These raspberry muffins have a soft crumb, juicy pockets of fresh berries, and a lightly crisp sugar topping. Plain kefir adds a gentle tang, while lemon zest brings out the raspberry flavor. The batter comes together by hand, with no electric mixer needed.
Why You'll Love It
- No electric mixer needed: A whisk and a spatula are enough to bring the batter together.
- Fresh berry flavor: Raspberries add little pockets of fruit, with lemon zest providing a bright citrus note.
- A simple topping: A sprinkle of sugar finishes the muffins without making a separate crumble.
- Freezer-friendly: The cooled muffins can be frozen for up to two months.
I wanted to make something nice for breakfast, so I used raspberries and kefir in a simple batch of muffins. The berries bring a little tartness, and the kefir gives the crumb a gentle tang that works well with the lemon zest. If you enjoy homemade muffins for breakfast too, you might also like my blueberry muffins or Spanish muffins.
I keep the topping simple with a sprinkle of sugar, letting the raspberries be the main flavor. Before adding them, I lightly coat them in a separate spoonful of flour, then fold them gently into the batter to avoid crushing them. For another way to bake with raspberries, my white chocolate raspberry blondies pair their tartness with sweet white chocolate.
Key Ingredients in Raspberry Muffin
You'll find the exact measurements in the recipe card, but here's a closer look at key ingredients and why I use them.
- All-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt: Flour gives the muffins their structure, while baking powder helps the batter rise. Salt balances the sweetness. A separate spoonful of flour lightly coats the raspberries before they are folded in.
- Light brown sugar and granulated sugar: Light brown sugar sweetens the batter and adds a gentle caramel note. Granulated sugar goes on top, giving the surface a delicate crunch without a heavy topping.
- Plain kefir, sunflower oil and egg: Unsweetened kefir brings a mild tang to the batter, while sunflower oil adds moisture without a strong flavor. A medium egg helps bind the mixture and gives the muffins structure.
- Fresh raspberries, lemon zest, and vanilla: Raspberries bring tart, juicy pockets of fruit. Lemon zest lifts their flavor, and vanilla softens the sharper berry and citrus notes.
How to Make Raspberry Muffins
The full measurements and printable instructions are in the recipe card below.
1. Prepare the tin and mixtures: Preheat the convection /fan oven and line the muffin tin. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt in one bowl. In another, whisk the kefir, oil, egg, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
2. Combine: Stir the wet mixture into the dry ingredients just until combined.
3. Fold, fill, and finish: Lightly coat the raspberries in the additional flour, then fold them gently into the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the liners, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the granulated sugar over the tops.
4. Bake and cool: Bake until golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let the muffins stand briefly in the tin, then move them to a rack to finish the full cooling period before serving.
Tips for Bakery-Style Raspberry Muffins
- Keep the mixing gentle: Stop once the dry flour has been incorporated. The batter does not need to be perfectly smooth, and continued stirring can make the muffins heavy.
- Handle the berries carefully: Toss them lightly with the extra flour and fold them in with a spatula. Avoid vigorous stirring that crushes them into the batter.
- Fill the cups evenly: Aim for about two-thirds full in each cup so the muffins have room to rise and bake at a similar rate.
- Check the batter, not a berry: Insert the toothpick into a section of muffin rather than directly through a raspberry, which can leave fruit juice on the tester.
How to Store Raspberry Muffins
Allow the muffins to cool completely before placing them in an airtight container. Keep them at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days.
For longer storage, place the cooled muffins in a freezer-safe airtight container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
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Recipe
Raspberry Muffins
Ingredients
For the batter
- 240 g all-purpose flour
- 150 g light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 240 g plain, unsweetened kefir - at room temperature
- 60 ml sunflower oil
- 1 medium egg - at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon lemon zest
For the raspberries
- 200 g fresh raspberries
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour - additional to the flour in the batter
For the topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat the convection /fan oven to 170 °C. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 240 g all-purpose flour, 150 g light brown sugar, 1 tablespoon baking powder, and ½ teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 240 g plain, unsweetened kefir, 60 ml sunflower oil, 1 medium egg, 2 teaspoons vanilla extract, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest until smooth.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just combined. Lightly toss 200 g fresh raspberries with an additional 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour, then carefully fold them into the batter without crushing them.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full. Sprinkle 2 tablespoons granulated sugar evenly over the tops.
- Bake for 18-20 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool for 1 hour in total before serving: leave the muffins in the tin for the first 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack for the remaining cooling time.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Sandra says
These raspberry muffins are amazing! The muffins are perfectly moist and fluffy, and the tartness of the raspberries is delicious.