I had a forehead thumping moment recently when a friend asked me for a blueberry muffins recipe. In all the years I’ve been doing this site, I’ve never posted the most basic of breakfast treats. How did I get away with this, especially when they are one of my favorites. For me the perfect blueberry muffins are light, fluffy and bursting with blueberries. I added a touch of ginger because it perks up the flavor of the berries, but not so much that it’s overpowering. The topping is buttery, sweet and bakes into a lacy crust. I like to bake them in large “Texas-sized” muffin cups, so there is lots of muffin top and just as much of the berry center. They are great small, but I am always left wanting for more and for some reason I feel less guilty eating one big one, instead of two little ones.
Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping
1 1/2 cups self raising flour or (1 1/2 cups AP, plus 2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt)
1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup brown sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup buttermilk
1 teaspoon vanilla
1/8 teaspoon freshly grated ginger (or 1/4 teaspoon lemon zest)
1 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (if using frozen berries, keep them frozen when you stir them in the batter)
Topping:
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 teaspoons cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons butter, chilled
To make the muffins:
Preheat oven to 400°F (the higher temperature insures a crunchy top. Be sure to bake in the center of the oven.)
Prepare a muffin pan with 6 Giant Muffin Cups or 12 normal sized papers.
In a large bowl whisk together the self raising flour and nutmeg. In a separate bowl combine the melted butter, sugar, egg, buttermilk, vanilla and ginger. Gently stir the wet into the dry ingredients only until barely combined. Gently fold in the blueberries. If using frozen berries do this in as few stirs as possible, or the batter will turn purple.
Divide the batter into the prepared muffin cups.
To make the topping:
In a bowl whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon and salt. Grate the butter over the top of the dry ingredients.
Quickly mix the butter into the flour mixture, which will break up the butter slightly, but it should still stay cold. If the butter warms up too much, stick the bowl in the freezer for about 5 minutes.
Divide the topping over the muffins. Place the muffin pan over a baking sheet, which will insulate the bottom, so they won’t over color in the hot oven.
Bake for about 30 minutes (about 20 if using the smaller cups), or when golden on top and a tester comes out clean.
Allow to cool on a rack for 5 minutes.
Serve warm or room temperature.
I have another blueberry muffins recipe with lots of tips. Check it out!
These look amazing, Zoe! Love the tip on grating the butter. Pinning!
Crumb topping is key! Gotta love a classic like this 🙂
These look heavenly! Nothing like a delicious blueberry muffin!!!
Yum! Blueberry muffins are one of my favorite treats, too. These look amazing. I love a good sugar-y top. 🙂
Thanks so much for another great recipe, Zoe. It seems like I’m printing out one of yours every other day, and this one will definitely be next on my list! There’s one thing I’ve been wondering — is there a way to have them print without the photos? Normally I just copy everything and then delete the images one by one, but thought perhaps I might be missing something. Thanks!
Hi Emilie,
Thanks so much for the sweet note. Unfortunately, the only way to print without the pictures is to paste the post in Word and then delete the photos. I am working on a better solution.
Thanks, Zoë
Emilie, If this helps, I jut take a picture of it on my Iphone, and take that to the kitchen with me.
If your browser is supported, printwhatyoulike.com is great for editing out anything you don’t want to print.
Gorgeous!! I love the size and the ginger in there… how unique and original!
Ive never made them like this recipe. Looks and sounds amazing. Especially with the ginger. We all need more of that in our diet.
I would have to try this recipe using raspberries as well!!! Looks delish!
Why such a high baking temp, not the standard 350 degrees?
Hi Steve,
Good question. I felt the topping wasn’t that interesting at 350°F, I like it to have a bit of a crunch to it. Be sure to place the pan in the middle of the oven.
Thanks, Zoë
Love that crunchy looking top. Do the bluberries need to be thawed? Or is it from freezer to batter? I’m never sure what to do 😀 Thanks!
Hi Maria,
You want to keep them frozen when you are mixing them in or the batter will turn purple and all the juices will be released.
Thanks, Zoë
Hi zoe,
They look so good ! thanks for sharing 🙂
can I add some shopped white chocolate in the batter ?
Hi Shaima,
The white chocolate will be fantastic, wish I had thought of it! Add it with the blueberries, so you are mixing them in all at once. I would replace some of the blueberries with the chocolate, or the muffins may not hold together.
Thanks, Zoë
Beautiful muffins! I’m such a fan of yours, Zoe. Your blog is great inspiration and I love all the “5 minute a day” recipes I’ve tried.
Why did you use self-raising flour in these muffins? I’ve never used it and just wondered what you like about it. Thanks!
-Robin
warm&toste.com
Hi Robin,
Thank you for the sweet note. The truth is that I have several bags of self raising flour (a gift from General Mills) and wanted to experiment with it. Although it is a very popular product in British and Australian recipes, you don’t see it called for much in the states. I hadn’t really played with it much, but now that I have, I really like it. It eliminates having to measure certain extra ingredients and I find the rising very predictable.
Enjoy, Zoë
Ooh yum, they do look like amazing muffins!
Perfection! Thanks! 🙂
I made these yesterday. I tried to make them healthier with whole wheat pastry flour and coconut oil and reduced the brown sugar to 1/3 cup. I loved them! I am going to make them today for my overnight guests, but will follow the recipe exactly as everything Zoes shares is the absolute best! Thank you for sharing this and all of your wonderful recipes.
Hi Claudia,
Thank you for the lovely note and for sharing your healthy version, I’m going to give it a try!
Enjoy! Zoë
I just made these with my girls! I followed the recipe exactly and they were probably the best muffins I have ever made and eaten! I was wondering, is anything inspiring you right now with our crazy MN weather we are having?
This looks like an amazing recipe! I featured it in my blogpost here: http://infinitelittlepleasures.blogspot.com/2013/05/lemon-blueberry.html 🙂
yum
Just baked the blueberry muffin last night, doubled recipe and it made generous 12 cup muffins. I brought them to work and only thing left is basket . Happy staff and many good remarks will make again .
Over powering nutmeg, blueberry flavor muted
Hi Memee,
Thanks for the feedback, you can always use less nutmeg if it seemed too powerful to you.
Zoë
I made these back in 2013 when published. Seriously the most delish muffins ever. I use this as a base for all muffins, cranberry etc. everyone loves them. Thank you Zoe. Because of your site, I can actually bake and impress! Sometimes when being very healthy I swap out and use cocoanut oil and whole wheat pastry flour.
I made theses for brunch today, and they are the best blueberry muffins I’ve ever had. No leftovers!