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
I have been looking for a good recipe for Blueberry Muffins and this is it. The only thing I did different was to add 1/2 cup mashed blueberries. This is a keeper. I will make them everytime.
Hi Sally and team, just wondering for oven temps, is the temperature referenced for a fan oven or non-fan?
Hi Rachel! All of the recipes on this site are written for conventional (non-fan) settings.
Hello! My batter curdled after I added the sour cream and vanilla and isn’t coming back together…is there a way to save it?
This is normal! It should come together when you add the dry ingredients.
I’ve made these at least 5 times now so I thought I should leave a review! Amazing and super moist and easy. My go to when I have too many blueberries that no one is eating!
Loved it! The muffins came out so moist and perfectly sweet! My family ate two each right after the came out of the oven.
Hi! Can I make this batter a day in advance and then chill overnight and bake in the morning, or is it best to bake right away? (I want to make these for my dad’s birthday, but I won’t have enough time day of).
Hi Molly, we don’t recommend making muffin batter ahead of time. The raising agents will activate too soon and the muffins may not rise when baked.
I want to say I love all your recipes I have tried, your recipes are definitely my go to…. Can I use 1% buttermilk?
Hi Sally, Yes, you can use buttermilk in this recipe. Use it to replace BOTH the sour cream and milk. Use 3/4 cup (180ml). Thank you for making and trusting our recipes!
Made this recipe but added 3 scoops of protein powder, used greek yoghurt instead of sour cream and used around 130ml of milk instead. It was amazing. For anyone looking for the macros, for a 12 muffin batch, each muffin was at 269 calories and 12g of protein.
Your recipes never fail me. This one has maintained the streak. This is now my favourite blueberry muffin too. Cheers!
So glad to read this, Kelly!
Hi. Going to try and make your recipe. Sounds delicious. What do you think would happen using organic whole wheat instead of white flour?
HI BJ, We don’t recommend using all white whole wheat flour as the muffins would turn out quite dense. You could try replacing half the flour with whole wheat instead. Would love to hear how they go!
Thanks. Will use half ww and half regular and let you know…
I have made this recipe twice. My son LOVES them. My only issue is the tops of my muffins spill over the edge of my pan. What am I doing incorrectly.
Hi Rebecca! Could there just be too much batter in each muffin? This recipe yields 12-14, try spreading it out to 14 next time. Glad they’re a hit!
I have made these before and like them, so I made them again.
I will go into some detail, because I’m at high altitude I always add 2-tbs of flour and lower the baking temp buy 15-20 degrees and bake a few minutes longer. So I baked at 410 for 7 minutes, then lowered to 345 for 23 minutes and they came out great.
I had an overripe banana on hand so I added that in. I was worried it would add too much liquid, but it was fine because after I put them in the oven, I ‘discovered’ the 1/4 cup of milk sitting on the counter….that I forgot to put in. haha
I wish I could post pictures here because they look ‘like a picture.’
I make my muffins ‘Jumbo’ size like in a coffee shop or deli and it wielded 6 high jumbo muffins.
I used large frozen blueberry’s I had frozen fresh myself, and they didn’t sink. As long as your batter is thick enough, the berries will not sink.
I goofed on the temp, it was 335, not 345.
Also, I always use large baking sugar crystals for topping my muffins. I prefer it to streusel, no matter what I do, it always mostly falls off.
Any tips for using this batter for a cake? Not wild on lemon so staying clear of your lemon blueberry recipe
Hi Imac, this batter would be pretty dense for a cake, but you could use our white cake or vanilla cake recipes and add about a cup blueberries to either of those batters. Let us know what you try!
So I was going to use layer tins for thin layers and quick cooking – still no? I’ll go compare/contrast the white and vanilla recipes to see what’s best for the recipient.
To Imac,
I think you could use it for a cake using a spring form or tub pan. It will be hard to spread though because the batter is so thick. Try using the back of a serving spoon or spatula, sprayed with cooking spray to flatten out the batter. I think I would add 1/2 cup of chopped nuts on the top after getting into the pan. It will be more like a coffee cake…..Good Luck with it.
Delicious recipe, however do you have any idea why my blueberries sank? Thanks
Hi Hilly, Did you use frozen blueberries by chance? They tend to sink. You can toss them (or fresh blueberries) in 1 Tablespoon of flour before stirring into the batter. That helps keep them lifted in the muffins.
Sinking berries are usually caused by the batter being too thin for some reason…Size of eggs, exact measurements, temp of ingredients, everything at room temp is quite important
If your batter wasn’t thick, you maybe erred when constructing batter. In most any muffin.
recipe, the batter should very thick……especially for Blueberry muffins.
This is a winner!
I just made blueberry muffins using your delicious recipe. The only change I made was substitute Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 Baking Flour for the regular flour because my daughters have Celiac disease. They were perfect! No one could tell they were gluten free. I’ve never sent a message to anyone about a recipe but these were so fantastic, I had to let you know
Blueberries sunk to the bottom, so the muffins became soggy on the bottom. I followed the recipe exactly. My berries were quite large, so perhaps I should not have used the full 1 1/2 cups – too many berries for the amount of batter.
Thank you for sharing my 9 year old just got diagnosed with celiac and I’m going to try this recipe because of your review! 🙂
I used 3/4 cup of sour milk with a little less than 1 tbsp of vinegar added to the milk to make it curdle a bit more for buttermilk. Per the notes, I left out the sour cream/yogurt. Followed everything else as written. Not sure if I needed to add the vinegar or not since the milk was already sour. Maybe this recipe is just fail safe. I dunno but the muffins were delicious and came out beautifully! Will definitely be making them again!
So im.not sure what I did but when tasting them the blueberries had a tangy taste to them.
Hi Allie, it sound like your particular batch of blueberries may have been a bit sour or tangy. If you can, give the blueberries a try before adding them to your next batch!
These are better than any bakery muffin! The look beautiful and taste even better!
I absolutely loved these! Thank you so much for this recipe! My only problem was that once taken out of the oven, they sank in the middle. Any ideas about what went wrong? They were still delicious though and I will definitely make them again!
Hi Anna, did they seem baked through? When muffins sink it often means they are just a bit under baked, so an additional minute or two in the oven should help for next time. Thanks so much for giving these a try!
My husband and I really enjoyed these moist and flavorful muffins. It’s a keeper!
Made this recipe a few times now and it’s my go to. The muffins are packed full of blueberries. So light, fluffy, and extremely delicious!!!
Best recipe ever. Follow it almost to a T. I always add a tsp of almond extract. Love its flavour. Otherwise would not change a thing.
Can I use a different struessel topping instead of this one with pecans?
Yes, absolutely! The crumb topping from these peach muffins would be great.
This was the best blueberry muffin I’ve ever had, let alone made! Loved that every bite was bursting with blueberry flavor. Thank you for this wonderful recipe!
Love this recipe, they were a huge hit at my office. One question – will they still rise if I make the batter the night before, and bake them in the morning?
Hi Laura, we don’t recommend making muffin batter ahead of time. So glad you love them!
Laura- you can prepare the streusel topping and dry ingredients the night before. In the morning, mix the wet ingredients, add the dry ingredients and you are ready to go. This method makes fresh muffins in the morning a breeze.
I just made these an hour ago and had to taste one….absolutely delish!!! A keeper indeed!
I just made these buttery blueberry muffins today. They taste incredible. I’ll definitely make these again. One change I may make however is to simply sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar rather than the streusel topping. I LOVE streusel…anything cinnamon and sugar (YUM) but no matter how much I “gently” press the streusel into the batter, it always ends up falling off and making a mess when eating.
I am amending my initial review. Day 2 and I have found that the streusel topping is not as apt to fall off the muffin while I’m eating it. This is a definite 5 Star recipe.
Love the recipes in you page
Best Blueberry Muffin recipe I’ve tried so far! OMG! Favoriting the link to keep handy Thank you so much!
Best blueberry muffins ever!