These blueberry buttermilk muffins are fluffy, flavorful, and moist. Bursts of juicy blueberry are dotted throughout a soft and fluffy muffin base.
These fluffy muffins are full of flavor and texture and make a delicious breakfast or snack. They are big, bright, and bold, with a moist texture and crisp edge thanks to the streusel topping. You can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries in this recipe to make them all year round.
If using frozen blueberries, check out the tips in this post to stop the juicy berries from coloring the muffin batter. For a smaller-batch, check out these small-batch blueberry muffins.
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Buttermilk muffins
Buttermilk is a great addition to baked goods and especially so in muffins. It's an acidic product that helps to halt gluten development in wheat flour and it results in a lovely and tender crumb.
You can buy buttermilk from the store, make your own buttermilk from scratch OR you can use a buttermilk substitute.
Buttermilk substitute
If you can, use buttermilk. A buttermilk substitute won't ever give the same tang and taste as real buttermilk. However, it will still help to create tender muffins.
Mix milk along with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. (White vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well.) There is a buttermilk substitute recipe in the notes on the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
How to keep blueberries from bleeding in muffins
Blueberries make delicious little surprises in muffins. Biting into a juicy blueberry perfectly complements the fluffy muffin texture.
Fresh blueberries are folded through the batter right at the end to avoid the juicy blueberries being broken up by being mixed too much.
Frozen blueberries are prone to breaking up in the batter and releasing a lot of their juices. This can color the batter quite an unattractive color and you won't get that distinct purple of the berries against the yellow muffin background.
To avoid the frozen blueberries from bleeding into the batter, add them to each individual muffin once the batter has been made and scooped into the muffin tin.
Mix all the batter, divide it into paper liners, and then dot the frozen blueberries on top. Use your fingers or a spoon to push them into the batter gently. You can do this with fresh blueberries, which helps ensure each muffin gets an even amount of berries.
The crumb
The crispy streusel topping is one of the best parts of these muffins. It's like bites of a shortbread cookie and this gives another element of texture to the muffin. There's quite a bit of crumb, and it might look like there is too much.
Just pile it on top of the muffins really generously and as it bakes some of the crumbs sink into the batter and some of it becomes golden and crispy.
Ingredients
Find the ingredient amounts listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need -
- Blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Melted butter - This can be salted or unsalted butter. You can reduce the salt slightly in the rest of the recipe if using salted butter.
- Granulated sugar
- Eggs
- Vanilla extract or paste
- Lemon zest
- Buttermilk (or use milk and lemon juice or vinegar)
The streusel topping
- All-purpose flour
- granulated sugar
- melted butter
Equipment
For this recipe, you will need a standard 12-hole muffin pan.
Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
The streusel
In a small bowl combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour. Use a fork to combine it into a coarse crumb, then set it aside.
The muffins
In a separate bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt.
Set these dry ingredients aside.
In a large bowl add the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to beat it all together until combined.
Add half the flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and fold it carefully to combine using a rubber spatula.
Add half the buttermilk and fold, then continue with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
If using fresh blueberries, they can be carefully folded into the batter in the bowl.
If using frozen blueberries, wait to add them until the muffin batter has been scooped into the cups.
Divide the batter evenly over the 12 muffin liners. An ice cream scoop is easy to use for this job. Add the frozen blueberries evenly over each muffin and gently press them partway into the batter.
Generously add the streusel on top of each muffin.
Baking
Bake the muffins at 425°F/220°C for 5 minutes then turn the oven down to 350°F/180°C and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed in the center.
Remove them from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and placing them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Storing
Leftover muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 3 months. Let them cool completely and place each muffin in a freezer-safe container or bag.
Thaw in the fridge or on the bench. The muffins can be rewarmed in the microwave or in the oven for 5 minutes at around 300°F/150°C for a fresh-baked muffin texture.
Additions and substitutions
- Almond extract can be added in place of vanilla to bring almond flavor to the muffin. Adding sliced almonds to the streusel topping will finish off the almond element.
- Use soft brown sugar in place of white sugar in the streusel for deeper flavor. A little cinnamon can be added too.
- Swap the blueberries for chopped strawberries, blackberries, or raspberries.
- Omit the streusel if you like and leave muffins without topping or use coarse sugar (turbinado sugar)
More muffin recipes
Full Recipe
Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins
These blueberry buttermilk muffins are moist and flavorful. Bursts of juicy blueberry are dotted throughout a soft and fluffy muffin base.
Ingredients
Streusel
- 45g (3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted
- 63g (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- 100g (½ cup) granulated sugar
- Pinch of salt
Muffins
- 250g (2 cups*) all-purpose flour
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 150g (¾ cup) granulated sugar
- 113g (½ cup) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoons lemon zest
- 1 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 180g (¾ cup) buttermilk**
- 225g (1 ½ cups) fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Grease or line a standard muffin pan with 12 paper liners.
Streusel
- In a small bowl combine melted butter, granulated sugar, and all-purpose flour. Use a fork to combine it into a coarse crumb, then set it aside.
Muffins
- In a bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set these dry ingredients aside.
- In a large bowl add the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Use a whisk or a wooden spoon to beat it together until combined.
- Add half the flour mixture to the bowl of wet ingredients and fold it carefully to combine using a rubber spatula. Add half the buttermilk and fold, then continue with the remaining flour and buttermilk. Fold it until it is combined but don't overmix it.
- Using fresh blueberries they can be carefully folded into the batter in the bowl. If using frozen blueberries, wait to add them until the muffin batter has been scooped into the liners.
- Divide the batter evenly over the 12 muffin liners. An ice cream scoop is easy to use for this job. Add the frozen blueberries evenly over each muffin and gently press them into the batter.
- Generously add the streusel on top of each muffin.
Baking
- Bake the muffins at 425°F/220°C for 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to 350°F/180°C and continue baking for another 15-18 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed in the center.
- Remove them from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before removing and placing them on a wire rack to cool to room temperature.
Notes
*The cup sizes are US size which is smaller than metric. For best results, use scales.
**The buttermilk can be substituted with 178g of regular milk (¾ cup minus ¾ Tbsp) plus 12g (¾ Tbsp) white vinegar or lemon juice. Mix these two ingredients together before beginning the recipe to let it sit and curdle for 5-10 minutes.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 270Total Fat: 11gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 57mgSodium: 301mgCarbohydrates: 39gFiber: 1gSugar: 20gProtein: 4g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
Terri wilson says
I love your recipes.
Elien says
Thank you so much Terri!
Maria de Fátima Saulnier says
Amei essa receita. INCLUSIVE A DICA DA SUBSTITUIÇÃO DO LEITE LHO
Elien says
Thank you so much Maria!