Spent Grain Blueberry Muffins: Hearty, Juicy, and Baked With Malty Grain Depth

Spent Grain Blueberry Muffins are everything great about muffins — tender, juicy, slightly sweet — with a toasty malt richness from spent brewing grain that sets them apart from anything store-bought.

They’re soft in the middle, golden on top, and built to make use of that leftover mash with flavor and function in every bite.

Ingredients (Makes 12 standard muffins)

Dry Mix

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup spent grain (wet, well-drained, and finely chopped if coarse)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• ½ tsp cinnamon (optional)

Wet Mix

• ½ cup brown sugar or honey
• ⅓ cup melted butter or neutral oil
• 2 eggs
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup buttermilk or plain yogurt
• Optional: 2 tbsp beer (wheat beer or cream ale for soft citrus depth)

Add-ins

• 1½ cups fresh or frozen blueberries
• Optional: 1 tbsp flour to toss blueberries (helps prevent sinking)
• Optional: coarse sugar for topping

Instructions

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

• Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a muffin tin or grease well.
• In one bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
• In another, mix sugar, eggs, butter/oil, vanilla, and buttermilk (plus beer if using).

Step 2: Mix the Batter

• Stir spent grain into the wet mix.
• Fold wet and dry together until just combined — batter will be thick.
• Gently fold in blueberries. Don’t overmix.

Step 3: Bake

• Scoop into muffin cups (¾ full). Sprinkle with coarse sugar if desired.
• Bake 18–22 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
• Cool 5–10 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack.

Serving Suggestions

Serve With

• Cold cream ale or warm butter and jam
• On a brunch board with fruit, beer caramel, and spent grain granola
• Toasted with whipped cream cheese or IPA lemon curd

Storage

• Keeps 3–4 days in an airtight container
• Freezes well — reheat in toaster oven or low oven until warm

Beer Pairing

In the Mix

• Optional splash of wheat beer, blonde ale, or cream ale
• Avoid hoppy or sour beers — they’ll clash with the blueberries

In Your Glass

• Wheat beer or hefeweizen (classic fruit-friendly)
• Kölsch or blonde ale for clean pairing
• Blueberry saison or fruited gose for contrast
• Cream ale or mild amber to echo the malt

Final Thoughts

Spent Grain Blueberry Muffins are moist, bakery-rich, and beer-lover approved — with sweet fruit, warm grain, and zero-waste satisfaction in every bite.

They’re the kind of muffin that tastes better because you made it smarter — straight from the grain bucket to the breakfast tray.

Cheers to juicy muffins, malty crumbs, and beer in every bake! 🫐🍺🔥

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