These bakery-style blueberry muffins are not too sweet, moist, and easy to make. Buttermilk makes them tender and adds a slight tang that is wonderful. They will rise and bake to a golden brown, with bursting blueberries in every bite. They are ready in 45 minutes and freeze wonderfully.
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Juicy muffins with a slight tang
In my search for unique blueberry muffins, I came up with a buttermilk option. And it's really good.
- Easy to make: the batter comes together quickly, so you can whip them up at a moment's notice.
- Make ahead: they keep well for a day (no more) at room temperature, covered or in an airtight container, and freeze wonderfully. In both cases, I suggest warming them in a medium oven (350°F/180°C) before eating.
- Adaptable: use fresh or frozen blueberries. Use citrus zest (lemon or orange) instead of cinnamon. Make them in jumbo pans instead of the regular ones we use for this post.
For similar muffin recipes, check out the blueberry and banana muffins and the blueberry muffins with crumb topping.
FAQ
- Have the ingredients and oven at the right temperatures specified in the recipe.
- Don't overmix the batter!
- Take the muffins out as soon as a cake tester or toothpick comes out clean.
Too much mixing or beating the batter is, in my experience, the main culprit. The ingredients 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 is folding it by hand.
Ingredient Notes
Quantities are listed in the recipe card towards the end of this post. The Ingredients page has more details and lists the brands we use.
- Blueberries: you can use fresh or frozen berries.
- Buttermilk: store-bought or homemade. See Notes in the recipe card.
- Sugars: white granulated and brown sugar are used. Each brings something to the recipe, but you can use only one (1 cup total) if that's all you have.
- Vegetable oil: I use sunflower oil, which is neutral, but coconut oil, canola, or even light olive oil can be used.
- Flour: this recipe works with both all-purpose flour and cake flour.
- Baking powder: make sure it's not expired.
Steps to make blueberry muffins
This is an old-fashioned muffin recipe made by mixing the wet ingredients in a bowl and the dry ingredients in another large mixing bowl and then combining the two. It's so easy!
- Sifting dry ingredients: it's necessary to add air to the batter and dissolve clumps that help integrate the ingredients better.
- Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones all at once. Use a whisk or spatula to integrate not an electric mixer.
- Fold the fruit gently with a spatula so you don't smash the berries. Just a few turns; no need to have a completely smooth batter. It might even have a dry spot here and there.
- Divide as evenly as possible among the muffin tins. Don't fill more than ¾ of their capacity to avoid overflowing.
⭐️ Kitchen Tip
This recipe does not call for an electric or stand mixer, as it will overmix the batter. Use a whisk, two bowls, and a spatula to fold in the fruit.
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 butter or use baking spray for the muffin pan.
- Crunchier topping: add a sprinkling of sugar (about half a teaspoon) to each muffin top before baking. Use your fingers so you can distribute it as you sprinkle.
When are the muffins done?
Take the baking time given 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 more or less time than specified.
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Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups 280g all-purpose or cake flour
- 1 cup white granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- ¾ cup buttermilk, at room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil, I use sunflower
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh or frozen (without thawing)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners or butter/spray the pans.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: sifted flour, baking powder, salt and sugar. Stir to combine.
- Whisk eggs, milk, oil, melted butter and vanilla in a medium bowl. Do not beat but mix well until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Add the wet ingredients at once to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Mix until you barely have streaks of flour, but do NOT overmix. It will be lumpy and not completely mixed, and that is fine.
- Add the blueberries and stir lightly with a rubber spatula. Be careful not to mash the berries.
- Divide evenly among the muffin cups or muffin liners.
- Bake for about 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, eat warm or cool down completely and eat at room temperature.
- 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 an airtight container, in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for a month.
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