Not so long ago it seems I was making muffins for our family on a weekly basis.  I’d bake a batch or two on the weekend (sometimes making extra for my mom) and the boys would enjoy them throughout the week — in their lunchboxes, after school or as a grab-and-go on their way out the door. But muffin making eventually gave way to bars (a dragon lives forever but not so little boys) and over the past couple years, I think I’ve only made muffins once or twice.
Something about the return to school this week had me feeling nostalgic about this quick bread and when that feeling collided with a stand of gorgeous seasonal berries spreading blue, well, these happened.
If you haven’t had a chance to experiment with spelt flour yet, this simple and tasty recipe may be a great place to start — and you won’t have to drive all over town looking for it either; you can find spelt flour in just about every grocery store now (Bob’s Red Mill is a popular brand).
Once a European staple, spelt is among the oldest cultivated grains — it gained popularity in the West over the past decade mainly because of its nutritious properties but also because many find it easier to digest than its distant cousin, wheat.
Like wheat, spelt contains gluten (and would therefore not be appropriate for individuals with celiac disease) but the protein in spelt is different from the protein in wheat and many individuals with sensitivities find it easier to digest. The water soluble characteristics of spelt are also said to make the grain’s impressive range of nutrients more bioavailable (easier to absorb).
From a foodie point of view, one of the things I love most about spelt is its soft, silky texture.  It works beautifully in baking and also imparts a subtle nutty flavor.  Its gluten content also means that you can substitute spelt flour for wheat flour 1:1 without compromising the texture of baked goods.
I’m calling this a breakfast muffin but of course you could eat it any time of day.  If you know someone who is a reluctant breakfast eater though, these delicious bites might just do the trick while quietly being a nutritious choice. The spelt in tandem with flaxseed, milk and egg, delivers a solid amount of protein to these muffins with natural bursts of flavor coming through in the banana, abundant blueberry, maple syrup and vanilla.
In terms of texture, if you haven’t baked muffins/bread entirely from whole grains before you will notice a difference. Or, as my husband might say, you’ll know you’re eating something healthy (wink). I’ve been baking with whole grains for over 15 years now and I find the texture the most appealing part but what I often recommend is to take it in steps – using half whole grain and half regular flour and simply increasing over time as you habituate.  The sweetness is also very mild (which makes you realize just how much sugar is in standard baked goods because there is plenty of natural sweetness going on in this mix) but this too can be modified over time.  Eating well isn’t an all or nothing proposition. I’m a big fan of slow and steady.
I hope you enjoy discovering spelt flour within these bursts of juicy berry and be sure to read the Notes in the recipe card below for best results.
To all of the moms and dads who are sending sons and daughters off to school this week, I’m sending you all a big hug and dose of encouragement – it’s a busy and full week for all ~ â¤ď¸ ~
- Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup milk (or milk substitute)
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 large ripe bananas, in pieces
- 1 egg
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- Dry Ingredients:
- 1 + ¾ cups whole grain spelt flour
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 + ½ cups fresh blueberries
- Preheat oven to 375 F
- In a large mixing bowl combine: banana, vanilla, olive oil and milk. Using a mixer, blend the ingredients together until creamed - the mixture should take on a lighter and fluffy appearance.
- Add the egg and maple syrup, and blend to combine.
- In a separate bowl combine: spelt flour, ground flaxseed and baking soda, using a spoon to hand mix.
- Add in 1 cup fresh blueberries to the dry ingredients, mixing gently to combine and taking care not to mash the fruit.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredient bowl and mix only until combined. Try to avoid over-mixing as this hardens the batter.
- Spoon the muffin batter into a nonstick muffin tin (with or without cups) about ¾ full.
- Divide remaining blueberries on top of batter (dropping them here and there).
- Bake the muffins for approximately 20-24 minutes or until the muffin tops have gently browned and are firm to the touch.
- Remove the muffin tin from the oven and allow the muffins to cool and collect their flavor for 15-20 before unmolding and enjoying.
- Makes 12-14 standard size muffins.
Banana Whip - blending the banana thoroughly with the other moist ingredients not only distributes the flavor throughout the muffins it is also another great tool in creating levity and moistness in the whole grain batter.
Molds - I used paper cup liners for the photos in this post however I find silicone muffin molds the most practical and useful - (no tugging and no muffin left behind, everything slides out easily in one piece) - a worthwhile investment and you can find them at many hardware stores at a very reasonable price.
Flavor - I find these muffins gain flavor over time. Be sure to allow them to sit for at least 15 minutes after you take them out of the oven to allow the muffins to cool and the flavors to develop.
Storage - you can store these muffins in an airtight container or ziploc bag in the fridge for up to 3 days. The muffins also freeze beautifully.
Hi Kelly,
What do you think has a better taste/texture – wholemeal flour or wholemeal spelt flour? I currently am trying to find ways to integrate wholemeal flour into my cooking without anyone really noticing :) thanks
Good morning Matilda, thanks for dropping by. In this particular recipe, I’m not sure the taste of the flours is perceptible when mixed in with all the other goodies but on their own, I think you would find whole grain wheat flour (“whole wheat”) to have a more pungent/slightly bitter flavor compared to whole grain spelt flour which has a gentle nutty flavor. In terms of texture, my preference hands down is whole grain spelt flour over whole grain wheat flour as whole wheat has a denser, heavier texture in baking.
Something else you can consider though is whole grain white wheat flour (also known as “white whole wheat” and “whole wheat white”) — white whole wheat flour has all of the nutritional advantages of traditional whole wheat flour with a milder taste and lighter color – it is also said to have a softer texture. Although we normally associate ‘white’ with a refined grain, in this case the white component comes from the fact that the wheat is milled from a different type of wheat (a white wheat rather than the red wheat in traditional whole grain wheat) but it still contains the bran, germ and endosperm that make it a whole grain. So that may be something to experiment with as well. Either way, be sure to read labels and look out for “100% whole grain” when buying either spelt, white whole wheat or traditional whole wheat to ensure you are buying an unrefined grain. Hope this helps and have a great weekend.
Those look great! I didn’t know you can use spelt for regular baking (esp 1:1).
That’s a lot of olive oil (1/4 cup)!! Do you know the macros for these by any chance?
Hi Rami, thanks for dropping by. Olive oil is a monounsaturated fat and the basis of one the healthiest and most revered diets on the planet. If we take a moment to think about it, a quarter cup of olive oil breaks down into 4 tbsp which further breaks down into 1 tsp/40 calories per muffin — not excessive by any standard. Cheers, I hope you enjoy these muffins if you give them a try.
Ah I love olive oil (and all research proves it’s extremely healthy along with coconut oil and avocado oil), I just didn’t realize it was for 12 muffins. That’s an error on my part! Sorry, I meant to ask about the total calories per muffin. They have to be more than 40! haha
How come I have missed these beautiful muffins??? (It must have been during our horrible heat waves this summer when my brained and body worked at minimum speed…). I have never cooked with spelt, but I did hear about it somewhere… From your descriptions it sounds like a fantastic product (not only healthy).
I love your gorgeous creations with healthy ingredients that you make look sophisticated and elegant enough to encourage everyone to taste them. I’m going to buy spelt next week!
Haha, thank you so much Sissi! I have missed you :) you’ll have to let me know what you think of spelt! Hugs, xx.
These look awesome! I want to take advantage of the beautiful local blueberries we have here. I looove using spelt flour in baked goods too. If I’m not making something gluten-free, I always choose spelt. I don’t notice the “whole-grain” taste either! Haha. I’m also into how little sweetener is used. Muffins can be as sweet as cakes sometimes, I find! This is the kind of recipe I’ve been looking for :-)
spelt has some pretty wonderful properties doesn’t it… Yeah, we’re sweet enough aren’t we? heeheeh, thanks for dropping by KoKo! xx
I do have and love spelt flour, and Phil is a bran muffin addict, so I bet he would love these
I rarely make muffins, but this week we’ll have one of the “kids” and his wife visiting us, it might be a good idea to bring the childhood theme back, even if they are over 30 years old now ;-)
young at heart, that’s my motto.
young at heart and oh, so, wise :) I’m with you sister!
Beautifully done! You know I’m a fan of spelt flour and who doesn’t love muffins. My boys won’t each much, but for some reason they both gravitate to blueberry muffins. I’m so looking forward to getting back into cooking and baking for people. Instead of a house with two adults and two kids, I’ll be cooking for a house of 6 adults and 2 kids. It will be good to get back into the kitchen on a regular basis, and not to mention my mother has a kitchen probably 10 times the size of mine. I’m sure you know plenty well the difficulties of cooking for a large family right ;) XXX
my boys wonât eat much :))) ah, mommy moment.
I think you will thrive in a busy home environment â it will allow your versatility and talent to shine to its fullest. Thinking of you during this hectic (but very exciting) time! Sending hugs and courage. Go Girl xx
Awwhh, muffins always have a way of making me feel nostalgic. Blueberry tops the list. I’m finding more often that quick breads can withstand little to no white flour and still taste fabulous while banana and maple syrup tow the line for sweetness. And then there’s spelt. I’ve just recently discovered it in my own baking and am enjoying its new-found flavor and texture. I recently saw a scone recipe made with 100% spelt! Your recipe, coupled with the other is nudging me towards using more spelt in my own baking.
I’ll join in the #communalhug. Thank you for this my dear, thinking of you during this turn.
Good morning Traci, I hope you have fun experimenting with spelt and I look forward to seeing what you create :) one of the things my husband and I were chatting about around these muffins are how subtlely sweet they are â when you think that they have 2 large bananas, 1 + 1/2 cups of blueberries and maple syrup and still manage to be mild (to our taste) it just makes you realize what obscene amounts of sugar are typically added to baked goods and that becomes the consumerâs normal.
I believe I have some spelt flour in my pantry from a Food Style job I did a couple of months ago…we love muffins but often find many of the recipes oil laden and simply not good for you so this version looks and sounds delightful. Blueberries are in season too (I just made my Mom’s Hungarian Cherry Cake but with blueberries instead!). I’ll definitely bake up a batch when I get back to the city.
thank you Eva! you know, I don’t come across oil that often in standard muffin recipes (mostly butter which is all good with me) but I do more commonly encounter loads of sugar and white flour which isn’t my jam :). Your Hungarian blueberry pie sounds ah.mazing my dear! Happy Sunday.
It doesn’t seem to matter what age our children are, the first week of school is always soaked in emotion. I’m joining the communal hug :) Kelly, these muffins are precisely what I’m craving too. Funny, this morning I could swear I felt the whispers of fall at our door; I know there is still much to be enjoyed and I’m certainly in no rush but the thought of a warming muffin bursting (perfect description) with August blueberry is calling my name! By the way, loved “… and when that feeling collided with a stand of seasonal berries spreading blue…”
here’s to #communalhugs :))) yes, even here, whispers of fall. I know the transitions are not as significant as they are back home but they are still very much felt. All things change. I know what you mean about the warming quality of the muffins too… it can be so welcome. I hope you’re having a great weekend Elizabeth and thank you, as always, for your attentive reading and kind words. Such a gift to receive your comments.
These are gorgeous! I need to try baking with spelt. I have been wanting to, but haven’t tried anything yet. This would make a great jumping off point for me! Appreciate all the info and tips included here! Love!
Thank you so much Patricia — I do hope this post inspires you to try spelt flour; a versatile baking discovery :) Cheers and thanks for stopping by!
I just picked up my very first bag of spelt flour last night thanks to you! I read your post at work yesterday afternoon and decided to have a look while I was picking up other items. Sure enough, Bob’s brand was there :) I’m so excited to try this recipe – thank you.
Oh, that’s the best! I always get super excited about reader feedback like this (plus, it’s hard not to anticipate the result…) — if you have a moment, please let me know how you liked these muffins Rose. Have a beautiful day.
Such a lovely post. I always look forward to reading your blog and this post was no exception! The photos are always beautiful, the writing always thoughtful, and the factual tidbits enlightening! – CL, xo
How nice to see you here Charetina — thank you so much for stopping by with your kind and supportive words — greatly appreciate it; a bright light in my day. Happy Sun.Day :o)
Ah now! You had me crying on the train just now. “Dragons live forever…” That line gets me EVERY time!!!! I too used to make more muffins than I do now, and I’ve never used spelt flour. So double the reason to make these. Mr. N is off to middle school this year. An adjustment for all. He walked off to orientation all on his own yesterday. I was sure I was going to cry, but Miss A beat me to it. This year will be a tough start (even though I know they’ll soar.) Darn it! Crying again now. Xoxo
Kristy… like the cab driver in Toronto said… we must be not-so-distant sisters. G used to sing Puff the Magic Dragon to the boys every night before bed and that line… well, it still fractures me. Writing this blog post on Tuesday I must have listened to Peter, Paul & Mary’s version a dozen times with tears flowing… oy. Thinking of you and your amazing young man. New adventures at every turn. Mom hugs xxx
I have to thank you and Angie for having turned me on to spelt a couple of years ago. I now use it in my breads, pancakes and crepes. I love the flavor it imparts. These muffins look so very delicious with the spelt and blueberries and I love that you used bananas as well. Bet those make these very, very moist.
Love to see that someone else cooks things for nostalgia. :)
spelt does have a nice subtle flavor and I just love the velvety texture in baking – sleeeek :) yes! the muffins are super moist – I think the banana whip adds to that – thanks MJ, hope you’re having a relaxing Sunday.
“or as my husband might say…you know you’re eating something healthy” – Haha, that made me laugh out loud, thank you! Ah the nostalgia of back-to-school; isn’t it amazing how these calendar events can deeply affect us and influence our yearnings. I’m so with you on that – next is fall and all the feelings that go along with seasonal change. I hope your boys have a great return to school this week – sending you hugs too! I love the look of these muffins and I must try the technique of blending banana as described. Yes, spelt, I discovered it through you in an earlier post! We love it.
haha, he went on to qualify his statement by saying that it wasn’t a bad thing tasting healthy… the texture reminded him of a bran muffin (which he actually loves). Ah yes, fall… everything turns. Happy Sunday dear Clare.
What a beautiful recipe and your muffins look gorgeous! I’m one of those who hasn’t made the leap to spelt yet. I’m not sure why I find these changes so intimidating; thank you for breaking it down for us and I’m happy to hear that spelt flour is now widely available. Looking forward to making these.
yay! I hope these muffins turn you on to spelt Tess and thanks so much for stopping by with your enthusiasm :) please let me know if you give them a try. Happy Sunday.