is my favorite!). Although cinnamon isn’t usually an ingredient in blueberry muffins, it pairs perfectly with the oats and gives these muffins an even more irresistible flavor!

As for the white whole wheat flour, such a thing actually exists… And it’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and whole wheat flour! White whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier type of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits, but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture… Which lets the moist and tender texture of your ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins truly shine!
 

 
And speaking of texture… The Greek yogurt also plays a big role in that! You’ll only add ½ tablespoon of butter to your ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffin batter, and Greek yogurt adds the rest of that moist and tender texture — for a fraction of the calories! It gives your muffins a big protein boost too.

Healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins + low calorie + moist and tender = math I love!
 

 
Instead of refined granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten your ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins with one of my favorite ingredients: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean-eating friendly!). It’s also highly concentrated… You just need 1 ½ teaspoons to sweeten the entire batch of these healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins!

Tip: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other! Therefore, I highly recommend using the same one I do for the best taste and texture in your blueberry oatmeal muffins. This is the kind I use because I love its flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertaste, like with some other stevia products. Although you can find it at many health-oriented grocery stores, I buy mine online because that’s the best price I’ve found. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine, too!)
 

 
Now for the star of the show… Fresh blueberries! It’s basically impossible to make healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins without fruit, right?? I prefer using fresh blueberries because frozen ones usually dye the batter a gray color… But both fresh and frozen will still taste the same, regardless of how your muffins look!

One last thing! If you’re using muffin liners like I did in these photos, then remember to coat your muffin liners with cooking spray. This simple trick means your muffin liners will easily peel away from your muffins! Low-fat batters, like with these ultimate healthy blueberry oatmeal muffins, stick to liners like superglue… But misting your liners with cooking spray helps prevent that!
 

 
I’m pretty sure I just found my new favorite blueberry muffins… These truly are the BEST!! ♡ And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your ultimate healthy blueberry muffins!

The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 muffins

These muffins are supremely moist and tender, and they’re the perfect combination of hearty oats, cozy cinnamon, and sweet juicy blueberries! They’re great for quick grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks, and they freeze really well, too. Leftover muffins should keep for at least five days (if not longer!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 9 votes

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Ingredients 

• ¾ cup (75g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
• ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• 1 cup + 2 tbsp (270mL) nonfat milk, divided
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 ½ tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 1 ½ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
• 1 ½ cups (210g) fresh blueberries

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If using liners, then line 12 muffins cups with liners and coat them with cooking spray.)
• In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, Greek yogurt 6 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a third bowl, whisk together the butter, egg whites, and stevia. Stir in the oat mixture, mixing until no large lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining ¾ cup of milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 4 equal parts.) Gently fold in the blueberries.
• Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 21-24 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's really important to measure your oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own and love!) Too much of either will make your muffins turn out dry. This is especially true of the oats because they act like sponges and soak up lots of moisture from the batter.

 

IMPORTANT MIXING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Do not use an electric mixer to mix up the batter. This will result in dense or tough muffins. Use a whisk where explicitly instructed, and use a fork for everything else.

 

OATS NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: Instant oats are also known as “quick-cooking” or “one-minute” oats. They’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats. They only include one ingredient — oats! — just like old-fashioned rolled oats. (They are not the ones in the small flavored packets of oatmeal!)

 

In a pinch, to make your own, add ¾ cup (75g) of old-fashioned rolled oats to a blender or food processor, and pulse until they’re ⅛ to ¼ of their original size.

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted in place of the whole wheat flour.

 

EGG WHITES NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: The muffins require 2 full egg whites. The whites contain the majority of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to ensure the muffins maintain their shape and texture while cooling. Without both egg whites, the muffins will collapse while cooling and turn out much denser.

 

If you prefer to use whole eggs, then use 2 large eggs and decrease the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added volume from the yolks.

 

STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: For sweeter muffins, increase the liquid stevia by an additional ¼ or ½ teaspoon.

 

Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not always 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best results, use the same liquid stevia that I do. I buy it online here (← that’s the best price I’ve found!), and you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too. (It's one of my favorite ingredients!)

 

However, if you strongly prefer to omit the liquid stevia from the muffins, substitute ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (120g) granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar and reduce the milk to ¾ cup + 1 tablespoon (195mL). You may also substitute ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (150mL) pure maple syrup, honey, or agave and reduce the milk to ½ cup (120mL) instead.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted in place of the nonfat milk.

 

BLUEBERRY NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: I highly recommend using fresh blueberries! In a pinch, you can substitute frozen blueberries — just remember they typically dye the batter a grayish color. The baking time may also increase when using frozen blueberries.

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use the following: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will work as well, if measured like this.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store the muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least five days, if not longer.

 

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, lower sugar}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡  Healthy Blueberry Banana Bran Muffins
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Muffins
♡  Healthy Carrot Cake Oatmeal Muffins
♡  Healthy Zucchini Oatmeal Muffins
♡  Healthy Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Muffins
♡  The Ultimate Healthy Blueberry Scones
♡  Healthy Blueberry Pie Protein Overnight Oats
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy muffin recipes!