Small-Batch Blueberry Muffins
This small-batch blueberry muffins recipe makes fluffy and moist muffins with bursts of juicy blueberries. This recipe makes six muffins.
Homemade blueberry muffins are full of flavor and texture and make a delicious breakfast or snack. They are big and bright, with a tender crumb and moist texture.
You can use fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries in this recipe, so they can be made all year round. For another berry muffin, try these blackberry muffins or strawberry white chocolate muffins.
If using frozen blueberries, check out the tips in this post to stop the juicy berries from coloring the muffin batter.
Blueberry muffins
Blueberries make delicious additions to muffins. Biting into juicy blueberries is the perfect contrast in these tender muffins.
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.
Simply mix the batter, divide it into the muffin tin and then dot the frozen blueberries on top of the muffins. Use your fingers or a spoon to gently push them partway into the batter.
If you add the blueberries this way, it also helps to stop them from sinking to the bottom as they bake.
Small-batch muffin recipe
This small batch blueberry muffin recipe makes 6 muffins. This recipe is based on my buttermilk blueberry streusel muffins. If you want to double this recipe, you can do that by doubling all the ingredients or following the buttermilk blueberry recipe instead.
Did you know you can bake blueberry muffins in the air fryer too?
Ingredients
Find the simple ingredients’ amounts listed in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post. Here is a rundown of what you will need –
- Blueberries – Fresh berries 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 white sugar
- Large egg
- Vanilla extract or paste
- Lemon zest – a little lemon flavor is a great addition to make the blueberries pop.
- Buttermilk – See below for substitutes.
- Optional – Coarse sugar / Turbinado sugar (for topping) and/or powdered sugar
Buttermilk substitutes
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. For best results, use the real thing since a buttermilk substitute won’t ever give the same tang and taste as real buttermilk. However, it will still help to create tender muffins, with only a small difference.
Simply mix milk along with an acid such as lemon juice or vinegar. (White vinegar or apple cider vinegar work well.) The buttermilk can also be substituted for a mixture of whole milk and greek yogurt. There is a buttermilk substitute section in the notes in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
Top tips
- Add the blueberries at the end to stop them from coloring the batter or sinking to the bottom.
- Don’t over-mix the batter. Beating the batter or mixing too much will encourage gluten formation in the muffin and can make it dense and rubbery. Combine the dry and wet ingredients gently, folding them together until they are only just combined.
- Bake them at an initial hot temperature, then turn down the oven temperature. This initial high heat creates a better rise.
- Space the muffin liners out in the tray so that each muffin sits on its own. This will ensure the heat reaches around each muffin more easily.
- Ensure your baking powder isn’t expired! You need it fresh and active to create a fluffy muffin.
Method
Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a muffin pan with 6 paper liners.
The batter
In a large bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt. Set these dry ingredients aside.
In a separate bowl add the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, lemon juice, 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 in half the buttermilk and fold, then continue with the remaining flour and buttermilk.
Fold until just combined. Don’t over-mix the batter.
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 muffin cups.
Divide the batter evenly over the 6 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.
Baking
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven at 425°F/220°C for 5 minutes then turn down the oven temperature 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.
Serve the blueberry muffins slightly warm, dusted with powdered sugar.
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 toaster oven, or in the main oven for 5 minutes at around 300°F/150°C. This will bring that freshly baked muffin texture.
More small-batch recipes
For more small-batch recipes try these –
Small-Batch Blueberry Muffins
6 perfectly moist and flavorful blueberry muffins.
Ingredients
- 125g (1 cup*) all-purpose flour
- 1 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 100g (1/2 cup) granulated sugar
- 55g (4 Tbsp) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla paste or extract
- 80g (1/3 cup) buttermilk, at room temperature
- 100g (3/4 cup) fresh or frozen blueberries
- Optional - Coarse sugar or powdered sugar for topping.
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F/220°C. Line a muffin pan with 6 paper liners.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Set these dry ingredients aside.
- In a medium bowl add the melted butter, granulated sugar, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Use a whisk or rubber spatula 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 in 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 muffin cups.
- Divide the batter evenly over the muffin liners. An ice cream scoop is easy to use for this job. Add the blueberries evenly over each muffin and gently press them into the batter. They don’t need to be pushed all the way down. Sprinkle with a little coarse sugar if using.
- 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.
- Serve the blueberry muffins slightly warm, dusted with powdered sugar.
Notes
*The cup sizes given are US-sized. Note that these are smaller than metric. For best results use grams.
**The buttermilk can be substituted with 75g of regular milk (1/3 cup minus 1/3 Tbsp) plus 5g (1/3 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.
It can also be substituted with 40g whole milk and 40 gram greek yogurt or natural yogurt.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 255Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 56mgSodium: 436mgCarbohydrates: 35gFiber: 1gSugar: 18gProtein: 7g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
Additions and substitutions
- These muffins can be made with raspberries, blackberries, and strawberries too
- Add in chocolate chips for a decadent touch
- Sprinkle on a streusel topping
- Add in a sprinkle of cinnamon for extra flavor.
- The melted butter can be substituted for vegetable oil but the taste won’t be as good as when using real butter.
- Substitute half the white sugar with brown sugar for an extra moist muffin
FAQ
Yes, they freeze very well! Seal them in an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze them for up to 3 months.
Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a high temperature, then decrease the oven temperature for the remainder of the baking time. This initial burst of heat creates a bigger rise in the muffin and helps to create a muffin top.
Absolutely, they work wonderfully with frozen blueberries. Don’t thaw the frozen blueberries before using them, but wait until the end to press them into the batter.
Yes, these can be baked in a mini muffin pan but the bake time will need to be adjusted. Mini muffins may only need 10-12 minutes and don’t need the initial hot temperatures.
Blueberries are heavier than the muffin batter so they do sink down. To avoid this happening, scoop the batter (without the berries) into the muffin liners first then dot the blueberries on top of the muffins. Use your fingers or a spoon to gently push them partway into the batter. This helps to stop the blueberries bleeding into the batter and keeps them more suspended.
