Lemon zest and ground cardamom give these muffins a dreamy flavor and aroma. Oat and millet flours produce a muffin that is hearty and filling while dates and applesauce lend sweetness and moistness without refined sugar and oil.
Blueberry Muffins
- Total Time: 55 mins
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Ingredients
- 8 ounces pitted dates(12 to 14 Medjool or 24 to 28 Deglet Noor), chopped
- 1 ¼ cups unsweetened nondairy milk
- 1 ½ cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- ¾ cup dry/uncooked millet
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom (or see Notes)
- ½ cup applesauce
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest (see Notes)
- 1 cup fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries (to go into batter)
- 2 ounces walnuts, chopped (about ½ cup; optional)
- ½ cup fresh or unthawed frozen blueberries (to go on top)
Instructions
- Place the dates and nondairy milk into a small bowl, and set aside for at least 15 mintues (so the dates can soften).
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tray with paper cupcake liners (parchment paper liners are preferable).
- Grind the rolled oats and millet into flour with a blender (30 to 40 seconds; millet is hard). Transfer to a medium bowl, and whisk in the baking powder and cardamom.
- Pour the soaking dates and milk into the blender, and blend until smooth.
- Pour the date mixture into the bowl of dry ingredients, add the applesauce and lemon zest, and mix just until all the dry ingredients have disappeared (the batter will be thick).
- Gently fold in the blueberries and chopped walnuts (if using). Don't overmix or you'll have purple muffins.
- Fill each muffin cup with an even amount of better. Use the ½ cup of extra blueberries to top each muffin with a few just before baking (make sure to push them in at least halfway so they won't roll off during rising).
- Bake for 25 to 30 minutes until the tops have begun to brown. (these are hearty muffins, so they will not rise very much.) Set aside to cool before serving.
Notes
If you do not have cardamom, you can use 1 ½ teaspoons of cinnamon instead.
To zest a lemon, use a very fine-toothed grater (like a Microplane), grating or "zesting" only the yellow outer skin, avoiding the white pith below it.
- Prep Time: 25 mins
- Cook Time: 30 mins
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/12 recipe, 1 muffin
- Calories: 187
- Sugar: 16.0g
- Sodium: 20mg
- Fat: 4.8g
- Saturated Fat: 0.5g
- Carbohydrates: 34.8g
- Fiber: 4.3g
- Protein: 4.0g
- Cholesterol: 0
Above: These muffins are hearty, and ideal to take with you when you want a quick bite that will fill your belly for a while, such as when traveling or hiking.
Above: Silicone bakeware is made from food-grade silicone plastic to withstand the heat of the oven and does not harm food. A silicone muffin pan is especially convenient since oil should be avoided (to grease the muffin cups). To remove the muffins, simply press up from the bottom of the pan to pop each muffin out. They also make single-serve silicone muffin cups (right), as well as silicone muffin papers.
Hi Cathy! I just found some parchment paper cupcake liners and decided to make some blueberry muffins so now I will use your recipe. Sounds like a good one. Thanks!
Hi Chris, ooh, I didn't know they made those! Cool! I will look for them. 🙂 Let me know if they worked well and if so, what kind they were.
Here is what I found at our local Sprouts store: http://www.paperchef.com/en/products/baking_cups
These look wonderful! I need to pick up some millet and will let you know how they come out! I use the Paper Chef brand parchment baking cups. I can get 60 at my local grocer for under $2. Not sure why so pricey on Amazon, but here is the link: http://www.amazon.com/PaperChef-Culinary-Parchment-Large-Baking/dp/B003X5DW6S/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1380982413&sr=8-1&keywords=paper+chef+culinary+parchment+large+baking+cups
Lastly, just made your oatmeal lemon pancakes which are a fave of my husband and I 🙂
Those look totally awesome. I am thrilled that you used dates for the sweetener and all whole grains. Mmmmm!
I made them this a.m. and they came out wonderful! I tweaked the recipe and subbed cinnamon for the cardamon. Not the best at measuring, but was probably 1 tsp. Also used a little more lemon zest.
Ohhh man, these are GOOD! Thanks so much for sharing. 🙂 I used a regular old muffin/cupcake tin "greased" with a bit of coconut oil - no issue getting them out at all. Salud! XO
Yay! Thanks for the feedback, Katie! 😉
OMG. These are so good. I love the texture of the ground millet. They have instantly become my favourite muffin! I love cardamom so used 3/4 tsp. instead of 1/2. I had to use about 18 Medjool dates to obtain the 1 1/2 cups. I used kitchen shears to cut them into pieces before covering them with the non-dairy milk. I plan on reworking my previous favourite muffin recipe (Cranberry Banana Oat Muffins) so they are wheat, oil and salt free as well by using millet, applesauce and dates. Thank you so much for your great cooking ideas and your emails. Your Chickpea and Avocado spread has become a favourite as well.
Thanks for the comments, Liv! 18 dates, yum! 🙂
Oh my! These look absolutely divine, Cathy! Love the cardamom idea... must try!! Thanks for sharing!
How would you modify to use date syrup instead of dates? How much less nut milk?
Hi Michelle, I've never used date syrup; but maybe do a 1/2 cup of date syrup and a half cup of milk, and then after mixing with the dry, check the sweetness and texture to see if you need to add more of either. 🙂
Hi Cathy, I am very confused. I have Celiac Disease and have learned that all grains have gluten. Can I substitute buckwheat, coconut flour, sweet potatoe flour, or almond flour and get simular baking results? I got better not eating wheat, barley or rye but still did not get well. Just a warning about so called "gluten free". All grains do have gluten.
Hi Charis, I would say yes, you can substitute any flour you like for the oats, or use a couple different ones. 🙂
Hi Kathy--any suggestions for sub for the millet flour? I have brown rice, sorghum, and spelt (I know not gf). I love the idea of using cardamon in these and use it often in stir frys.
Hi Monica, I think any of those would work. The millet gives it a bit of a crunch, so if you want to add some cornmeal, you could also do that along with some other flour. 🙂
Cathy, I can't wait to try these! I just happen to have millet and cardamom on hand. I like the idea that millet adds crunch.
Let me know what you think 😉
These turned out MEGA AWESOME. I used fresh cardamon. I ground it myself. I also used silicone muffin liners. I would say I used about 20 dates. I couldn't find medjool dates so I just used the ones from the bulk bin, then weighed 8 ozs and did it that way. They are really SOO SOO good! I thought the batter was a bit too thick when mixing them but NOPE, You really hit this one out of the ball park. Great recipe! Signed: A Vegan Foodie : L )
Yay!! Great to hear Linden! Thanks for the comment. 😉
These look amazing! Thanks Cathy!
Hi Cathy, I finally made these muffins and they turned out perfect. It was the first time I used the parchment liners and they worked great. I cut the dates with kitchen scissors and used unsweetened almond milk and grated a lemon rind with a microplane for the zest. Love the flavor of these muffins. I wonder if it would work to substitute quinoa for the millet? (just in case). There was enough dough to fill each liner near the brim instead of 3/4 full. The applesauce and blueberries really make these moist and the millet gives them a crunchy texture. Will make them again. Thanks!
Hi Chris, that's wonderful! 🙂 If you grind the quinoa first it would probably work, or put in cooked quinoa like I do in the quinoa-cornbread recipe. Thanks for the feedback! 😉
I subbed in dry quinoa and used steel cut oats bc that's what I had. Worked out great. Made a soft moist inner part and still had crunch on the crust. Used my dry bottle with the Vitamix to make the flour.
These muffins are super flavorful!! Love the crunchiness of the millet. Have made them twice so far and both times a big hit with family and friends! Thank you Cathy for coming up with yet another delicious plant based - no SOS recipe!!!
Great to hear, thank you! 😉
Loved this recipe. I have been using the FOK Cookbook recipe "Oatberry Yogurt Muffins", but this may be my new best muffin recipe. I loved your little hints: I have a silicone muffin pan and relegated it to a dark corner of the cabinet. Your hint about leaving the muffins in the pan for 30 minutes and pop them out from the bottom, worked so well! I loved grinding my own flour in my new dry container of my Vitamix. Thank you Cathy!!!!!
Thanks for the comment Charlotte! 🙂 Yay! I need to get a Vitamix with the various jars. Having the right tools makes all the difference. Take care!
I just Tried the dry mixer for the first time. OMG it was amazing and super quick.
I made these last night. Wow! I love them. The millet really adds some nice texture and I love the hint of lemon. Best part is they are super easy to make. The date/milk mixture was ambrosia by itself! I scraped every bit out of the blender.
I did weigh the dates and found I had to use about 6 more to make 8 oz. I was afraid I might be "cheating." But, oh so good!
Hi Kathy, yay! 🙂 Curious, did you use Medjool dates?
Yes, I did. I buy in bulk from my health food store.
Cathy, I purchased silicone individual muffin cups because I was unable to find the tin or parchment papers. Do I put them in a regular muffin tin or just out on a baking sheet? I can't wait to try your blueberry muffins tomorrow!
A new loyal fan, Gynetha
Hi Gynetha, I think I put them on a baking sheet. 🙂
Excellent. I just made these yesterday.
Thanks Cathy. 🙂
I made these a few weeks ago for the first time and put them on my meal plan for the upcoming week. Absolutely love them!
I followed the directions to a tee but the muffins didn't turn out well at all. The date/milk mixture was rather thick, and I think made the mixture heavy. The muffins didn't rise at all. I can't imagine what could have gone wrong.
Hi Pamela, not sure but maybe soak the dates longer, and/or your baking powder may be too old. They won't rise that much; they are dense.
Very nice work on this recipe!!! My wife and grandkids love these muffins. (I must confess I enjoy then greatly myself) Thanks for sharing your wonderful talents
Aw, thanks so much Jeff! 😉
I absolutely think these are the best tasting muffins. They are quite simply Delightful. It is so easy to eat healthy with a bit of effort!
When I don't have dates, I use a bit of maple syrup and 1/2 cup more applesauce, and a bit a vanilla extract too.
Thank you for the wonderful website and recipes.
Kathy
Thanks Kathy! 😉
I've made these many times and I think they are great! I don't have cardamom so I replace with cinnamon and I use a rounded 1/2 cup of applesauce so they are moist. Today I experimented a bit more and used raspberries in place of blueberries and orange zest for lemon. They also turned out great. I can't make them often because I have a hard time limiting the number I eat. Thanks Cathy!
Just letting everyone know, these are great. Made them in a silcone pan and barely had a problem removing them. Of course, that way, you don't have to add any oils. I think next time a few more dates, maybe mine were smaller, but will make these over and over again in the future. Oh I when my peach trees produce, I want to make these with peach instead of blueberries.
Love this recipe! Love reading the comments from others about their experiments.
Is there a different fruit that would taste good in them? I don't have blueberries on hand. I have oranges, bananas, apples. In fact my kids just finished all the strawberries 🙂 thanks!
Hi Megan, sure; I think bananas would be really good in this. Apples too, just dice small. 🙂
So glad I found your blog & FB page. Chef AJ posted your links today.
Made these muffins right way, EXCELLENT!
I gave up processed sugar for Lent. I was really craving muffins so I made your Blueberry Muffins. Thanks for the great recipe!
Hi Cathy, found this recipe on the Forks over Knives website and the muffins are great! Since that day,I have tried many of your recipes and they are all fantastic. Thanks for your inspiring website-enjoying cooking again!
Hi Sandy, Thank you! Glad to hear it! 🙂
These muffins are too good! 🙁 I can't even make them anymore because I I eat them all in one sitting
These have become a staple in my house! I add about 1-2 tsp lemon juice in addition to the zest.
These muffins turned out very well. I halved the recipe and was able to get 20 mini muffins. I greased my metal muffin tin, and they slid right out of the tray. I used about 10 dates since I like my muffins sweet.
Do you have to grind the millet?
Yes, in your blender. 🙂
I am eating my second piece. I had everything mixed up and didn't have any muffin papers so I put the mixture into a 8x8 cake pan lined with parchment paper. I cooked the 12 extra minutes and feel they still may be a tiny bit soft in the middle. I will certainly try them again with muffin papers. The taste is very good and the texture is great. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Can't wait to make this especially after reading all the comments! I had to buy the oats and millet pre-ground as I have no means to do so myself. Do you happen to have measurements available for the oats and millet in a ground state? or even weight measurements in their pre-ground state? Thank you so much
Hi Deborah, I would say use the same measurements; if it's too thick, add a bit more liquid. 😉
I made these muffins today and they are wonderful! Thank you so much for posting this recipe!
What is the best way to store these muffins so they last the longest? Can they also be frozen? Thanks!
I usually keep them on the counter the first day then refrigerate them; they freeze well though. 🙂
Late to the party but we've made these twice already; we love them! My husband took some to work and one of the random people walking by tracked him down to say how much she loved them.
Yay! Thanks! 😉
Just made these. They are excellent!! The only thing I substituted was quinoa for the millet. I had a slight panicky moment when I tossed the quinoa in and realized I hadn't washed it. Since quinoa tends to be bitter, I was concerned, but they taste great. Everyone in the family loves them!
Can't wait to try these! I am going to order some millet and try these out.
These are by far the best no fat muffins I have tried. I subbed almond meal because I was out of rolled oats and used ordinary paper (not parchment) muffin liners from WF and had no trouble with sticking. I heated them gently before removing paper liners and they came right off. Having just replenished my rolled oats, I will give that version a try.
Thanks for another great recipe.
Good tips, thanks! 😉
These continue to be our favorite recipe. Recently replenished my millet and am making these tonight!
I made this with my daughter, but since we didn't have millet, we used FLAXSEED FLOUR instead (good source of Omega-3 & fiber) We added a teaspoon of HONEY to the whole mixture (pp w/ diabetes can use "Agave Nectar"), and they came out DELICIOUS !! 🙂
These are now my favorite muffin!
These are wonderful. I made them last night for my family and they got rave reviews! I didn't do muffins however because I didn't have any liners that would work so I just lined a 9 x 11 glass pan with parchment paper and baked it like bars for 35 minutes at 350. Cut them once cooled for 20 minutes. Turned out great. My daughter wants me to make them again. Thanks for all the great recipes. I just found your website about 2 weeks ago and am having a blast trying the new recipes - such a help for me on the road to healthy eating!
Welcome Jennifer! Thank you for the comment! 😉
Tweaked this slightly by adding 1/4 cup more applesauce, reducing some dates, adding a handful of organic raisins, subbing cardamom for cinnamon and two drops of vanilla to take away the raw taste of the flours. The result is more delicious than I can say. Thanks for the recipe.!
I have the muffins in the oven right now, o-m-g! My house has never smelled so good.
Thanks so much!
Hi Cathy. I have millet flour so I don't need to grind whole millet. How much should I use? Thanks!
You may need to cook it a bit longer w/store-bought flour; I would still use 3/4 C.