Get ready to bake the best vegan blueberry muffin recipe you’ve ever tried! These muffins are incredibly fluffy, perfectly moist, and bursting with juicy blueberries in every single bite. Forget dense, dry vegan baked goods; this simple, one-bowl recipe delivers perfectly domed, bakery-style muffins using common pantry staples. You won’t believe they’re made entirely without eggs or dairy.
Why You’ll Love This Vegan Blueberry Muffin Recipe
This will quickly become your go-to muffin recipe. Here’s why it’s a guaranteed winner:
- Incredibly Moist & Fluffy: We use a secret combination of vegan “buttermilk” and oil to create a tender, light-as-air crumb that stays moist for days.
- Bakery-Style Domed Tops: A simple baking trick ensures you get those high, golden, picture-perfect muffin tops every time.
- Bursting with Berries: We pack these muffins with blueberries and share a tip to make sure they don’t all sink to the bottom.
- Simple & Quick: You only need one bowl and about 30 minutes from start to finish. It’s perfect for a quick breakfast or afternoon snack.
- Basic Ingredients: No strange or hard-to-find ingredients needed. Just simple, plant-based pantry staples.
Key Ingredients
The magic of this recipe lies in how simple ingredients work together. Here’s what you’ll need and why it works:
- All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for our muffins. For best results, spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off.
- Plant-Based Milk: Unsweetened almond milk, soy milk, or oat milk all work beautifully. Choose your favorite!
- Apple Cider Vinegar: When mixed with plant milk, it creates a vegan “buttermilk” that tenderizes the crumb and adds moisture.
- Granulated Sugar: Provides the perfect amount of sweetness without overpowering the berries.
- Vegetable Oil: This is the key to a super moist, dairy-free muffin. You can also use melted coconut oil or another neutral oil.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Our leavening agents! This combination gives the muffins an initial lift and helps them brown beautifully.
- Blueberries: The star of the show! You can use fresh or frozen. We’ll cover how to handle both.
- Vanilla Extract & Lemon Zest: These are essential flavor enhancers that make the blueberry flavor pop. Don’t skip them!
Step-by-Step Instructions
Making these eggless blueberry muffins is as easy as mix, fold, and bake. Here’s how to do it:
- Prep: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Make Vegan Buttermilk: In a liquid measuring cup or small bowl, whisk together the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar. Set it aside for 5-10 minutes to curdle slightly.
- Combine Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest to the vegan buttermilk mixture and whisk to combine.
- Mix Batter: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Using a spatula, fold them together until just combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine—do not overmix!
- Add Blueberries: In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. This prevents them from sinking. Gently fold the coated blueberries into the batter.
- Fill Muffin Tin: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling them almost to the top. For extra crunch, sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake: Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips for the Fluffiest, Bakery-Style Muffins
Follow these simple tips to take your vegan muffins from good to absolutely incredible.
Don’t Overmix the Batter
This is the most important rule of muffin making! Mix only until the flour streaks disappear. Overmixing develops gluten, which results in tough, dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.
The “Buttermilk” Trick is a Must
Letting the plant milk and vinegar sit for a few minutes creates an acidic environment that reacts with the baking soda for a better rise. It also breaks down gluten, resulting in a wonderfully tender crumb.
How to Prevent Blueberries From Sinking
Tossing your blueberries (especially frozen ones) in a tablespoon of flour before folding them into the batter is a game-changer. The flour absorbs extra moisture and helps the berries grip the batter, keeping them suspended as the muffins bake.
Fill Your Muffin Cups High
For those beautiful, high-domed muffin tops, don’t be afraid to fill the liners almost to the brim. This recipe makes the perfect amount of batter for 12 full-sized muffins.
The High-Heat Baking Method
Starting the bake at a high temperature (425°F) causes the leavening agents to react quickly, creating a burst of steam that shoots the muffin tops upward. Reducing the heat after 5 minutes allows the centers to cook through without the outside burning.
Easy Ingredient Substitutions
Need to make a swap? Here are some tested substitutions for this vegan blueberry muffin recipe.
| Ingredient | Substitution | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| All-Purpose Flour | Spelt Flour or 1:1 Gluten-Free Blend | You can swap up to half the AP flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier texture. |
| Vegetable Oil | Melted Coconut Oil or Applesauce | Applesauce will make the muffins lower in fat but slightly denser. Use a 1:1 ratio. |
| Granulated Sugar | Coconut Sugar or Maple Syrup | If using maple syrup, you may need to reduce the plant milk by 1-2 tablespoons. |
| Apple Cider Vinegar | Lemon Juice | Use an equal amount of fresh lemon juice to achieve the same “buttermilk” effect. |
Optional Streusel Topping
If you want to add an extra layer of texture and sweetness, a simple streusel topping is a fantastic addition. Simply combine 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons of melted vegan butter in a small bowl until crumbly. Sprinkle over the muffins before baking. For a complete guide, check out our recipe for delicious blueberry streusel muffins.
The Best Vegan Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Vegan Blueberry Muffin Recipe (The Best & Easiest!)
Ingredients
Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a small bowl or measuring cup, combine the plant-based milk and apple cider vinegar. Stir and set aside for 5-10 minutes to allow it to curdle.
- In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- To the curdled milk mixture, add the vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and lemon zest. Whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a spatula to fold everything together until just combined. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are okay.
- In a separate small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 tablespoon of flour. Gently fold the coated blueberries into the muffin batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling them nearly to the top. Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes.
- After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) (do not open the oven door). Continue to bake for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Freezing: Wrap muffins individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Streusel Topping: For an optional streusel, combine 1/3 cup flour, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 3 tbsp melted vegan butter. Sprinkle on top before baking.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, absolutely! Do not thaw the frozen blueberries before using them. Toss them in 1 tablespoon of flour as instructed in the recipe to prevent them from turning your batter purple and sinking to the bottom. You may need to add 1-2 minutes to the bake time.
The best trick is to toss your fresh or frozen blueberries in a tablespoon of all-purpose flour before gently folding them into the batter. This light coating helps the berries grip the batter and remain suspended as the muffins rise and bake.
There are three keys to fluffy vegan muffins: 1) Do not overmix the batter—mix only until the ingredients are just combined. 2) Use a combination of baking powder and baking soda for maximum lift. 3) The reaction between the apple cider vinegar and plant milk creates a tender crumb.
For an oil-free version, you can substitute an equal amount of unsweetened applesauce. Please note that using applesauce will result in a slightly denser, more cake-like muffin, but it will still be delicious and moist.
This recipe doesn’t require a specific egg replacer like a flax egg. The combination of oil for moisture, plant-based milk for liquid, and the chemical reaction of the leaveners provides all the structure and lift needed, making this a very simple and reliable recipe.
Storing & Freezing Your Muffins
These muffins are best enjoyed fresh, but they store and freeze wonderfully!
To Store: Keep the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To prevent them from getting soggy, you can place a paper towel in the bottom of the container to absorb any excess moisture.
To Freeze: Once completely cooled, wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap, then place them in a freezer-safe bag or container. They can be frozen for up to 3 months. To enjoy, simply thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love
We hope you love this easy vegan blueberry muffin recipe as much as we do! It proves that plant-based baking can be simple, delicious, and yield truly spectacular results. If you try it, please leave a comment below—we’d love to hear from you! For more breakfast inspiration, try our bright and zesty lemon blueberry muffins or our ultimate classic bakery-style blueberry muffins. And if you’re looking for a gluten-free option, our blueberry almond flour muffins (coming soon) are a must-try!
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