Raspberry Muffins Recipe

These bright and beautiful raspberry muffins are bursting with the perfect balance of sweet and tart flavors. Between their tender crumb, base, and simple-to-make nature, this is truly the best raspberry muffin recipe for everything from breakfast to a light, anytime treat.

These moist raspberry muffins are the perfect warm-weather treat. Not only do they offer a refreshing brightness in appearance and taste, but raspberries are also at their peak flavor between June and August, making this recipe shine extra bright during the summer months.

Muffins are an excellent breakfast food, but they also make a great snack or light dessert. And especially if you need a kid-friendly treat, it's always wise to have fun and tasty muffin recipes in your back pocket. Be sure to check out my cranberry orange muffins, strawberry lemonade muffins, and blueberry crumb kamut muffins for unique and options that will never fail to satisfy. 

Why You'll Love It

Bakery Style- This recipe makes tall, fluffy bakery-style muffins that feel both refreshingly light and wonderfully indulgent at the same time. Topped with sliced almonds for crunch and a hint of almond extract, these muffins will quickly become a cherished favorite.

Portable- One of the best things about muffins is how portable they are. If you have busy mornings or need an on-the-go snack during the day, they're the perfect treat. Muffins make an especially great family-friendly snack in the summer for pool days and car trips because they're filling, satisfying, and easy to bring along.

Versatile - These simple raspberry muffins can pair with a variety of other foods and be enjoyed any time of the day. They make a delicious breakfast on their own, but they can also be a part of a more filling meal with bacon, eggs, or other pastries. You can also enjoy them as a dessert or a snack, along with Greek yogurt perhaps for an energizing mid-day break.

Can you freeze raspberry muffins?

Yes, you can freeze these muffins. This is a great option if you like to bake a big batch all at once to save time later. The key is to carefully and thoroughly wrap them well so they stay fresh tasting once they thaw out.

After baking this easy raspberry muffins recipe, you must let them cool completely. This may take 1-2 hours, but it's a step you cannot skip. Any leftover heat will create steam, which freezes as ice crystals and will ruin your muffins. 

After cooling, wrap them in plastic wrap, and place them in a freezer storage bag. I like to wrap an extra layer of foil around the plastic wrap as well because it really seals the muffins for long-term storage, but this extra step it's not required.

They will keep for up to three months in the freezer but usually taste best if enjoyed within 1-2 months.

To thaw frozen raspberry muffins: leave them on the counter for 30-60 minutes or place them in the refrigerator to thaw overnight. If you enjoy your muffins warm, you can even place them in the oven at 350 for 3-5 minutes for a freshly baked taste.

Mistakes to avoid when making muffins

Over Mixing the batter- It can be tempting to keep mixing the batter until every little lump is gone, but overmixing can actually negatively affect the final outcome of your muffins. If you mix the batter too much, your light and fluffy muffins will bake up dense and tough. The batter is ideally mixed until just combined, meaning the first point at which all the flour and liquid ingredients have come together. A few small lumps are okay.

Sifting flour before adding it can help avoid an overly lumpy batter. Some ingredients, such as eggs, mix in more easily when they're at room temperature, which will also help you mix less and avoid excessive stirring.

Filling the muffin cups too much- Overfilling your muffin cups can affect the overall appearance of your finished raspberry muffins. For that perfectly domed beautiful muffin shape, you'll need to fill each well about ¾ of the way so that when they bake, your muffins rise over the top. 

Overfilling, however, can not only cause your batter to spill over the sides as the muffins rise, but it can also be the cause of undercooked muffins.

Baking on too-low heat- These muffins need to be baked hot. Often, muffin recipes and many other baking recipes are baked at 350 degrees. However, you should bake these muffins extra hot in comparison (425 degrees) because it causes a fast rise for a beautiful final presentation.

Overbaking- You should always keep a close eye on your baked goods. Oven temperatures can vary, some even as much as 10 degrees from the temperature you set it to. Hot spots in your oven can also affect baking, so you can easily overbake these muffins through no fault of your own. You'll want to undercook these muffins slightly for the best texture.

It's also important to note that when muffins are pulled from the oven, the cooking process doesn't automatically stop. Carry-over cooking continues for a few minutes before cooling. And a few minutes can make a big difference in baking. When you do the toothpick test to see if the muffins are done, you should be looking for a few crumbs rather than a completely clean toothpick.

Pulling the muffins out slightly underbaked will give the carry-over cooking a chance to finish them to perfection. Leaving your muffins in the oven until they're already fully cooked will mean that the carry-over cooking may instead overbake and dry out your delicious treat.

Why did my raspberry muffins turn blue?

Sometimes you may find that raspberry baked goods may turn a blueish color. This is due to the chemical reaction of the baking powder or baking soda with compounds in the raspberry juice. You can still enjoy these fluffy muffins if they turn blueish green, but you may not like the way they look. 

To reduce the likelihood of this happening, there are a few preventative measures:

Fold the raspberries into the batter very gently to keep them from breaking apart and spreading their juices throughout the batter.  You can even toss them in a little flour to seal in the juice. Additionally, using frozen raspberries may help because they are firmer and less likely to break apart and cause a reaction.

Can you use frozen raspberries in muffins?

Absolutely! This is an excellent option if you can't find high-quality fresh raspberries or simply prefer to keep frozen fruit on hand. There's no need to thaw the raspberries before adding them to the batter, but keep a close eye on your muffins in case they need an extra couple of minutes in the oven due to the increased moisture.

Ingredients

Flour blend- I have paired whole wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour to give these homemade raspberry muffins the perfect texture. Whole wheat flour is an excellent way to add that nutty flavor and delicious texture. Paired with all-purpose flour, it offers a balanced flavor that's ideal for those who are venturing into whole wheat recipes for the first time. 

Granulated sugar- Sugar sweetens these delicious muffins and helps the raspberry flavor shine. If you prefer a less sweet muffin, reduce the sugar by ¼ cup.

Baking powder- Baking powder gives these lofty muffins their rise. It's a double-acting leavening agent, which means it's actually activated twice. First, when it comes into contact with liquid, you can notice bubbles forming in the batter. Second, when it comes into contact with heat, making for a wonderfully even bake on your muffins.

Butter and Oil- Many recipes may use butter or oil, but the best recipes use both. Oil retains moisture in baked goods better than butter, but butter is needed for its delicious flavor.

Flavor extracts- Vanilla and almond extracts give these muffins an incredible depth of flavor. Vanilla extract adds a beautiful essence to the muffins, and almond extract adds a slightly sweet, fruity flavor that perfectly complements the raspberries.

Eggs- Eggs give these muffins structure and impart a richer taste to the batter.

Greek Yogurt- Adding yogurt to the batter not only improves the texture of the muffins by making them more tender, but it also adds a subtle tanginess that brightens the overall flavor.

Milk- Milk adds moisture and richness to the batter. It also acts as a binder to integrate the wet and dry ingredients.

Salt- Salt enhances all the flavors in the batter and balances the sweetness that comes from the sugar.

Sliced Almonds- To provide the perfect accent of a bit of crunch to top these muffins, sliced almonds are the perfect addition.

How to make Raspberry Muffins

Begin by collecting your ingredients and preheating the oven to 425 degrees. Prepare a muffin tin with paper liners or coat the tin well with cooking spray or butter.

• In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, and baking powder in a medium bowl and set aside.
• In a separate bowl, mix the granulated sugar, butter, and oil.
• Add the wet ingredients to the flour mixture and whisk together. Fold in the eggs, Greek yogurt, milk, vanilla extract, and almond extract until the muffin batter is well combined. 
• Gently fold in the raspberries.
• Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin tin, filling each about ⅔ of the way full. This recipe should make 12 muffins. Top each muffin with sliced almonds.
• Place the muffin tin into the oven, bake for 7 minutes, then rotate the pan. Most ovens have hot spots, generally in the back corners, so rotating halfway through helps to lessen their effect.
• Bake for 14-18 minutes in total. When done, the muffins should be golden brown, and a toothpick should come out with a few crumbs. You want them to be slightly underbaked before cooling.
• Remove your raspberry muffins from the oven and cool them for 3-5 minutes, then place them on a cooling rack to finish cooling completely.

Expert Tips

• Add your favorite mix-ins- Make raspberry white chocolate muffins by adding ¼ cup of white chocolate to the batter or the tops of your muffins. You can also add lemon zest and 1-2 tablespoons of lemon juice to the batter for lemon raspberry muffins.
• Use a wire rack for cooling- Allowing muffins to cool in the tin will trap steam underneath, which can make them soggy. Once they're cool enough to touch, usually after a few minutes, transfer them to a wire rack to finish cooling.
• Storage-These are best enjoyed the day of baking, but to store them, place them into airtight containers in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.

• Breakfast
• Quick Breads
• Baked
• Whole Wheat Pastry Flour