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
Nothing wrong with blueberry pie for breakfast! Just call it a fruit wrap instead!
Can this be made as a loaf in a standard size loaf pan?
Yes, but I recommend this blueberry muffin bread. The recipe is similar and holds better shape in the loaf pan.
So good! I was able to make it without a had mixer, although I’m sure it would be even better! Also I haven’t baked anything in years so it was nice to have an easy to follow recipe turn out so well
This was a really great muffin recipe, I didn’t have sour cream or yogurt so I subbed a block of softened cream cheese (I doubled the recipe) these came out amazing both times with fresh the first batch and frozen wild blueberries the second time around 10/10 everyone who tried them said they were one of the best muffins they have ever had
I don’t have butter. What can be used to substitute butter?
Just made these muffins and they are spectacular! Didn’t change a thing. No need to. THANK YOU!!!!
First batch of muffins I’ve successfully made without burning! Delicious recipe, love the brown sugar topping, it’s a lovely touch 🙂
Best blueberry muffin recipe. Easy to make and they are so DELICIOUS!
Hi Sally, I have tried out so many blueberry muffin recipes in the past and I have to say… your recipe is my favorite. They are simple to make and turned out so moist (just the way I like them). DELICIOUS!
Comforting, buttery, lovely! Easy, too.
Best muffins ever! We substituted wild huckleberries, and this is the best recipe we have ever tried using them.
Hi! Can the butter be substituted with a neutral oil (veg oil)? Thanks!
Hi Sarah, we do not recommend oil here. You need a fat that is solid at room temperature so that it can be properly creamed with the sugars. You could try solid coconut oil in place of the butter, but the results will be different.
Question, I’ve been looking at blueberry muffins all day, and one (not yours, unfortunatelyj, had said that cake flour makes more tender muffins. Do you agree?
Hi Cookie, you can certainly try cake flour instead of all-purpose flour. The muffins will be very light and may not hold their shape outside of the muffin wrappers though. For best results, we recommend sticking with the recipe and using all-purpose. Let us know what you try!
This recipe is amazing!!! But i recommend using sour cream instead of yogurt so that the muffins are more fluffy! 🙂
How do you adjust time for mini muffins?
Hi Patty, For mini muffins: 350°F (whole time) for 12–14 minutes. Makes about 36–40.
Love the recipe – can I substitute raspberries, or are they too moist?
Hi Leslye, you can definitely use raspberries instead. Bake time may be just a minute or so longer since they are wetter than blueberries. Enjoy!
Best blueberry muffin ever. I used fresh wild blueberries from Muskoka, ON and they are out-of-this-world delicious.
I am not a baker but I decided to try these because we have
quite a few blueberries. I have to say that these muffins are
over-the-top delicious and I
have never had any muffin that
tasted as good as these!
My company loved these, I think I’d add less vanilla and add lemon or orange juice. I’m not a vanilla fan. I got 12 mi I and 12 regular muffins. I’d probably lower my oven by 5 degrees as I think it runs abit hot. The minis were done in 5 minutes.
These muffins were so delicious! I made the topping with a dark brown sugar and no nuts. Sally’s Baking Addictions my go to for yummy recipes and this one was not a disappointment.
Ahh, your recipes have never let me down and this one isn’t an exception! So rich and tasty, my whole family and neighbours loved it, especially nice with freshly picked blueberries 🙂
I really dislike the two different temperatures, as in my opinion, the less possibilities for error, the better. Because there’s so much text in the instructions and it begins with: preheat oven to 218 celsius, I somehow missed the much later part, lowering of the temperature, and ended up with slightly burnt and dry muffins after only 15 min. I feel like crying after paying 6 euros for the blueberries and after all the effort. The muffins themselves are quite “bread-like”, I don’t think there’s enough sugar, especially when using partly dark brown sugar as instructed. Baking at the wrong temp might be the culprit for lack of moistness and flavour though. Anyways, won’t be making them again because even though I’m an experienced baker, it’ll take time to lick my wounds and gather the courage to start baking again… But thank you for the otherwise great blog and recipes! Your birthday cake is a family favorite here in Finland!
Ah! I see the mistake you made! You didn’t read the recipe fully, nor did you follow it!
Next time, if you read everything carefully, you should be fine!
Hi Sally, I’m about to try this recipe as have had a good crop of homegrown blueberries this year but just wanted to ask. You say this is for 12-14 muffins. Is this standard or large size? Is it like your delicious looking bakery style chocolate chip muffins (which I’m also going to try) where yo say can be 6 large size or 14-15 standard size?
Hi Dave, these will be standard size. We have another recipe for Jumbo Blueberry Muffins. Enjoy!
Delicious and easy to make! I will use the recipe as my ‘go to’ to make blueberry muffins.
Best Muffins ever
I was skeptical of trying a new muffin recipe but this one is terrific. The muffins do grow tall, bakery-style, and have a yummy crispy top and soft and fluffy interior. I added a splash of almond extract to mine. Will certainly bake again when we pick more blueberries!
This is the best muffin recipe I have ever used! Thank you so much.
I stopped making muffins because I was never happy with the result. Thought I would give this a try based on the reviews and it is wonderful. I feel the method makes all the difference and though it takes a little bit more time it is well worth it. I used one cup of fresh blueberries and 1 ripe banana and this worked beautifully!
This was a tasteless recipe. I followed directions exactly and thought maybe it needed more sugar or vanilla?
Hi Diana, were your blueberries sweet and flavorful? If not, a little extra sugar could help, as well as more vanilla. Let me know if you make any adjustments and how they turn out.
Sally these blueberry muffins are over-the-top delicious! I have never tasted any blueberry Muffin as good as this recipe turned out! So light and fluffy! I didn’t use the nuts in the topping but it was very good without them!
I haven’t made blueberry muffins in years!! I went blueberry picking to pick fresh berries and used your recipe. The muffins are soooo good! I cut the sugar just a tad. I made one other batch, a banana blueberry muffin recipe from a different author- it paled in comparison. I will be trying out your other recipes, too.
What an AMAZING recipe! We made it with foraged blueberries from our local forest. Love the topping!
Have made these 3 times so far and each time a bit different. Always with plant based milk but the first time just softened the butter, second time the butter ended up melted and today I used plant based milk, margarine and yogurt since child is lactose intolerant and she is coming for supper. Each time they turned out exactly how I wanted them and they were delicious. Thank you for a recipe that I can switch things around so she can have something tasty and fun to eat.
I have tried numerous blueberry muffin recipes of the years and never found the one that was just quite right….until now. These muffins are amazing! I have now found what to me is the perfect blueberry muffin recipe.