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  1. Home
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  3. Healthy Muffin Recipes

Healthy Muffin Recipes

December 27, 2016
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Credit: Photo: Lee Harrelson
Sometimes you need a light breakfast you can scarf down in a hurry. With less sugar and few calories and fat than traditional recipes, our healthier muffins offer a grab-and-go breakfast option you can feel good about. We have all of your favorites such as Blueberry and Oatmeal and Pumpkin Spice, plus exciting flavors like Sour Cream and Coffeecake. Whether sweet or savory—these easy-to-prepare little quick breads are perfect for breakfast, snacks, or even dessert. Ready in a flash and delightful as can be, our muffins will disappear from your table almost as quickly as you can whip them up.
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Browned Butter Whole-Wheat Muffins

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Browned Butter Whole-Wheat Muffins

Wheat bran and yogurt bump up the protein and fiber so you'll stay fueled. Mashed banana adds moisture and sweetness without noticeable banana flavor, while browned butter lends nutty depth.

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Cranberry, Orange, and Pistachio Muffins

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Cranberry, Orange, and Pistachio Muffins

Dried cranberries, pistachios, orange rind, and fresh orange juice, give our Browned Butter Whole-Wheat Muffin batter a shot of citrus flavor to brighten the morning.

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Cherry Gingerbread Muffins

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Cherry Gingerbread Muffins

Stir in dried cherries, molasses, ground cinnamon, ginger, and allspice to transform our Browned Butter Whole-Wheat Muffins into fruit-filled delights with just 9g of added sugar.

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Figgy Walnut Muffins

Credit: Photo: Hector Manuel Sanchez
View Recipe: Figgy Walnut Muffins

"Healthy" bakery muffins can hide plenty of refined flour and sugar. Our Figgy Walnut Muffins with dried figs, walnuts, and cinnamon save about 300 calories and 22g sugar per serving, are 100% whole grain, and are still tender and moist.

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Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins

Credit: Photo: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins

When our crumbly-crisp topping meets the light, fluffy belly of this muffin, you'll swoon.

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Cinnamon Roll Muffins

Credit: Iain Bagwell
View Recipe: Cinnamon Roll Muffins

We transform the cinnamon roll into a portable muffin that's packed with whole grains, ribboned with nutty streusel, and topped with a tart-sweet yogurt glaze. Yeasted cinnamon rolls take hours. These speedy muffins are done in just 30 minutes. Keep leftovers in an airtight container up to 4 days, or freeze up to 1 month.

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Top of the Morning Muffins

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Top of the Morning Muffins
A breakfast of one of these homemade muffins, a cup of low-fat Greek yogurt, and a piece of fruit has fewer calories and more protein than one commercial gluten-free muffin.

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Chocolate Muffins

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Chocolate Muffins
Whether or not your family requires a gluten-free diet, chocolaty muffins stuffed to the brim with chocolate minichips are always a hit.

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Maple Pumpkin Blender Muffins

Credit: Rebecca Longshore
View Recipe: Maple Pumpkin Blender Muffins

Gluten-free, completely clean, and less than 100 calories per muffin. After discovering the magic of our blender muffins made with bananas, we had to see if they could work just the same with pumpkin instead. They were even better than we imagined—light, fluffy, full of pumpkin-spice flavor, and incredibly satisfying. While store-bought or café muffins can range from anywhere to 300-600 calories, and add more than 20g of fat, 70g of carbs, and 50g of sugar to your day, these magical muffins pack in almost 5g of protein for less than 100 calories, 3g of fat, 6g of sugar, and 16g of carbs. 

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Apple Streusel Muffins with Maple Drizzle

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Apple Streusel Muffins with Maple Drizzle

For these irresistible whole-grain goodies, it's all about the drizzle.

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Fruit of the Forest Muffins

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Fruit of the Forest Muffins
These gluten-free muffins highlight mixed fresh berries, but you can omit the berries and use the recipe to incorporate any other gluten-free mix-ins you like.

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Almond Coffee Cake Muffins

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Almond Coffee Cake Muffins

These sweet muffins are an ideal dessert or an indulgent breakfast. Whichever you choose, you'll love them for their nutty flavor and sugary topping.

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Magical Blender Muffins

View Recipe: Magical Blender Muffins

A blender, a pan, and a plan, and you’ve got pillowy muffins ready to be devoured in a 15-minute snap. We’ve been seeing different types of blender muffins pop up all over Pinterest, so we thought we’d give it a try. The result? Good, delicious even, and most-importantly completely kid-friendly. They do not have the typical texture of muffins, but with the increasing variety of muffin recipes out there now, what really is the definition of a typical anyways? We love the combination of whole grains, protein-rich eggs and yogurt as well. Top with your favorite ingredients, bake, and enjoy!

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Whole-Grain Bran Muffins

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Whole-Grain Bran Muffins

This classic recipe is a wholesome base for mix-ins. Try adding sunflower seeds with blueberries, or grated carrot with walnuts.

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Linzer Muffins

Credit: Photo: Alison Miksch
View Recipe: Linzer Muffins

Tender almond cake surrounds a raspberry filling in this playful riff on classic linzer torte.

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Cheesy Jalapeño-Sour Cream Corn Muffins

Credit: Photo: Brian Woodcock
View Recipe: Cheesy Jalapeño-Sour Cream Corn Muffins

What is chili without corn muffins? Pickled jalapeños add a little extra zip and dimension without too much heat. You can omit them or substitute minced cilantro if you like. Make the corn muffins a day or two ahead and refrigerate then leave out at room temperature with the Kale, Jicama, and Orange Salad and Frosted Brown Butter Blondies. The addition of sour cream makes these muffins incredibly tender—they won't dry out if made in advance. Looking for a spooky spin?  Use blue cornmeal; it'll turn the muffins a greenish blue.

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Triple-Chocolate Muffins

Credit: Photo: Justin Walker
View Recipe: Triple-Chocolate Muffins

Create a rich muffin for chocolate lovers with three different kinds of chocolate: bittersweet, cocoa, and semisweet chocolate chips.

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Pumpkin-Spice Muffins

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Pumpkin-Spice Muffins

The onset of autumn is worth celebrating, so why not make a huge batch of mulled apple cider and serve it with these spiced pumpkin muffins? The pumpkin adds gorgeous color, flavor, and moisture as well as fiber, vitamin A, and potassium.

 

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Spicy Bacon and Brew Muffins

Credit: Photo Courtesy of Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Spicy Bacon and Brew Muffins​
We enjoyed the subtle heat in these muffins, but if you want to spice things up, add up to 2 teaspoons of ground red pepper.

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Jammin' Oat Muffins

Credit: Photo: Oxmoor House
View Recipe: Jammin' Oat Muffins

Made with steel-cut oats and filled with raspberry preserves, this hearty muffin is the perfect grab-and-go breakfast.

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Tuscan Lemon Muffins

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Tuscan Lemon Muffins

The tart, rich flavor comes from a favorite Italian combo—olive oil and fresh lemon.

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Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins

Cocoa batter encases chocolate mini chips, which also melt atop for chocolaty goodness. Did we mention chocolate?

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Whole-Wheat, Oatmeal, and Raisin Muffins

View Recipe: Whole-Wheat, Oatmeal, and Raisin Muffins
With four whole grains and three dried fruits, these muffins are a great way to get a variety of antioxidants and fiber. Wheat germ is a good source of vitamin E. Look for untoasted wheat germ in the organic food section of the supermarket. Adding boiling water to the batter and allowing it to sit for 15 minutes before baking allows the hearty oats, wheat germ, and bran to soak up the liquid for a more tender muffin.

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Bacon-Cheddar Corn Muffins

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Bacon-Cheddar Corn Muffins

Cheddar, jalapeño, and bacon make these muffins a great partner for chili or as a savory grab-and-go breakfast.

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Pistachio-Chai Muffins

Credit: Photo: Greg Dupree
View Recipe: Pistachio-Chai Muffins

A simple sugar glaze anchors crunchy pistachios, while aromatic spices and black tea speckle the dough.

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Blueberry and Oatmeal Muffins

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Blueberry and Oatmeal Muffins
This family favorite gets a twist with the addition of whole-wheat flour and oatmeal. Tossing frozen blueberries with flour before adding them to the batter keeps them from turning the batter purple while they bake. If you use fresh blueberries, skip that step.

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Spiced Persimmon and Pecan Muffins

Credit: Photo: Jonny Valiant
View Recipe: Spiced Persimmon and Pecan Muffins

Traditional spiced muffins suddenly seem stylish when made with seasonal persimmons. There are two distinct types: Creamy-fleshed Hachiya is mashed to keep the muffins moist, while firmer Fuyu is diced for fruity bits with some bite.

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Cherry-Wheat Germ Muffins

Credit: Photo: John Autry
View Recipe: Cherry-Wheat Germ Muffins

Dried cherries enliven a hearty muffin featuring nutty wheat germ. Vary the flavor with dried apricots or blueberries.

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Tropical Muffins with Coconut-Macadamia Topping

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Tropical Muffins with Coconut-Macadamia Topping

Most monounsaturated fat in each serving comes from mild-flavored canola oil and rich macadamia nuts. Flaked sweetened coconut is high in saturated fat for a plant food (nearly 94 percent of the fat is saturated), but a little offers nutty flavor to the batter and texture to the topping.

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Pear and Walnut Muffins

Credit: Photo: Jan Smith
View Recipe: Pear and Walnut Muffins

Fragrant pears and walnuts make an unbeatable combination. For this recipe, you can use any type of pear available, though we suggest Anjou or Bartlett. Adding ground walnuts to these muffins results in a delightful richness. Turbinado sugar has large blond crystals and a subtle molasses flavor; substitute granulated sugar if you don't have turbinado.

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Sour Cream and Coffeecake Muffins

Credit: Photo: Jan Smith
View Recipe: Sour Cream and Coffeecake Muffins

Coffee cake in individualized servings will revolutionize your next breakfast gathering. Fold the batter just four times to swirl in the sugar mixture, not fully blend it.

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Orange-Hazelnut Snack Muffins

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Orange-Hazelnut Snack Muffins

Hazelnut flour (often called meal) is full of heart-healthy fats, fiber, and protein.

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Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffins

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffins

These muffins are at their best warm, so reheat briefly if you make ahead. Wheat germ is an excellent source of vitamin E.

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Pumpkin-Cranberry Muffins

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Pumpkin-Cranberry Muffins

These moist, 5-star pumpkin muffins get a burst of sweet and sour notes from the dried cranberries. This favorite recipe doubles easily to feed a crowd.

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Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

View Recipe: Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins

Consider these a breakfast version of a peanut butter and jelly sandwich. Don't use a natural-style peanut butter in this recipe; it won't have enough sugar or fat to help the muffins rise.

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Morning Glory Muffins

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Morning Glory Muffins

Substitute apricots or raisins for chopped pitted dates in this recipe if you like. The dried fruits, nuts, oatmeal, wheat bran, and whole wheat flour contribute plenty of fiber to each Morning Glory Muffin. Complete your breakfast with fat-free yogurt and fruit.

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Banana Nut Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel

Credit: Photo: Randy Mayor
View Recipe: Banana Nut Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel

Whole-wheat flour and oatmeal offer whole grains. The prudent amount of walnuts adds fiber, vitamin E, and unsaturated fats. The English walnuts (the most common variety in supermarkets) provide nearly 20 percent of an adequate daily intake of heart-healthy omega-3 fats per serving.

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Oatmeal Topped Fig Muffins

Credit: Photo: Jan Smith
View Recipe: Oat-Topped Fig Muffins

Offer these low-fat, heart-healthy muffins as a side dish or a dessert option for your lunch buffet. To enjoy them to the fullest, heat briefly in the microwave and pair them with raspberry or orange preserves. Bake the muffins the day before, cool to room temperature, and store in an airtight container. Save leftovers for breakfast.

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Double Apple Bran Muffins

Credit: Photo: Jan Smith
View Recipe: Double Apple Bran Muffins

Oat bran, the outer casing of an oat, is high in fiber. Apples and applesauce make these healthful muffins sweet and moist. If making ahead, individually wrap cooled muffins, and freeze for up to one week.

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Whole-Grain Blackberry Spice Muffins

Credit: Photo: Jan Smith
View Recipe: Whole-Grain Blackberry Spice Muffins

Coarsely chop frozen blackberries, and place them back in the freezer until ready to stir into the batter. To freeze muffins, let cool completely, and place in zip-top plastic bags. Reheat in microwave 20 seconds.

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Pumpkin Muffins

Credit: Photo: Becky Luigart-Stayner
View Recipe: Pumpkin Muffins

Prepare these golden muffins up to two days ahead, and enjoy a light breakfast on Thanksgiving morning—or any morning.

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Lemon-Scented Olive Oil Muffins

View Recipe: Lemon-Scented Olive Oil Muffins

The unique flavor of these little breads is a slight departure from a traditional sweet muffin, and they make a delightful addition to any brunch menu. If you love the taste of olive oil, choose a robust, full-flavored one for a more intense taste.

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Cheddar Green Onion Muffins

Credit: Photo: Howard L. Puckett
View Recipe: Cheddar-Green Onion Muffins

These savory muffins are delicious warm but can be made up to a month in advance and frozen in heavy-duty zip-top plastic bags. Snatch them out of the freezer for a breakfast or brunch accompaniment that will be ready in a pinch.

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Kathie's Zucchini Muffins

Credit: Photo: Lee Harrelson
View Recipe: Kathie's Zucchini Muffins

A touch of honey and dash of cinnamon give this zucchini muffin recipe a sweetness that complements the zucchini's mild flavor.

 

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    1 of 44 Browned Butter Whole-Wheat Muffins
    2 of 44 Cranberry, Orange, and Pistachio Muffins
    3 of 44 Cherry Gingerbread Muffins
    4 of 44 Figgy Walnut Muffins
    5 of 44 Blueberry-Sour Cream Muffins
    6 of 44 Cinnamon Roll Muffins
    7 of 44 Top of the Morning Muffins
    8 of 44 Chocolate Muffins
    9 of 44 Maple Pumpkin Blender Muffins
    10 of 44 Apple Streusel Muffins with Maple Drizzle
    11 of 44 Fruit of the Forest Muffins
    12 of 44 Almond Coffee Cake Muffins
    13 of 44 Magical Blender Muffins
    14 of 44 Whole-Grain Bran Muffins
    15 of 44 Linzer Muffins
    16 of 44 Cheesy Jalapeño-Sour Cream Corn Muffins
    17 of 44 Triple-Chocolate Muffins
    18 of 44 Pumpkin-Spice Muffins
    19 of 44 Spicy Bacon and Brew Muffins
    20 of 44 Jammin' Oat Muffins
    21 of 44 Tuscan Lemon Muffins
    22 of 44 Chocolate-Chocolate Chip Muffins
    23 of 44 Whole-Wheat, Oatmeal, and Raisin Muffins
    24 of 44 Bacon-Cheddar Corn Muffins
    25 of 44 Pistachio-Chai Muffins
    26 of 44 Blueberry and Oatmeal Muffins
    27 of 44 Spiced Persimmon and Pecan Muffins
    28 of 44 Cherry-Wheat Germ Muffins
    29 of 44 Tropical Muffins with Coconut-Macadamia Topping
    30 of 44 Pear and Walnut Muffins
    31 of 44 Sour Cream and Coffeecake Muffins
    32 of 44 Orange-Hazelnut Snack Muffins
    33 of 44 Orange-Cranberry Wheat Germ Muffins
    34 of 44 Pumpkin-Cranberry Muffins
    35 of 44 Peanut Butter and Jelly Muffins
    36 of 44 Morning Glory Muffins
    37 of 44 Banana Nut Muffins with Oatmeal Streusel
    38 of 44 Oatmeal Topped Fig Muffins
    39 of 44 Double Apple Bran Muffins
    40 of 44 Whole-Grain Blackberry Spice Muffins
    41 of 44 Pumpkin Muffins
    42 of 44 Lemon-Scented Olive Oil Muffins
    43 of 44 Cheddar Green Onion Muffins
    44 of 44 Kathie's Zucchini Muffins

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