There’s nothing quite like a freshly baked blueberry muffin to start your day or enjoy as an afternoon snack. This blueberry muffin recipe with buttermilk is one of my favorites because it yields incredibly moist and tender muffins bursting with juicy blueberries.
The addition of buttermilk adds a delightful tang and ensures a soft, fluffy texture that will make you reach for seconds (or thirds!). Plus, the simple ingredients and easy steps make this recipe a go-to for both novice and experienced bakers.
If you love muffin recipes, try my Panera Pumpkin Muffin Recipe or my Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins. I also make a Blueberry Buttermilk Coffee Cake version of this recipe. This is my favorite muffin tin.
You'll want to make these fluffy buttermilk blueberry muffins again and again. Whether you stick with the simple version or add the streusel topping, these muffins are sure to be a hit. Enjoy them with your morning coffee or as a perfect snack any time of the day.
Why You’ll Love These Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins
- Moist and Tender - Thanks to the buttermilk, these muffins have an incredibly moist texture.
- Packed with Blueberries - Every bite is filled with delicious blueberry flavor, making them irresistible.
- Easy to Make - With simple ingredients and straightforward instructions, this recipe is perfect for all baking levels.
Substitutions
- Buttermilk - If you don’t have buttermilk, you can make your own buttermilk substitute by mixing 1 Tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar with 1 cup of regular milk. Let it sit for 5 minutes before using. In a pinch, I have used powdered buttermilk mix that you can find at your local grocery store.
- Flour - You can substitute up to half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. This will give the muffins a heartier texture.
- Blueberries - Fresh blueberries are ideal, but you can also use frozen blueberries. Do not thaw them before adding to the batter to prevent the color from bleeding.
- Turbino Sugar - Instead of using coarse sanding sugar for a crunchy top, swap it out for turbinado sugar.
Variations
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins - Add 1 tablespoon of lemon zest to the batter for a bright, citrusy flavor.
- Raspberry Muffins - Replace blueberries with fresh raspberries for a delicious variation.
- Mixed Berry Muffins - Instead of using all blueberries, mix it up, adding a few raspberries, blackberries, or diced strawberries to the batter.
- Blueberry Nut Muffins - Chopped nuts like walnuts or pecans make a great addition. Fold in ½ cup of nuts along with the blueberries.
- Cinnamon Streusel Muffins - To make the tops of these delicious muffins really special, you can make a Streusel Topping. Combine ½ cup flour, ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in ¼ cup unsalted, cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the muffin tops, dividing it evenly between the cups, before baking.
Ingredients
*For specific ingredient amounts, please scroll down to the printable recipe card.
Instructions
Step 1. Preheat the Oven. Preheat your oven to 425℉. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
Step 2. Prepare the Dry Ingredients. In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
Step 3. Cream Butter and Sugar. In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer.
Step 4. Add Egg and Vanilla, Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until well combined.
Step 5. Incorporate Buttermilk and Flour. Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
Step 6. Fold in Blueberries. Gently fold in the fresh blueberries with a wooden spoon or spatula, being careful not to crush them.
Step 7. Fill the Muffin Cups. Use an ice cream scoop or large spoon to evenly distribute the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups. Fill each cup about ¾ full. Sprinkle a few extra blueberries over the top of each muffin for a lovely burst of blueberries. For bakery-style muffins, sprinkle coarse sugar on the tops.
Step 8. Bake. Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉ for 13-17 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
Storage and Freezing
To keep your muffins fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days.
To freeze the muffins, place the cooled muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the muffins to a freezer-safe bag or container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap. They can be frozen for up to three months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for a quick breakfast.
Pro Tip
For bakery-style muffins with a nice, domed top, fill the muffin cups to the top and start baking at a higher temperature (425℉) for the first 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉ for the remaining baking time. This initial burst of high temperature helps to quickly set the tops of the muffins and create a nice rise.
Notes and FAQs
If you don’t have muffin liners, you can lightly grease the tin with baking spray (the one with flour). Paper liners are convenient but not necessary.
It helps to ensure that all the ingredients will blend together without overmixing.
Yes, you can use frozen blueberries, and you do not need to thaw them before adding them to the batter. In fact, it's better to use them frozen to prevent the color from bleeding into the batter. Just gently fold the frozen blueberries into the batter, and they will bake perfectly in the muffins.
I would not recommend it. Because buttermilk is one of the key ingredients to the texture and taste, the muffins will not be the same if you use regular milk. If you have regular milk on hand, I would make homemade buttermilk using lemon juice or vinegar. The instructions can be found in the blog post.
To achieve higher, domed tops on your muffins, start by baking them at a higher temperature (425℉) for the first 5 minutes. Then, lower the temperature to 375℉ for the remainder of the baking time. This initial burst of high heat helps to quickly set the tops of the muffins and create a nice rise.
Sure! You can use a gluten-free flour in the same amount as the all-purpose flour in this recipe.
If you find that the blueberries are sinking to the bottom of the muffins, toss them in a little flour. Tossing fruit in flour before adding it to the batter helps absorb surface moisture and increases friction, preventing the fruit from sinking to the bottom during baking. This technique ensures even distribution and suspension of fruit throughout the batter for consistent texture and flavor.
The tops of the muffins should be golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
Blueberry Muffin Recipe with Buttermilk
Equipment
- 1 Muffin Tin
- 1 Electric Mixer
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¾ cup sugar
- ¼ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- 1 large egg room temperature
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh blueberries plus more for topping
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425℉. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, beat the sugar and softened butter until light and fluffy using a hand mixer or stand mixer. This should take about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the egg and vanilla extract to the butter mixture, beating until well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, alternating with the buttermilk. Start and end with the flour mixture, mixing until just combined. Do not overmix.
- Gently fold in the fresh blueberries with a wooden spoon or spatula, being careful not to crush them.
- Use an ice cream scoop , cookie scoop or large spoon to evenly distribute the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups. Fill each cup about ¾ full.
- For a lovely burst of blueberries on top, Sprinkle a few extra blueberries over the top of each muffin. For bakery style muffins, sprinkle coarse sugar on the tops
- Bake in the preheated oven for 5 minutes. Then reduce the oven temperature to 375℉ for 13-17 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with moist crumbs clinging to it.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Storage and Freezing
To keep your muffins fresh, store them in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To freeze the muffins, place the cooled muffins in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Then, transfer the muffins to a freezer-safe bag or container or wrap them individually in plastic wrap. They can be frozen for up to three months. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for a quick breakfast. Cinnamon Streusel Topping: Combine ½ cup flour, ½ cup granulated sugar and 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon in a small bowl. Cut in ¼ cup unsalted, cold butter until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Sprinkle the topping over the muffin tops, dividing it evenly between the cups, before baking.Nutrition
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