This is a beautiful recipe for very moist blackberry muffins. They will rise, crack and bake to a golden brown. You get juicy blackberries in every bite, a soft and tender crumb, and they're out of the oven in 45 minutes. You can use fresh or frozen berries and make them in advance since they freeze well.
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Fantastic muffins
If I can say so myself, these are the best blackberry muffins. That's how good I think they are. So you might as well add them to your regular baking schedule.
And we all need a fool-proof recipe for irresistible muffins with berries for Spring and special occasions.
Even though this recipe is a sibling to the very popular raspberry muffins, it has its own details. Blackberries are worth it on their own, with that acidic flavor and short season that makes us hurry up and bake something. For me, it's usually the orange blackberry muffin loaf or the gorgeous lemon blackberry bread, both huge hits in this house and wherever I take them.
That said, these also go fantastically well with frozen blackberries.
This almost counts as a basic berry muffin recipe. You can change the type of fruit and zest you use, and they will always taste amazing.
Testing Notes
Key takeaways:
Mix the batter gently by hand, use room temperature ingredients, and avoid overbaking for tall, soft muffins. Make sure the melted butter isn't too hot, line or grease the pan properly to prevent sticking, and don't overfill them.
- For fluffy, soft muffins (not dense or tough), avoid overmixing the batter. Stir, don't beat. The two preparations have to be lightly mixed just until integrated. Use a spatula or whisk for best results, as it's hard to overmix a muffin batter by folding it by hand. Don't use an electric mixer for this recipe.
- The melted butter must be warm but pourable, never hot. This is necessary so it integrates well without parts seizing.
- Using baking powder (instead of baking soda) will result in cracked, high-domed muffins. We love that. The correct flour-to-liquid ratio is always a factor.
- Using cold ingredients can cause the batter to not mix well and be lumpy. So use ingredients at room temperature when specified.
- Filling the pan: Make sure you distribute blackberries in all of the muffin tins. I like to use an ice cream scoop to fill them with the same amount of batter. Don't go over ¾ of their capacity.
- Prevent muffins from sticking to the pan. Use paper liners or properly grease the muffin tins with baking spray or soft butter/shortening.
- Overbaking the muffins can cause them to become dry and hard. Check the muffins a few minutes before the end of the suggested baking time with a cake tester or toothpick, and remove them from the oven as soon as it comes out clean.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed on the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Blackberries: Choose fresh blackberries when available, but frozen blackberries (unthawed) also work. Wild blackberries, when in season, are also wonderful.
- Citrus zest: I use lemon zest when the berries are sweeter and orange zest when they are more acidic because it's mellower. Both work very well.
- Milk: I choose whole milk for its richness, but reduced-fat milk and even almond milk can be used.
- Vegetable oil: I generally use neutral sunflower oil that doesn't interfere with other flavors. But coconut oil and canola oil work fine, but add a different taste and texture.
- Baking powder: Make sure it's not expired.
Variations & substitutions
- Brown sugar for the same amount of white sugar in the recipe. It'll have a caramel undertone and a beige hue.
- Crunchy top: Sprinkle a little sugar on top before baking.
- Extra citrus flavor: add a teaspoon or two of lemon juice to the batter with the zest.
- Mixed berries: use different ones but respect the total amount given in the recipe ingredients. I like a mix of blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries.
- Yogurt: Use half milk and half plain, natural yogurt (like Greek yogurt) for a tangier muffin.
- Add ground spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom to the batter. Or use mixed berries instead of just blackberries.
Process steps
This is an adapted old-fashioned recipe made by mixing the liquid ingredients in one bowl and the dry ingredients in another bowl and then combining the two. So easy!
- Whisk the wet ingredients together in a large mixing bowl. Use a hand whisk; no need for an electric mixer.
- Mix both preparations: Combine the dry ingredients in a separate bowl and stir together. Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones all at once.
- Fold in the blackberries at the end. Do so lightly so you don't crush them and stain the batter. I recommend using a spatula.
- Filling the pan: don't go over ¾ of their capacity to avoid overflow during baking. An ice cream or cookie scoop is great for dividing the batter as evenly as possible, but you can also spoon it into the paper liners.
Baking
- Muffin tin: I like to use paper liners (paper cups or muffin liners) because it's easier to clean afterward, they keep the muffins moist, and are great if you want to transport them. But you can simply butter or use baking spray for the muffin pan.
- When are the muffins done? Take the baking time in the recipe as your guide, check five minutes earlier, and see if the tester or toothpick comes out clean. All ovens are different, so it might take a few more or less minutes than specified.
Storage
- Storing: they keep well for a day at room temperature, covered in plastic wrap or an airtight container. For longer storage, I recommend freezing them.
- Make ahead: they keep well for a day at room temperature, always covered or wrapped to prevent dryness. And also freeze wonderfully. In both cases, I suggest warming them in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating. Great if you like something sweet for breakfast.
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Blackberry Muffins (soft and easy)
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Fantastic, moist, soft muffins that will rise and bake to a golden brown. Full of juicy blackberries (fresh or frozen), they're out of the oven in 45 minutes. They freeze very well.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose or cake flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup milk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, I use sunflower
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest
- 1 ½ cups blackberries, fresh or frozen (do not defrost)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180°C).
- Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners or butter/spray the pans. The yield can vary depending on the size of the berries.
- In a large bowl, sift the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose or cake flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder and ½ teaspoon salt. Add 1 cup white granulated sugar and stir to combine.
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 eggs, ¾ cup milk, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, lukewarm and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Do not beat, but stir well until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Add 1 tablespoon orange or lemon zest.
- Add the mixed wet ingredients at once to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Stir until you barely have streaks of flour, but do not overmix. It will be lumpy and not completely mixed, and that is fine.
- Add 1 ½ cups blackberries and stir lightly, being careful not to mash them. I do it with a rubber spatula.
- Divide the mixture evenly among the muffin cups or muffin liners. For a crunchier topping, you can add a sprinkling of sugar (half a teaspoon) to each muffin top before baking.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is cracked, golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake.
- Let cool on a wire rack and eat warm or let cool down completely.
- They are best eaten the day they are made, but you can keep them for a day at room temperature covered or wrapped.
- Store leftovers, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for a few days or in the freezer for a month.
Notes
Key takeaways: Mix the batter gently by hand, use room temperature ingredients, and avoid overbaking for tall, soft muffins. Make sure the melted butter isn't too hot, and line or grease the pan properly to prevent sticking.
Baking time: Keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer that is placed inside the oven to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Muffin tin: I like to use paper liners (paper cups or muffin liners) because it's easier to clean afterward, they keep the muffins moist, and are great if you want to transport them. But you can simply butter or use baking spray for the muffin pan.
Filling the pan: Make sure you distribute blackberries in all of the muffin tins. I like to use an ice cream scoop to fill them with the same amount of batter. Don't go over ¾ of their capacity.
You can substitute part of the all-purpose flour for other types, such as whole wheat flour, but keep in mind that it affects the texture of the muffins. The result will not be as fluffy.
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Autumn says
So good! Soft and fluffy! Great recipe!
Karen Pearce says
Fantastic recipe. So moist and delicious, even though I forgot to add the butter! Probably the best muffins I have ever made, and I have made many different flavoured muffins over the years. Thank you Paula.
VJS says
Easy to make - light muffins. Yum
Jonathan Johnston says
Great recipe. Made it with my granddaughter. Came out perfectly. Sadly I was allowed one and she took the rest home!
( Didn’t use lemon zest nor extra sugar)