What’s better than homemade blueberry muffins? A recipe that takes only minutes to prep and yields the most delectable result! These flavorful muffins offer a perfect moist-to-sweet ratio that’ll leave you wanting more–which is why I make them JUMBO! Follow all 7 steps in my recipe, and reap the benefits by enjoying these pillowy-soft mounds that’ll almost certainly disappear in seconds. If you’re feeling adventurous, split one in half and quickly pan-fry each cut side for an out-of-this-world, caramelized sugar delight. Either way, you found the best recipe for blueberry muffins, so keep it handy!
What are Blueberry Muffins?
Blueberry Muffins are a type of quick bread containing a combination of flour, sugar, egg, milk, and blueberries. They are baked in a muffin tin that is either greased or prepared with cupcake liners.Â
How to eat Blueberry Muffins
These muffins are perfect for a quick breakfast or savored alongside coffee, milk, or tea. Enjoy them warm with your favorite buttery spread or simply as-is! My favorite way to eat a blueberry muffin is to split it in half and pan-fry the cut sides face down in melted salted butter. The sugar in the muffin caramelizes as it toasts in the pan, delivering enhanced texture and flavor to your taste buds.Â
My Inspiration
This is where it all started for me, folks. I was making blueberry muffins almost daily when I entered the 6th grade. It started with box mixes–namely, the ones that came with a can of hyper-colorful blueberries that needed rinsing, or else they’d dye everything they touched a purplish-blue hue. I experimented with different flavors, kinds of milk, mixing methods, and baking temperatures to see how the results would change. The scent of fresh blueberry muffins from the oven is nothing short of nostalgic to me. This is especially true since my mom made them almost weekly when I was a child. Her recipe was my inspiration for the one I’m sharing with you today–the best, ultra-fluffy, lifted, and incredibly delicious recipe for blueberry muffins!
Notes on Ingredients:
Blueberries: Fresh blueberries are easier to work with in this recipe than frozen ones. That stated, I prefer frozen blueberries since I don’t always have fresh ones on hand. I also like to use tiny wild blueberries over the large, plump varieties for the best flavor. See Recipe notes for how to handle frozen blueberries to prevent the muffins from turning a purplish-blue color.Â
Butter:Â High-quality unsalted butter is what I use for this recipe. Salted butter works as well, but you’ll want to reduce the kosher salt used in the recipe to compensate for the added sodium.Â
Baking Powder/Baking Soda:Â Fresh is best! The combo of these ingredients works well with the acidic components to create lift without leaving the tang behind. I use these ingredients no longer than their expiration and within 6 months after opening for best results.
Eggs:Â There are two large eggs in this recipe, which help to bind the ingredients together and help each muffin maintain its shape as they rise.
Milk:Â The milk I use is 2%, with the ratio of fat creating an ideal texture in the final product. I’ve used almond milk and whole milk with success as well with only slight changes in texture.
Flour:Â I use all-purpose flour in this recipe, producing a sturdy muffin. Use pastry or cake flour for a more delicate result or if that is all you have on hand. If you have bread flour and pastry flour on hand, mixing the two will yield results similar to all-purpose flour.
Vanilla Extract:Â Pure Vanilla Extract offers the best flavor over imitation and is the least processed.
Greek Yogurt:Â Low-fat or full-fat works best for this recipe. You can substitute for sour cream, but be sure you are using reduced fat (or lower) for milk.Â
Ground Cinnamon:Â This ingredient adds warmth and a hint of spice to the recipe, which is perfect for the fall and winter months. You can skip adding this ingredient or substitute for a citrus option by adding a teaspoon of lemon zest.
Kosher Salt:Â If you only have table salt, that is fine! Reduce the salt component by 1/2 teaspoon if that is the case.Â
Recipe tips for making the best Blueberry Muffins
Using Frozen Blueberries: Frozen blueberries can turn your batter blue, but that doesn’t have to be the case. Even if those blueberries are colder than Mt. Everest, the dough will begin to turn blue once you start mixing.
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- I prevent this by rinsing the blueberries in a mesh strainer until the water runoff appears pale.
- Let them drain for a few minutes before using them in the recipe.
- You can also toss them back into the freezer in a container while you prepare the rest of the recipe. When ready to use, lightly break any chunks of blueberries up and toss with 2 teaspoons of flour before adding to the sugar.
- Sidenote: I recommend using fresh blueberries if you make the muffin mix the night before. The liquid from the frozen blueberries will rise to the top of the batter as it rests in the refrigerator, which will invalidate your efforts to prevent turning the batter blue.
Room Temperature Wet Ingredients:Â Using room temperature wet ingredients not only helps them blend, but it also helps with giving the muffins lift since the heat will reach the leavening agents much quicker.Â
Mix the Sugar and Blueberries: There are two benefits to this:
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- The blueberries remain suspended in the batter and do not fall to the bottom better than if you mix blueberries with flour alone.
- The batter doesn’t become uniformly sweet in the best possible way–the flavor of the batter also plays a starring role, with pockets of sweetness scattered throughout.
Don’t Overmix the Batter: The muffin mixture should barely come together and still should look lumpy. Over-mixing will cause the muffins to become dense and may impact rise negatively.
Storage:
Blueberry Muffins will keep at room temperature or in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 3 days. To keep the tops from getting too moist, store muffins in a paper lunch bag placed in a sealable container. A quick toast in an oven will also do the trick to return the muffin top to its original glory.Â
These muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months if wrapped in plastic and placed in an air-tight container or freezer bag.Â
Next-Level Suggestions:
I know this is already the best recipe for blueberry muffins, but here are a few additional ideas to go to the next level:
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- To get an added crispy-sweet texture to the muffin tops and a bit more rise, add 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar to the wet ingredients when adding in the yogurt and vanilla extract.Â
- Sub out the blueberries for mixed berries like blackberries and raspberries–or use all three!
- Sub out the cinnamon for 1 teaspoon lemon zest for a brighter, citrus flavor that pairs well with blueberries.Â
- Kick up the flavor by sprinkling the crumb topping from my Apple Cream Pie Recipe over each muffin before baking.
The Best Recipe for Blueberry Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Rubber Spatula
- Whisk
- Muffin Tin Jumbo (6ct) or Regular (12ct)
Ingredients
- 2 ÂĽ cups All-Purpose Flour 275g
- 2 ½ tsp Baking Powder 10g
- 1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt 9g
- ½ tsp Baking Soda 2g
- ÂĽ tsp Ground Cinnamon* 0.5g - see Recipe Notes
- 2 large Eggs room temperature, lightly beaten
- ½ cup 2% Milk 120g - room temperature
- ½ cup Lowfat or Fullfat Greek Yogurt 115g - room temperature
- 1 tsp Pure Vanilla Extract 4g
- 5 tbsp Unsalted Butter 70g - melted
- ½ cup Granulated Sugar 100g
- ÂĽ cup Light Brown Sugar 55g
- 1 ½ - 2 cups Fresh or Frozen** Blueberries 222g - rinsed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F / 218°C. Prepare a jumbo muffin tin with cooking spray or butter, or use muffin liners.
- Add flour to a large bowl. Stir baking powder, salt, baking soda, and cinnamon in a small bowl, and add to flour. Whisk until combined.
- Add eggs, milk, yogurt, and vanilla to a medium bowl, and mix well. Pour the melted butter slowly as you continue to whisk until thoroughly mixed.
- Add both sugars to a small bowl and mix well. Add blueberries to the sugar and lightly toss until combined**.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl with dry ingredients and fold until nearly combined. You should still see small spots of the dry mixture.
- Add the blueberry/sugar mixture to the batter and fold gently until just combined**. Spoon batter into each muffin cup until 2/3 of the way up.
- Place the muffins on the center rack in the oven and reduce the temperature to 400°F / 204°C. Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until golden brown on top and a toothpick or knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean of any wet mix***. Place on a rack to cool for 10-15 minutes before removing muffins from the pan and serving.
Optional: Grilled Blueberry Muffins
- Melt 1 tbsp of salted (or unsalted) butter in a small frypan over medium-low heat on your stovetop.
- Cut a blueberry muffin in half and place the cut sides face down into the pan, swirling across the surface to absorb the melted butter. Cook, checking periodically until the cut sides are golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Give the frozen blueberries a gentle rinse in a mesh strainer until the color of the water becomes faint. Set the blueberries aside to drain for 5 minutes. Optionally, you can lay them on a tea towel to absorb the moisture and use them in seconds.Â
- In the bowl with both sugars, add 2 teaspoons of flour and combine.
- Add the blueberries to the mixture and toss lightly with a spoon. The sugar will help the blueberries suspend in the batter while the flour protects the color from seeping into the batter. However, overmixing can void all efforts at this step.
- When folding blueberries into the batter, do so gently until just combined. Don't overmix at this step, or you'll have a dense, colorful muffin.
Nutrition
