Classic, Nutella Swirl Or Blueberry Recipe

Preheat and prepare pan

Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line an 8-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease the cups.

Combine dry ingredients

In a large bowl whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt until evenly distributed.

Combine wet ingredients

In a medium bowl whisk the milk, vegetable oil (or melted butter), eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth and combined.

Make the batter

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix; a few small lumps are fine. The batter should be scoopable but not overly runny. If it seems thick, add up to 1 tablespoon extra milk.

Portion batter

Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about 2/3 full (roughly 1/4 to 1/3 cup batter per cup).

Loosen Nutella if necessary

If Nutella is very thick, microwave it in a small heatproof bowl for 10–15 seconds or stir in 1 tablespoon milk until it becomes a slightly pourable consistency. Do not overheat.

Add and swirl Nutella

Drop about 1 teaspoon of Nutella onto the center of each muffin cup on top of the batter. Using a toothpick or small skewer, make 2–3 gentle swirling motions through the top of the batter to create a marbled pattern. Avoid stirring down into the entire batter—swirls should be near the top.

Prepare blueberries

If using frozen blueberries, toss them with the 1 teaspoon sugar and a quick dusting of flour (about 1/2 teaspoon) to minimize bleeding. If using fresh, toss with sugar and lemon zest so they release a little flavor.

Add blueberries

Gently press 7–9 berries (or about 1 tablespoon) into the center of each cup on top of the batter. If you prefer berries distributed through the batter, fold them gently into the batter before portioning, but note that folding may produce purple streaking.

Top and finish

If using, brush the exposed batter tops lightly with melted butter and sprinkle with coarse sugar for crunch.

Bake

Bake muffins in the preheated 375°F (190°C) oven for 18–22 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking. Muffins are done when tops are golden and a toothpick inserted near the center (not through a large berry or swirl) comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter.

Cool

Remove the pan from the oven and let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes. Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool another 10–15 minutes before serving so the crumb sets. Nutella tops will be slightly tacky when warm; they firm as they cool.

Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, refrigerate up to 5 days or freeze tightly wrapped for up to 3 months. If frozen, thaw at room temperature and warm briefly before serving if desired.