Seven Healthy and Nutritious Muffin Recipes

You know what’s severely underrated? Muffins. Muffins are glorious, fluffy, and edible pillows of warm goodness that greet our taste buds like a long-lost friend. Too many times, we write off muffins because they’re too sugary or have too many carbs. But you should NEVER have to fully abandon your favorite foods. And what’s a life without muffins? 

The best win-win solution is to make healthy adaptations of your favorite recipes. Well, check out seven HEALTHY versions of your favorite muffins. 

MAPLE OATMEAL MUFFINS

Ingredients

• 1 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Viiva Vanilla Plant Base
•  3/4 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
•  1/2 cup oat flour — or 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons of oats finely ground in a food processor
•  1 tbsp baking powder
•  1 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
•  1/2 tsp kosher salt
•  1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
•  1 cup almond milk— plus 2 tablespoons
•  1/2 cup pure maple syrup
•  1/4 cup coconut oil
•  2 large eggs
•  1 tsp vanilla extract

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Lightly grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin win non-stick spray. In a large bowl, stir together the whole wheat flour, Viiva plant base, oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, maple syrup, oil, eggs, and vanilla. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the center. Stir the batter gently until just combined. Divide the batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups.

Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick in the center comes out clean, 18-20 minutes.

PEANUT BUTTER AND BANANA MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

•  2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Viiva Vanilla Plant Base
•  1 tsp baking powder
•  1/2 tsp baking soda
•  1/4 tsp salt
•  1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
•  1 1/2 cups mashed bananas
•  1/3 cup honey
•  1/4 cup coconut oil, melted
•  1 large egg
•  1 tsp pure vanilla extract
•  1/2 cup creamy peanut butter
•  1/3 cup almond milk

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with nonstick cooking spray. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, Viiva Plant base, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, honey, coconut oil, egg, vanilla, peanut butter, and almond milk. Mix until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir until just combined. Bake for 17-18 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove the muffins from the tin and cool completely.

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups plus 1 teaspoon white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Viiva Vanilla Plant Base
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
• 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon (optional)
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil 
• 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
• 2 eggs
• 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 cup blueberries, fresh or frozen
• 1 tbsp turbinado sugar for sprinkling on top (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour with the Viiva Plant Base, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix them together with a whisk.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and honey/maple syrup, and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt and vanilla. Mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with the remaining 1 teaspoon flour.

Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with turbinado sugar. Bake the muffins for 16 to 19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

APPLE MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

• 1 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Viiva Vanilla Plant Base
• 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup grated apple
• 1 cup apple diced into 1/4” cubes
• 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil
• 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
• 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
• 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
• 1/2 cup applesauce
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Preheat oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease your muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, Viiva Plant Base, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Blend well with a whisk. Add the grated apple and chopped apple. Stir to combine.

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the oil and maple syrup and beat together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well, then add the yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla and mix well. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and mix with a big spoon. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Bake muffins for 13 to 16 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

RASPBERRY MUFFINS

Ingredients

• 2 cups fresh raspberries
• 1 cup plus 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour (divided)
• 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Viiva Vanilla Plant Base
• 1/2 cup oatmeal
• 2 tbsp flaxseed meal
• 3/4 cup sugar
• 1 tbsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 2 eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut oil
• 1 1/2 tsp fresh lemon zest
• 2/3 cup non-fat Greek yogurt
• 6 tbsp almond milk

Instructions

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Wash raspberries and let drain in a colander while you prepare the muffin batter. Combine 1 c. all-purpose flour, white whole wheat flour, Viiva Plant Base, oatmeal, flaxseed meal, sugar, salt, baking powder, and salt in a large mixing bowl. Stir to distribute ingredients evenly.

In a separate bowl whisk together the eggs, oil, lemon zest, yogurt, and milk. Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the liquid mixture into the dry. Stir till dry ingredients are all moistened. Toss raspberries with 2 tbsp. flour and then gently fold into the batter.

Fill muffin cups about 3/4 full. Bake at 400 degrees for 18-20 minutes.

WHOLE GRAIN CARROT CAKE MUFFINS

INGREDIENTS

WET

• 1 medium-sized banana, mashed
• 2 eggs, large
• 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, plain
• 2 tbsp coconut oil, melted
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond milk
• 1/2 cup maple syrup

DRY

• 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Vanilla Viiva Plant Base
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp cardamom
• 1/8 tsp salt
• 1 cup finely grated carrots, packed
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts

INSTRUCTIONS

Preheat oven to 350º and grease a muffin tin. Start with the wet ingredients. In a medium/large size mixing bowl, mash a medium-sized banana until there are minimal to no lumps. Add the rest of the wet ingredients to the bowl except for the coconut oil. Mix well. In a separate bowl mix dry ingredients together. Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix. Once combined, add the coconut oil to the batter until fully mixed in. Fill muffin liners about 3/4 of the way full. Repeat until batter is gone. Place in the oven for 16-18 minutes. Remove and let cool.

STRAWBERRY-BANANA MUFFINS

• 1 1/2 cup whole wheat flour
• 1 packet of Vanilla Viiva Plant Base
• 2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch of salt
• 2 bananas
• 4 tbsp Greek yogurt
• 4 tbsp maple syrup or honey
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tbsp coconut oil melted and cooled
• 1 egg
• 1 cup raw sliced strawberries
• 2 tbsp oats

Instructions

Preheat oven to 356 degrees Fahrenheit. In a bowl, mix dry ingredients – whole wheat flour, Viiva Vanilla Plant Base, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside. In separate larger bowl, mash banana with a fork. Add Greek yogurt, honey/maple syrup, vanilla, and coconut oil. Mix until smooth. Add in egg and mix until mixture is nice and smooth. Add flour mixture to wet mixture and stir. Add sliced strawberries and stir lightly. Line muffin pans with paper liners. Fill muffin cups with mixture, close to full. Sprinkle each muffin with oats. Bake for 22-25 minutes. Check muffins with a toothpick; if the toothpick comes out clean, the muffins are baked.

Happy baking!

– Jesse Bailey

Jesse is Viiva’s Senior Copywriter. She recently graduated Cum Laude from the University of Utah with a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and a Bachelor of Science degree in Economics. She loves hiking, writing, reading, playing her violin, and spending time with loved ones.