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.
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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.
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.
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Blueberry Maple Hemp Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon flax meal or one egg (see note)
- 3 tablespoons warm water (eliminate if using egg)
- 2 teaspoons grated orange zest (from one orange)
- ⅔ cup orange juice (see note)
- ¼ cup avocado or grapeseed oil
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 cups spelt flour, (8 1/2 ounces) or whole wheat flour (see notes)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ⅓ cup hemp seeds
- ½ cup chopped pecans plus 2 tablespoons for garnish
- 1 cup blueberries fresh or frozen, plus 12 blueberries for tops (see note if using frozen blueberries)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line 12 muffin cups cupcake liners, or lightly grease with oil, or spray generously with cooking spray.
- If using flax instead of egg, mix the flax meal with warm water. Set aside to let gel while you prepare the rest of the ingredients.
- Sift the spelt flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a larger bowl. Stir in the hemp seeds and the 1/2 cup of chopped pecans.
- Mix the flax meal slurry with the orange zest, orange juice, oil and maple syrup.
- Add the liquid mixture to the bowl of dry ingredients. Mix with a rubber spatula, using as few strokes as possible so as not to overmix the batter. You want clumps of dry ingredients to remain unmixed, so resist the urge to mix thoroughly. When there still clumps of flour unmixed, fold in 1 cup of blueberries. (see note)
- Immediately divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Place a reserved blueberry on top of each muffin and sprinkle the remaining pecans. (Alternatively sprinkle with hemp seeds.
- Bake 20 -25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean and the tops of the muffins spring back when touched with a finger. Cool 5 to 10 minutes, and then remove from the pan.
Notes
- If you wish, substitute an egg for the vegan flax meal slurry.
- I used freshly squeezed orange juice, but any 100% juice OJ is fine. If I don’t have oranges on hand, I just substitute apple juice.
- Use white whole wheat flour if you don’t have spelt flour. Add 1 tablespoon of orange juice to the liquids if using whole wheat flour.
- If using frozen blueberries, you want to add them frozen at the last minute and barely stir them in. **** Caution–If you mix too much you will have blue streaks or purple muffins!
Those sound lovely! Packed with so much great nutrition! · 22 February, 2016
Thanks Rebecca! They are delicious! · 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! · 22 February, 2016
I’m going to search your site for my next hemp addition! · 23 February, 2016
I LOVE hemp hearts! They are so deliciously nutty. These muffins look wonderful, Letty! Yum! · 22 February, 2016
i wish i had these for breakfast tomorrow morning! · 22 February, 2016
I know what you mean Dixya. I went to have one yesterday morning and Robbie had eaten the last two! · 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 😉 · 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! · 23 February, 2016
These look great, I love blueberries! · 23 February, 2016
Thanks Hedi! · 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 🙂 · 23 February, 2016
10 grams of protein in three tablespoons? That’s awesome/ · 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! · 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. · 23 February, 2016
I have plenty of hemp. This is perfect recipe for me right now! Thanks 🙂 · 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. · 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 🙂 · 24 February, 2016
The muffins look delicious · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein! · 24 February, 2016
Ther is 10g protein in 3 tablespoons Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts! · 24 February, 2016
10grams · 24 February, 2016
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. · 24 February, 2016
I love how healthy these are · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein · 24 February, 2016
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! · 24 February, 2016
Yes, and they are great just sprinkled on/in salads! · 24 February, 2016
18 grams · 24 February, 2016
10 grams! · 24 February, 2016
Hemp hearts are delicious and have 10 g of protein in 3 tbsp! · 24 February, 2016
There are 10 grams of protein in 3 tablespoons. · 24 February, 2016
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! · 24 February, 2016
Contains 10 grams of proteins! · 24 February, 2016
The orange juice and rind is a wonderful touch. These sound so yummy! · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein. · 24 February, 2016
10 grams! I love them on top of my salads · 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! · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein in in 3 tablespoons Manitoba Harvest Hemp Hearts · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein · 24 February, 2016
10 grams of protein! · 24 February, 2016
I’m always finding ways of including hemp hearts in my diet because they are so good for me. Thanks for this recipe! · 25 February, 2016
You are welcome Michelle! I like hemp hearts in energy snacks too. · 25 February, 2016
10 grams of protein! Love this recipe. · 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. · 26 February, 2016
Yes, the more the merrier in the muffin recipe department! · 26 February, 2016
It looks great! Thanks for creating these for us. · 10 March, 2016
Made these this morning. They’re wonderful! Delicious AND healthy. · 20 March, 2016
Yay!I’m so happy to know you enjoyed the muffins. Thanks Julie. · 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! · 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.) · 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. · 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 · 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 · 14 July, 2019