These homemade raspberry muffins will rise, crack, and bake to a golden brown. They're moist and soft, with a subtle lemon flavor mixed with bursting raspberries that can be fresh or frozen. They are ready in 45 minutes and freeze wonderfully.
Our most popular muffin recipe, these are a simpler version of the raspberry streusel muffins.
It's our basic berry muffin recipe that can also be made into a muffin loaf.
But raspberries are a classic and much-loved flavor, so it was about time I posted this great recipe.
What our readers are saying:
Made these exactly as the recipe indicates and my family loved them! Especially my toddler. 10/10 would use this recipe again. (Marls)
Best muffin recipe I’ve ever used, they were delicious. (Sue)
I made these first time tonight and they came out amazing! My son is 9 and he ate 2 of them in one sitting. These will be an often baked muffin in our house from now on. Thank you! (Jessie)
About this recipe
- Easy to make: the batter comes together in no time so you can whip them up at a moment's notice.
- Eating them: they are great warm after 10-15 minutes of cooling time.
- Make ahead: they keep well for a day at room temperature, covered or in an airtight container, and freeze wonderfully. In both cases, I suggest warming them in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating.
- Adaptable: use fresh raspberries or frozen ones. Lemon zest is the best combination in my opinion, but if you don't have any you can have amazing raspberry muffins using only vanilla extract as a flavoring.
Ingredient list
- Raspberries: you can use fresh or frozen berries.
- Lemon: we use the zest, and a Microplane zester/grater is a great tool.
- White granulated sugar.
- Light brown sugar.
- Milk: whole, reduced-fat, and even almond milk can be used.
- Unsalted butter.
- Sunflower oil.
- Eggs: large, fresh.
- All-purpose flour.
- Baking powder: make sure it's not expired.
- Salt: I use kosher salt for my baking, but table salt also works.
- Vanilla: I use pure vanilla extract or pure vanilla paste when available, but a good vanilla essence (artificially flavored) also works.
Variations & substitutions
- Sugar: use all white or light brown sugar.
- Citrus: besides lemon, raspberries pair very well with orange.
- Chocolate chips: use semisweet chips in the batter for a strong flavor pairing (like the chocolate raspberry tart) or white chocolate chips for a mellower muffin (like the extremely popular white chocolate raspberry cake).
- Oil: instead of melted butter and oil, use only the latter. It can be sunflower, canola or coconut oil. A light olive oil also works if you like it for baking (I certainly do).
How to make raspberry muffins
This is an adapted old-fashioned muffin recipe made by mixing the wet part of the ingredients in a medium bowl and the dry ingredients in another large mixing bowl and then combining the two. So easy!
You only need a whisk and spatula to fold the raspberries at the end.
2. The wet ingredients are whisked together. There's no need to beat. This is not the recipe to use the electric or stand mixer.
2. The dry ingredients are stirred together to make sure they're well combined. Both mixtures are then combined.
3. Flavorings are added and it's all stirred lightly with a rubber spatula.
4. The berries are folded in at the end being careful not to smash them; or as little as possible.
Vintage Kitchen tip: muffins need to be stirred, not beaten. It's important you don't overmix the batter to get light and fluffy muffins.
Baking berry muffins
- Muffin tin: I like to use paper liners (paper cups or muffin liners) because it's easier to clean afterward; they keep the muffins moist and are great if you want to transport them. But you can simply butter or use baking spray for the muffin pan.
- Crunchier topping: you can add a sprinkling of sugar (half a teaspoon) to each muffin top before baking.
Filling the pan: make sure you distribute raspberries in all of the muffin tins. I use a cookie scoop to fill them with the same amount of batter. Don't go over ¾ of their capacity.
When are the muffins done? Take the baking time in the recipe as your guide and check five minutes earlier. See if the cake tester or toothpick comes out clean. All ovens are different, so it might take a few more or less minutes than specified.
Kitchen notes
- Organization: read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
- Baking time: consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
- Light mixing: you mustn't overmix the muffin batter. It might be slightly lumpy and that is fine.
- Raspberries: fresh berries are always my first choice, but these homemade muffins can be made year-round with frozen raspberries. Add them to the batter straight from the freezer, no need to thaw them.
- Extra lemon flavor: use a teaspoon or two of lemon juice in the batter in addition to the lemon zest.
- Variations: use orange zest that goes very well with raspberries, and add a pinch of ground cinnamon for a different flavor. Substitute blueberries for the raspberries.
Have the ingredients and oven at the right temperatures specified in the recipe. Don't overmix the batter and take them out as soon as a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
They sink when the batter doesn't hold them because the berries weigh more and naturally sink due to gravity. This is not the case with this great raspberry muffin recipe; they won't sink.
Too much mixing or beating the batter is, in my experience, the main culprit. The ingredients have to be lightly mixed *just* until integrated. Use a spatula or whisk for best results, as it's hard to overmix a muffin batter by folding it by hand.
A mix of oil and butter, not overbaking the muffins and not overmixing or beating the batter. Using oil adds richness and moisture, while butter adds flavor.
Related recipes you might like:
Let me know
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Raspberry Muffins (easy recipe)
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Ingredients
- 2 cups 280g all-purpose or cake flour
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar, light or dark
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup milk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, I use sunflower
- 4 tablespoons 60g unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups raspberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners or butter/spray the pans. The yield can vary depending on the size of the berries.
- In a large bowl mix the dry ingredients: sifted flour, baking powder, and salt.
- Add the sugars and mix to combine.
- In a medium bowl whisk eggs, milk, oil, vanilla, and lukewarm melted butter. Do not beat but mix well until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Add the lemon zest.
- Add the mixed wet ingredients at once to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Mix until you barely have streaks of flour, but do not overmix. It will be lumpy and not completely mixed and that is fine.
- Add the raspberries and mix lightly. Be careful not to mash them. I do it with a rubber spatula.
- Divide evenly among the muffin cups or muffin liners.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is cracked, golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake.
- Let cool on a wire rack and eat warm or let cool down completely, plain, with a dab of butter, and a light drizzle of maple syrup or honey.
- They are best eaten the day they are made, but you can keep them for a day at room temperature covered or wrapped.
- Store leftovers, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for a month.
Notes
Annika says
Very delicious muffins super moist!
Ronald Carmona says
What is good to drink with these? Coffee, cappuccino, tea, milk, juice, any suggestions? Thanks.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Ronald, my drink of choice is always coffee, and they're great for afternoon tea, snack or breakfast. There's really no right or wrong choice of drink.
Barbara Vickers says
Reciepe sounds wonderful. I have not made it yet but I will soon and rate it for you. I have baked for many years. I am now 80 years old. Thank you for putting this on the Goggle site.
Paula Montenegro says
Thank you Barbara for taking the time to comment. Let me know if you make it. Happy baking!
Ciera says
Very good! I halved the recipe but used a whole package of raspberries and they are amazing. I also used coconut oil instead of vegetable oil. I had to cook them for about an extra 4-5 minutes because I overfilled my muffin cups but they came out perfect definitely recommend trying, and possibly adding white chocolate and the lemon juice like suggested.
Elizabeth says
Delicious muffins. So easy to make. Will definitely bake them again
Janice Bending says
Mine were like rock cakes but then the eggs and milk were not room temperature. But you can use frozen raspberries so was it that crucial. Don’t know what happened.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Janice, it could a mix of issues besides cold ingredients (they prevent the batter from integrating properly). Overbeating instead of stirring, an ingredient that is wrongly measured, wrong oven temperature and overbaking, they can all contribute to hard muffins.
Christa Cooney says
There is a typo that calls for a tablespoon of baking powder instead of a teaspoon and it’s rather a big problem.
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Christa, it's a tablespoon, it's not a typo.
Seethala says
1 tablespoon of baking powder or one teaspoon of baking powder?
Paula Montenegro says
Hi Seethala, it's 1 tablespoon of baking powder.
Janet says
I’m thinking I’ll love this muffin recipe. I’ll do raspberries first, then try strawberries!
Best thing about this recipe is: Everything is already in the cabinet, except for the berries! Janet
HelennShuffield says
The raspberry muffins were perfect. All the family loved them and I have had to share the recipe. Thank you
Laura Scaramell says
These turned I out fantastic. I saw that some had muffins w gooey inside.. To prevent this:
1.Weigh the flour
2. Make sure rinsed raspberries are fully drained and patted w a paper towel.
3. Use vanilla bean powder rather than extract. 1:1 ratio.
Also, I used pastry flour designed for muffins and cakes. Lastly, My sifter was out of commission but they still turned out fantastic. Hope this helps.
Laura Scaramell says
These turned I out fantastic. I saw that some had muffins w gooey inside.. To prevent this:
1.Weigh the flour
2. Make sure rinsed raspberries are fully drained and patted w a paper towel.
3. Use vanilla bean paste rather than extract. 1:1 ratio.
Also, I used pastry flour designed for muffins and cakes. Lastly, My sifter was out of commission but they still turned out fantastic. Hope this helps.
Vijitha says
I made this as a sheet cake. I had frozen raspberries to use up.
I added more oil not wanting to use butter.
I also used gluten free flour. Turned out amazing
Paula Montenegro says
That's an interesting iteration Vijitha, and love that it works with GF flour! Did you use the type that you substitute 1:1? I'd love to add that to my notes.
Vijitha says
Yes. 1:1 self raising gf flour (doesn’t have xanthan gum). Didn’t add any either
Paula Montenegro says
I'll write that down. Have a great weekend!
Sue White says
Best muffin recipe I’ve ever used , they were delicious.
However I only used a teaspoon of baking powder, I thought a tablespoon was wrong ?
Graceson says
I thought so too. But I did what the recipe said, and it was amazing! Perfectly muffins!!
Tisha says
I made this recipe with fresh blueberries. Rave reviews from everyone!!! Tonight, I'm trying it again with frozen raspberries. I'm following your advice and not defrosting the raspberries first. Fingers crossed!
Jessie says
Ok, so I made these first time tonight and they came out amazing ! My son is 9 and he ate 2 of them in one setting, asked for another but make him wait . These will be a often baked muffin in our house from now on .
Thanks you !
Also going try and use other berries .
Paula Montenegro says
So happy to know you all loved them Jessie! Have a great week.
Marls says
Made these exactly as recipe indicates and my family loved them! Especially my toddler. Made another variation tonight with the same recipe but switched out lemon zest for orange zest and raspberries for dried cranberries. Equally as awesome! 10/10 would use this recipe again.
Allison says
These were delicious! Beautiful muffins with great texture
Paula Montenegro says
So happy you liked them Allison!
angiesrecipes says
What gorgeous colour and tender crumb! They are absolutely irresistible, Paula.