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These bakery-style Blueberry Chia Muffins bake up soft and are filled with juicy blueberries in every bite. Chia seeds and simple wholesome ingredients make them perfect to prepare ahead for busy mornings.
These muffins are a little different from your typical blueberry muffin thanks to the addition of chia seeds. They add a light crunch and heartiness that people love, while the juicy berries keep the muffins soft and flavorful.
If you like a boost of chia seeds for breakfast, be sure to also try my Banana Bread with Chia Seeds, Kefir Chia Pudding, and Raspberry Chia Jam.
What Makes Blueberry Chia Muffins So Good
If you love classic bakery blueberry muffins, these will feel very familiar, but are made with more nourishing ingredients. Every bite is full of flavor thanks to the juicy blueberries and crunch from the chia seeds and sanding sugar.
Here’s what makes them so good:
- Chia seeds. The addition of chia seeds adds fiber, healthy fats, and a subtle crunch to make the muffins a little more hearty.
- Juicy wild blueberries. This recipe uses wild blueberries, which are packed with antioxidants and create little bursts of blueberry flavor throughout the muffins.
- Bakery-style muffin tops. With a sprinkle of sanding sugar or turbinado sugar on top, you’ll have a crisp golden finish.
- More wholesome than traditional muffins. Simple ingredients work together to create muffins that feel classic and comforting while also offering a little more nutritional value.
- Perfect for make-ahead mornings. Bake a batch in advance for an easy grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
Ingredient Notes
For full recipe instructions and complete list of ingredients, scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom of this page.
- White whole wheat flour: Adds more fiber and nutrients than traditional all-purpose flour. But you can sub with unbleached all-purpose flour if needed.
- Chia seeds: Add subtle texture and a boost of fiber and healthy fats.
- Frozen wild blueberries: Wild blueberries are smaller and more flavorful than regular blueberries. You can find them in the freezer section of your local grocery store. If you can’t find them, regular blueberries work too.
- Greek yogurt: Adds moisture and a little extra protein.
- Milk: Keeps the muffins soft. You can use any type of dairy or dairy-free milk.
- Honey: Adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the muffins. You can substitute with pure maple syrup.
- Avocado oil: Any neutral oil can be used. You can sub with coconut oil but the muffins may have a subtle coconut flavor.
- Eggs: Helps bind the batter together and create the light and fluffy texture.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Gives the muffins rise and a soft crumb.
- Vanilla: Use pure vanilla extract to enhance the overall flavor of the muffins.
- Lemon zest: Lemon and blueberry are a great combination. The citrusy flavor complements the blueberries well.
- Coarse sanding sugar or turbinado sugar: This is a topping sugar that adds a sparkle and crunchy texture to the muffins.
Variations
- Swap the fruit. Try raspberries, diced strawberries, or blackberries in place of the blueberries.
- Add warm spices. To add a hint of warming flavor, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
- Add chocolate chips. Fold in a small handful of chocolate chips for a sweeter muffin variation.
- Make mini muffins. Bake the batter in a mini muffin tin for about 10 to 12 minutes to create bite-sized muffins.
How to Make Blueberry Chia Muffins
Here’s how to make these blueberry chia seed muffins in just a few simple steps.
- Mix the dry ingredients: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, add the Greek yogurt, milk, honey, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest.
- Mix the batter: Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Add the blueberries: Use a rubber spatula to gently fold the blueberries into the batter until just combined.
- Prepare for baking: Divide the muffin batter evenly between the muffin tins. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar or turbinado sugar, if desired.
- Bake the muffins: Bake for 20 to 23 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool at least 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.
Jamie’s Tips
Expert Recipe Tips
- Use frozen blueberries right from the freezer. Fold the blueberries straight from the freezer to prevent the color from bleeding in the batter. This keeps the muffins from turning purple.
- Fold in the blueberries gently. This keeps them evenly distributed.
- Let the batter rest for 5 minutes. This allows the chia seeds to hydrate, improving their texture.
- Sprinkle the sugar on top right before baking. This creates that crisp bakery-style golden muffin top. If you want to skip this step, that’s fine too. The muffins will still taste amazing!
Storage Instructions
Let the muffins cool completely. Store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
For longer storage, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To freeze, place the fully cooled muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container and freeze for up to 3 months.
To reheat, warm the muffins in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds or let them thaw at room temperature before enjoying.
More Muffins Worth Baking
If you’ve made and loved these Blueberry Chia Muffins or any other recipe on my blog, please leave a 🌟 star rating and comments below!
Blueberry Chia Muffins
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/3 cup chia seeds
- 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 tablespoon sanding sugar or turbinado sugar, for topping (optional)
Wet ingredients
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1/2 cup honey
- 1/4 cup avocado oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 1/4 cups frozen wild blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, chia seeds, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, add the yogurt, milk, honey, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir until combined.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until combined. Gently fold in the blueberries.
- Divide the muffin batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle with the sanding sugar, if desired.
- Bake for 20 to 23 minutes until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool at least 5 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.
Notes
- Flour: You can substitute with unbleached all-purpose flour.
- To keep the muffins soft and tender don’t over mix the batter.
- Store muffins once fully cooled to prevent sogginess.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated and should only be used as an estimate.
I made these and they are so good! My husband loved them too. I was afraid he might not enjoy the chia seeds, but they add a nice texture. Will definitely be adding these to the regular rotation!
Yay! So happy to hear it- these are one of my all time favorites!
What a treat! These turned out quite delicious and are a healthy breakfast or snack option that is very filling. I substituted cashew & coconut milk and they worked out perfectly. I also used my blender for the oat flour, which worked suprisingly well with Coaches Oats.
Thank you for sharing your recipe Jamie!
So glad you enjoyed!!
Really good! The chia seeds give a poppy seed texture which I love. I also added 2 scoops of vanilla protein powder just to try it out and that turned out fine as well. Big fan of every recipe jamie posts- they’re easy to bring together which I really appreciate!
Hi Brooke – did you just add the protein powder with no other changes to the recipe?
Trying this recipe now and excited for the finished product, but it’s missing the step of adding the wet and dry ingredients together!
Thanks, was missing a sentence :).
Could I sub in a 1:1 gluten free flour?
You should be able to, yes!