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
Fabulous recipe. I got 14 muffins out of the batch and they were consumed quickly. They were moist and the streusel topping was the perfect touch. This is a keeper for sure!
I made these blueberry muffins this morning. Being celiac I used gluten free flour and the outcome was wonderful. They definitely are the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever made. I love the height of the muffin, streusel topping and light texture. My husband who butters everything said these were perfect just as they are.
Thank you Sally
Absolutely delicious, we love the walnut in the topping
Have you ever made this recipe in a 13″x9″ pan?
Hi Donna, I love making it in a loaf pan (see recipe notes). I think there wouldn’t be enough batter for a 9×13 pan but you can try an 8 inch square pan.
My husband said these are the best blueberry muffins that I have ever made. They turned out great.
The blue berry cupcakes were delicious! But, how can I store them so that the streusel stays crispy for the next morning?
Hi Dorothy! Leave them only lightly covered to maintain a slightly crisp streusel topping. The exposure to air will keep excess moisture off.
I made these this morning and they are delicious!! I was out of vanilla extract so I added almond extract instead (same amount) and I love them! Will definitely be making this recipe again!
Used whole wheat flour, fresh raspberries, orange zest, orange extract (real of course) and streusel topping. (Cause I had left over walnuts from a Christmas Cookie recipe). It was great!
Thank you Sally! This recipe is fantastic I’ve made this recipe twice now for my family and they absolutely adore it. I’m going to try other variations next.
Excellent recipe! My first time baking muffins and they turned out great. Thanks for sharing!
I just made these today following the recipe exactly. These came out great and I would agree that these are the best blueberry muffins ever!
Omg! I made these tonight and they are delish!!! Also I didn’t have cinnomon on hand for the streusel, so I substituted with half nutmeg and gloves. Not sure if that’s why the top isn’t so sweet?
These are delicious and I’ve made them over and over again. Your site is the only one I’ll go to for baking recipes, I’ve never had a failure. Thank you!
Thanks Sally for another great recipe! Love either scones or muffins with my morning coffee and I know right where to find the best recipes. Thanks again and keep them coming!
Do you recommend using muffin liners? Looking at the pictures, it doesn’t look like you used them, so just wanted to know what’s best! Thanks!
I didn’t use liners for this particular recipe but you absolutely can (and it makes cleaning the pan easier too!).
Hi Sally,
I just baked these and they came out so good. It’s truly the best muffins to date that I’ve baked. Thank you!!
YUMMMM! I am not a baker, but I may become one now. These muffins are so good and easy.
Can I use fresh peaches instead of blueberries for these muffins
You sure can! Or I have a recipe for peach streusel muffins! https://route-span.live/peach-streusel-muffins/%3C/p%3E
Hi Sally! I was in a rush making these and forgot the milk. But even with that omission, these came out delicious! When I first tasted them, I noticed it was lacking some density but the flavor was really good. So I double checked the recipe and that’s when I noticed the milk. But they’re still great and full of flavor. The streusel topping makes them just that much better than your average muffin. Or should I say, it tops it off??
Thanks Sally!!
Just made these and they were so easy and turned out perfectly! I omitted the nuts from the streusel, and the cinnamon sugar still gives a great kick on top. Definitely a repeat recipe!
Hi Sally
This recipe is so good! I have made it countless times with fresh blueberries. My attempts with frozen are less successful.
Do you have any advice on using frozen blueberries? I always keep frozen until the last minute and fold in only slightly. Today they just bled into the muffin dough and I served blue swirled muffins to our guests. They tasted amazing anyway but did not look great.
Any tips?
Thanks!
Hi Roze! I understand the frustration with bleeding frozen berries. Try dusting the frozen blueberries with all-purpose flour before gently folding into the dough. Or leave the berries out, then layer them into the muffin batter directly in the muffin pan. That’s a great trick, too!
My grand kids can be picky eaters and they loved these. Very moist they each ate at least 3 of them.
I absolutely love this recipe and have been making it since your first post. Friends and family beg me to make them. I would usually make them every week or two and had the recipe memorized. Well we moved last August to a neighboring town like 10 mins from our old house. I kinda lost my mojo and got busy with everything and hadn’t made them since. Well I bought fresh blueberries from a local farmer and was so excited to dive right back in and make them. I did everything just as I had before and I cannot figure out why they aren’t doing the initial popping up and aren’t rising near as y’all instead are spreading out more. I’ve made myself crazy trying to figure it out and I’ve made four batches trying to figure it out. I’ve bought all brand new ingredients, rolled blueberries in flour, etc. I’ve tried all my tricks I usually would use and still can cannot figure it out. Help!! Please !!
Hi Tiffany! Are you at high altitude or anything? I can’t imagine what would have changed. I find they rise a little higher when using fresh berries as opposed to frozen berries. And make sure you’re baking them at the high initial temperature for 5 minutes before dropping the temperature down.
Also check your oven temperature with a thermometer in the oven! When I moved my oven would say it was preheated and nothing was cooking correctly. I bought a thermometer and realized it took a lot longer to preheat than it was saying. Made all the difference in my baking since moving! New oven, new learning curve!
Can I use a different flour that a healthy choice?
Hi Shirley! You could use whole wheat flour but the muffins will be very dense and chewy. I recommend sticking to all-purpose flour, or for a healthier alternative, try these blueberry almond muffins!
These are the best blueberry muffins I have ever made.
Dear Sally,
These muffins definitely taste delicious. However my muffins came apart as the blueberries sank to the bottom of the pan. Given the recipe is quite rich in blueberries, how do you prevent them from sinking? Thanks!
Hi Naz! Are you using frozen? They tend to sink a bit more since they’re heavier. Whether you’re using fresh or frozen blueberries, though, you can toss them in 1-2 Tbsp of flour prior to adding to the batter. That helps.
Can I substitute almonds for the pecans/walnuts in the streusel?
Definitely! Sliced, chopped, or slivered almonds would be great.
Made these muffins last week for out-of-town guests. They were a ‘hit’! So moist and delicious. My old BB muffin recipe (that was a family favorite), has been replaced. Thanks Sally, for all your efforts in bringing such an awesome variety of baked goods into our lives!
These are amazing! So light, tender and absolutely delicious. I always know if I want a recipe that will work perfectly every time to come to your blog (or your cookbook :)).
I made these today, my husband who isn’t a cake or muffin person and will only eat your morning glory muffins has declared these his new favourite! Definitely going to be trying some of your other muffin recipes in the coming weeks.
So delicious! This ones a keeper.
Tastes yummy! My batter came out muuuuuch thinner though, maybe because of the buttermilk substitution?