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
These are delicious! I have been searching for a good blueberry muffin recipe for years, trying different ones, but never truly satisfied with the level of deliciousness I am looking for. I bake for many other people, and I want a recipe that others will rave about. These are it!
Hello, I don’t have muffin liners. Does that change the recipe?
Thank you!
Hi Suzy, just make sure to grease the muffin tins well, the muffins may be a little shorter.
Do you think using browned butter would be good in this recipe? Brown it then let it cool to room temperature before using…. I read the whole page to understand the recipe. Thanks kids are so excited. Gonna make them this weekend.
I’m sure it would be delicious, Faith!
Can I freeze these? And if so would it be before or or after the dough is baked?
Hi Kelley, see recipe Notes! Freeze baked & cooled muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or at room temperature before enjoying.
Omg these muffins are excellent! I literally started a cottage bakery and got an order. First time ever making blueberry muffins and these are incredible. Thank you!
Yummy! Followed the recipe exactly & weighed out the ingredients and these came out perfect. My kids don’t like nuts so I used the peach streusel topping as suggested and it was delicious. Will definitely be making these again.
Used frozen mixed berries and it was excellent
Best muffins hands down!!! I don’t usually ever comment on a recipe if I don’t follow it exactly, but the only change I made was to use Saskatoon’s (as they are known in Canada..known as service berries elsewhere) instead of blueberries. they are usually pretty interchangeable in most recipes.I followed the recipe to a T otherwise, and the product was the most tender, moist, flavorful, and bakery-quality muffins I’ve ever made, and I have been baking my whole life!! I cannot give it enough stars to explain how good these muffins are.
I bake muffins, scones, and quick breads for a local coffee cafe that is part of a small golf club where I live in Europe. I’m always looking for delicious new recipes. I baked these muffins today, as written, using the yogurt alternative to sour cream. My taste testers (husband and neighbors) agreed that the flavor was very good. Flavor is my number one criteria, of course. I had a lot of topping leftover (not an issue as I can use it again), and I think they baked at too high of a temperature, as when I turned the oven temp down for the second half of baking, mine only took 13 minutes, not 18-20. In the future, I will keep the oven temp at a steady 375 F, the temp I most often use. But overall, the crumb and texture was a winner. Thanks!
Amazing as always. I’ve made these twice as muffins, and doubled the recipe for a big sandwich cake! Made a yummy blueberry syrup to pour over and a jam for the middle too
Dear Sally,
I made your wonderful blueberry muffins today, and they were a big hit with my card-playing friends!!!
These muffins are the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever eaten!!!
Thank you for sharing your recipe, for it is the best gift ever!!!!!
I will share your recipe with my family and friends!!! And we all thank you!!!! YUMMY!!!!! Wonderful & YUMMY!!!!
Love this blueberry muffin recipe,there a perfect breakfast,and just another of your recipes that are put together really easy to make and delicious Thank you,,
One lovely feature of this recipe is you can use it as a base for other muffins. I use raspberries and chocolate chips because they go together so well, and this makes a decadently delicious muffin. For even more chocoholic delight, I substitute 1/4 cup of cocoa and a teaspoon of expresso powder for a 1/4 cup of flour and use a chocolate frosting to top it off. Tasting is believing.
They turned out AMAZING!!! Thank you! will make again!!!
These blueberry muffins are delicious! I appreciate how simple and quick they are to make and I would recommend any baker to make these. The streusel adds a wonderful touch. I will definitely make again.
I LOVE all of Sally’s recipes and this one was incredibly easy. They were moist and tasted amazing. The only comment I have is that these were more of a cupcake consistency instead of a muffin. My family referred to them as cupfins. Has anyone else experienced this? It definitely could have been user error, so I was just curious
Hi Ange, these are cake-like muffins – nice and soft and buttery!
Delicious!! I doubled the recipe and didn’t change anything. They turned out so good. My family enjoyed the muffins. Keep sake will bake them often
These were amazing! Simple, light and with fresh picked Maine blueberries, a real treat! Added to my list of favorites, Thank You so much!
These are by far the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever had
Please can you confirm if the oven temp is fan assisted or not? Mine tasted delicious but came out a bit soggy on the bottom (although passed toothpick test) so not sure how to fix.
Hi Jai, all our baking recipes are written for a conventional oven baking setting, not fan. If your oven only has fan-assisted, you may need to lower the temperature a bit. Hope this helps!
Good lord these muffins were simply amazing! Made them exactly as the recipe said. Moist and delicious. This is going in my regular rotation of sweet treats. My husband and I both scarffed down two of them once they’d cooled a bit.
These came out so delicious and moist. I used frozen blueberries and my batter came kinda out blue. But Smurf muffins are still yummy. I do recommend using muffin liners. I thought I could get away with not using them like I did with the pumpkin muffin recipe. However, my muffins stuck to the pan.
10/10. They rose tall and were moist.i add about two teaspoons grated lemon rind as it always enhances the flavor of the blueberries.
OMG THESE MUFFINS TURNED OUT LOOKING SO GOOD AND DELICIOUS! WHEN I WAS DONE WHIPPING MY BATTER IT WAS SO SOFT AND FLUFFY! MADE THESE FOR A CO-WORKER AND THEY LOVED IT!!!
Hi Sally,
I love all of your recipes. Have made several . This is one of my favorites.
Always great! Love to bake too. Keep up the good work!!
Hi Sally,
These muffins are terrific! I would like to fill them with lemon curd. Can I put a small amount of curd in the batter before baking. Thank you!
Hi Ida! We would fill them after baking, like you would fill a cupcake.
I made these last night. They are fantastic! The topping on top I actually loved and I usually do not like them. 10 out of 10!
These were very good! However, if you go by measurement of blueberries in grams, it is way too much. Next time I will eye ball the blueberry amount.
Reading this as I have mine in the oven with way too many blueberries in them lol
A B S O L U T E L Y the best fruit muffin I’ve made or tasted.
The only changes I’ve made: I used mixed frozen fruit (blueberries, blackberries and raspberries) and I used pecans rather than walnuts only because I used what I had on hand.
As for the rest, I followed the recipe to a T.
DELICIOUS, MOIST, A+
Thank you so much ❤️
These muffins are unbelievable! Mine didn’t turn out pretty at all, but the taste made up for it!! My muffins turned out so flimsy on the bottom. I’m wondering if my blueberries had too much water on them. I had just picked them and washed and drained them but maybe I should have put them on a paper towel to dry out completely. I let my muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes and I could barely take them out of the pan – they held zero firmness on the bottom portion. Any suggestions? I’d like to try making them again and hope for a better outcome.
Hi Donna! We would guess the wet blueberries would be the culprit. Glad you enjoyed them anyway!