This healthier blackberry muffin recipe is made with whole grain oats, less sugar, and a secret ingredient for a moist and delicious finish! They are perfect for breakfast, snacks or meal prep!

I won’t call these healthy blackberry muffins. These blackberry oatmeal muffins have regular sugar and flour. BUT they are healthier because these muffins are bursting with antioxidant-rich blackberries and whole grain oats.

When are blackberries in season?

Blackberry season runs from late spring to early fall. In the US, blackberries grow wild and are also farmed. Here in Atlanta, we can get fresh Georgia-grown blackberries from June to early August.

How to choose the best blackberries

Select berries that are dark purple-black all over. This sounds obvious but if you’re picking the fruit from the bush, sometimes one side will have that deep dark color and the other will still have a bit more red.
Look for plump, large berries. These tend to be the sweetest.
Once you get your berries home, eat them as soon as possible or freeze any that you won’t eat in a couple of days. Wash the blackberries right before you eat them to avoid excess moisture which can lead to spoilage.

I recently went blackberry picking. I had no idea how much blackberries make up a gallon. It’s a lot. So. I’ve been making all of the blackberry things including this riff on these Strawberry Oat Breakfast Muffins.

How to make the best blackberry muffins

To make this recipe, you will need a few ingredients. Use whole, traditional oats. Not instant.

Buttermilk is the secret to making these muffins deliciously moist without a lot of butter or oil. I let the buttermilk and oats sit for a while to allow the oats to absorb the buttermilk which helps also tenderize the oats. Add the oats and let them hang out for about 15 minutes – until they look like the ones in the first picture below.

It’s really important to cut the blackberries. Adding whole berries to the batter will cause the muffins to break apart.

To that end, consider skipping the paper muffin tin liners. Greasing the pan well and cooking the muffins directly in the muffin pan helps create a lovely golden brown, almost crispy crust.

How to store muffins

These blackberry oatmeal muffins are ideal for meal prep. The key to keeping them good for the week is to keep them cool and dry.

Allow the muffins to cool completely on a cooling rack. This is important so that the muffins don’t get soggy when you put them away. Once cool, place in an airtight container and store at room temperature for 1-2 days. If you plan to eat them longer, store the muffins up to 5 days in the refrigerator. For longer, freeze them.

How to freeze muffins

To maintain the best flavor and quality, freeze the muffins on the day they are baked. Follow the same instructions for storing the muffins. But freeze in a single layer either in a freezer-safe, airtight container or bag. The frozen muffins will keep for at least 2 months – though I’ve never gone that long!

When you’re ready to eat the muffins, reheat in a toaster oven (or regular one) for 15 minutes at 350ºF.

Follow Me on Pinterest!

Make these other oatmeal recipes:

Vegan Berry Oatmeal Bars

Healthy Apple Cinnamon Muffins

Strawberry Buttermilk Oat Muffins

Print Recipe

5 from 7 votes

Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins

These Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins are made healthier with oats and buttermilk for a moist and delicious recipe! Make a batch for breakfast, a healthy snack or meal prep!

Prep Time20

Cook Time20

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 166kcal

Author: Marisa Moore

Ingredients

1 cup uncooked old fashioned oats
1 cup buttermilk
1 cup all-purpose flour (sub up to ½ cup whole wheat or almond flour)
½ teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup packed light brown sugar
1 egg, beaten
¼ cup avocado or olive oil (or any neutral tasting oil)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
1½ cup halved fresh blackberries

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400F*. Lightly spray or grease a standard 12-well muffin tin.
Set aside. In a large bowl, combine oats and buttermilk to soak 15 minutes. In a second bowl, whisk the flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.
Stir the oil, egg, brown sugar and vanilla into the soaked oat mixture. Add dry ingredients. Stir just until combined. Do not overmix. Gently fold blackberries into the batter.
Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Bake 18-20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center of 1-2 muffins comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 minutes then transfer to a cooling rack.

Video

Notes

Tips for making the best blackberry muffins

You can use frozen or fresh blackberries. If using, frozen, allow the berries to thaw and drain before adding to the batter. You can slice them easier while at least slightly frozen.
I recommend skipping the paper muffin liners. Baking directly on the muffin tin produced the best results – keeping the moisture in and creating a nice crust on the outside.
These blackberry oats muffins are best served warm but also freeze and reheat well.

Nutrition