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Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Tender blueberry muffins are loaded with juicy berries and topped with buttery crumbs in this simple recipe for blueberry crumb muffins. A breakfast favorite!

Overhead view of blueberry crumb muffins on countertop with middle muffin set on wrapper

Easy Blueberry Muffins With Crumb Topping

Somehow, muffins have evolved from semi-respectable breakfast option to something that more closely resembles dessert than anything else. I don’t know about you, but I prefer for-real muffins versus the cake-like versions that proliferate in bakery cases these days. If you’re with me on this, I think you’ll love these blueberry crumb muffins as much as I do.

I do include a crumb topping, which is maybe a bit of a departure from traditional muffins. But, it’s just so good, I can’t resist! These are perfect for a weekend morning treat, especially when fresh blueberries are abundant. You can have them mixed up quickly and get back to your lazy morning.

(If you can’t get enough blueberry recipes, try my Blueberry Cheesecake, Blueberry Scones, or Peach Blueberry Crisp next.)

Stack of blueberry crumb muffins on platter

Why You’ll Love This Blueberry Crumb Muffin Recipe

Here’s what makes this blueberry crumb muffin recipe such a winner:

  • Buttery crumb topping. The crunchy, salty-sweet topping is the perfect contrast to the tender, moist muffins.
  • Easy and quick to make. With standard pantry ingredients and a few minutes of mixing, these blueberry crumb muffins will be ready for baking.
  • Perfect as a snack or breakfast treat. These aren’t the massive sugar bomb muffins you find at coffee shops and bakeries. I love pairing one with a cup of cold brew for breakfast.
  • Great for sharing. If you’re looking to make something special for your family or friends, these blueberry crumb muffins are sure to be a hit.
Overhead view of blueberry crumb muffin ingredients

What You’ll Need

Scroll down to the recipe card to find the ingredient quantities and recipe instructions.

For the Crumb:

For the Muffins:

  • All-purpose flour
  • Baking powder
  • Baking soda
  • Salt
  • Eggs – Let these come to room temperature, as they’ll hold more air when beaten.
  • Buttermilk – Here’s how to make buttermilk if you don’t have it on hand.
  • Light brown sugar
  • Granulated sugar
  • Vanilla extract – Use store-bought or homemade vanilla extract.
  • Lemon zest – This is optional, but it adds a lovely brightness to the muffins.
  • Unsalted butter
  • Blueberries – I use fresh, but you can use frozen blueberries if you’d like. Learn more: Fresh vs Frozen Fruits in Baking

How to Make Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Here’s what you’ll need to do to make these delectable blueberry crumb muffins.

Prepare. Preheat your oven to 400°F and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan.

Make the topping. Use a fork to mix the crumb ingredients together until well-combined.

Mix the dry ingredients. Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium bowl. 

Mix the wet ingredients. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs, then stir in the buttermilk, followed by the sugars. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest, then the melted butter.

Finish the batter. Stir in the flour mixture in 2 to 3 portions, then fold in the berries.

Assemble. Divide the batter into the muffin pan cups, then sprinkle the crumb mixture on top.

Bake. Place the pan in the oven and bake for 14 to 16 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Should Blueberry Muffin Batter Be Thick or Thin?

Muffin batter should be thick so you can scoop it into the muffin pan; not as thick as dough for bread, but thicker than your standard cupcake batter. 

Side view of blueberry crumb muffins on wire rack

Tips for Success

Read over my baking tips for beginners and then follow these additional pointers for perfect blueberry crumb muffins.

  • Adjust the amount of berries as desired. You’ll notice there’s a range for the amount of berries. The more you use, the more muffins you’ll make. Using the lesser amount, you’ll get about 12 muffins with lots of crumb for each. If you opt to use more, you’ll get more muffins and you’ll have more berries in every bite.
  • Make the edges soft or crisp. For crisper edges, grease a standard muffin pan and scoop the batter directly into the muffin cups. For softer edges and easier removal, use liners in each cup instead.
  • Don’t overmix the batter. Overmixing can result in tough or rubbery muffins, so always mix just until the ingredients are combined. A few streaks of flour are absolutely fine.

Variations

As long as you keep the overall proportions the same, there’s some room for customization in this blueberry crumb muffin recipe. Add cinnamon, nutmeg, or cardamom; swap the lemon zest for orange; or use a combination of fresh berries for some additional color and flavor.

Overhead view of blueberry crumb muffins on countertop, with one set on wrapper

How to Store

These muffins are best stored in an airtight container at room temperature. They’ll keep for 3 to 4 days.

Can I Freeze This Recipe?

To freeze your blueberry crumb muffins, place them in a single layer on a baking sheet and freeze for about 1 hour. Then, transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. (Freezing them before putting them in the storage container helps the crumb topping stick.) When ready to enjoy, thaw at room temperature or reheat in the microwave before serving.

Blueberry crumb muffin on white plate with berries and additional muffins in background

More Muffin Recipes

Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Yield 12 standard-size muffins
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 16 minutes

Blueberry Crumb Muffins are a classic breakfast treat. These traditional blueberry muffins get a little extra flavor from a sweet crumb topping!

Stack of blueberry crumb muffins on white platter

Ingredients

For the crumb:

  • 3/4 cup (90g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons (25g) granulated sugar
  • 1/4 cup (56g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • pinch of salt

For the muffins:

  • 2 & 1/4 cups (270g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • pinch of salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup (118ml) buttermilk
  • 1/2 cup (100g) firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1/2 teaspoon lemon zest (optional)
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted
  • 3/4 to 1 cup blueberries*

Instructions

To make the crumb:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F. For crisper edges, grease a standard muffin pan. For softer edges, use liners in each cup instead.
  2. Using a fork, mix all the crumb ingredients together until well-combined. Set aside.

To make the muffins:

  1. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl. Set aside.
  2. In a large bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Stir in the buttermilk. Add both sugars and mix until combined. Stir in the vanilla and lemon zest. Stir in the melted butter.
  3. Add the flour mixture in 2-3 portions. Mix until there are still streaks of flour remaining. Stir in the blueberries, mixing just until combined.
  4. Scoop about 1/4 cup of batter into each cup of the prepared pan. This should fill each cup almost to the top (about 3/4 full). Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with the crumb mixture.
  5. Bake for 14-16 minutes, or until a pick inserted into the center comes out with moist crumbs. Cool in the pan on a wire rack.

Notes

*The more blueberries you use, the more muffins you’ll make. I like to use the lesser amount, and I get exactly 12 muffins with lots of crumb for each.

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    21 Comments on “Blueberry Crumb Muffins”

  1. These sound fabulous! Love this idea!

  2. Very good recipe, we do tomorrow to try.
    Thanks

  3. Thanks for a very good recipe …

  4. Oh my goodness these look delicious – I’ll definitely be trying them one day (and crediting right back here!)
    Rach..Xx

  5. I made these today and they turned out sooo well. thank you!

  6. Love that crumb topping! I can’t wait to try these.

  7. This looks lovely. However, can you tell me how many gms approx 1/2 cup butter translates to? Also, can we substitute buttermilk for milk(not sure I can get buttermilk at my store)…is there a big difference?

  8. swathi, I believe that 1/2 cup butter is about 113 grams. Milk doesn’t have the same acidity as buttermilk. While milk may work, something like yogurt is probably a better substitution. If you have cream of tartar, you can also add about 3/4 teaspoon to 1/2 cup of milk to make something close to buttermilk.

  9. Hi, can I use frozen blueberries? If so, what
    would your recommened method be with frozen? Thx U !

    • Hi, Lisa. I’m sorry I haven’t responded sooner. Crazy week! You can use frozen blueberries. Your best bet is probably not to thaw them but just use them frozen. Let me know how it works!

  10. These are great! I tried your recipe and love it!

    Thanks for the share. 😀

  11. Hello!
    I found your recipe through Cup of Jo and have a concern! This is my second time trying thins recipe and it still isn’t working for me. It is taking MUCH longer to bake. Like, these have already been in the oven for 30 minutes and they are still straight batter in the center. I am making it in a cake pan instead this time around thinking more space would allow the heat to distribute more evenly, but nope. When I made this recipe for muffins the first time, I had them in the oven about the same amount of time and they never cooked either. I can smell the edges slowly over cooking and hate wasting all those ingredients! Plus, I have been really excited to try this since I saw it!

    I have a gas stove and haven’t had any problems with other recipes like this, so do you have any ideas as to what could be causing this one recipe to not work?

    Thank you!

    • Hi, Rachel! I’ve made these many times with consistent results. If you made no changes to the recipe, it’s hard to pinpoint the problem. Of course, there are always differences in equipment and ingredients. Does your oven run hot or cool? Are your ingredients (even dry ingredients) fresh?

  12. I’ve made these a few times now using milk instead of butter milk. They’re delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂

  13. I also had problems with falling/lack of cooking through. I suspect, based on how they look in the muffin tin, that my oven cooks unevenly (I recently moved and don’t know the oven well), or that it has to do with using frozen berries.

  14. Thanks for the recipe! I’ve made this recipe three times in the last 1 1/2 weeks. The only substitutions that I’ve made is adding 3/4 cup liquid instead of 1/2 cup, as well as adding more bluberries. Yum!! Thanks again.

  15. I just made these this morning. Everybody loved them. They are sooo pretty! I was looking for a recipe similar to the Starbucks Bountiful Blueberry Muffins and these taste way better.
    Here’s a photo of the ones a baked today: http://instagram.com/p/kr8QKCrnjf/

    Thanks for the recipe 🙂

  16. There’s nothing like a perfect blueberry muffin! That crumb looks awesome!

  17. At the 14 minute mark, I started to worry because the tops looked brown and perfect but the middle was batter-like. I turned the oven down to 375 for 3 more minutes and they’re perfect.

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