This Yogurt Muffin recipe is as versatile as it is delicious! With a base recipe that bakes fluffy and just-sweet-enough muffins—and 6 options to add flavors from fruit, veggies, spices, and chocolate chips—it’s our favorite muffin for kids.
Yogurt Muffins
I love healthy muffins for kids as easy snacks and breakfasts, and I am so happy to now have a basic muffin recipe that’s as good plain as it is with added flavorings. These are super fluffy, incredibly moist, and easy to vary. My kids love when I make a batch that has a few different flavors—so they each get to have their favorite flavor!
This yogurt muffin recipe works so well because the addition of yogurt makes them moist and tender. It also adds a nice dose of protein, calcium, and probiotics.
And then with the optional additions of blueberries, strawberries, cherries, chocolate chips, or carrots and raisins, you can chose your own flavor adventure each time you make a batch!
These yogurt muffins work well as an easy Toddler Breakfast, they can be packed into a Cold Lunch for Kids, and they are a great Toddler Snack idea.
(You may also like my Spinach Banana Muffins and my Donut Muffins.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
Here is a look at the ingredients you need to make this yogurt muffin recipe to share with the kids so you know what to have on hand and ready to go.
- Flour: I like to use a mix of all-purpose and whole wheat flour in this recipe for Yogurt Muffins for a mix of both nutrition and lightness.
- Baking powder and soda: Using a combination of these rising agents ensures the muffins rise and bake through as intended. Be sure your baking soda is fresh.
- Whole-milk plain Greek yogurt: This type of yogurt is thick and creamy, and adds both protein and tenderness to the muffins. You can use reduced-fat yogurt if that’s what you have on hand, but whole milk yogurt is preferred.
- Maple syrup: I sweeten this recipe with maple syrup, though you can also use honey for kids over age 1 if you prefer.
- Unsalted butter: I like to bake with unsalted butter so I can control the salt in the recipe. You’ll want to melt it and let it cool slightly before adding it to the rest of the batter.
- Eggs: I bake with large eggs, so plan to use them here so the volume of wet ingredients is correct.
- Vanilla extract: You can use pure or artificial vanilla extract in this recipe.
- Add-ins: You can add berries, other diced fruit, and/or chocolate chips to make this any flavor you like.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process involved in this yogurt muffin recipe so you know what to expect. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information, including the amounts and timing.
- Stir together the wet ingredients in a medium bowl or large bowl.
- Stir in the dry ingredients, whisking gently to create a thick but uniform batter. (Expect the batter for your yogurt muffins to be thick!)
- Divide the batter among a greased muffin pan and distribute the add-ins—either using one for the whole batch or dividing up the batch.
- Bake until lightly golden brown around the edges.
TIP: I like to make a batch with a few different flavors in my Yogurt Muffins, so I divide up the batter as shown here. You can do a batch all in one flavor or you can stir 1 tablespoon of any add-in into each muffin cup.
Frequently Asked Questions
I prefer to use plain whole milk Greek style yogurt in this recipe for the most tender and moist results.
These are great for babies eating finger foods on up. Dice them up as needed for younger kids.
Using yogurt in muffin batter is a great way to add moisture, tenderness, and richness without relying on butter or oil. It also adds protein, which makes the muffins more filling and satisfying.
Yogurt often replaces butter or oil in baking, adding similar richness and moisture, but also adding protein and beneficial fats.
How to Store
Once cooled, store these Yogurt Muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Warm slightly to serve from the fridge. You can also freeze the muffins in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in 15-second increments in the microwave.
Find more tips on How to Freeze Muffins, too, which works for all muffins and is an easy method for these Greek Yogurt Muffins.
Best Tips for Success
- Use one add-in per batch of these Greek yogurt muffins, or use 1 tablespoon of each per muffin to make a mixed batch.
- I like using whole-milk Greek yogurt in this Yogurt Muffin recipe. (Regular yogurt will work, too.)
- Dairy-free: Use a nondairy Greek-style yogurt like the plant-based options from Siggis.
- Gluten-free: Use cup-for-cup gluten-free flour like the one from King Arthur flour.
- Egg-free: Omit the eggs. Reduce the yogurt to ¾ cup and add ¼ cup milk. Proceed with the recipe for Yogurt Muffins below.
- Dice up as needed for younger eaters.
- Top with butter, nut butter, or jam as desired.
- Try my Healthy Chocolate Chip Muffins, which are a version of this recipe. And my yummy Blueberry Yogurt Muffins, too.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe so please comment below to share!
Favorite Yogurt Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup whole-milk plain Greek yogurt
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (melted and slightly cooled)
- 2 eggs (lightly beaten)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Optional Add-Ins (Choose One)
- 1 cup chocolate chips
- 1 cup shredded carrots, ½ cup raisins, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon ground ginger
- 2 cups finely diced strawberries (add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest if desired)
- 2 cups blueberries (add 1 teaspoon cinnamon if desired)
- 2 cups finely diced cherries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Grease a 12-cup standard muffin pan with nonstick spray.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, stir together the yogurt, maple syrup, butter, eggs, and vanilla.
- Gently stir the yogurt mixture into the flour mixture. (Expect the batter to be thick.)
- Add your desired add-in. (You can also add 1 tablespoon of any add-in to each muffin cup, using ¼ cup batter, to make a batch with a few different flavors. Or you can bake them plain.) Stir gently to combine.
- Divide batter among the prepared muffin tin, using about ¼ cup batter in each cup.
- Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until the edges are lightly golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from oven, then transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool fully.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Once cooled, store in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature. Store in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Warm slightly to serve from the fridge (they firm up a bit when they’re cold so warming slightly returns them to their softer texture).
- You can also freeze the muffins in a freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or in 15-second increments in the microwave.
- Use one add-in per batch of muffin, or use 1 tablespoon of each per muffin to make a mixed batch.
- I like using whole-milk Greek yogurt in this recipe.
- Dairy-free: Use a nondairy Greek-style yogurt like the plant-based options from Siggis and a neutral oil like canola in place of the butter.
- Gluten-free: Substitute cup-for-cup gluten-free flour in place of the wheat flours.
- Egg-free: Omit the eggs. Reduce the yogurt to ¾ cup. Add ¼ cup milk. Proceed with the recipe.
- Dice up as needed for younger eaters.
- Top with butter, nut butter, or jam as desired.
Nutrition
This post was first published June 2021.
Hello! Would this work as a big cake instead of muffins? And how long would you bake it for in this case? Thank you!
Hi-
If you let me know what size pan you plan to use I can try to estimate it for you!
This is now my go-to muffin recipe! I make them as mini muffins and they work with any mix-ins. I make them all the time. So delish!
My family’s favourite!! And I love that I can customise depending on what I have in the fridge and its delicious every time.
This was such an easy recipe and it turned out so well. Thank you so much Amy!
My 4 and 2 year old are a big fan of these muffins!
I’ve made these twice with Bob’s egg replacer due to an egg allergy, and they’ve turned out phenomenal both times. The first time was the carrot cake variation, the second was with shredded apple. These will be a regular snack for my toddler, thank you!
When I made it the first time, it was kinda dense so my daughter wasn’t a fan of it. Today I tried it again but did a little bit of tweaking to make banana muffins (ended up with 16 muffins). I added 2 more tbsp of butter, 2 tbsp whole milk, 2 ripe bananas (mashed) and 1 tsp of cinnamon. Also reduced the maple syrup to 1/6 cup. My daughter is now obsessed with the muffins! They are moist and fluffy with just a bit of sweetness.
I love this! But can it be made with regular non-Greek yogurt?
To make this with regular yogurt, I would use 1 cup regular plain yogurt and increase the all purpose flour to 1 cup. This should help ensure they don’t have too much moisture to bake through the same. Enjoy!
Love this recipe! I altered it a little bit as I didn’t want to add the maple syrup quantity in your recipe for my 18m old twins. So 20ml honey and it still turned out brilliant. What is a good non sugary substitute in your opinion?
Oh good! You could probably do 1/4 cup mashed very ripe banana in place of the sweetener.
We love this recipe. I was searching for something to get more protein in for my student athlete, and this hit the mark. They taste great, store well and they’re sturdy enough to be packed for school lunch or snack. Big win !
I’m so glad to hear that!
Made these for a snack to take to preschool – used chocolate chips and mini muffin tins – my 4 year old loved them!
Love your recipes! Would it be possible to use all whole wheat flour instead of all purpose? Thank you ! 🙂
Yes, though I think I’d add 1/4 cup milk if you use 1.5 cups of whole wheat flour to ensure the batter isn’t too dry. You might get an extra muffin. Enjoy!
I was wondering if I use All purpose flour instead of whole wheat, would the amount of flour change from 3/4 cup?
It should work similarly, though you may need to bake for an extra minute or two.
Hi ! I love these muffins but for some reason when I bake them, the bottom edges of the muffins become completely burnt / black while the inside of the muffins stay moist, but they still have to be thrown out because the outside of the muffin tastes burnt. I use your recommended temp for the minimum time and I use a baking spray from whole foods. What could be causing this?
Hi- What kind of oil is the baking spray made of and what kind of pan are you using? It’s unusual they would get that brown in such a short amount of time at that temp, so I’d love to help you figure it out!
Thank you so much for your reply! I use a baking spray called La Tourangelle all purpose baking spray. I don’t know what oil is in it. And I bought new pans because I thought the old pans could have been causing this issue – but no, it’s still happening – the pan I use is the OXO Good Grips non stick. I made a double batch of these today to get ready for back to school next week and all but 5 of them turned on black 🙁
If it’s possible, I would try a different baking spray to see if it’s that. I am not super familiar with that one, I can’t imagine it would be the pans (and especially since it happened with the old pand and the new ones) I’m sorry this is happening though because it sounds super frustrating!
Made mine with carrot. These were delicious! Thank you!
You’re so welcome, enjoy!