This easy recipe yields a dozen of the softest, fluffiest, most deliciously buttery blueberry muffins. Topped with a crunchy cinnamon brown sugar streusel, these rival any bakery muffin, but come together quickly in your own kitchen. They’re prepared with simple ingredients, so you can be biting into a fresh, warm blueberry muffin in under an hour.
I originally published this recipe in 2014 and have since added new photos and helpful success tips.
Muffins are a perennial favorite because they’re quick and easy to make and the flavors are endless (just like scones). Everyone appreciates a fresh batch of muffins and, best of all, muffins double as breakfast and snack. (Or in the case of double chocolate muffins… dessert!)
But when it comes to muffin varieties, blueberry muffins hold the crown. Nothing compares to the classic blueberry muffin, and today I’m showing you exactly how to prepare my very best version.
This is my family’s favorite blueberry muffins recipe, and going by the hundreds of 5-star reviews it’s received, it’s a family favorite for many other home bakers, too!
One reader, Jes, commented: “Best blueberry muffins I have ever had—no bakery or store or restaurant that I’ve ever visited has ever produced a blueberry muffin that could compare to this. ★★★★★“
Another reader, Sara, commented: “Best blueberry muffins I have ever had in my 80 years! ★★★★★”
And another reader, Kathy, commented: “This truly is my favorite blueberry muffin recipe. You just can’t go wrong with it. Everyone loves the streusel topping. ★★★★★“
Why Are These Our Favorite Blueberry Muffins?
They’re a texture lover’s dream with a buttery soft crumb, juicy blueberries, and a sweet crunch on top. They’re not as large and dense as my jumbo blueberry muffins and have a little more flavor from the brown sugar and butter.
These muffins stand out from the rest because they’re:
- Buttery and moist
- Soft and cakey, not dense
- Easy to prepare
- Made with EXTRA blueberries (and you can use fresh or frozen)
- Topped with an easy 3-ingredient sweet streusel
Since I first developed this blueberry muffin recipe, I’ve baked dozens of variations—swapping blueberries for apples, peaches, and other fruits. In fact, this blueberry muffin recipe quickly turned into my go-to base muffin recipe, a batter you can turn into infinite muffin flavors. I also have the recipe in my newest cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101.
How to Make the Best Blueberry Muffins
There are no secret ingredients or complicated steps in this blueberry muffin recipe. You only need a few bowls and a mixer… and a muffin pan, of course!
- Whisk the dry ingredients: Flour, leaveners, and salt.
- Mix the wet ingredients: Butter, sugars, eggs, sour cream, and vanilla.
- Combine wet & dry, then add milk: You can use any type of milk, dairy or nondairy, or even buttermilk (see Notes).
- Spoon into muffin pan: Fill those liners all the way to the top!
- Add streusel topping: Just brown sugar, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts. See below for suggested alternatives.
- Bake!
That’s it! The sour cream is the magical ingredient because it adds so much moisture and produces the softest blueberry muffins ever. If you don’t have sour cream, you can use yogurt like we do in lemon blueberry muffins. Or you can use buttermilk to replace both the milk and the sour cream.
How to Create the Perfect Tall Muffin Tops
For tall bakery-style domed muffin tops, there are 3 directions to follow closely:
- Make sure your muffin batter is THICK. (This one is!)
- Fill your muffin tins/liners all the way to the top.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a high temperature, and then lower the temperature while keeping the oven door closed. This initial high oven temperature quickly lifts up the muffin top. Once the temperature is reduced, the centers of the muffins bake. I recommend this in nearly all of my muffin recipes. (These crumb cake muffins are an exception to the rule!)
Have I mentioned what a treat these are with a swipe of homemade honey butter, too? Cinnamon butter is also an amazing pairing with these muffins!
It depends on the recipe. My team and I wouldn’t consider these healthy blueberry muffins because they’re made with butter, flour, and sugar. However, they’re homemade and you know exactly what’s in them, vs. something store-bought. If you are looking for a healthier alternative, you’ll appreciate these blueberry banana muffins, bran muffins, or applesauce muffins.
Absolutely. You can simply omit the nuts, or swap the streusel here for the crumb topping from this recipe for peach streusel muffins. Or skip the streusel topping entirely, and just top the muffins with some coarse sparkling sugar for a sweet crunch that’s also pretty!
Yes! If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them before adding to the batter.
You can toss the blueberries with a Tablespoon of flour before you add them to the batter, but it’s not really necessary here because the muffin batter is so thick.
How to Freeze Blueberry Muffins
You can freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Cool completely and then place the muffins in a freezer-friendly container or bag. When ready to eat, thaw in the refrigerator (overnight) or at room temperature on the counter. To warm up, microwave the thawed muffins for about 20 seconds or bake at 300°F (149°C) for 6–10 minutes.
Blueberry Muffin Variations
- Blueberry Muffin Cookies
- Blueberry Muffin Bread
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Sparkling Jumbo Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Blueberry Almond Power Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins
Favorite Breakfast Recipes
- Breakfast Casserole (so easy!)
- Homemade Bagels & Homemade English Muffins
- Perfect Homemade Quiche
- Cinnamon Rolls
- Scones Recipe
My Best Blueberry Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These blueberry muffins are buttery, soft, and moist. For that bakery-style goodness, add an easy cinnamon brown sugar topping. This thick muffin batter combined with my initial high oven temperature trick guarantees tall muffin tops. Prepared with basic ingredients and a couple mixing bowls, you’ll appreciate this easy breakfast recipe.
Ingredients
Topping
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup (67g) chopped walnuts (or pecans)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Muffins
- 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
- 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream or plain/vanilla yogurt, at room temperature
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup (60ml) milk, at room temperature
- 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners. Set aside.
- For the topping: Mix all of the topping ingredients together. Set aside.
- For the muffins: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle or whisk attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) On medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the sour cream and vanilla extract on medium speed until combined. With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk into the wet ingredients and beat until combined. Batter is thick and creamy. Fold in the blueberries.
- Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Spoon brown sugar topping on each, gently pressing it down into the surface so it sticks. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 18–20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 23–25 minutes, give or take. Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: Freeze baked & cooled muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Cooling Rack
- Sour Cream: Sour cream adds so much moisture. Plain yogurt is a great substitute—I recommend plain Greek yogurt, any fat content. Unsweetened applesauce or mashed banana may also be used.
- Milk: You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy. I recommend avoiding nonfat milk, however.
- Can I Use Buttermilk? Yes, you can use buttermilk in this recipe. Use it to replace BOTH the sour cream and milk. Use 3/4 cup (180ml).
- Blueberries: If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw.
- Can I Make the Streusel Without Nuts? Yes! You can simply omit the nuts, or swap the streusel here for the crumb topping from this recipe for peach streusel muffins. Or skip the streusel topping entirely, and just top the muffins with some coarse sparkling sugar for a sweet crunch that’s also pretty!
- Why the initial high oven temperature? As instructed, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at an initial high temperature, then lower it. This initial high oven temperature quickly lifts up and sets the tall muffin top. Once the temperature is lowered, the centers of the muffins bake. I do this in all my muffin recipes including zucchini muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, and banana muffins, too.
- Jumbo & Mini Muffins: For a jumbo muffin pan: 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350°F for 22–25 minutes for a total of 27–30 minutes. Makes about 6. For mini muffins: 350°F (whole time) for 12–14 minutes. Makes about 36–40.
- Quick Bread: Here is my blueberry muffin bread, which is essentially the same recipe in a loaf pan.
- Why is everything at room temperature? All refrigerated ingredients should be at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Not sure if I did something wrong but this only yielded 9 muffins in a standard muffin tin. The recipe is also omitting the instructions to add the milk (I added it anyway). The batter spread a lot on top of pan and it was tricky to get muffins out. I measured everything using my food scale. Baked precisely. There was also way too much streusel mix leftover. The flavor also wasn’t very distinct. I probably won’t make these again. I love the cookie recipes I’ve tried from Sally so this was kind of a disappointment.
Hi Heather, Thank you for trying this recipe. You add the milk in step 4 (“With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients and milk into the wet ingredients”). If you decide to make this recipe again try dividing the batter into 12 muffins instead of 9. This (along with starting at the higher baking temperature) will help the muffins rise up and not out. It will also then be the right amount of streusel to go over 12 muffins instead of trying to use it all for 9!
I’ve made these multiple times and they turn out beautifully each time. Oven temperature is perfect for the quick rise and lower temp bake. Baking is science so it’s essential to follow recipes to a tee in regard to amounts used; these recipes are tested many times before they are published, so if a recipe from here doesn’t turn out, the variable is the baker and oven etc at home not the recipe. Thank you, Sally, for every recipe!
Added another 1/4 of milk to recipe( batter was too dry for me) and used half sugar and sugar substitute. Muffins came out extremely moist and flavorful. Topping didn’t look like picture, but figured that was from using brown sugar substitute.
It might also depend on the size and type (fresh, frozen, or dried) of blueberries you use. I happened to find big plump fresh ones and it made exactly 14 muffins for me. And ovens will vary in baking times. I can attest to this as I bake a lot and have lived in different parts of the U.S. (with different ovens i.e. brand, age, gas vs. electric, etc.).
Love these muffins. So yummy. I used Greek PROTEIN Vanilla Yogart. Come out large and moist with lots of flavor. Better the next day.
These were so delicious! Even my picky husband loved them.
Question on the streusel topping. Can I add butter (and probably flour) to it? If so, how much should I add? Thanks!
Hi Kat! Most streusel-like toppings have butter and flour in them – this is more of a sugary nut streusel topping. I think you would love the crumb topping used on these apple cinnamon muffins next time!
Just a quick question, will the muffins be at risk if i decide not to add yogurt or sour cream? I have run out of yogurt and i’m not quite sure how I feel about sour cream. Thank you, Sally!
Hi Sandy! Yogurt/sour cream adds moisture and structure to these muffins. We don’t recommend leaving it out.
ok got it, thank you!
I just want to say thank you for this recipe. This is absolutely the best muffin ever. My friend had four at a go . I have made this twice since Friday, and even doubled the recipe to make a 9 by 2 fruit cake without the toppings but then I added mixed spice in the cake batter. The sweetness is just right.
A bit disappointed. I did everything according to the instructions, measured everything to the last grain of brown sugar, and it came out unevenly baked … Some of the muffins were still runny after almost 30 minutes in the oven and the tops spread like crazy. Not really what I expected.
Sara, I just wanted to let you know how much my family loves your recipes! Your cookbooks are great too! Thank you, thank you for making this 75 yr old lady back into treating my family with love. You have gained a die hard fan! Bless you Sara. You brought back life into this little Canadian lady.And I have made this recipe so many times now.
Sandra B, Sarnia Ontario Canada,
Hi Sally! I love this recipe and have made it multiple times! I’ve found that the crunch of the topping goes away after muffins cool and it becomes soft. Is there any way to prevent this or to fix it when eating the next day etc? Thanks!
Hi Mel! Leave them only lightly covered to maintain a slightly crisp streusel topping. The exposure to air will keep excess moisture off.
Can Greek yogurt be used as a substitute for sour cream? Would it be the same amount?
Hi Amanda! Yes, plain Greek yogurt will work in the place of sour cream.
These muffins are the best ever ! Like every other one of Sally’s recipes. My son has been sick for days. This is all he wanted. He’s 3 so came up with his own filling – blueberry, strawberry, and carrot muffins! We didn’t have sour cream so substituted with a mix of yogurt and ricotta. They turned out just as good as when I followed this recipe exactly. I reduced the sugar by a few tablespoons. Thanks Sally! You made our day once again.
These are amazing! My son said “ Mom! These are so fluffy!” Only thing I changed was added chopped almonds instead of pecans or walnuts and used frozen mixed berries. These will be a repeat for sure.
So Delicious!
I made this recipe twice and came out well both the times! Both the times, I reduced 1/4 cup sugar from the muffin batter as well as 1/4 cup from the topping. Still perfectly sweet enough. I only had Greek yogurt so used a 5.3 0z yogurt. Also, I coated the blueberries in a little bit of flour to stop them from sinking to the bottom. The second time around, I substituted 1/3 of the required flour with almond flour and added lemon zest. I made 20 smaller muffins with 2 minutes less required baking time. This recipe is so versatile, no need to look for another blueberry muffin recipe. My kids loved them too. Thank you.
Flat muffins, spilled around the tin maybe need extra flour next time?
First of all, I love your recipes! Just made these muffins today and WOW! So good. I easily made them vegan by substituting with flax eggs, oat milk, vegan butter and I reduced the sugar – 1/3 cup coconut & sugar 1/3 cup dark agave. My only questions is how did you get 12 muffins? I was only able to make 8 . I could probably get 10 but they’d be pretty small. Thanks!
Hi Christina! The swaps and changes you made to the recipe could change the yield and rise on these muffins. Glad you enjoyed them!
I have made this several times and it has been well liked but diabetic friends are asking for a sugar-free version, what can I use to replace the granulated and brow sugar or do you have an existing recipe that can be used?
Hi Abegayle, we’d love to help but are not experts at sugar free baking. For best taste and texture (and so you don’t waste your time trying to adapt this recipe since it may not work properly), it may be more useful to find a recipe that is specifically formulated to be sugar free substitutes. Thank you!
Hi, I have used Steva in this recipe & for me it worked out just fine. I do have to say that it is better with real sugar. I have also used half Steva & real sugar together & that worked better. If you need to watch your food intake for health reasons, it’s not what you eat but when you eat it. Hopes this helps you.
Sandra B. Sarnia Ontario Canada
Monk fruit brown for the brown sugar and Monk Fruit granulated for the sugar.
I live at high altitude-7,200 ft. What adjustments should I make when I make these blueberry muffins? They look delicious in the photos!
Hi Sue, I wish we could help, we but have no experience baking at high altitude. Some readers have found this chart helpful: https://www.kingarthurflour.com/learn/high-altitude-baking.html
I saw the recipe and made them with sour cream. Gone in a flash.
Made a double batch next day using yoghurt as I ran out of sour cream. Even better , softer and fluffier.
People wanted to order them. So great!! Thank you for the most marvelous recipe
I have made these muffins multiple times and each time, at least one person tells me that they are the best muffins they’ve ever tasted. SO GLAD I found this recipe!
Thanks so much for posting this one so that all of US can receive the recognition for amazing muffins that should actually be going to YOU 😀
These are fantastic muffins and really easy to make. My husband loves blueberry muffins and is notorious for just eating the tops and leaving the muffin bottoms sitting in the pan so this recipe was great because they puffed up and looked like fancy bakery muffins. I used an ice cream scoop to distribute the batter and came out with 12 perfectly sized muffins.
My my my they were so good! My family gave it a “12” rating!! Do you have a cookbook? If so, let me know. Tomorrow it’s on to Banana Cream Pie! This is going to a regular muffin thing in our home. Can’t wait to try other fruits in this recipe. Thank you! Sandra B from Sarnia Ontario Canada.
Hi Sandra, Thank you for your interest in the cookbooks! You can purchase Sally’s Cookie Addiction and Sally’s Baking Addiction in your local bookstore where cookbooks are sold or through online retailers including Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Book-a-Million, Indiebound, Powells, QuartoKnows, and Indigo-Chapters.
Thanks for letting me know about your books, just ordered them from Amazon. Can’t wait to receive them!
I followed the recipe exactly. I didn’t need 2 extra muffin cups. I used an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup to the top and then smushed the streusel on top. Made exactly 12. Waiting for them to cool. They smell delicious. Next time I might try adding some lemon zest to the batter.
Really great recipe. I followed the advice on how to make room temperature butter from the related video, and used that technique for all of my cold ingredients. Great texture and flavor!
These are the only blueberry muffins that I make. I usually double the recipe and put them in the freezer for ys to grab for work. Best muffins ever!!!!
This my “go to recipe” for all my muffins. I get compliments on their moistness. The ingredients are items most of us have in our kitchens all the time. I make muffins every week and hope to get some new recipes!
Absolutely delicious! I substituted coconut oil for butter, and used almond milk. They turned out beautifully soft and delicious! Will definitely use this recipe again.
I made these blueberry muffins this morning and they turned out to be the tastiest, scrumptious muffins Ray and I ever ate. Thank you, Sally.
This is the best muffin recipe I’ve ever eaten. The texture is just so soft and fluffy, and of course the flavor is delicious! I’ve tried other blueberry muffin recipes and nothing compares to this one. Delicious <3
Though I do have some baking experience making a few different recipes. I had never made Blueberry Muffins. Having tried a couple of store bought Blueberry Muffins, that were just merely o.k., but very skimpy on the amount of blueberries they put in the muffin. I wanted to make some homemade Blueberry Muffins overloaded with blueberries.
I used this recipe and adjusted moisture a bit for my 5,000ft high altitude / semi-arid region.
Was very pleased how they turned out, very tasty!! And yes, I did add some extra blueberries. Went with 1 3/4 cups.
Loved the sugar/walnut crumble on top. And the sour cream did help keep the muffins moist.
How did you adjust the recipe for your altitude? I am also at a high altitude but am new to it so unsure how it impacts recipes.
Flavor and texture are great.
Not sure what went wrong. I followed recipe precisely. Tops spread out on tin, and blueberries, I used frozen, stuck to the sprayed pan.
For sure next timE I will use liners and fresh blueberries. Frozen bleed too much
Try coating the fresh or frozen berries in a little bit of the flour before gently folding in by hand.
I tried this recipe late this morning and I now know what I’ll have for lunch!! Another of the ‘over the top’ blueberry muffins!!! The best I’ve had, hands down, whether store bought or homemade!! Thanks for the awesome recipe. Can’t wait until my wife gets home from shopping, so she can smell them and then try one!! The kitchen smells like a cinnamon bun!!
Amazing recipe! Super delicious followed exactly using weight measurements. Definitely not something I would want to eat all the time, but such a nice treat!! I used frozen wild blueberries because they are always so sweet since they are much smaller than regular I just use a tad less. A trick I have found while using frozen blueberries is to rinse them with cold water in a strainer and then make sure to drain all water very well and that really helps to keep your batter from turning purple. Again, thanks for the recipe!