Categories: MUFFINS

The Most Perfect Blueberry Muffins

The Most Perfect Blueberry Muffins

The Most Perfect Blueberry Muffins

These easy blueberry muffins are bursting with fresh, juicy berries and feature a crunchy sugar topping. Perfect for busy mornings or an on-the-go snack. 

The Most Perfect Blueberry Muffins

Table of Contents

About these Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry muffins are a delight, bursting with fresh, juicy blueberries and topped with a sprinkle of German sugar that creates a satisfying crunch. Their irresistible flavor makes it hard to stop at just one. Honestly, I have to exercise serious self-control to avoid devouring all six in one go!

Perfect for a quick breakfast or a convenient snack, these muffins are easy to grab in the morning. Simply pop them in the toaster and take them with you on your way to work or school. The best part? The recipe is straightforward, using common kitchen staples with no exotic ingredients required.

Whether you use fresh or frozen blueberries, these muffins are sure to be a hit. Check the notes below for tips on how to incorporate frozen blueberries seamlessly. With such an easy and versatile recipe, there’s no reason not to enjoy these delicious blueberry muffins all year round. Try them and see how quickly they disappear!

Ingredients for Blueberry Muffins

▪️Blueberries – You have the freedom to use either fresh or frozen blueberries when making the blueberry muffins. If you opt for frozen blueberries, keep them frozen when adding them to the mixture to prevent them from releasing too much liquid. I use 100 g of blueberries 60 g of which I keep whole and then the other 40 g of the blueberries you can place in a bowl and then smash with a fork until they’re fully broken up and squished.

▪️Flour – Use all-purpose flour for this recipe. Coat the blueberries with an extra tablespoon of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom of the muffin while baking.

▪️Egg – It’s crucial to use one whole egg brought to room temperature. You can let the egg sit at room temperature for an hour or place it in a bowl of hot (not boiling) water for about five minutes. This step ensures the egg incorporates well into the batter.

▪️Butter – Ensure the butter is at room temperature when creaming it with the sugar. If using salted butter, consider reducing or omitting the salt when adding it to the dry ingredients.

▪️Sugar – This recipe calls for both brown sugar and granulated sugar. Sprinkle a tablespoon of granulated sugar on top of the muffins before baking to achieve the desired hard-crack top texture.

▪️Buttermilk – If you don’t have buttermilk, don’t worry! You can easily make your own at home using milk and white distilled vinegar or lemon juice. Let the mixture sit for 10 minutes to create a DIY buttermilk. This homemade version works just as well in the recipe.

▪️Vanilla – Opt for vanilla extract or paste instead of vanilla essence, as they provide a better flavor. You can also create your own vanilla extract using used vanilla beans and alcohol such as vodka.

▪️Baking Powder/Baking Soda – Baking powder and baking soda act as leavening agents to help the muffins rise. The baking soda activates with buttermilk to give an extra boost.

▪️Salt – I use fine sea salt for this recipe, but any other type of salt, such as kosher or diamond salt, can be used. Adjust the amount based on the saltiness of the salt you’re using.

Equipment and Oven Prep

Preparing your muffin pans correctly ensures the effortless removal of your beautifully baked muffins.

Choosing the Right Pan is a crucial step in your baking journey. Opt for high-quality pans like USA PANS/NORDIC/WILTON, renowned for their even baking, to ensure your muffins are perfect. 

Line the Muffin Tray – The choice is yours whether you prefer the convenience of a muffin/cupcake liner or the creativity of making your own with parchment paper. If you’re going liner-free, a light greasing and flouring of the pan will prevent any batter from sticking.

OR

Grease and flour the tray – Use a pastry brush or paper towel (even your clean fingers) to grease the crevices of the pan thoroughly with melted butter, shortening, or non-stick baking spray. Be sure to cover all the nooks and crannies. After greasing, dust the pan lightly with flour, tapping out any excess. This extra layer of protection ensures that your muffins will be released seamlessly.  

Digital scale –The secret to precision in baking lies in a digital scale. This tool can revolutionize your baking, ensuring the most accurate results. I swear by mine, using it to measure almost all of my ingredients. You can easily find one at your local supermarket or online stores like Target or Amazon for around $20 USD.

Cookie Scoop: Using a scoop or a 1/4 measuring cup to scale your batter evenly is always helpful in providing even-baked muffins.

Oven Temp –  At least 30 minutes into your batter’s resting time, preheat your oven to 400°F. An oven thermometer is necessary to ensure your oven is heating accurately. Apart from the kitchen scale, it’s probably the best money you can spend on general baking. Home ovens are off by 15°, sometimes 25°, and even more. 

Oven Rack Placement – For the most even bake, position your oven rack in the middle of the oven. If you’re familiar with any hot spots in your oven, adjust the rack to avoid overbaking and over-browning your muffins.

Wire Cooling Rack – Investing in a wire cooling rack is another kitchen tool I highly recommend. Having a wire rack will decrease the cooling time of your muffins, save you from soggy bottoms, and reduce the stress of finding a place to set your piping hot muffin trays straight out of the oven.

PRO TIP/ KITCHEN HACK

Utilizing a convection oven: it is prudent to make a conscious adjustment by reducing the oven temperature by 25°F, accompanied by a corresponding reduction in baking time, as convection ovens tend to hasten the baking process.

 

How to make Blueberry Muffins

1. Sieve the dry ingredients – Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl, whisk together, and set aside.

2. Beat butter and sugar – Using an electric mixer, beat the fat with sugar until the mixture is light in color and fluffy in texture. Creaming the butter and sugar together incorporates air into the fat, creating tiny bubbles that expand during baking, giving the cake its rise.

3. Gradually incorporate eggs – Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. One egg at a time helps maintain the emulsion, which is the even distribution of fat and liquid in the batter.

4. Sifted dry ingredients – Finally, sifted dry ingredients are folded gently, often alternating in portions with liquid ingredients like milk or buttermilk. The goal is to mix just enough to incorporate the ingredients while maintaining the airiness of the batter. For the last addition of dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula to fold until the last streak of flour disappears.

Remember not to overmix – Be careful not to overmix the batter, as it might result in a tough cake. But under-mixing is not good either, as it may leave a pudding-like texture.

5. Divide the blueberries—Place 40g of the blueberries in a bowl and smash them down with a fork until they are fully squished. Add the smashed blueberries to the batter and fold them in with a rubber spatula. Toss the other 60g of the blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking to the bottom. Finally, add your floured blueberries to the batter, saving a few blueberries to place on the top of the muffins.

PRO TIP/ KITCHEN HACK

Toss the blueberries in flour – To prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of your muffin, place them in a bowl and sprinkle a tbsp of flour on top. Toss the blueberries so they are completely coated in flour, then add them to the muffin batter.

6. Rest the batter—Let the muffin batter rest for an hour at room temperature, covered with a lid or a clean kitchen towel. This will give the flour time to absorb moisture evenly and allow the flavors in the liquids to develop further.

7. Divide the batter – Use a large cookie scoop to evenly distribute the batter between the lined or greased muffin cavities.

8. Bake and check doneness—Bake the muffins at 400°F for 18 minutes. When a toothpick or a cake tester is inserted into the center of one, it should come out clean with no loose crumbs attached.

9. Cool the muffins—Once the muffins are done baking, remove them from the oven and allow them to cool inside the muffin tray for 2 to 3 minutes before using a knife to remove the muffin and its liner and transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling for at least 30 minutes before beginning to drizzle the glaze.

PRO TIP/ KITCHEN HACK

Touch Test: This involves delicately pressing on the cake’s surface; if it bounces back and resumes its original form, it’s a clear indication that it’s ready to be removed from the oven. More Baking Needed:  if the cake feels moist, fails to spring back, or bears an indentation, it necessitates additional baking time. 

Toothpick: Poke a toothpick into the edge/center of the cake, when you remove the toothpick there should be no crumbs attached. More Baking Needed: if the toothpick is wet or has any batter stuck to it, continue baking and checking the cake every 2 minutes with the toothpick until it is pulled out clean with no crumbs.

Storing Blueberry Muffins

Cool Completely— Before wrapping, ensure your muffins are completely cool to the touch to prevent condensation, which can make them soggy.

Plastic Wrap— Use several layers of plastic wrap to seal the muffins, covering all surfaces tightly. This barrier is crucial to protect the muffins from air, which can stale them.

Airtight ContainerIf you prefer less plastic, Place the muffins in an airtight container. This container will protect the muffins from being crushed and from any odors in your fridge or pantry. 

Refrigerate—Store muffins in an airtight container. This will prevent them from absorbing any odors and keep the frosting or filling from melting or going bad. Keep muffins away from humid spots in your fridge to prevent them from becoming soggy. Before serving, let the muffins sit out at room temperature to ensure they aren’t too firm from the cold. This will help bring out the flavors, which tend to be muted when cold.

Freeze—Before serving, let the muffins thaw in the refrigerator overnight and then sit out at room temperature to ensure they aren’t too firm from the cold. This will help bring out the flavors that tend to be muted when cold.

FAQ on Blueberry Muffins

Do my ingredients need to be at room temperature? At room temperature, eggs, butter, and other dairy ingredients form an emulsion that traps air. The trapped air expands when baked in the oven, creating a fluffy baked muffin. Room-temperature ingredients bond easily since they are warmer, creating a seamless and evenly textured batter. A smooth batter results in a uniformly textured baked good. On the other hand, cold ingredients do not incorporate together as easily, often resulting in clumpy, chunky, dense, and flat muffins.
Can I make this gluten-free? Yes. You can substitute a one-to-one gluten-free flour for this muffin recipe.

Over-mixing / Muffins are too dense, tough, and tight. This is likely a sign of over-mixing the batter and producing too much gluten, leading to a tighter, dense crumb. Muffins need minimal mixing, stopping when the flour disappears, and the batter still shows a few lumps. Over-mixing will cause your batter to tighten and contract, shrinking your bake.

Under-mixing / Muffins are too soft, crumble, or sink. Under-mixing the batter limits the bonds of the flour proteins responsible for creating the gluten that supports the muffin’s structure. Without enough gluten, the muffins cannot hold their shape, which results in a soft, crumbly muffin. 

 

 

Print

The Most Perfect Blueberry Muffins

These easy blueberry muffins are bursting with fresh, juicy berries and feature a crunchy sugar topping. Perfect for busy mornings or an on-the-go snack. 
Course Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword Blueberry, Breakfast, Muffins
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
rest time 1 hour
Total Time 1 hour 33 minutes
Servings 6 muffins
Author Good Day To Bake

Equipment

  • large mixing bowl
  • measuring cups and spoons
  • sieve
  • electric mixer
  • fork
  • soft rubber spatula
  • muffin tray
  • muffin liners
  • large cookie scoop
  • oven thermometer

Ingredients

  • 100 g blueberries 60g whole, 40g smashed
  • 125 g flour
  • 56 g buttermilk room temperature
  • 1 whole egg
  • 56 g butter room temperature
  • 4 tbsp granulated sugar extra for sprinkling on top
  • 2 tbsp brown sugar
  • ½ tsp vanilla extract/paste
  • ¼ tsp salt fine kosher
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • ¼ tsp baking soda

Instructions

  • Sieve the flour, baking powder, and salt into a bowl. Whisk them together to ensure an even distribution of the leavening agent and salt throughout the flour. Set this mixture aside until needed.
  • Using an electric mixer, beat the butter and sugar together until the mixture becomes light in color and fluffy in texture. Creaming the butter and sugar incorporates air into the mixture, creating small bubbles that will expand during baking, giving the cake its rise and a tender crumb.
  • Add the eggs to the mixture one at a time, beating well after each addition. Adding the eggs slowly helps maintain an emulsion, which is the even distribution of fat and liquid in the batter. This ensures a smooth and well-mixed batter that bakes evenly.
  • Fold the sifted dry ingredients into the wet mixture gently, often alternating with liquid ingredients like milk or buttermilk. The goal is to mix just enough to incorporate everything while maintaining the batter’s airiness. For the last addition of dry ingredients, use a rubber spatula to fold until the last streak of flour disappears. Be cautious not to over-mix, as this can make the cake tough, but also ensure you mix enough for proper gluten development.
  • Mix the cake batter just enough to combine the ingredients without over-mixing. Over-mixing can lead to a tough cake, while under-mixing can result in poor structure and uneven baking. Aim for a smooth, consistent batter that still holds some air.
  • Take 40g of the blueberries and smash them with a fork until fully squished. Fold these smashed blueberries into the batter with a rubber spatula. Toss the remaining 60g of blueberries in a tablespoon of flour before adding them to the batter; this helps prevent them from sinking during baking. Save a few of these floured blueberries to place on top of the muffins for a decorative touch.
  • Tossing blueberries in flour helps to keep them evenly distributed throughout the batter instead of sinking to the bottom during baking.
  • Let the muffin batter rest at room temperature for an hour, covering it with a lid or a clean kitchen towel. Resting the batter allows the flour to absorb moisture evenly and the flavors to develop further. Halfway through the resting period, preheat the oven to 400°F with a rack positioned in the middle.
  • Using a large cookie scoop, evenly distribute the batter between the lined or greased muffin cavities. This ensures each muffin is uniform in size and bakes evenly.
  • Bake the muffins at 400°F for about 18 minutes. Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick or cake tester into the center of a muffin. It should come out clean with no loose crumbs attached. If the tester comes out clean, the muffins are done.
  • Once the muffins are done baking, remove them from the oven and let them cool in the muffin tray for 2 to 3 minutes. Use a knife to carefully remove the muffins from the tray along with their liners, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely for at least 30 minutes. Cooling on a wire rack helps prevent the muffins from becoming soggy and allows them to firm up nicely.

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GOOD DAY TO BAKE

Kia Ora, and welcome to Good Day To Bake. My name is Courteney and here in this corner of the internet, you can find my collection of favorite recipes created in small batches, perfect for singles, couples, and cozy households – all of which can be increased to larger portions. You can learn a little more about me here

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