These soft, fluffy, and moist blueberry muffins are packed full of sweet, plump blueberries and topped with slightly sugared tops. My best blueberry muffin recipe is packed to the brim with tips for getting the fluffiest muffins with tall, bakery-style tops, and includes a step-by-step video tutorial as well!
The Only Blueberry Muffin Recipe You Need
I’m pretty proud of my muffin recipes around here, and today’s blueberry muffins are no exception.
With their soft, tender, and melt-in-your-mouth moist crumb with hints of vanilla, plump juicy berries, and slightly sugared tops, my recipe ticks all of the boxes when it comes to perfect, bakery style muffins.
They’re simple to make, no mixer required or fussy ingredients required, and they can be ready in under 35 minutes.
I think you’re going to love this one, so let’s get right to it.
Ingredients
Nothing shocking on the ingredient list, I’m sure, but let’s go over a few of the key ingredients and why I use them (and why I call for them in my blueberry muffin recipe).
- Blueberries. Either fresh or frozen blueberries work great here. If you’re using frozen do not thaw the berries first and be note that frozen berries often leave purple streaks throughout the batter (especially if you’re using frozen “wild” blueberries). There’s nothing wrong with this and it won’t affect the flavor, just be aware that your blueberry muffins might look a bit tie-dyed.
- Sour cream. This is my secret weapon and quickly became the obvious choice for adding moisture and a light texture to my blueberry muffin recipe (it’s also a key ingredient in my lemon poppy seed muffins)! This ingredient adds to the fluffiness and flavor to the muffins and helps give them their moist, tender crumb. I recommend only full-fat sour cream (though full-fat plain Greek yogurt could be substituted in a pinch!).
- Corn starch. Another favorite secret ingredient of mine (you may remember it from my chocolate chip cookie recipe!). This helps add structure and fluffiness to the muffins, without drying them out (which would happen if we simply added more flour). It’s another contributing factor to the tender crumb that makes these blueberry muffins the best.
- Butter & oil. I discovered years ago when developing my vanilla cake recipe that the trick to getting the best texture was not using solely butter or oil, but using a blend of the two. Melted butter lends flavor to the blueberry muffins (and since it’s melted, there’s no need to cream it so the batter comes together easily by hand) and a neutral cooking oil (vegetable or canola) adds moisture. Made this way, your muffins will have a flavorful and moist crumb.
How to Make Moist Blueberry Muffins
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and sugar (which is not technically considered a dry ingredient even though it’s, well, dry. It has to do with the fact that sugar becomes liquid in the oven, but that’s a post for another day).
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients (minus the sugar) until thoroughly combined.
- Carefully and gently begin to fold the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together.
- When the batter is about 75% combined, fold in the blueberries just until the batter is completely combined. I like to add the blueberries here rather than after the batter is completely combined because it allows you to incorporate the berries without over-mixing the batter, which would leave you with dense, dry, or even crumbly blueberry muffins.
Baking the Muffins
- Divide the muffin batter evenly into a paper-lined muffin tin (or use my parchment paper liners). There will be a lot of batter, with each liner being filled to the brim, this is expected!
- Sprinkle the top of the blueberry muffins with coarse or granulated sugar, if desired (or go fancy and top with my streusel!), and bake until they’re beginning to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
There are several reasons why muffins turn out dry. Most commonly this is caused by the batter either being over-mixed or over-baked in the oven. Make sure your oven is not running hotter than it leads on, or it will dry out the blueberry muffins in a hurry.. If the flour is accidentally over-measured, this could also do it. Make sure you are following my guidelines on how to measure flour properly.
This is actually one of my key tricks to tall, fluffy muffin tops!
Starting your muffin batter off on a higher temperature allows the blueberry muffins to rise nice and tall, then dropping the temperature allows the interiors of your muffins to finish cooking without drying out, keeping the centers nice, soft, and fluffy.
Yes. I originally mirrored my blueberry muffin recipe almost exactly after my chocolate chip muffins. Over the years, I decided the blueberries deserved a more distinct muffin base and so it has been changed. If you are looking for the original recipe, it’s not lost! Simply head over to my basic muffin recipe and add 1 ½ cups blueberries. It’s the same thing, and still a delicious recipe, though I prefer the new one here.
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! Make sure to check out the how-to VIDEO in the recipe card!
The Best Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter melted
- ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil (may substitute vegetable oil)
- 1 large egg room temperature preferred
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
- 1 ¾ cup (245 g) blueberries (fresh or frozen will work, if using frozen you do not need to thaw first, and note that they may leave purple streaks through your muffins).
- Coarse sugar for sprinkling optional (may just use regular granulated sugar or omit entirely).
Recommended Equipment
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 (215C) and line a 12 count muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cornstarch, salt.1 ¾ cup (220 g) all-purpose flour, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 Tablespoons cornstarch, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
- In a separate bowl whisk together butter and canola oil. Add egg and vanilla. Stir in sour cream until thoroughly combined.¼ cup (60 ml) unsalted butter, ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil, 1 large egg, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 cup (240 g) sour cream
- Add wet ingredients to dry and gently fold together with a spatula until mostly combined. Once the batter is about 75% combined, add the blueberries and fold them in as well until batter is completely combined (don’t over-mix!).1 ¾ cup (245 g) blueberries
- Evenly divide muffin batter into prepared tin (liners will be most of the way full) and sprinkle tops with sugar, if using.Coarse sugar for sprinkling
- Transfer to 425F (215C) preheated oven and bake for 8 minutes. After 8 minutes reduce the oven temperature to 350F (175C) without opening the oven door and then continue to bake another 10-12 minutes or until the tops are beginning to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow to cool 10 minutes in muffin tin then gently remove from pan (I like to use a butter knife to gently pry the muffin out of the tin, remember the pan may still be hot and muffins are fragile when they are warm!) and allow to cool completely on a cooling rack (otherwise muffin bottoms may become soggy).
- Enjoy!
Notes
Storing
Store blueberry muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Muffins may also be frozen for several months. Refrigerating will dry out the muffins and I do not recommend it.Making as jumbo muffins:
Divide batter evenly into a 6-count jumbo muffin tin. Bake on 425F (220C) for 8 minutes then reduce the oven temperature to 350F (175C) (do not open oven door) and bake another 13-15 minutes or until tops are beginning to turn golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.Making as mini muffins:
Divide into mini muffin tin. Bake on 375F (190C) (you will not change the temperature) until light golden brown on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs, approximately 11-13 minutes. You will get at least 24 muffins.Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
Audrey Alexia
Sooooooo gooooood! And I never liked muffins before.
I make a batch of these every Sunday for my boyfriend’s 7 y.o. daughter, that’s part of her little breakfast for school (so much better than the pre-made ones at the store…)
Your “Worst” chocolate chip cookies are the freakin’ best, we love them!!! I made a lot of your cookies, they are all great.
Thank you!!
Sam
Thank you so much, Audrey! I am so glad you are enjoying all of the recipes! I hope you continue to enjoy all of them! Thank you so much for commenting. 🙂
Cindy
Blueberry muffins were amazing.I thought they needed a little more sugar or could be just me.Still couldn’t ask for a better recipe! Also made your chocolate chip banana bread and loved it!Thank You.
Sam
So happy to hear you enjoyed, Cindy! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Julie Amstutz
i was wondering. After mixing, if I put the batter in the muffin pan and then let set for 15 min will the outcome be the same as mixing, let set in bowl and then placing in the muffin pans.
Sam
Hi Julie. I think that would be just fine. 🙂
Debra
The snow is finally here in the northwest. Ive been saving ur emails, I plan on making 4 including these muffins! I never seem to have unsalted butter – can I use saltwd? I LOVE ur videos! I will post after each recipe! Ty Sam
Sam
Hi Debra! I hope you love everything you try! For this recipe it will be ok to use salted butter. If you ever have a question on substituting salted for unsalted butter, I have an article that tells you how to make that substitution. 🙂
Debra
Thank you for the tip! I will keep this handy when out of unsalted butter. Your quick response is awesome!
Jill
Just made this for the hubby and he loves it!! These muffins are so goooood!!!!
Sam
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them, Jill! 🙂
Stacy
Yum! Love the sugared tops 😛
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them, Stacy! 🙂
Vivian
Another WINNER! Loved the flavor, texture, and the rise on the babies!
Sam
So happy to hear they were such a hit! Thank you for commenting, Vivian! 🙂
Lillian Aman Nedeau
Just made these muffins with wild blueberries. So delicious!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them Lillian! 😃
Kristie
Yum! Yum!! My 14 month old LOVES these! And so does her Mommy! Great recipe! Quick question- do these need to be refrigerated? Wasn’t sure, since they have egg and egg whites.
Thanks! We love your site!!
Sam
Hi Kristie! They do not need to be refrigerated. 😃
eric
Made mine today as well….wow, a very very good recipe, I used fresh North Carolina Blueberries! Outstanding recipe.
Thank you,
Eric
Sam
So glad you enjoyed, Eric!! Thank you for commenting 🙂
Briana
Do you put the blueberries in frozen or thaw them before adding to the batter?
Sam
Frozen 🙂
ericsson williams
Hi, what could I use in place of the corn starch?
Sam
If you are in the UK it would be called cornflour, but I wouldn’t recommend a substitute, the cornstarch makes them nice and soft
gerard paterno
First off I have a new job and am surrounded by ladies. I have made 2 of your recipes so far and have risen to the top of popularity thanks to you. For this recipe what would I do different if I wanted to make mini muffins or mini blueberry muffin loaves?
Sam
I haven’t made them as mini loaves so I’m not sure how they would turn out, but you could definitely use a mini muffin tin to make them mini, they will just need less time to bake — I’d start checking around 14 minutes or so. Enjoy!
Pam Kumher
I substituted blackberries for the blueberries. YUM! Came out GREAT! Even my mom was impressed with the texture.
Add your website to the recipe so I know where to go to find more after I have printed and filed it.
Sam
So glad you enjoyed! And YES, wow I need to do that, thank you!
Jackie
Made these today. The best. My husband loves them