Moist, delicate, and buttery blueberry muffins that are sure to brighten up any morning. These are perfect drizzled with fresh blueberry glaze.
After weeks of searching, my friend Rene finally found some fresh blueberries for me. She had seen them a few days ago at the supermarket, and when she heard that I had been looking everywhere fruitlessly, she went to get me some, but they were sold out. She’s a persistent girl, though, so she kept looking every time she was there until she hit the jackpot – a single package hidden at the back of the shelf. Now that’s what I call a good friend. Thanks to Rene, we can now all enjoy this delicious blueberry muffin recipe, and trust me, that’s something to be grateful for.
Table of contents
Are fresh or frozen blueberries in muffins better?
Although I usually use frozen blueberries, sometimes they brutally dye my entire cake blue no matter how many tricks I try. If you don’t have fresh blueberries on hand, frozen will work, just be sure to use them straight from the freezer; if they thaw, they’ll bleed into the batter.
Coat the berries in flour or sugar (flour will help prevent them from sinking to the bottom), then quickly add them in and mix as gently and sparingly as possible until combined.
Ingredients Used
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder, baking soda, salt
- Cinnamon or lemon zest
- Butter, softened
- Granulated sugar
- Honey (substitutes: granulated sugar, brown sugar, or molasses)
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- Pure vanilla extract
- Buttermilk
- Blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw)
- Coarse sugar (demarara, turbinado, etc.), for sprinkling
Through my own trial and error with many muffin recipes, I’ve found that it’s usually easy to substitute butter with oil or milk with any other dairy product such as yogurt, buttermilk, or sour cream.
I also like to add a touch of honey to my muffins, something I don’t normally see in other recipes. The honey adds moisture and gives some extra flavor that I feel goes especially well with blueberries. If you like the taste of molasses, then you can add 2 tablespoons of it instead of 2 tablespoons sugar, or you can substitute some of the granulated sugar with brown sugar.
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How to make the best homemade blueberry muffins
Using the creaming method gives these muffins a more cake-like texture with fine crumbs. They are delicate with a hint of vanilla flavor. I personally like to sprinkle some coarse sugar to give the top an extra crunch, but you can use granulated sugar, which will melt during the baking process and create a hard crust. A simple streusel recipe (like the one here) also goes perfectly with these.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425℉/215℃. Butter 10-12 muffin cups or line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- Sift together dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Set aside.
- In a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, honey, and lemon zest (if using) on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
- On medium speed, beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
- With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined.
- Add buttermilk and beat until combined.
- Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly or fold by hand only until combined. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be.
- Gently fold in blueberries.
- Divide the muffin batter between muffin cups, filling them almost all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉/190℃. Continue to bake for an additional 8-13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
- Allow to sit on a wire rack for 8 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
Bake as directed with mini muffins in the oven at 425℉/215℃ for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉/190℃. Continue to bake for an additional 4-7 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
Serving suggestions (spruce up your muffins!)
These muffins are perfect at room temperature or slightly warm. The blueberry glaze made from fresh blueberries is optional for these already amazing and flavorful muffins, especially if you just want them for a quick morning snack.
Storing blueberry muffins
Muffins are best the same day they are made, but can be frozen, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave on the counter, still covered, or overnight in the fridge.
Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (210 g/7.5 oz) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon or 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- ⅓ cup (75 g/2.6 oz) butter, softened
- ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 g/4.4 oz) granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons honey (or 2 tablespoons granulated sugar, brown sugar, or molasses)
- 2 large eggs , room temperature
- ½ teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk
- 1 cup blueberries (if using frozen, do not thaw)
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar/demarara sugar , for sprinkling
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425℉/215℃. Butter 10-12 muffin cups or line with paper liners.
-
In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using). Set aside.
-
In a standing mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, beat together butter, sugar, honey, and lemon zest (if using) on medium speed for 3 minutes until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl as necessary.
-
On medium speed, beat in eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla extract and beat until combined.
-
With the mixer on low speed, add half of the dry ingredients and beat just until combined. Add buttermilk and beat until combined. Add the other half of the dry ingredients and beat slowly or fold by hand only until combined. Do not over mix – the less you mix, the lighter the cake will be. Gently fold in blueberries.
-
Divide the batter between muffin cups, filling them almost all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉/190℃. Continue to bake for an additional 8-13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. Allow to sit on a wire rack for 8 minutes, then remove from pan and let cool completely on a wire rack.
-
Muffins are best the same day they are made, but can be frozen, tightly covered, for up to 2 months. To thaw, leave on the counter, still covered, or overnight in the fridge.
Elisa @ Insalata di Sillabe says
I love that you used coarse sugar over the top, I definitely prefer it than the hard crust created by granulated sugar! Also, you gave me a great tip, one I’d been looking for for ages: using flour to cover fruits to prevent them from sinking. I’ve always had problems when incorporating fruit into cake batters because, while baking, it always fell on the bottom! Now I know how to avoid it to happen, thanks!!!
xo, Elisa
Shiran says
Thank you for always letting me know that you find my tips helpful. You are such a loyal reader Elisa, and I appreciate it more than you know 🙂 Have a great weekend! xo
Thalia @ butter and brioche says
I love blueberry muffins so much.. wish I had one of these to devour right now. They look seriously delicious!
Claudia @Breakfast Drama Queen says
I love muffins! These look amazing!
Shiran says
Thank you Claudia 🙂
Tash says
Ooh yummy, Shiran these look so perfect 🙂 I have never thought that muffins require all of the usual oils/greases that most recipes call for! There are so many healthy substitutions that actually make them taste better 🙂 Less is more 🙂
Daniela says
Hi!! In my country (chile) there is no buttermilk. Can i use another product?? I love your page and your recipes!!! Tkanks!!!
Shiran says
Thank you, Daniela! Try this buttermilk substitution: Mix together 1/2 cup milk with 1/2 tablespoon of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Let mixture sit for 5 minutes. It will look curdled and that’s fine.
Yogurt or sour cream would also work well as a substitution.
Ann says
Hi Shiran, I’m new to your blog and working my way through all your recipes, one by one! I noticed your orange cranberry muffins included oil, but not here. I have a similar recipe for blueberry muffins that also calls for 1/3 cup butter but found the muffins were not moist enough. I don’t overmix or over bake either. Is the butter enough fat in thi s recipe?
Shiran says
Hi Ann, every recipe is different and I test them many times to see what works best. Most of my recipes are moist, not dry, because that’s how I like them.
Aizhan says
Shiran do think of all the recipes yourself?
Sharon says
Hi Shiran,
Wonderful recipe!!
Could you please help me know if I could substitute eggs with something else to make these muffins?
Shiran says
Hi Sharon, I don’t have much experience baking without eggs, so I can’t recommend a substitute. I know that banana or applesauce can work, you can google it to check how you can use it instead of the eggs.
Jess Jones says
Hi
I love your muffin recipes!!! there so moist.
the only problem im having is the blueberry’s where slimy any idea why?
Olga says
I love this recipe. I used the lemon zest and they were delicious. Very light and fluffy. thank you
Madeleine says
Hi, Shiran! I made these today with my sister, and we topped them with your streusel crumb topping from the coffee cake muffin recipe. We haven’t eaten them yet, as they’re breakfast for us, but they’re the prettiest muffins I’ve ever made. I used cinnamon and not lemon zest, subbed out canola oil for the butter, and had to bake them 21 minutes at 375° instead of 13 to get the toothpick to come out clean (our oven has broken fans). I also eliminated the extra 2 tbsp sugar since I like things a little less sweet and replaced the honey with brown sugar. It’s an experiment. I love making recipes my own.
I love every muffin recipe of yours that I’ve tried, so I’m confident that these will be just as delicious!
Anique says
Hi,
I really love your recipes. For this one I know instead of buttermilk, I can use plain yogurt but ny question is, can I use a non-dairy yoghurt such as almond yogurt or does it have to be dairy based?
Stephanie @ Pretty.Simple.Sweet. says
I haven’t tried with other yogurts, but it’ll likely still work just as well.