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An easy homemade blueberry streusel muffin recipe bursting with blueberries and a hint of orange, topped with sweet crumbly brown sugar streusel topping.
These blueberrry muffins are IT friends.
Stop looking. You’ve found them. The BEST blueberry muffin recipe.
This easy homemade blueberry muffin is exactly what you have been looking for.
What’s The Difference Between A Muffin And A Cupcake?
Some may argue not much different except one has frosting. But generally a muffin should not be as sweet as a cupcake.
But the texture should also be a bit denser for a muffin than a cupcake. (Source: The Kitchn)
How To Make Blueberry Muffins
Step 1: Start by making your streusel topping.
Just stir together your flour, sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter. You can use your hands to break up the crumble.
Step 2: Whisk together your liquid ingredients.
In a second mixing bowl, whisk together the vegetable oil, milk, orange zest and juice of 1 orange, and 2 room temperature eggs.
HEATHER’S BAKING TIP: Place your eggs in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes before cracking them to bring them to room temperature quickly.
Step 3: Combine your dry ingredients.
In another mixing bowl whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking powder and salt and whisk to combine. It’s ok if there are some brown sugar lumps.
Step 4: Combine your liquid and dry ingredients.
You want to now combine the wet and dry ingredients. Stir just until the flour is mixed in. Do not overmix.
BAKING 101: Overmixing activates the gluten, the protein in the flour, that can make your muffins tough. Gluten is formed from two proteins, gliadin and glutenin, that when the flour becomes hydrated come together and form gluten. Gluten creates a stretchy network to trap the gasses from our leavening agents. But too much mixing and we develop too much gluten, resulting in a tough texture. So remember to not overmix!
Step 5: Stir in your blueberries.
I used fresh blueberries, but you can also use frozen. If you using frozen blueberries do NOT thaw! This would release too much moisture.
Step 7: Scoop and sprinkle!
Scoop your batter into your prepared pans, sprinkle on the streusel topping and bake!
Recipe Tips
- Mix your blueberries with one tablespoon of flour. This ensures that the blueberries don’t sink in your batter. This is the same trick I use so that my chocolate chips do not sink.
- Mix 10-12 times only. Once you have added your dry ingredients, count your stirs then stop. Yes there will be lumps left.
- Use an ice-cream scoop to portion out your batter into your muffin pan. This will ensure that all your muffins are the same size!
- When cooling your muffins, cool them UPSIDE DOWN on a dishtowel. This will help the muffins from getting a soggy bottom. I mean besides a flat bottom, we also don’t want a soggy one!
For more muffin making tips check out this post! And be sure to give my Ultimate Guide To Baking Quick Bread Recipes
Recipe FAQ’s
You absolutely can. I used cupcake liners to make life a little easier. Just make sure to not only butter/grease the wells of the pan, but all around the top of the muffin pan as well. That way, when the muffins rise and create that beautiful top they don’t get stuck to the top of your muffin pan.
There are two reasons according to Quaker Oats that your muffins may have fallen flat.Â
* Insufficient leavening agent
* Underbaked
I store my muffins, on cooled at room temperature for up to 2 days (but they usually can last a couple more) but I find they’re best if eaten within a couple days. Just make sure they are cooled and covered.
Yes! You can freeze them baked or unbaked. If baked already, I store them in a sealable plastic bag for 3 months and thaw at room temperature before enjoying. If unbaked, you can freeze them solid in the cupcake liners and take them out of the pans (so you can re-use your muffin tin) and pop in a bag to freeze for up to 3 months. And bake frozen, do not thaw, as normal but add a few minutes more of baking time.
To fix these issues:
- Check the expiration date of your baking powder. Baking powder will no longer react after 6 months. If you’re not sure when you last bought it, add a teaspoon of baking powder to a small amount of hot water. If it bubbles, then you’re good to go. If not, throw it away and buy some fresh stuff.
- Bake a few minutes longer. Next time, insert a toothpick into the center to see if its done. The tops should spring back a little when touched.
- Double check that oven temperature. Use an oven thermometer. Some ovens do not run at the actual temperature it says its at.
More Recipes To Try
Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the Streusel topping
- 6 tablespoons unbleached all purpose flour
- 1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
- 2 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
For the muffins
- 1 cup (170 g) fresh or frozen blueberries
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) orange juice
- 2 tablespoons orange zest (from about 1 large orange)
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon whole milk
- 2 large eggs at room temperature
- 2 1/4 cups (270 g) all purpose flour
- 2/3 cup (160 ml) vegetable oil
- 1 cup (213 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
Instructions
- Prepare pans and oven. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 400 degrees F. Brush the insides of the muffin pan with softened butter and then brush the top of the pan. Or use liners for easier removal, like I did). You can also use cooking spray. In a small bowl, prepare the streusel by using your fingers until combined and crumbly. Set aside.
- Make the streusel. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, cinnamon, and sugars. Stir int the melted butter, until combined and crumbly. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, and salt together in another bowl.
- Toss blueberries in flour. In a small bowl, stir blueberries with 1 tablespoon of the flour mixture. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients. Whisk the oil, milk, orange juice, zest, and eggs together in a medium bowl.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients. Add to the liquids, and stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until combined; do not over mix. Fold in the blueberries.
- Scoop muffins. Using a 2 1/2-inch diameter ice-cream scoop, portion the batter, rounded side up, into the prepared muffins cups. You can fill the muffins almost to the top, leaving just a little room for the streusel. Generously, sprinkle the tops with the streusel.
- Bake the muffins. Bake for 10 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 375°F degrees and continue baking until the tops of the muffins are golden brown and wire cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean about 15 minutes more. If using frozen berries, allow a few extra minutes. Cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Remove the muffins from the pan and cool completely.
Video
Notes
- Storage/make ahead: I find they’re best stored, at room temperature, coverd for up to 2 days.Â
- Freezing: You can freeze them baked or unbaked. If baked already, I store them in a sealable plastic bag for 3 months and thaw at room temperature before enjoying. If unbaked, you can freeze them solid in the cupcake liners and take them out of the pans (so you can re-use your muffin tin) and pop in a bag to freeze for up to 3 months. And bake frozen, do not thaw, as normal but add a few minutes more of baking time.
- Blueberries: Fresh or frozen is fine. Do not thaw first if you using frozen.Â
- Oil: I used vegetable oil but any neutral-tasting oil is fine, such as canola or sunflower. I haven’t tested with melted coconut oil or butter would think it would be fine.Â
- Milk: I used regular whole milk, but a low-fat or plant-based milk would also work fine.
Patti W says
Definitely easy to make. They are wonderful.
Mmmm
Heather says
thank you Patti!! I’m so glad you enjoyed these!
Maureen says
I made these for the January baking challenge and they turned out delicious. The orange jjuice and zest make the biggest difference in them. Will be making these again.
Thank you for a great recipe for blueberry muffins.
Heather says
That’s awesome Maureen!! So glad you loved these – yes I love the addition of the orange juice!
Kathryn Smith says
These turned out great. I replace the orange juice with just more milk, by making them cupcake size it made 18 for me. These smell like brown sugar coming out of the oven, which is one of my favorite smells when baking.
Heather says
Aw thank you Kathryn! I’m so glad these turned out great for you! And yes that smell is amazing 😊
DavidF says
Thank you for sharing this recipe. I’ve been looking for a recipe to copycat the Blueberry Muffins that came in a box with some type of crumb-topping. I made those in college in the 1990s, but I don’t remember the name. But the topping was so good. And, the blueberries came in a little tin can. So, I hope that this recipe tastes similar. I’m not sure what the Streusel stuff is, but I hope it is good. Thank you so much for sharing, and I subbed to your Chef’s Blog.
Heather says
Thanks David! I think you’ll love this muffin recipe then 🙂
Emily Leishman says
Super tasty and fluffy! My whole family loved them!
Heather says
I’m so glad you liked them Emily!!
Strength and Sunshine says
All about that CRUMB topping! Always makes a muffin even more delicious!
Michelle @ Vitamin Sunshine says
Yum- nothing better than homemade muffins. And great tips– I am always careful not to overmix and I also always take the muffins out of the tin to cool.
Donna says
I LOVE the addition of the orange – I bet it makes them taste so much better than the traditional blueberry muffin (which I always love as well)!
Elizabeth says
My goodness these look absolutely fantastic! Nothing beats a fab blueberry muffin 🙂
@chefmireille says
these muffins look scrumptious – what a treat!