11 Best Substitutes for Yogurt in Muffins

Yogurt in baked goods is top-tier, but you can find many more similar and excellent options. Moreover, there are some attention-worthy substitutes that can be even better when you pair them right — I even started using some of these as the standard! The best thing is, you can find extra quality ingredients to suit your nutritional requirements – from low-fat and non-dairy to baby-friendly. Also, substituting plain yogurt with some more flavor-rich additions will secure a complex and layered relish. So, here are 11 best substitutes for yogurt in muffins!

The best substitute is buttermilk because of its consistency and tangy aftertaste. Some vegan options are plant milk, banana puree, and tofu. If you want to skyrocket the protein count – go for ricotta and cottage cheese.

There are like a thousand ways to make muffins, and the goal is always the same – velvety, rich, and tender crumb. So here are some ideas to try out, all based on my personal muffin lover’s experience.

Buttermilk

Buttermilk can go hand in hand with yogurt; it’s just a tad more sour and bitter. These components get lost among other sugary (or salty) ingredients, but the texture stays the same. It will secure exactly the same consistency as yogurt, and this makes it the best substitute.

Milk – Dairy and Plant

Unsurprisingly, milk is a great substitute for yogurt in muffins. It will keep the moistness and tenderness, no matter what kind of milk you choose. The muffins will have more flavor when using milk, even plant varieties.

I would always recommend whole milk for the muffins because fatter milk equals better texture. But the low-fat dairy will work as well, as the difference is not that big in the end. If you still want the tangy relish of yogurt, add a few drops of vinegar or lemon juice to milk.  

Now, when talking about plant milk substitutes – soy milk is the best one, hands down. It will give the same texture as regular milk – fluffiness and softness. Other plant kinds of milk I liked best are almond, hazelnut, oat, cashew, and rice.

They will give the special touch, no doubt, and you’ll be able to taste traces of nuttiness and sweetness. To be honest, when making dried fruits or choco muffins, I always opt for some nut milk because I find the taste richer and more layered like that.

Coconut Milk

I like to make a special place for coconut milk because it deserves it! It is denser than regular milk, though, and resembles the yogurt consistency; this is why it works so well in muffins. It’s probably my favorite non-dairy milk substitute since it has a deep, intensive coconut flavor which works well with more coconut, almonds, and white chocolate! 

Sour Cream

Sour cream has a similar density to yogurt, so it obviously makes a nice substitute. It will add a bit more sourness, though, along with a tender texture and soft crumb. I tried them with chocolate chunks and blueberries, and they were delish!

I would recommend keeping it simple and not overdoing with additions – just plain batter with some berries, chocolate, or cherries. Moreover, sour cream is a top-notch choice for savory muffins!

Evaporated Milk 

Due to its high fat count, evaporated milk will maximize the flavor, especially if you’re baking traditional, basic muffins. I love to use it when baking simple vanilla treats, as it intensifies the warm flavor. The batter will be extremely tender and delicate!

Heavy Cream

Heavy cream has high-fat content, and that makes it an ideal choice to enrich baked goods. It blends perfectly with any additions, chiefly chocolate and caramel, while creating a scrumptious bite. Muffins with heavy cream will be velvety and moist, so definitely try it!

Ricotta and Cottage Cheese

Ricotta and cottage cheese are both grainy and tangy, but they blend into muffin batter impeccably (I like vegetables or honey-berry-based ones). They will slightly change the texture, but add up to the protein level. This makes it a perfect substitute for breakfast muffins to make them more nutritious. [1]

Applesauce

This is both a vegan and baby-friendly option for moist and soft muffins. It binds the batter and acts like butter or oil, along with adding apple flavor. It is great when paired with oat flour, walnuts, lemon, and many more, but these are my favorites.

Banana Puree

This is a super delicious and creamy addition that works similarly to applesauce. Again, it’s vegan and baby friendly, plus you can keep it low on additional sugar, as bananas are already sugary. I like to use very ripe bananas and pair them with dark chocolate, nuts, and seeds – tasty and healthy!

Silken Tofu

Silken tofu will replace both yogurt and eggs in your muffin recipe. It does all of their jobs, plus it works as a nice source of proteins. Besides a perfect texture, it will blend with many different flavors – from sweet to savory. 

Vegan Yogurt

There are plenty of vegan yogurt varieties, starting from plain to almond and coconut, over vanilla and fruit-based varieties. You can add them all into muffin butter, and they will act the same as regular yogurt. There are varieties that can’t be heated, though, so keep an eye on it.

Which is your go-to yogurt substitute for muffins? Put your top five alternatives in the comments below! I’m looking forward to hearing from you!