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The Good Hearted Woman

Home Cooking & Cozy Living

  • SOURDOUGH RECIPES & RESOURCES

Blueberry Banana Muffins (Naturally Low-Fat)

October 16 By Renée 3 Comments

These tender, delicious Blueberry Banana Muffins are naturally low in fat, high in flavor, and bursting with fresh blueberries! 

blueberry banana muffins

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

Moist and tender, these Blueberry Banana Muffins are bursting with fresh blueberries; plus they are naturally low in fat and added sugars! Great for grab-n-go breakfasts and easy snacks, they mix up in just minutes.

blueberry banana muffins

A Truly Moist, Delicious Blueberry Muffin that Just Happens to Be Low Fat

Whenever I see the term “low-fat” called out in a recipe, the first thing that usually pops into my head is a pile of shredded wheat atop a sandy dune. Dry. Desolate. Void of flavor or life.

This blueberry muffin recipe is the opposite of that! Bananas and applesauce in the batter reduce the need for added sugars and take the place of added fats; making these moist, easy-to make muffins naturally low in fat and high in flavor!

large blueberry muffin

What is Demerara sugar?

Demerara is a minimally-refined raw cane sugar with a large, rectangular grain; blond in color. It has a light flavor similar in flavor to brown sugar.

Demerara sugar is especially great for sprinkling on top of baked goods to get that bakery-fresh sugar crunch on top. It gives baked goods bit of sparkle as well.

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You might be surprised at the number of different kinds of sugars that are used around the world! In addition to the standard US pantry staples of heavily refined white sugar and brown sugar, there are a number of other less-refined sugars that bring unique depth, texture, and aromatic flavor to your recipes. 

More popular Raw and Less Refined Sugars Used in Cooking

• Turbinado is slightly refined raw cane sugar. It is similar in appearance to Demerara, but has a lighter, more caramelly flavor.  Turbinado is a good replacement for white or light brown sugar in baked goods and beverages. Turbinado is made from the first pressing of sugar cane and retains some natural molasses.

Like Demerara, a sprinkle of the tops of baked goods will yield a crystally, crunchy bite. 

• Jaggery is an unrefined “brick sugar” that is made from palm, coconut, or java plants. Color can range from light golden to dark brown, and it is purchased in the form of a cone. 

• Muscovado is a very sticky, sandy cane sugar with a strong molasses flavor. It can be used in place of brown sugar, but it has a much stronger flavor, and is best for savory dishes like barbecue sauces and marinades.

• Piloncilo is a raw cane sugar commonly used in Mexican cooking. Often referred to as Mexican brown sugar, it’s probably one of the secret ingredients in your favorite mole.

• Sucanat (short for sucre de canne naturel) is natural cane sugar, made from crystallized pure cane sugar. Sucanat granules are a tan-brown color, with an intense molasses flavor.

Most of the sugars on this list are classified as “raw,” and can often be found in your bakery aisle or at natural foods markets.

muffin batter

Post Updated October 16, 2020 (Originally published January 11, 2014)
lowfat applesauce muffin

Naturally Lowfat Blueberry Banana Muffins

These tender, deliciousBlueberry Banana Muffins are naturally low in fat, high in flavor, and bursting with fresh blueberries! 
Prep Time10 mins
Cook Time18 mins
Total Time28 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Breakfast or Brunch, Snack
Keyword: baking
Servings: 12
Calories: 192kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

  • Standard Muffin Tin
  • Muffin Tin Liners

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp salt

Wet Ingredients

  • 10 ounces mashed bananas about 2 medium bananas; 1¼ cups
  • 1/3 cup white sugar
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1 egg lightly beaten
  • 1/3 cup chunky applesauce

Berries & Topping

  • 2/3 cup blueberries fresh or frozen
  • 3 tablespoons Demerara sugar
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375°F [190°C].
    Line 12 muffin cups with cupcake papers and/or spray with baking spray.
  • In a medium bowl, whisk together dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
    dry ingredients in glass bowl
  • In a large bowl, stir bananas, sugar, egg, and applesauce until evenly mixed.
    wet ingredients in glass bowl
  • Using a spatula, fold the wet ingredient mixture into the dry mixture, mixing only no more dry flour is visible.
    Mixing wet ingredients into dry
  • The batter will be a little lumpy and about the same consistency as thick cake batter.
    Do not over mix.
    muffin batter mixed
  • Stir in blueberries.
    blueberries on top of mixed muffin batter
  • Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups.
    Sprinkle the top of each muffin with about 1 teaspoon of Demerara sugar.
    batter in muffin tin
  • Bake in preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center of a muffin comes out clean.
    baked muffins in tin
  • Remove muffins from tin and allow to cool on wire rack.
    large blueberry muffin

Notes

These muffins freeze well, so make a couple of batches to keep on hand for a fast, easy breakfast or snack.

Nutrition

Serving: 1g | Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 2.6g | Fat: 5.7g | Saturated Fat: 3.4g | Cholesterol: 29mg | Sodium: 251mg | Fiber: 1.5g | Sugar: 17g
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!

DID YOU KNOW?

Most quickbread recipes can be made into muffins, so be sure to check our Zucchini-Banana Bread, Classic Banana Bread, and Old-fashioned Pumpkin Gingerbread recipes! They can all easily be made into muffins! Just mix up the batter as directed, fill a standard muffin tin, and bake at 375°F [190°C] for 15-20 minutes!

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So Thankful for Our Reader Comments & Advice! 

As the update notice above the recipe card indicates, this recipe was originally posted some years ago. In fact, the only thing about this post that looks like the old one is the list of ingredients in the recipe: everything else is new and improved. 

There is one small change to the recipe: the muffins are now sprinkled with Demerara sugar instead of Turbinado sugar before going into the oven. 

This wasn’t so much a change as it was a correction. When I originally wrote up this recipe, I didn’t understand that Demerara sugar and Turbinado sugar are actually two different things, so I listed the latter when I meant the former.

This all came to my attention when a kind reader named Judy chimed with a lovely comment on the original post. In her note, Judy mentioned that she had used Demerara sugar for the top instead of Turbinado. She went on to say that doing so gave the muffins a nice crunchy bite after they cool.

And just like that, I realized I’d been calling Demerara sugar by the wrong name all these years!

We are so grateful to our readers for their helpful, uplifting comments! Thank you, Judy!

blueberry muffins & leaves

If you love blueberries, be sure to check out our Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie recipe! 

muffins & blueberry leaves

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Eating Style, Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: bananas, blueberries, low-fat, muffins

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

August 6 By Renée 8 Comments

Our simple, classic fresh blueberry pie recipe lets the blueberry flavors shine! Made with our homemade sweet pie crust (or store-bought crust) and fresh (or frozen) berries, this delicious pie pairs perfectly with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and a hot summer night. 

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie recipe

This post may contain affiliate links, but don’t worry – they won’t bite.

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There really isn’t anything quite like a slice of fresh blueberry pie with a scoop of cold vanilla ice cream on a hot summer evening. 

Our blueberry bushes yielded a bumper crop this year, and I’ve been freezing and baking up berries – including blueberry pies of all shapes and sizes – for a few weeks now. I’d forgotten how much I love baking with fresh blueberries!

As I was developing this blueberry pie recipe, I compared the results against my memories of the best blueberry pie I’ve ever eaten; decades ago at a little boat-in family restaurant called Harmony Falls on the shore of Spirit Lake, at the foot of Mount St. Helens. (Needless to say, it’s been awhile.)

We couldn’t be more pleased with the outcome of this pie recipe! The filling is sweet, tart, juicy blueberry bliss; and the flaky, tender, slightly sweetened crust adds the perfect finishing touch. 

Whether it’s been decades or days since you last ate a slice, this fresh blueberry pie will bring back memories of pies-gone-by like they happened yesterday. You are going to love it! 

Wavy LineHow many blueberries do I need for this pie?

Reality: This is how I measure berries for a pie. 

Blueberries piled in large pie dish, rounded at top.

For the purposes of this post, I weighed the berries I used so I could give an exact measurement in the recipe. (About 42 ounces for a deep dish, and 21 ounces for a standard single pie.)

However, if you fill you pie pan(s) so that the top rounds up just a bit, you will have the exact right amount for your pie. The rest of the ingredient amounts are based making filling for one deep dish blueberry pie (as pictured here) or two standard 9-inch pies.

IMPORTANT: Blueberries used for filling must be room temperature. DO NOT use chilled berries, or your filling will take too long to cook and your pie shell will burn before the filling is done. 

Why is it so important to rinse blueberries before baking with them?

As you may know, you should never rinse blueberries until you are ready to use them. Rinsing removes the “bloom,” which is the waxy, silvery-white coating that appears on blueberries, grapes, and some plums. Bloom acts as a barrier against insects and bacteria, and helps to seal in the fruits’ moisture. Rinsing breaks down this protection, ultimately allowing the berries to cook more efficiently.

For the purposes of this recipe, rinsing also adds just enough liquid to the mixture to allow the tapioca to begin working its magic before the berries begin to burst during baking. Do not skip this step, or your filling may not cook correctly.

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie recipe

What about the pie crust? 

You can use any pie crust you want for this pie. However, if you want to make your own dough (and I strongly encourage you to do so), my favorite, go-to sweet pie dough recipe is tender, flaky, and easy to make. (And if you follow the directions, it’s next to foolproof!) 

Follow these three easy rules for successful pie crust: 

  1. Keep everything crust-related ICE COLD! That means; if you aren’t using it, it should be chilling. This includes your pie dish. (DO NOT chill filling ingredients.) 
  2. Mix in the fats by hand, and leave pea to peanut-size pieces in the dough. 
  3. Do not overmix your dough. Overworking encourages the formation of gluten, which makes pastry dough tough. Pastry dough should never be a uniform color: don’t try to make it so. 

One more important Pie-Making Tip:

I have one more tip for successful pie making, blueberry or otherwise: invest in a good 9½-inch rimmed glass pie dish. Get a deep dish or standard pie dish depending on your preference, or both!

I prefer a glass pie dish over metal or ceramic for a couple of reasons; most notably, I can see through glass to check the color of my bottom crust, which is a primary determinate for whether the pie is done or not. 

Do I have to make the pie crust all fancy like this pie? 

Nope. You can top it with a well-vented solid crust; or better yet, make a simple lattice crust.

Want to fancy it up? Vary the size of your lattice strips, and add a few super simple pie dough roses like I did! [How-to post coming next week.] 

If you decide to go with a solid top crust, be sure to cut some large vents, or better yet, use a small cookie cutter to open up the top to allow all that steam to escape while the berries are cooking. 

blueberry pie before baking

For the top crust, you can go as simple as you want; but if you like this design, it’s super-easy to put together. To make it, I sliced a few random strips of pie dough, cut some simple leaves, and made five simple “4-circle” pie-dough roses. 

Pie Crust PRO TIP: Cut the bottom crust larger enough so that, after you add the top crust, the bottom edge can be folded up over it and sealed, as shown in the image above. In my experience, this significantly cuts down on pie shell leakage around the edges. 

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5 from 4 votes

Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

Our simple, classic fresh blueberry pie recipe lets the blueberry flavors shine! Recipe makes enough filling for one 9-inch deep-dish blueberry Pie, or two standard 9-inch pies.
Prep Time30 mins
Cook Time55 mins
Cooling Time1 hr
Total Time2 hrs 25 mins
Print Recipe Pin Recipe
Course: Dessert
Cuisine: American, Comfort Food, Seasonal
Keyword: blueberries, pie
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 405kcal
Author: Renée | The Good Hearted Woman

Equipment

  • 9½-inch Pie Dish [1 deep dish or 2 standard]

Ingredients

  • 42 ounces fresh blueberries room temperature (Defrost to room temp if using frozen berries)
  • 4 tablespoons instant tapioca
  • 2/3 cup white sugar See Notes below.
  • 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons fresh lemon zest
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 tablespoon butter cut into small pieces
  • 1 batch Sweet Pie Dough per pie (or your favorite double-crust pie dough)
US Customary - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 400°F [200°C].
    Pour fresh berries into your pie dish to measure out proper amount.
    PRO TIP: Chill pie plate in refrigerator for 30 minutes before beginning.
    fresh blueberries in pie dish
  • Gather and prep all ingredients.
    blueberry pie ingredients
  • Rinse blueberries in colander. This step is NOT OPTIONAL.
    blueberries in colander
  • In a large bowl, combine berries, tapioca, sugar, flour, zest, cinnamon and nutmeg.
    mixing blueberry pie ingredients
  • Gently toss to mix. Sprinkle with lemon juice, toss one more time, and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
    blueberry pie filling mixed
  • While the pie filling is setting out, take the pie plate and one half of your pie dough out of the refrigerator.
    Roll out bottom crust and line pie dish. (Continue to chill other half of crust.)
    Put rolled bottom crust in freezer for 5 minutes before proceeding.
    bottom pie crust
  • Fill chilled pie crust with prepared filling.
    blueberry pie filling in crust
  • Sprinkle lemon juice over top of pie. Dot with butter pieces.
    butter pie filling
  • Remove dough for top crust from refrigerator. Roll out on lightly floured board. Add top crust to pie as desired. You can simply top it with a solid crust, or make it as fancy as you like.
    If you use a solid top crust, be sure to cut a few vents.
    If you pie dough seems saggy or too warm when you get done adding the top crust, put the whole thing back in the freezer for 5 minutes.
    blueberry pie before baking
  • Baking times will vary somewhat, depending upon your pie dish, oven, and depth of filling. Keep an eye on your pie after the first 30 minutes of baking to avoid burning.
    • 9½" Deep Dish Pie: Bake at 400° [200°C] for 45-55 minutes, or until lightly browned.
    • Standard 9" Pie: Bake at 400° [200°C] for 40-50 minutes, or until lightly browned.
    After the first 30 minutes of baking, gently lay a sheet of plain, flat aluminum foil over the top of the entire pie to avoid over-browning the top. Do not press down or otherwise form the foil: just lay it gently, like a feather.
    Pie is done when crust is light golden brown and filling is bubbly.
    Allow pie to cool completely before serving.
    blueberry pie baked

Notes

IMPORTANT: Blueberries used for filling must be room temperature. DO NOT use chilled berries, or your filling will take too long to cook and your pie shell will burn before the filling is done. 

You can adjust the amount of sugar based on the tartness of your berries and your personal tastes. Add up to an additional 1/3 cup sugar if your berries are very tart, or if you prefer your pies very sweet. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1slice | Calories: 405kcal | Carbohydrates: 56g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 18g | Saturated Fat: 8g | Cholesterol: 6mg | Sodium: 175mg | Potassium: 110mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 24g | Vitamin A: 319IU | Vitamin C: 10mg | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @TheGoodHeartedWoman or tag #thegoodheartedwoman!
Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie recipe

The pastry roses on this pie are ridiculously easy to make, and will immediately up your pie-making game! 

Why does this blueberry pie recipe include both flour and tapioca as thickeners? 

Thickening the natural fruit juices from any berry is tricky, especially when the filling is cooked in the pie. (As opposed to pre-cooking the filling.) Blueberries are particularly pesky, natural pectin-wise, and it seems that some varieties gel better than others. 

You want your pie-fruit to be thick enough to sit on a fork, but you don’t want a gummy, gelatinous mess that feels weird on your tongue and totally overwhelms the fresh, natural flavors of the berries. You also need that crust to bake up nice and flaky. It’s a balancing act. 

That said, I am not a fan of cornstarch for thickening pies, and I avoid it whenever possible. Sure, thickening with cornstarch is easy, but it often results in what I can only describe as a gloppy, bouncy filling. 

For this pie, I use my pie thickener of choice – instant tapioca, plus just a little flour and butter to seal the deal. This combination gives me the most consistent results with my blueberry pie filling, yielding a thick, juicy filling that highlights (instead of hides) all those delicious fresh berry flavors. 

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Blueberry pies, in particular, thicken a lot when they cool. Don’t be concerned if your filling seems thin when you first take it out of the oven. For best results, allow pies to set up completely before cutting in. 

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THANK YOU so much for being a faithful reader and supporter
of The Good Hearted Woman. 🌻 Be sure to PIN this post!

Easy Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie    Easy Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

  Easy Classic Fresh Blueberry Pie

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Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, including Amazon affiliate links, which means we may receive a commission if you click a link and purchase something that we have recommended. While clicking these links won’t cost you any extra money, they do help keep this site up and running. As always, all opinions and images are my own. Please check out our disclosure policy for more details. Thank you for your support!

Filed Under: Recipes, Sweets, Vegetarian Tagged With: baking, berries, blueberries, Comfort Food, Pastry, pie, seasonal, Sweet Somethings

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