Simple Raspberry Yogurt Muffins

If you ask me, homemade muffins are one of life’s simple pleasures.

These raspberry yogurt muffins bring together two favorite breakfast ingredients in the most wonderful way. The tangy yogurt keeps them tender and moist, while fresh raspberries add little bursts of sweetness throughout.

They’re super easy to mix up – just a few basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen, plus some fresh berries. The yogurt does double duty here, adding richness and helping the muffins rise beautifully.

It’s a breakfast treat that works just as well for busy mornings as it does for lazy weekend brunches.

What Kind of Raspberries Should I Use?

Both fresh and frozen raspberries work great in these muffins, so you can use whichever is more convenient or in season. If you’re using fresh raspberries, look for berries that are bright red, firm, and free from any mold or mushy spots – they should easily pull away from their center when ripe. When using frozen raspberries, don’t thaw them before adding to your batter, as this helps prevent the color from bleeding too much throughout your muffins. Just toss the frozen berries in a little flour before folding them into your batter to help them stay suspended in the mixture rather than sinking to the bottom.

Options for Substitutions

These muffins are pretty adaptable and here’s how you can switch things up:

• Raspberry yogurt: If you can’t find raspberry yogurt, use vanilla or plain yogurt instead. Greek yogurt works too – just thin it with 2 tablespoons of milk. You could even use strawberry yogurt for a different berry twist.
• Canola oil: Any neutral-flavored oil works here – try vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or even melted butter. Each will give slightly different results, with butter making slightly denser muffins.
• Raspberries: Feel free to swap these with other berries like blueberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries. If using frozen berries, don’t thaw them first – add them while still frozen to prevent color bleeding.
• All-purpose flour: While the recipe mentions gluten-free flour as an option, you can also use whole wheat pastry flour or white whole wheat flour – just expect slightly denser muffins. If using whole wheat, replace just half the all-purpose flour to keep the muffins light.
• Sugar: Regular white sugar can be swapped with brown sugar for a deeper flavor, or coconut sugar. If using honey or maple syrup, reduce the amount to ¼ cup and cut back the yogurt by 1 tablespoon.

Watch Out for These Mistakes While Baking

The biggest mistake when making raspberry muffins is overmixing the batter – stop stirring as soon as the dry ingredients are just incorporated, as overmixing will lead to dense, tough muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.

Another common error is adding frozen raspberries without thawing and draining them first, which can make your muffins too wet and affect the baking time – pat them dry with paper towels before folding them into the batter.

Temperature matters more than you might think: starting with room-temperature ingredients (especially the egg and yogurt) helps create a smoother batter and more even baking, while filling your muffin cups about 2/3 full (not more) prevents them from overflowing during baking.

For extra insurance against soggy muffins, try tossing your raspberries in a tablespoon of the measured flour before adding them to the batter – this helps them stay suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.

What to Serve With Raspberry Muffins?

These fruity muffins make a perfect breakfast or brunch treat, and they pair wonderfully with a hot cup of coffee or tea. For a complete morning spread, serve them alongside some scrambled eggs and crispy bacon, or go the lighter route with a bowl of Greek yogurt topped with honey and fresh berries. If you’re hosting brunch, set out some softened butter or cream cheese – both taste amazing spread on these muffins while they’re still a bit warm. You can also make it a grab-and-go breakfast by wrapping a muffin with a piece of string cheese or a hard-boiled egg for extra protein.

Storage Instructions

Counter Storage: These raspberry yogurt muffins stay fresh at room temperature for up to 2 days. Just pop them in an airtight container and line it with a paper towel to absorb any extra moisture. The paper towel trick helps keep the muffins from getting too moist on top!

Refrigerate: Want them to last longer? Keep these muffins in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week. The cool temperature helps preserve the fresh raspberry flavor, though the texture might become slightly more dense.

Freeze: These muffins are perfect for freezing! Let them cool completely, then put them in a freezer bag or container. They’ll stay good for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them individually so I can grab just one or two when I need them.

Warm Up: When you’re ready to eat a stored muffin, you can bring it to room temperature naturally, or pop it in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if you like it warm. For frozen muffins, thaw them overnight in the fridge or heat them straight from frozen for about 30 seconds in the microwave.

Preparation Time	10-15 minutes
Cooking Time	15-25 minutes
Total Time	25-40 minutes
Level of Difficulty	Easy

Estimated Nutrition

Estimated nutrition for the whole recipe (without optional ingredients):

• Calories: 800-900
• Protein: 10-12 g
• Fat: 40-45 g
• Carbohydrates: 100-110 g

Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose or gluten-free flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 6 oz raspberry yogurt (1 carton)
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

Step 1: Prep Oven and Muffin Tin

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).

Prepare a 12-cup muffin tin by spraying it with nonstick spray, greasing it with oil, or lining it with paper liners.

This helps ensure the muffins release easily after baking.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

• 1 3/4 cups all-purpose or gluten-free flour
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp salt

In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Stir everything together until well blended.

This ensures the leaveners and flavorings are evenly distributed throughout the batter.

Step 3: Whisk Wet Ingredients

• 6 oz raspberry yogurt (1 carton)
• 1/3 cup canola oil
• 1 large egg

In a small bowl, beat together the raspberry yogurt, canola oil, and egg until the mixture is smooth and well combined.

This step provides the moistness and binding for the muffin batter.

Step 4: Combine Batter and Add Raspberries

• wet mixture from Step 3
• dry mixture from Step 2
• 1 cup raspberries, fresh or frozen

Pour the wet ingredients (from Step 3) into the dry ingredients (from Step 2).

Add the raspberries.

Gently stir until everything is just combined; the batter should remain a bit lumpy and it’s important not to overmix for the best muffin texture.

I like to gently fold the raspberries in last to keep them whole and avoid streaking the batter too much.

Step 5: Fill Muffin Tin and Bake

• batter from Step 4

Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about 2/3 to 3/4 full.

Place the tin in the preheated oven and bake for about 20 minutes, or until the muffins are nicely browned and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

For a golden top, I sometimes sprinkle a tiny bit of sugar on each muffin before baking.