Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Preheat and ready pan

Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups. If using frozen blueberries, keep them frozen until just before folding in to reduce bleeding.

Measure out and have all ingredients at hand. If you want evenly domed muffins, place a small oven-safe baking tray on the top rack to preheat as well (optional).

Mix dry ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest (if using) until evenly combined.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate medium bowl or large measuring cup, whisk the egg until blended. Add the milk, buttermilk (or yogurt), vanilla extract, and melted cooled butter. Whisk until smooth.

Combine wet and dry

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet mixture. Using a spatula, fold gently until most of the flour is incorporated. The batter should be slightly lumpy — do not overmix or it will make dense muffins.

Fold in blueberries

Add the blueberries to the batter and fold them in gently until distributed. If berries are frozen, fold briefly to avoid turning the batter blue; scooping batter around clumps is fine.

Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. For consistent sizes use an ice cream scoop (about 3 tablespoons per muffin) or a 1/4-cup measure.

Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar if desired to add crunch and shine.

Bake on the center oven rack at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake for an additional 12–15 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with just a few moist crumbs. (Starting hot helps create domes.)

If you preheated a top baking tray for doming, place it on the top rack when reducing temperature to help set the tops quickly (optional).

Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5–8 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool further for at least 15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days; reheat briefly before serving.