Baking

Blueberry Muffins

5 min

Start the oven at 425 and let it drop to 375 once the muffins are in; that early blast is what pushes the tops up into a proper dome before the crumb sets. Toss the blueberries in a spoonful of flour before they go anywhere near the batter, or they'll sink and stain everything purple. The streusel goes on cold and clumpy, straight from the fridge, so it holds its shape instead of melting flat. Buttermilk and softened butter do most of the texture work here, so don't rush either to room temperature.

By Nora Calloway

You know those muffins from the bakery—the ones with the tall, domed tops, the crunchy streusel, and the berries so perfectly distributed that every bite has at least three? The ones you can’t resist buying even though you know they cost five times what they should?

This is that muffin. And now you can make them at home, any time the craving strikes. These jumbo blueberry muffins are everything you want: tender and moist, bursting with fresh blueberries, and topped with a generous, buttery streusel that adds the perfect crunch.

The secret to those sky-high domes? A hot oven and a simple technique that works every time. Let’s bake the best blueberry muffins of your life.

Step-by-Step Instructions

1 1

Preheat and Prepare

Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a jumbo 6-cup muffin pan or a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. For jumbo muffins, you may need to spray the tops of the pan with non-stick spray to prevent the muffin tops from sticking.

2 2

Make the Streusel

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt.

Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms clumps. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter.

3 3

Prepare the Blueberries

In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and toss with flour just before adding to the batter.

4 4

Combine Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

5 5

Cream Butter and Sugar

In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed.

6 6

Add Wet Ingredients

Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl again.

Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest (if using).

7 7

Alternate Dry and Wet

With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.

Gently fold in the floured blueberries with a spatula, being careful not to crush them. A few strokes should do it.

8 8

Fill the Muffin Cups

Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. For jumbo muffins, this will be about ½ cup of batter per muffin. For standard muffins, about ¼ cup. This high fill is the secret to those domed tops!

Sprinkle the streusel generously over each muffin, pressing it gently so it adheres.

9 9

Bake

Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) without opening the door. Continue baking for 15-18 minutes for standard muffins, or 20-25 minutes for jumbo muffins, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Summary

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Bake Time: 20-25 minutes (jumbo) or 15-18 minutes (standard) | Total Time: 40-45 minutes

Yield: 6 jumbo muffins or 12 standard muffins

Difficulty: Easy

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

How to Store:

Store blueberry muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The streusel will soften slightly over time, which is normal. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days.

Can You Freeze Muffins?

Absolutely! Muffins freeze beautifully. Cool completely, then place in a freezer bag or airtight container with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20-30 seconds.

Reviving Day-Old Muffins:

To refresh muffins, microwave for 10-15 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. They’ll taste almost freshly baked!

Make-Ahead for Breakfast:

You can prepare the streusel up to 3 days ahead and store in the refrigerator. The muffin batter is best baked immediately, but you can mix the dry ingredients ahead of time.

Freezing Unbaked Muffins:

Fill muffin cups with batter, top with streusel, and freeze until solid. Transfer frozen muffins to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time.

The Ingredients

Everything you need.

Prep

20 minutes

Cook

20-25 minutes (jumbo) or 15-18 minutes (standard)

Total

40-45 minutes

Yield

6 jumbo muffins or 12 standard muffins

Yields 6 jumbo muffins or 12 standard muffins.

For the Streusel Topping:

½ cup (65g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
¼ cup (50g) light brown sugar, packed
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch of salt
¼ cup (60g) unsalted butter, melted

For the Blueberry Muffins:

2 ½ cups (310g) all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, softened
1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 ½ teaspoons vanilla extract
1 teaspoon lemon zest (optional, but recommended)
1 cup (240ml) buttermilk, at room temperature
2 cups (300g) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)
1 tablespoon all-purpose flour (for tossing blueberries)

Instructions

1
Preheat and Prepare. Preheat and Prepare. Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a jumbo 6-cup muffin pan or a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. For jumbo muffins, you may need to spray the tops of the pan with non-stick spray to prevent the muffin tops from sticking. 2 2
2
Make the Streusel. Make the Streusel. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms clumps. Set aside in the refrigerator while you prepare the muffin batter. 3 3
3
Prepare the Blueberries. Prepare the Blueberries. In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour. This helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen and toss with flour just before adding to the batter. 4 4
4
Combine Dry Ingredients. Combine Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside. 5 5
5
Cream Butter and Sugar. Cream Butter and Sugar. In a large bowl, beat the softened butter and granulated sugar together with an electric mixer until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides as needed. 6 6
6
Add Wet Ingredients. Add Wet Ingredients. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Scrape down the bowl again. Beat in the vanilla extract and lemon zest (if using). 7 7
7
Alternate Dry and Wet. Alternate Dry and Wet. With the mixer on low speed, add half of the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Add all of the buttermilk, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix until just combined and no streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix. Gently fold in the floured blueberries with a spatula, being careful not to crush them. A few strokes should do it. 8 8
8
Fill the Muffin Cups. Fill the Muffin Cups. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top. For jumbo muffins, this will be about ½ cup of batter per muffin. For standard muffins, about ¼ cup. This high fill is the secret to those domed tops! Sprinkle the streusel generously over each muffin, pressing it gently so it adheres. 9 9
9
Bake. Bake. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) without opening the door. Continue baking for 15-18 minutes for standard muffins, or 20-25 minutes for jumbo muffins, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature
10
How to Store:. How to Store:. Store blueberry muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. The streusel will soften slightly over time, which is normal. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days
11
Can You Freeze Muffins?. Can You Freeze Muffins?. Absolutely! Muffins freeze beautifully. Cool completely, then place in a freezer bag or airtight container with parchment between layers. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave for 20-30 seconds
12
Reviving Day-Old Muffins:. Reviving Day-Old Muffins:. To refresh muffins, microwave for 10-15 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. They’ll taste almost freshly baked!
13
Make-Ahead for Breakfast:. Make-Ahead for Breakfast:. You can prepare the streusel up to 3 days ahead and store in the refrigerator. The muffin batter is best baked immediately, but you can mix the dry ingredients ahead of time
14
Freezing Unbaked Muffins:. Freezing Unbaked Muffins:. Fill muffin cups with batter, top with streusel, and freeze until solid. Transfer frozen muffins to a freezer bag. Bake from frozen, adding 5-10 minutes to the baking time

Swaps & Substitutions

Buttermilk → stir 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup whole milk and let it sit 10 minutes; it won't be quite as thick but works fine.
Unsalted butter → use salted and drop the added salt to a pinch in both the batter and the streusel.
Fresh blueberries → frozen are fine; keep them frozen until the second you fold them in, and still toss them in flour. The batter may need a couple extra minutes to bake.
Buttermilk (dairy-free) → unsweetened soy or oat milk soured with lemon juice, plus a vegan stick butter; the crumb is a touch less tender.
All-purpose flour (gluten-free) → a 1:1 GF baking blend with xanthan gum; fold even more gently and expect a slightly denser muffin.
Lemon zest → leave it out, or swap in orange zest for a softer, sweeter note.

Questions & Answers

Why did my blueberries sink to the bottom?

They weren't coated in flour, or the batter was too thin from overmixing. The 1 tablespoon of flour gives the berries something to grip so they stay suspended.

Can I make these ahead or freeze them?

Yes. They keep 2 days at room temperature in a loosely covered container, and freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm a frozen one for about 20 seconds in the microwave.

My muffins came out dense and didn't rise much. What happened?

Usually overmixing once the flour goes in, which builds gluten and knocks out air. Mix just until the streaks disappear, and check that your baking powder and soda are still fresh.

Why do I start at 425 and then turn it down?

The high heat sets the tops fast and forces a tall dome, then dropping to 375 lets the centers finish without burning the streusel. Don't open the door during the switch or the rise can collapse.

How do I know they're done?

A toothpick in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, no wet batter. Jumbo muffins take 20 to 25 minutes after the temperature drop, standard ones 15 to 18.

Blueberry Muffins