Easy blueberry muffins are made at home with simple ingredients. Fresh or frozen blueberries can be used and little lemon zest adds some flavor!
Favorite muffin flavor and go! Mine is hands down blueberry. It has been for as long as I can remember. I have made my fair share of blueberry muffins and the best are slightly sweet, moist without being dense, and a sprinkling of lemon zest for extra flavor.
When it comes to blueberries, I love fresh Maine blueberries, but since moving to Colorado all I can find are the normal grocery store ones. In a pinch, frozen Maine blueberries work too! So let’s get started on why this recipe works.
Why this recipe works
These blueberry muffins are easy to make at home and use ingredients you likely already have. I wanted a blueberry muffin that was sweet, but wasn’t dense or resemble a cupcake. Just 3/4 cup sugar was the right amount and a generous sprinkling of sugar on the muffin tops is essential in my opinion.
Sour cream works really well in muffins because it adds moisture. The acidity helps the muffins rise and the tanginess adds depth of flavor. Speaking of flavor, I think lemon zest is essential for blueberry muffins. It adds a bright citrus note!
Step by Step Instructions
Easy blueberry muffins require the following ingredients: Flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, butter, sour cream, milk, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest and blueberries!
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Place paper liners in a standard muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt together. Stir in blueberries so they get coated with the flour. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub the lemon zest between fingers to increase lemon flavor.
- Pour melted butter over the sugar and whisk vigorously together. Add eggs and mix until combined. Add sour cream, milk and vanilla and mix until incorporated.
- Pour liquid ingredients into the large bowl of flour and blueberries. Use a silicone spatula or wooden spoon to fold the two mixture together. Avoid over mixing.
- Fill prepared muffin tin with batter (each cup about 3/4 full). Generously sprinkle additional sugar on top.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes at 400 F. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted comes out clean with little to no crumbs.
Tips for making blueberry muffins
Most importantly, toss the blueberries (fresh or frozen) with the flour. They flour will help prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffin. Rub the lemon zest and sugar together with your fingers. This increases the amount of lemon flavor in your muffins. Avoid over mixing the dough. Be gentle when combining the wet and dry ingredients. If you mix too much, the muffins will turn out dense and dry. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with sugar to get that nice glistening muffin top (the best part!)
I love this lemon zester! Works like a charm and easy to clean.
Frequently Asked Questions
What’s the best way to store muffins? Muffins are best the day they are made, however they can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days. Make sure the muffins are completely cooled before storing. Reheat muffins in the toaster oven for the best texture.
Can you freeze blueberry muffins? You sure can! Once the muffins have cooled completely, wrap them individually in plastic wrap (this isn’t necessary, but I think it keeps them from drying out). Place muffins in freezer safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
How do you reheat muffins? Defrost muffins in the refrigerator before bringing to room temperature or reheating in the oven. To reheat in the oven, preheat oven to 300 F and bake muffins for 10 minutes or until heated through.
More muffin recipes
Muffins are so easy to make and are the perfect grab-and-go snack. Here are a few of my favorites…
- Carrot zucchini muffins are my favorite to make in the summer.
- Banana cinnamon muffins are the perfect use for over ripe bananas and kids love them!
- Orange poppyseed muffins have a lovely citrus note.
- My basic muffin recipe is versatile so you can add almost anything in!
- Chocolate chip muffins – Spoonful of Flavor blog
- Double chocolate chip muffins – Kickass Baker blog
Blueberry muffins are a delicious breakfast treat or snack. I make this recipe all the time and love freezing the muffins and reheating later! If you try this recipe, tag @ifyougiveablondeakitchen on social media.
Easy Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, plus additional for sprinkling on top
- 1 1/2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 cup (113 g or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/2 cup sour cream (or yogurt), room temperature
- 1/4 cup milk room temperature
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400° F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Toss fresh blueberries in a stir a few times so they are coated with flour (see notes for frozen blueberries). Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, combine sugar and lemon zest. Rub lemon zest and sugar between finger tips to increase lemon flavor.
- Pour melted butter over the sugar and lemon zest. Whisk vigorously (about 1 minute). Add eggs and mix until combined. Add sour cream, milk and vanilla. Whisk again until all ingredients are thoroughly incorporated.
- Pour wet ingredients oven dry ingredients. Stir just until combined making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl.
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin (I like to use an ice cream scoop for this). Fill until about 3/4 quarters full. Batter should distribute evenly among a dozen liners. Generously sprinkle additional sugar on top.
- Bake muffins at 400° F for 18 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Blueberries will be juicy and bubbly! Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool a 5 to 10 more minutes before consuming.
