Vegan Blueberry Muffins Recipe
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These fluffy as a cloud vegan blueberry muffins with crumb topping feature a ricotta dough studded with fresh blueberries and perfumed with vanilla. Easy from scratch recipe, no eggs, no dairy, you’ll just wish you baked a double batch!
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
Step into the magic of Christmas by baking a batch of these ultimate vegan blueberry muffins finished with a kiss of streusel crumb topping from scratch. I don’t always bake but when I do it must be worth its calories in gold. Bake for a festive breakfast / brunch and enjoy as a pick me upper later in the day with a fresh espresso or cup of hot cocoa.
About the Muffin Batter
A thick ricotta batter that gets its magic from ricotta cheese, olive oil (yes you read that right “olive oil”) and vanilla. I make mine from scratch in the house, however any store bought vegan ricotta will also work here. A light floral olive oil is ideal but really whatever you have on hand shall be fine.
The Streusel Crumb Topping
It’s a mix of granulated sugar, flour + butter. The super important detail is to keep the butter chilled, even frozen before grating and mixing it in. You want a mixture that resembles coarse wet sand, work quickly so the butter doesn’t melt and pop the mix back in the fridge to keep chilled while prepping the muffins.
Fresh vs Frozen Blueberries
I prefer baking with fresh blueberries but frozen will also work in a pinch. Do not defrost, add them to the dry ingredients and with a spatula gently fold them in, this coating will help prevent staining during baking. Since the batter is extra thick you won’t have any issues with the blueberries sinking at all.
Recipe Tips + FAQ
- Swaps – If you don’t fancy blueberries today you can swap them for fresh cranberries, blackberries, chocolate chips, dried figs and even Turkish delight.
- Can I use gluten-free flour instead of all purpose? – This recipe has not been tested as gluten-free and I do not recommend that swap.
- Topping – If you don’t fancy making a streusel topping you can simply sprinkle your muffins with granulated sugar. For a festive wintery look dust with powdered sugar before serving.
- Lemon Glaze Variation – omit the crumb topping and once fully cooled glaze your blueberry muffins with a lemon glaze: (whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 3 tbsp lemon juice + lemon zest).
- On Storage – For best results store your muffins at room temperature in a cake box or lidded container. For longer storage they can be frozen individually in freezer bags or containers and brought to room temperature before serving.
- Don’t I Need to Use an Egg-Replacer? – Absolutely not, the olive oil + ricotta will bind everything together like a dream! Trust the process!
You’ll Also Love
- Vegan Ricotta Pie
- Nutty Cookies
- Best Vegan Christmas Cookies
- Vegan Pumpkin Bread
- Vegan Chocolate Sheet Cake
- No Bake Oatmeal Peanut Butter Cookies
- Vegan Oatmeal Breakfast Bars
- Vegan Lemon Olive Oil Cake.
how to make the best blueberry muffins
Vegan Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1.5 cups unbleached all purpose flour organic
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1.3 cups fresh blueberries
- Zest from 1 lemon
Wet Ingredients
- 1/3 cup olive oil
- 5 Tbsp cashew milk (or any plant milk you like)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup vegan ricotta cheese (from scratch or store-bought)
Cashew Ricotta from Scratch
- 2 cups raw cashews
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 lemn juiced
Streusel Topping
- 4 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp all purpose flour organic unbleached
- 1 Tbsp vegan butter chilled
Instructions
- Streusel Topping - In a small bowl whisk together the flour and sugar. Grate the butter or dice it into small pieces. Use your hand and quickly work the butter into the sugar and flour mix until it resembles wet sand. Refrigerate or freeze until needed. It is very important that the mixture stays cold and the butter doesn’t melt.4 Tbsp granulated sugar, 2 Tbsp all purpose flour, 1 Tbsp vegan butter
- Preheat oven to 375”F.
- Vegan Ricotta from scratch - Soak the cashews in boiling hot water for 20 minutes. Drain then process in a powerful blender with the water and lemon juice until creamy. Transfer to a bowl and refrigerate until needed.2 cups raw cashews, 1 lemn, 3/4 cup water
The Muffins
- In a large mixing bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients then gently fold in the blueberries trying not to break them.1.5 cups unbleached all purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 2 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp sea salt, Zest from 1 lemon, 1.3 cups fresh blueberries
- In a separate bowl whisk all the wet ingredients then pour over the dry ingredients. Fold until a thick batter is formed.1/3 cup olive oil, 5 Tbsp cashew milk, 2 tsp vanilla extract, 3/4 cup vegan ricotta cheese
- Prepare a muffin pan lined with paper cups or use cardboard cupcake/muffin cups or silicone ones. Fill each cup with the muffin batter 3/4 of the way up.
- Sprinkle each muffin with about a tablespoon of the streusel topping.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20 to 25 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and allow to cool off completely before serving. (Optional - Dust with powdered sugar before serving).
Notes
- Swaps - If you don't fancy blueberries today you can swap them for fresh cranberries, blackberries, chocolate chips, dried figs and even Turkish delight.
- Can I use gluten-free flour instead of all purpose? - This recipe has not been tested as gluten-free and I do not recommend that swap.
- Topping - If you don't fancy making a streusel topping you can simply sprinkle your muffins with granulated sugar. For a festive wintery look dust the muffins with powdered sugar before serving.
- Lemon Glaze Variation - omit the crumb and glaze your blueberry muffins with a lemon glaze once fully cooled. (whisk 1/2 cup powdered sugar + 3 tbsp lemon juice + lemon zest).
The best muffins I’ve ever made, the batter seemed way too thick and I felt super skeptical at first but these muffins baked like a dream and taste like a gourmet made to order holiday pastry. Will throw out my old recipe with eggs, this is the only blueberry muffins I will be baking from now on.