Fluffy, bakery style vegan blueberry muffins with juicy berries and a crunchy sugar top, 100% plant based. ♡
These vegan blueberry muffins are the bakery style muffins with tall domed tops, sugar crunch crusts, and bursting blueberries in every bite. Nobody believes they are 100% plant based, dairy free, and egg free. For more ideas, see our Vegan Creamy Cashew Pasta.
One bowl, no weird ingredients, ready in 30 minutes. The kind of muffin that makes Sunday morning feel like a treat. Let’s make it together.
Ingredients
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- 1 cup unsweetened plant milk, soy or almond, room temperature
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 1/3 cup vegan butter, melted
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp fine sea salt
- 1.5 cups fresh blueberries, plus 1 tbsp flour for tossing
- 2 tbsp turbinado sugar, for topping
How to Make Vegan Blueberry Muffins
- **Prep.** Heat oven to 425F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- **Buttermilk.** Whisk plant milk and apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup. Let sit 5 minutes to curdle.
- **Wet.** Whisk melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk mixture in a large bowl.
- **Dry.** Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold with a spatula until just combined. Toss blueberries in 1 tbsp flour, then fold in gently.
- **Scoop.** Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- **Bake.** Bake at 425F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 375F and bake 18 more minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Why This Recipe Works
A buttermilk substitute made from plant milk and apple cider vinegar is what delivers the tall, fluffy, soft crumb of a real bakery muffin. The acid reacts with the baking soda for extra lift while also tenderizing the batter, giving you that signature bakery rise.
Starting the oven at 425F for the first 5 minutes and then dropping to 375F is the trick to tall domed muffin tops. The initial blast of heat sets the outside fast and pushes the batter up, creating a bakery style peak before the inside catches up. Starting at 375F gives you flat topped, home bake muffins.
Tossing the blueberries in flour before folding them in prevents them from sinking to the bottom. The flour coating gives the berries grip on the batter so they stay suspended through the bake. Without this step you end up with a blueberry bottom and a plain top, instead of muffins studded with juicy berries throughout. For more ideas, see our Vegan Buddha Bowl Tahini Dressing.
Tips
- Use fresh or frozen blueberries. Frozen work, just toss in flour first to prevent bleeding.
- Vegan swap: plant milk plus apple cider vinegar replaces buttermilk, and melted vegan butter replaces dairy butter.
- Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Warm muffins 15 seconds in the microwave for a just baked feel.
- Start the oven at 425F for 5 minutes for the signature bakery rise.
- Do not overmix the batter. A few lumps are fine, overmixed muffins turn dense.
Variations
- Fold in lemon zest for blueberry lemon muffins.
- Top with streusel (vegan butter, flour, brown sugar) for streusel muffins.
- Swap blueberries for raspberries, blackberries, or mixed berries.
- Add chopped almonds or walnuts for crunch.
- Use 1 to 1 gluten free flour for a gluten free vegan muffin.
- Drizzle with vegan lemon glaze after cooling for a bakery bakery case vibe.
Looking for more vegan ideas? Try our Vegan Chickpea Curry or Vegan Banana Bread next.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- Overmixing the batter: Stir until just combined. Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough muffins.
- Cold ingredients: Use room temperature plant milk. Cold milk shocks the batter and affects rise.
- Not starting hot: Start the oven at 425F. Initial blast of heat is what gives bakery domed tops.
- Frozen blueberries unfloured: Toss frozen berries in 1 tbsp flour before folding in. Unfloured berries sink and bleed.
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Method
- **Prep.** Heat oven to 425F. Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- **Buttermilk.** Whisk plant milk and apple cider vinegar in a measuring cup. Let sit 5 minutes to curdle.
- **Wet.** Whisk melted vegan butter, sugar, vanilla, and buttermilk mixture in a large bowl.
- **Dry.** Add flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Fold with a spatula until just combined. Toss blueberries in 1 tbsp flour, then fold in gently.
- **Scoop.** Divide batter evenly between muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
- **Bake.** Bake at 425F for 5 minutes, then reduce heat to 375F and bake 18 more minutes until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with moist crumbs.
Notes
Sources: USDA FoodData Central for nutrition data and Physicians Committee plant based nutrition reference.
