There's nothing like fresh homemade muffins with fruit coming hot out of the oven! Below are the top muffin recipes to make with fresh, dried, or frozen fruit.
I've baked hundreds of moist muffins over the last 15 years, I've even sold them at the farmer's market! My favorite to always have in the freezer are strawberry muffins and my kid's favorite are these banana apple sauce muffins (with chocolate chips of course)!
Jump to:
- Why does fruit sink to the bottom of muffins?
- How to bake with frozen berries (or fruit)
- Baking with seasonal fruit
- Tips for adding fruit to muffins
- Easy & Delicious Fruit Muffin Recipes
- Frozen Strawberry Muffins
- Blender Orange Muffins
- Moist Carrot Muffins with Pineapple
- No Milk Blueberry Muffins
- Rhubarb Banana Muffins
- Blackberry Muffins with Oatmeal
- Pineapple Muffins with Oatmeal
- Healthy Banana Muffins with Applesauce
- Raspberry Yogurt Muffins
- Moist Date Muffins
- Best equipment for muffins
- On the hunt for other great snacks?
- Fruit Muffins
- Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
Let's chat about the important tips for baking muffins with fruit! Then find a light and fruity muffin recipe to bake in your kitchen. Or scroll to the recipe card at the bottom where you will find my go-to muffin batter recipe to make with your choice of fruit!
Why does fruit sink to the bottom of muffins?
Fruit can sink to the bottom of the muffins because fruit has a high water content and is heavy! To avoid fruit from sinking but instead be evenly dispersed, lightly cover the fruit in flour before adding them to the batter!
How to bake with frozen berries (or fruit)
Do not defrost frozen fruit to bake with, the fruit or fruit will become mushy, watery and can change the color of the batter. Add frozen fruit straight from the freezer! Try my frozen strawberry muffins or these blueberry muffins with frozen berries!
Baking with seasonal fruit
It's fun to bake with seasonal fruit. Seasonal fruit means it grows in abundance this time of year and it's often cheaper. To support the body it is good to eat a variety of fruit to gain different vitamins and minerals so the body has no gaps in nutrition.
- Spring: Apricots, cherries, honeydew, mango, oranges, pineapple, rhubarb, strawberries, peaches, plums, bananas, rhubarb, and lemons.
- Summer: Bananas, pears, berries, melons, grapes, cherries, citrus fruits, stone fruit, mangoes, pineapple, passion fruit, apples, nectarines, apricots, peaches, and plums.
- Fall: Grapes, huckleberries, pineapple, apples, pumpkin, apple, apricots, and peaches.
- Winter: Apples, pomegranate, bananas, cranberry, lemon, lime, orange, mandarin orange, grapefruit, dates, kiwi, pears.
Seasonal fruit will vary depending on where one lives.
Tips for adding fruit to muffins
- When adding fruit to muffins size matters! Smaller pieces will distribute more evenly and give flavor throughout the whole thing! If you are making muffins with berries choose the small or wild berries for this reason!
- If the fruit has a high moisture content let the fruit drain first! Place the pineapple, or peaches, or other fruit in a colander over a bowl and let the fruit drain for a while before adding it to the muffin batter. This will prevent soggy muffins.
- Use a flour coating to stop the fruit from sinking! Adding just a tablespoon of flour to coat the fruit can easily prevent the fruit from baking into the bottom of a muffin. The flour can also stop muffins from turning the color of the fruit.
- Use a spatula to fold the fruit into the muffin batter so the fruit does not squish! Be gentle with the fruit!
Easy & Delicious Fruit Muffin Recipes
These moist muffin recipes with fruit are perfect to make for nourishing and filling snacks! There's a recipe for everyone!
Frozen Strawberry Muffins
Made with frozen strawberries, enjoy these light and fluffy muffins with spring and summer flavors all year round!
Blender Orange Muffins
Easy peasy, throw peeled oranges in the blender, add some more wholesome ingredients then pour into the muffin pan! Vibrant and zingy flavor all the way through!
Moist Carrot Muffins with Pineapple
These are a wholesome carrot cake muffin with hints of cinnamon and ginger, complete with crushed pineapple.
No Milk Blueberry Muffins
These blueberry muffins are perfect for the days you run out of milk! Yet with a beautiful rise these blueberry muffins are a must-try!
Rhubarb Banana Muffins
The perfect spring and summer muffin using fresh rhubarb! Very moist with hints of cinnamon and brown sugar (or coconut sugar)!
Blackberry Muffins with Oatmeal
These muffins are made from blending up oats in the blender into a coarse flour that is used as the base! Therefore these blackberry muffins are gluten free (but you wouldn't even notice!).
Pineapple Muffins with Oatmeal
These fruity tropical muffins are a great source of fiber, perfect for balancing blood sugar levels, yet so so delicious!
Healthy Banana Muffins with Applesauce
These fluffy muffins are especially a hit for toddlers and kiddos! Add chocolate chips or nuts for extra fun!
Raspberry Yogurt Muffins
Wow, these are tasty! Use frozen berries or fresh berries for this recipe. The yogurt in these muffins increases the healthy fats, and protein while keeping you full longer!
Moist Date Muffins
THESE are exceptionally delicious! The dates give a caramel-like flavor, just the perfect sweetness complimented with hints of citrus from the lemon!
Best equipment for muffins
Here's my must-haves for making muffins at home!
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On the hunt for other great snacks?
At Beside the Mountain, I create simple wholesome snacks for active lifestyles. Try these:
Did you make your own version of fruit muffins? What fruit did you choose? Let me know!! I read every comment!
Fruit Muffins
Equipment
- 1 Muffin Tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups organic white flour or a mix of white and whole wheat flour
- ½ cups cane sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- ½ cup melted butter
- ½ cup milk any milk or water can be used
- 2 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups small chunks of fruit
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425 Fahrenheit.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients - flour, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Use a whisk to mix everything well.
- Mix wet ingredients: Melt butter. Let it cool until it is not too hot to touch. To the slightly cooled butter add eggs, milk, and vanilla. Whisk together until it is well combined.
- Fold everything together: Add the fruit of your choice to the flour mixture to briefly coat with a light layer of flour. Then add the egg mixture into the bowl with flour. Use a spatula to stir the batter together, about 12 folds, just until everything is incorporated. Do not over-stir.
- Scoop & bake: Add about ⅓ cup of batter to fill each muffin cup. Place the muffin tin in the preheated oven to bake for 8 minutes. Then turn the oven to 475 and bake another 5-8 munutes until fully baked. Remove muffins from the oven when they spring back from the touch and when the center does not look gooey.
- Cool & store: Wait for the muffins to cool slight (just a few minutes), then remove them from the muffin pan. Let them sit on a cooling rack until fully cool. Then place in a container lined with a paper towel (this will absorb any fruit moisture), keep in a cool dry place and eat within 3-4 days.
Notes
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- Other Berries: Instead of blueberries try this recipe with blackberries, raspberries, or chopped strawberries to make berry muffins without milk.
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- Toddler friendly: Bake these muffins in a tiny muffin tray to make every toddler squeal for mini blueberry muffins!
- Dairy-Free Fruit Muffins: Simply replace the butter for oil, use vegetable oil, melted coconut oil, or olive oil.
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- Gluten-Free Muffins: To make these muffins gf simply use a gluten-free flour blend.
Nutrition
Danika Vanderpyl, C.H.N
I create snack recipes with healthy ingredients that are mostly already in your kitchen. I'm certified in Holistic Nutrition and I care about giving my kids real food. Let me share my nutrient-dense easy snacks with you.
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