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Blueberry Maple Hemp Muffins

Sweetened with maple syrup and orange, these fruity but not-too-sweet blueberry maple hemp muffins are loaded with antioxidant-rich blueberries, plus flax and hemp seeds for their Omega-3 nutrition. 

Blueberry Maple Hemp Muffins stacked on plate with hemp heart bag in background

Click here to PIN these healthy Blueberry Maple Hemp Muffins!

Chunky with chopped pecans, and chock full of blueberries, these muffins are great for breakfast and healthy snacking. This is an easy 2-bowl recipe, one to mix the dry ingredients and one to mix the wet. Stir them together using a spatula and stirring in the blueberries last.

Keep them in an airtight container and they’ll be just as moist, tender and fabulous the next day. They freeze well too.

Blueberry maple hemp muffins are dairy free and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. Make them vegan, using a slurry of flax meal and water. Or use an egg instead.

Flax, a vegan egg substitute, takes muffins vegan:

  • When ground into a flour (aka flax meal) and mixed with warm water, sweet flax seeds take on a gelatinous texture. For these blueberry maple hemp muffins, the flax meal mixture is used in place of egg to add body to the muffins.
  • If you eat eggs, feel free to substitute an egg for the flax meal slurry.

What is spelt flour? Can I substitute whole wheat flour in these blueberry muffins?

You can use either spelt flour or whole wheat flour–I’ve tested with both with good results. If you don’t have spelt flour in the pantry, don’t let that stop you from making these blueberry muffins. But if you can get your hands on spelt flour, use it. I use spelt flour in my savory high-protein cottage cheese dill muffins, which you’ll also love! Spelt contributes a light quality to my whole wheat honey hot cross buns.

  • Spelt flour brings a light texture and slightly nutty flavor to muffins.
  • Spelt is an ancient strain of wheat with a nutty, complex flavor and has been used for milleniums. Nutritious spelt has a slightly higher protein content than wheat flour.
  • Spelt is more water-soluble than wheat and more easily digested than wheat flour, so some people with wheat sensitivity are able to tolerate spelt. However, spelt is NOT gluten free.
  • Just like wheat flours, spelt flour comes in two varieties; whole or white spelt. White spelt flour has had the bran and germ removed. I use white spelt flour in these muffins.
  •  Add 2 tablespoons more of orange juice if you substitute whole wheat flour for the spelt flour in these blueberry maple hemp muffins.
overhead shot of Blueberry Maple Hemp Muffins, pecans, hemp hearts and blueberries scattered around

Ever since the doctor advised more protein first thing in the day, I’ve been supplementing my smoothies with hemp seed hearts. Three tablespoons of the little green and white nubbins have 10 grams of protein, protein I wasn’t getting before.

I now add hemp hearts to baked muffins, especially blueberry maple hemp muffins. I’ve made three batches this week, all in the interest of perfecting the recipe. We’ve been gobbling down the testers and gifting them to friends and neighbors.

What are hemp hearts? What do they bring to blueberry maple muffins?

  • Hemp hearts are shelled hemp seeds, the seeds of the hemp plant cannabis, but a different variety than the marijuana cannabis.  Hemp seeds are not psychoactive–you get a nutritious delicious high, that’s all.
  • Hemp heart seeds have a mild nutty flavor and are rich in protein, magnesium, fiber and iron, and exceptionally rich in Omega-3 and Omega-6 fatty acids.
  • They’re an easy nutritional addition to cookies and bars—like these super-easy honey hemp bars and a superfood sprinkle for salads as well.
Blueberry Maple Hemp Muffins fresh from the oven

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56 comments

  • Those sound lovely! Packed with so much great nutrition! Reply · 22 February, 2016

    • Thanks Rebecca! They are delicious! Reply · 22 February, 2016

  • I love hemp seeds! We use them almost daily and I have a bunch of recipes on my site with them. Such goodness! Hemp Hearts are definitely my favorite brand! Beautiful muffins! Reply · 22 February, 2016

    • I’m going to search your site for my next hemp addition! Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I LOVE hemp hearts! They are so deliciously nutty. These muffins look wonderful, Letty! Yum! Reply · 22 February, 2016

  • i wish i had these for breakfast tomorrow morning! Reply · 22 February, 2016

    • I know what you mean Dixya. I went to have one yesterday morning and Robbie had eaten the last two! Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I love baking with hemp hearts. I’ve added them several times to muffins but not blueberry muffins yet! Going to try that out this weekend 😉 Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I eat a tablespoon of Manitoba hemp hearts everyday. I put them in my smoothie or oatmeal in the morning. The best! Those muffins sound wonderful. Thanks! Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • These look great, I love blueberries! Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I’ve been putting hemp hearts on everything lately, love them! And baking them into blueberry muffins, that’s genius! You are combining all my favorite things <3 Oh and 10 grams 🙂 Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • Marty C.

    10 grams of protein in three tablespoons? That’s awesome/ Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I love hemp seeds! I sprinkle them on my oatmeal and yogurt. But in the muffin sounds great…and the orange zest is genius! Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • Manitoba Hemp Hearts are the best. I use them as on “add-on”, “add-in” and even as a grab-n-go snack. Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I have plenty of hemp. This is perfect recipe for me right now! Thanks 🙂 Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • I love hemp hearts! They have such a wonderful taste and texture and add so much nutrition. Your muffins sound delicious! I love all the flavours and textures you have going on there. Reply · 23 February, 2016

  • It took me forever to jump on the hemp train but I’m so in love now. And these muffins sound amazing, blueberry ones are my favorite 🙂 Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Paula R

    The muffins look delicious Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Rachel

    10 grams of protein! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Toby

    Ther is 10g protein in 3 tablespoons Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Heidi

    10grams Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Josh Mellman

    I love Manitoba Harvest’s hemp hearts. With 10g of protein in a 3 tablespoon serving, it’s a perfect plant-based way to up protein in any meal or snack. Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • I love how healthy these are Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Sharon

    10 grams of protein Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • robyn donnelly

    10 grams of protein Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Sharon Cosby

    I have tried hemp hearts one time. Going to have to get into them again. These sound wonderful and I could use that extra 10 gms protein myself! Reply · 24 February, 2016

    • Yes, and they are great just sprinkled on/in salads! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Nicole

    18 grams Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Lucy

    10 grams! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Joëlle

    Hemp hearts are delicious and have 10 g of protein in 3 tbsp! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Janet M

    There are 10 grams of protein in 3 tablespoons. Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Cathy B*****y

    There are 10 grams of protein in 3 TBS. of Hemp Hearts. I LOVE hemp hearts… my body immediately revs up if I have hemp hearts on hand.. I have found that taking them in the morning and at night works best. At night we also need the extra soluable protein for brain activity and healing while we sleep. This recipe looks delish and healthy! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Candace Galan-Calderon

    Contains 10 grams of proteins! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • The orange juice and rind is a wonderful touch. These sound so yummy! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • panshelbaby

    10 grams of protein. Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • judith

    10 grams! I love them on top of my salads Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Love, love muffins and especially blueberry ones I make all the time for my husband, they are his favorite. What a great idea to add hemp! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Nancy

    10 grams of protein in in 3 tablespoons Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • vickie james

    10 grams of protein Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Autumn D

    10 grams of protein! Reply · 24 February, 2016

  • Michelle Blackwood

    I’m always finding ways of including hemp hearts in my diet because they are so good for me. Thanks for this recipe! Reply · 25 February, 2016

    • You are welcome Michelle! I like hemp hearts in energy snacks too. Reply · 25 February, 2016

  • Kim K

    10 grams of protein! Love this recipe. Reply · 25 February, 2016

  • Oh yum, these sound delicious! We pop hemp seeds into everything these days, love the nutty flavour. Always looking for new muffin recipes – and this one sounds great. Reply · 26 February, 2016

    • Yes, the more the merrier in the muffin recipe department! Reply · 26 February, 2016

  • Tamar

    It looks great! Thanks for creating these for us. Reply · 10 March, 2016

  • Julie Z

    Made these this morning. They’re wonderful! Delicious AND healthy. Reply · 20 March, 2016

    • Yay!I’m so happy to know you enjoyed the muffins. Thanks Julie. Reply · 20 March, 2016

  • How many cups of flour total? If I want to use spelt AND white whole wheat flour, do I use one cup of spelt flour and one cup of white whole wheat? I did this and my muffins were somewhat tough. Did I mix too much/long, or are two cups of flour, spelt and white whole wheat, too much? Thanks! Reply · 13 July, 2019

    • Hi Marj, Thank you for writing. Yes, you do want 2 cups flour total, either/or spelt and white whole wheat, or 1 cup each. Overmixing muffins is the foremost reason muffins come out dense and dry. For muffins, even though the batter seems undermixed, it’s ok to have streaks of flour remaining when mixing the wet and dry ingredients. Especially since you will also be mixing in the pecans and blueberries. I encourage you to try again, resisting that urge to mix everything well. Leave a streak or two of flour in the batter. Let me know how it goes. (ps I adjusted the recipe to more truly define do not overmix.) Reply · 13 July, 2019

  • I did try again, Letty, but before your incredibly prompt reply arrived. I used one cup of white whole wheat flour and one cup of spelt flour, but I do find the directions somewhat confusing if only because instructions with options and either/or alternative statements can puzzle a reader.

    We are told that we can make the muffins with half spelt flour, but the ingredients list one cup spelt and one cup white whole wheat, and you say that we can use whole wheat flour if we don’t have spelt flour. I was apparently the only one who was confused. I wondered if I should halve the spelt. Clearly, you preferred WHITE whole wheat as I do, so that was a relief. And then there were the notes to consider. Maybe a note saying that the recipe should include two cups of flour total, and the choice of flours, already suggested by you, were up to the baker

    This time, I used avocado oil rather than mild olive. No difference. I folded the blueberries and pecans in prematurely, and then mixed the wet ingredients , including the fruit and nuts (my bad), into the dry ingredients with a rubber spatula. I was left with unwieldy white patches, not streaks, and a very thick batter.

    Ultimately, I ate one of the muffins absent butter, cream cheese, or preserves and found it dry. By the time your email arrived, I was wracking my brain trying to figure out how to make these nutritious confections more moist, but because I lack your talent and experience, I didn’t dare consider changes independently for a third try at some time in the future.

    I’m sure I worked too hard to incorporate the white clumps, but trust me I had far more clumps than streaks in my bowl.. I’ll definitely mix in the berries and nuts after the other wet ingredients including syrup, egg, oil, orange zest, and orange juice.

    If you can suggest a way to make these healthy muffins just as nutritious but more moist, please let me know. (I always use jam on each half of a breakfast muffin but avoid butter and other fatty spreads. I store muffins in a plastic bag in our fridge and heat them up in a toaster oven at 350 degrees F for 10 minutes.

    Thanks so much for your patience and impressive, creative efforts! I appreciate the challenge. Reply · 13 July, 2019

    • Hi Marg, OK. I’d start by increasing the orange juice by 2 tablespoons. Are you at sea level or altitude? Also, try increasing the baking powder to 1 1/2 teaspoons. And, I have read and do believe baked goods one week in the freezer is equivalent to 1 day in the fridge–they stale quickly in the fridge. They will take a bit longer to reheat but I would keep them in the freezer. I haven’t adjusted the recipe wording yet–on vacation but hope to do so this tomorrow.
      Best, Letty Reply · 14 July, 2019

  • Enjoy your vacation, Letty!

    Remember that the first muffin I made AND ate yesterday had never been stored anywhere/ anyhow. When all had completely cooled, I cut one in half and ate it without any jam or other spread. (I didn’t heat it first.) It was dry. I used parchment inserts from Paper Chef in my conventional muffin tins. I live in Florida, so that puts me at sea level–or below :(. I’ve made a variety of gluten-free and regular muffins in the past five years or so but never had this problem, no matter where I stored them–typically in a Zip-Loc freezer bag in the fridge because our Sub-Zero refrigerator-freezer is modest in size, and we are pack rats. The muffin I had this morning with KATZ preserves from Napa, Calif., was very dry, but its nutritional value was undeniable and pleased me.

    When you do adjust your wording remember, please, how baffled I was by the wording, the preface, the notes, and the either-or construction in the ingredients list. Despite my confusion, I did use two cups of flour–one white whole wheat and one spelt–and sifted these with the other dry ingredients.

    I’ve already copped to putting the blueberries and chopped almonds into the liquid ingredients before adding these to the dry ingredients–my bad. Also please remember that the batter was thick and sticky with lots of clumps, not streaks, of flour/baking power/baking soda.

    I know that one is not supposed to over-mix, but when incorporating dry with wet ingredients, I probably do though this has not caused a problem with tough muffins. I suppose I could eliminate the chopped pecans, but that would be a shame. I could also abandon spelt and rely on two cups total of white whole wheat flour. Bob’s Red Mill tells consumers to store their spelt flour in the fridge. Maybe it got a little gummy when I did that.

    It’s difficult to find muffin recipes that include hemp hearts or seeds. I thought I’d see how they compared to yours. Check out Hungry Hobby’s Whole Wheat, Blueberry, Zucchini. I’d have to sub AP and WW for the whole wheat PASTRY flour, which I can’t tolerate, and lord knows what for the coconut oil, which we now know is not really healthy at all.

    Best wishes, and many thanks,

    Marj Reply · 14 July, 2019

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