How to Make Delightful Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Jennifer SchwarzkopfUpdated: Jul. 14, 2022

Jennifer Schwarzkopf for Taste of Home

Breakfast just got SO much better.

These vegan blueberry muffins will have even the most dairy-lovin’ person asking for more. They’re moist, fluffy and perfectly sweet, so you won’t miss a thing! Here’s how to make them and convert other recipes to delicious vegan ones.

Learn how to make vegan peanut butter cookies, too.

What are the best vegan substitutes?

This is a tested, tried-and-true recipe for vegan blueberry muffins. We can guarantee it’s delicious. However, if you are making a vegan version of one of your other favorite recipes, here are some helpful hints.

Milk Alternatives

Milk adds density and a pleasing mouthfeel to baked goods. While you need to eliminate cow’s milk to go vegan, make sure you replace the creaminess of the dairy. Soy, coconut, cashew and almond milk are just a few alternatives to try out. In this recipe, we used unsweetened almond milk with a touch of lemon juice to curdle and thicken the liquid—a vegan buttermilk, if you will. The resulting muffins are full of moisture, have a great crumb and are light yet filling.

Butter Substitutes

Fat also helps develop a rich flavor and mouthfeel. When cutting out animal products, you need to incorporate some fat back into the recipe if you want it to hold together. Try to substitute shortening, vegetable oil or refined coconut oil for butter in your favorite recipes. And remember, this is not the time to skimp on fat! Doing so will result in the vegan treats of yore, lacking cohesion or rich flavor. Baked goods are supposed to be comforting and a bit decadent, so go for the fat. You won’t be sorry.

Egg Replacements

What can you replace eggs with? It turns out there are a lot of options. You can use mashed bananas (half a banana for every 1 egg; make sure it is nice and ripe, if not almost brown) or soy, rice or coconut yogurt (1/4 cup of yogurt for every egg). There are also some packaged egg replacements on the market, but the reviews are mixed. In the vein of experimentation, check ’em out and make the call for yourself.

Check Your Sugar, Too

Non-vegans, did you know that traditional sugars are often produced with animal products? It’s true. Some companies add an ingredient called bone char to whiten the product. So how can you ensure that your sweet ingredients are vegan-friendly? Look for the terms “coconut,” “beet,” “unrefined” and “USDA organic and raw” in the name of your sugar selection to ensure it’s vegan, or check out this handy list. If the recipe you’re looking to make requires a liquid sugar (like honey), try substituting agave, maple syrup or golden syrup to be sure it’s vegan.

Whew! that was a lot of info. Let’s get baking!

How to Make Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Turning traditional recipes into vegan versions can be tricky. After all, baking is a science. But fear not: We’ll keep this simple because you’ll want to eat these now, we promise!

Ingredients

For the Muffins:

1 cup unsweetened almond milk
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
2 cups flour
2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
1/4 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup + 2 Tbsp. sugar
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp. refined coconut oil, melted
1 tsp. vanilla extract (try making your own!)
1 Tbsp. lemon zest
2 cups fresh blueberries, washed and patted dry

For the Glaze (optional):

1-1/2 cups confectioners’ sugar
2 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 tsp. coconut oil, melted
1/4 tsp. vanilla extract

Step 1: Preheat and Prep

Preheat your oven to 375ºF. Line a large muffin baking tin with liners and lightly spray with non-stick cooking spray. (Out of liners? They are quick and easy to make with parchment paper. Just cut the paper into squares and mold them around a can or jar that’s roughly the same size as your muffin tin opening.) Find more genius ways to use parchment paper here.

Step 2: Get Mixing

In a small bowl, combine almond milk and lemon juice. Stir and set aside. You’re trying to “curdle” the milk so it takes on the same consistency as buttermilk. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In a separate bowl, cream together the sugar, oil, vanilla extract and lemon zest. Once combined, add in the milk/lemon juice mixture and stir.

Step 3: Bring It All Together

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix! Lumps are expected. Gently fold in the blueberries until fully incorporated, being careful to not smash the delicate fruit.

Step 4: Let’s Get Baking

Evenly distribute the batter into the top of each muffin cup. Bake for approximately 25-30 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean from the center of each muffin.

Psst! Here’s how to create a vegan meal plan.

Jennifer Schwarzkopf for Taste of Home

Step 5: Glaze and Enjoy!

Cool muffins in the pan. And if you’d like to take them to the next level, whisk together all of the glaze ingredients and drizzle over the top. Serve and devour!

If you love this recipe as much as we do, check out some more of our vegan recipes or experiment with making our other muffin recipes vegan too!

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Chickpea Potato Curry Exps Sddj17 198294 B08 11 1b 2

Chickpea & Potato CurryI make chana masala, the classic Indian chickpea curry, in my slow cooker. First browning the onion, ginger and garlic really makes the sauce amazing. —Anjana Devasahayam, San Antonio, Texas