Background. Muffins are popular baked goods, often enjoyed with coffee or as a snack. Growing health awareness of consumers has increased the demand for healthier versions, including reduced-sugar options and plant-based milk alternatives. This study aimed to assess the effect of replacing sucrose with Tagatesse or trehalose, and cow’s milk with an oat beverage, on the selected properties of muffins. Six muffin variants were prepared and analyzed for baking weight loss, moisture content, water activity, crust and crumb color, texture parameters, as well as a semi-consumer evaluation was carried out.
Results and conclusions. Both the type of the sweetener and the liquid ingredient significantly influenced muffin properties. Trehalose and the oat beverage contributed to a reduction in moisture content, while water activity was shaped by the interaction between these two factors. The color of the crust and crumb depended mainly on the type of liquid ingredient and its interaction with the sweetener. The greatest color difference compared to the control sample (containing cow’s milk and sucrose) was observed for the variant with the oat beverage and trehalose (ΔE > 4). The texture of the muffins varied greatly. The control sample exhibited the lowest hardness, whereas the use of Tagatesse and trehalose increased hardness and chewiness, causing irregular porosity. The results of the semi-consumer evaluation indicated that Tagatesse may be an acceptable sucrose substitute in the muffin recipe, and that oat beverages can serve as an alternative to cow’s milk, but only when used in combination with sucrose. The use of Tagatesse  or trehalose  together with the oat beverage negatively affected the muffins’ sensory attributes.