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These bakery-style blueberry muffins are buttery, tender, and topped with a golden streusel. They bake up perfectly soft and incredibly moist every time. I’ve been baking this blueberry muffin recipe for over a decade, and it never fails.
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“I swear blueberry muffins will just never get old and this recipe may just be the most perfect one I’ve found! They turned out amazingly moist and so full of flavor!” — Jennifer
I make these blueberry muffins so often that they’ve basically become our family standard. Every time I go over to my mother-in-law’s house and she has a batch on the counter, I take one bite and say, “Oh my gosh, these are so good.” And she just smiles and says, “That’s your recipe from Sugar and Charm.” It makes me laugh every time — because truly, this is the only blueberry muffin recipe I ever make!
Table of Contents
- Why These Blueberry Muffins Are So Good
- The Secret Science Behind Bakery-Style Muffins
- What You’ll Need for Bakery-Style Muffins
- How to Make The Best Blueberry Muffins
- Eden’s Expert Tips
- Easy Recipe Variations
- Streusel Topping
- How to Store and Freeze Blueberry Muffins
- Blueberry Muffin Recipe FAQs
- More Muffin Recipes
- Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Why These Blueberry Muffins Are So Good
Butter + oil: Unlike recipes that use only butter (which can dry out) or only oil (which lacks flavor), this recipe combines both — so you get rich taste and bakery-style moisture that lasts for days.
Buttermilk: Creates a soft, tender crumb.
425°F bake: Gives you tall, bakery-style domed tops.
Golden streusel topping: Adds texture and just the right amount of sweetness.
No mixer needed: Just two bowls and a spatula!
The Secret Science Behind Bakery-Style Muffins
Why Butter AND Oil? Butter gives flavor. Oil locks in moisture. Using both creates bakery-level texture.
Why Buttermilk? It reacts with baking powder for lift and keeps the crumb soft.
Why You Must Not Overmix: Overmixing develops gluten, which makes muffins dense. Stop when batter is slightly lumpy.
Fresh vs. Frozen Blueberries: Which is Better?
Fresh blueberries are my first choice. They hold their shape and give you that clean, golden crumb with juicy bursts throughout.
If you’re using frozen blueberries:
- Don’t thaw them first.
- Toss them in 1 tablespoon of flour before folding into the batter.
- Fold gently to prevent purple streaking.
What You’ll Need for Bakery-Style Muffins
All-Purpose Flour: I use King Arthur flour for this recipe, which stabilizes the muffins. You can also use whole wheat flour or a combination of both.
Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the muffins. You can swap for other sugars, like brown sugar.
Baking Powder & Salt: Helps the muffins rise and enhances the flavor.
Melted Butter: Adds flavor and moisture. Use whole, organic butter when possible.
Eggs: These provide the structure and ‘lift’ needed to support those heavy blueberries so they don’t sink to the bottom.
Buttermilk: The acid helps to tenderize the muffins. Use my buttermilk recipe to make your own!
Canola Oil (or Vegetable Oil): Creates a very moist muffin. You can also try coconut oil, which will change the muffins’ texture.
Vanilla Extract & Lemon Zest: Add extra flavor and freshness.
Fresh Blueberries: Provide a juicy pop in every bite.
How to Make The Best Blueberry Muffins
- Mix the dry ingredients: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, sugar, and baking powder.
- Combine the wet ingredients: In another bowl, mix the eggs, vanilla, melted butter, buttermilk, oil, lemon zest, and sugar until smooth.
- Bring it together: Gently fold the wet mixture into the flour mixture with a spatula. Don’t over mix — the batter should be a little lumpy.
- Add the blueberries: Fold in the blueberries lightly, just until they’re coated in batter.
- Fill the muffin tin: Line a muffin tin or cupcake tin with muffin cups and fill each one with about ¼ cup of batter.
- Top with streusel: Mix the streusel topping in a small bowl until crumbs form and then sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons over each muffin.
- Bake: Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and set.
Eden’s Expert Tips
Don’t overmix the batter: A few lumps are a good thing. Overmixing can make muffins dense instead of soft and fluffy.
The “Muffin Transition”: Start your oven at 425°F. This initial blast of heat creates a rapid steam release, lifting the batter quickly for those high, domed tops. Once they’ve puffed up, transition to a slightly lower heat (or simply finish at 425°F for a shorter time) to ensure golden-brown edges and a much more tender crumb without drying out the center.
Fill liners ¾ full: This is my trick for tall, bakery-style muffin tops, especially with the streusel.
Use room-temperature ingredients: Let your eggs and buttermilk sit out for a bit. When ingredients are at the same temperature, they create a smooth emulsion, which traps air and results in an incredibly tender crumb.
Add blueberries at the end: Gently fold them in last to keep the batter from turning purple.
Easy Recipe Variations
Cranberry twist: Swap half the blueberries for fresh cranberries for a tart, festive version (similar to my cranberry orange muffins).
Add banana: Fold in 1 mashed ripe banana with the wet ingredients for extra moisture and natural sweetness (similar to my blueberry banana muffins).
Gluten-free option: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill). The texture is slightly more delicate but still moist and tender.
Add spices: A small pinch of cardamom or cinnamon adds subtle warmth — similar to the cozy flavor in my apple cider donuts.
Lemon blueberry muffins: Add 1 tablespoon fresh lemon zest to the wet ingredients, along with 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice. For extra lemon flavor, drizzle with a simple glaze made from 1 cup powdered sugar whisked with 2–3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice.
Streusel Topping
It’s all about the muffin tops!
The brown sugar, flour, and butter crumble melts slightly as the muffins bake, creating a golden, slightly crisp topping that contrasts perfectly with the soft center.
This step is small — but it makes these muffins feel special.
How to Store and Freeze Blueberry Muffins
Reheat: Microwave for 15 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes for that “just baked” taste.
Room Temp: Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Pro-Tip: Add a paper towel to the container to keep the streusel tops crunchy!
Freezing: Wrap individually and freeze in a baggy for up to 2 months.
Blueberry Muffin Recipe FAQs
Yes! Frozen blueberries work great. I recommend adding them straight from the freezer or tossing them lightly in flour before folding them into the batter. Just avoid thawing first, or they may tint your batter purple.
This usually happens if the batter is over-mixed or baked too long. Remember, a few lumps in the batter are a good thing! Bake until just golden brown and springy on top.
Toss them in a little flour before adding to the batter — it helps keep them evenly distributed in every muffin. I also like folding them in very gently at the end.
Yes — and actually, the overnight rest makes them even better. Cover the batter tightly and refrigerate overnight (up to 24 hours). The cold rest gives the flour time to fully hydrate, which creates a thicker batter that rises higher and produces a more dramatically domed top. In the morning, let the batter sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while your oven preheats, fold in your blueberries if you haven’t already, and bake as usual. It’s a great trick for fresh-from-the-oven muffins with zero morning effort.
Yes! Swap the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend (like King Arthur or Bob’s Red Mill). The texture is slightly different, but still delicious.
Bake at a higher temperature — 425°F is the sweet spot. The blast of heat helps the muffins rise tall and gives you that golden, domed top. Don’t forget the streusel topping for that irresistible crunch!
Yes! This recipe works beautifully for jumbo muffins. Line a jumbo muffin pan and fill each cup almost full. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for 18–22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
More Muffin Recipes
These muffins are perfect for weekend baking or serving as part of a simple brunch spread. You can find more easy ideas in my brunch recipes!
When you make this recipe, tag me @sugarandcharm so I can see and share!
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Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup canola oil, vegetable oil works too
- 4 tbsp unsalted butter, melted then cooled
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
Streusel Topping
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 4 tbsp melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line two standard muffin tins with paper liners (this recipe makes 24 muffins).
- Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1 cup granulated sugar until evenly combined.
- Mix the wet ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together 2 large eggs, 1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract, 1 cup buttermilk, ¼ cup canola oil, 4 tablespoons melted (cooled) butter, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest until smooth.
- Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold together with a spatula just until combined. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy. Do not overmix.
- Add blueberries. Gently fold in 2 cups fresh blueberries until just distributed.
- Fill the muffin tins. Scoop about ¼ cup of batter into each liner, filling about ¾ full.
- Make the streusel. In a small bowl, mix together ½ cup flour, 3 tablespoons granulated sugar, 3 tablespoons brown sugar, and 4 tablespoons melted butter until crumbly.
- Top the muffins. Sprinkle 1–2 tablespoons of streusel over each muffin, lightly pressing it into the batter.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. (Do not reduce the oven temperature.)
- Cool. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
These blueberry muffins are the best! Hands down my favorite muffin recipe.
Gave these a try for breakfast this morning and it was the best way to start my day! Looking forward to enjoying these again tomorrow; delish!
That streusel topping is everything! Goes so well with the blueberries!
I swear blueberry muffins will just never get old and this recipe may just be the most perfect one I’ve found! They turned out amazingly moist and so full of flavor!
I just made these muffins for my kiddos and they smell so good! I love the streusel topping. Yum!
That streusel topping takes the muffins to another level. Double yum!!
The streusel takes these to a new level!! Blueberry is my kids favorite muffin!!
These are so incredibly delicious and they freeze really well too! Thank you!
Absolutely delightful! I love the perfect streusel topping. The muffins came out so delicious. Love the fresh blueberries! I’ve made many a muffin with frozen blueberries, and while I love them and don’t mind the blue-ish green hue unrinsed frozen blueberries give, the fresh ones really pop so nicely in these delicious muffins!