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    Home » Recipes » All Desserts

    Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

    Published: Sep 26, 2020 · Modified: Jul 9, 2021 by In Fine Taste · This post may contain affiliate links

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    These are the best ever, buttermilk blueberry muffins. They are light, tender, and bursting with blueberries in every bite!  

    blueberry muffin on white paper with fresh berries around.

    Why This Recipe Works

    These buttermilk blueberry muffins are to die for! They are fluffy and light, with a melt-in-your mouth texture thanks to the buttermilk, and are bursting with blueberries. They make a great grab-and-go breakfast, snack, or treat!

    The texture on these might be my favorite part about them. The high temperature they are baked at plus the buttermilk and leaving agent make these muffins rise beautifully. The caramelized sugar on top of the muffins makes them have a crisp muffin top to contrast the moist center.

    Ingredient Notes

    ingredients for recipe laid out.
    • Butter. Butter adds amazing flavor and adds moisture to the muffins. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
    • Sugar. We use white, granulated sugar as the sweetener in this recipe.
    • Eggs. Eggs helps bind the recipe together.
    • Baking Powder. Baking powder helps the muffins rise so they are light.
    • Buttermilk. Buttermilk tenderizes the muffins, giving a soft, melt in your mouth texture.
    • Vanilla Extract. Vanilla extract adds that bakery flavor.
    • Almond Extract. A little almond extract adds a little something extra without overwhelming the flavor. You can omit this if you prefer.
    • Blueberries. Fresh blueberries are best, you can use frozen if needed. For frozen, thaw completely and pat dry to remove any extra moisture.

    How to Make this Recipe

    two images showing how to cream ingredients together.
    1. Cream until light. Cream together butter and sugar for 1 minute. Then add in eggs, vanilla and almond extract. Whip about 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
    2. Buttermilk.  Add buttermilk. Mix until you have a smooth batter.
    Fresh blueberries tossed with flour in bowl.
    1. Prep blueberries. Wash and dry your blueberries. Remove ¼ cup of flour from the 2 cups and toss blueberries with until evenly coated with flour. Set aside.
    two images showing how to add dry ingredients and then blueberries.
    1. Stir in dry ingredients. Whisk together remaining flour, salt, and baking powder. Stir in until there are no streaks.
    2. Fold in blueberries. Gently fold in the blueberries until evenly dispersed in batter. I like to remove a few blueberries(about a ¼ cup) and top off each muffin with a few after it's scooped into the pan.
    two images showing muffin batter in pan topped with sugar.
    1. Scoop. Scoop batter into muffin papers until full. If you reserved any blueberries, top off the batter with them.  
    2. Sugar top. Sprinkle some granulated sugar on top of the batter to give them a crisp, caramelized crust.
    3. Bake. Bake the muffins at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes.

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    What makes muffins too moist?

    Two things can make your buttermilk blueberry muffins too moist: underbaking or sunken berries. If your muffins are underbaked, then the centers will not be fully cooked resulting in a wet center. The other culprit is often all the blueberries have sunk to the bottom of the muffins. It’s not uncommon for blueberries to sink to the bottom of muffins, resulting in a soggy muffin. We try to prevent this by tossing the blueberries in flour before adding them into the batter. The extra flour helps suspend the berries in the muffins as they bake.

    How do you make a domed muffin top?

    To get a tall, domed muffin top you need to use your muffin batter right away and make sure you fill the muffin pan with a lot of batter. Once you make your batter it is best to use the batter right away to make sure your leavening agent is active so your muffins rise as much as possible. The other tip is to fill  your muffin tins up high! Fill the muffin pan to the very top or even higher. The higher you fill it the bigger the dome and muffin top.

    Why are my blueberry muffins tough? What happens if you over mix muffin batter?

    If you over mix muffin batter gluten begins to develop from working the flour and you will end up with tough instead of tender muffins. Once you add in the flour the batter should be handled minimally—just enough to stir in the dry ingredients and any mix-ins you might be adding.

    Should I coat blueberries in flour for muffins?

    Yes! Before you mix the blueberries into the muffin batter coat the blueberries in some flour. This helps prevent the muffins from sinking to the bottom of your muffins.

    Do you wash blueberries before making muffins?

    You should always wash your fresh blueberries to remove any dirt or residue before using them in any recipe. Make sure you dry them off well so you do not add any extra liquid into batter.

    pile of muffin on plate, one with muffin paper off.

    Expert Tips

    • Make sure your baking powder fresh. This blueberry muffin recipe uses baking powder to help the batter rise. Make sure it is not expired! If it is expired then your batter will not have as strong of a chemical reaction resulting in a denser muffin.
    • Measure flour carefully. This muffin batter is thick, so it is essential that you spoon and level your flour carefully to avoid getting too much flour in the recipe. Refer to our guide on how to measure flour if you need further guidance. Or use a kitchen scale, which is my preferred method.
    • Use batter immediately. Once your buttermilk muffin batter is made, you’ll want to use it immediately. The chemical reaction between the leavening agent and the liquids start working as soon as the batter is mixed. If you wait to bake the batter then the muffins will not rise as much.
    • Don’t overmix. Stir the flour and blueberries in just enough that they are well incorporated. You don’t need to keep mixing and mixing. The more you mix the more gluten is developed, resulting in a tough instead of tender muffin.
    • Know your oven. Every oven runs a little bit differently. I like to keep an oven thermometer in my oven to see if the temperature is accurate. Sometimes my oven runs really hot. If it’s too hot then that will affect the baking of your muffins and can result in the exterior being cooked much faster than the interior, and your muffins will be drier, with a coarser texture, instead of light and fluffy.

    Fresh vs. Frozen Blueberries in Muffins

    Using frozen berries in baked goods can be convenient and economical! Fresh blueberries are not always in season and are sometimes expensive. It’s easy to store frozen blueberries in your freezer to whip out any time you want to make blueberry muffins.

    Before I dive into the logistics of using frozen blueberries in this recipe, I need to say my piece. I have made these buttermilk blueberry muffins dozens of times, I have made them with fresh and frozen blueberries. Frozen blueberries work just fine, but for best results, I strongly recommend using fresh blueberries. They result in the best flavor, texture appearance, etc.

    Frozen blueberries don’t give you quite the same juice burst in a muffin as fresh blueberries. Frozen blueberries also break up easier in the batter.

    Using Frozen Berries

    To use frozen blueberries in these buttermilk blueberry muffins start by thawing the blueberries out completely. Frozen berries tend to have a lot more liquid in them, so to prevent any extra moisture being added to the muffin batter, we thaw them first.

    After thawing out the blueberries, pat them dry with a paper towel to really absorb any of that extra liquid that might be clinging to the berries. Then gently fold them into your batter, trying not to break them up as they are mixed in.

    Frozen berries can sometimes leave purple-blue streaks in your blueberry muffins. If you dislike this look, you can rinse the berries after they have thawed. Rinse them until the water runs almost clear. Then pat them dry and add them to the buttermilk muffin batter.  

    Prevent your batter and baked goods from turning a purple-blue hue by rinsing frozen blueberries several times in cold water until the water becomes lighter in color. Then pat them dry on a paper towel and fold into your batter gently.

    stack of 3 muffin on top of each other.

    Buttermilk and Buttermilk Substitutes

    What is Buttermilk?

    Buttermilk is a type of cultured, fermented milk. Buttermilk is the liquid leftover after cream is churned into butter. However, today’s commercially produced buttermilk is a little bit different. Buttermilk you’ll find in the store is cultured, pasteurized, and homogenized. The lactic acid in buttermilk give it it’s signature tart and tangy flavor.

    What Effect Does Buttermilk Have on Muffins?

    Buttermilk is acidic which imparts a subtle tangy flavor to baked goods, like our muffins, but also keeps our baked goods moist and tender. The acidic nature of buttermilk gives us a good reaction between the buttermilk and baking powder giving muffins a good rise. The lactic acid also breaks helps break down gluten in the flour giving our muffins a light and tender crumb with that signature melt-in your-mouth texture.

    Buttermilk Substitutes

    I always say there is no real substitute for real buttermilk. BUT, in a pinch, one of these buttermilk substitutes will do. Here are 3 different options for substituting buttermilk.

    How to make buttermilk substitute for 1 cup of buttermilk:

    • 1 cup milk  + 1 tablespoon Lemon juice or white vinegar—let mixture stand for 10 minutes
    • ¾ cup plain yogurt + ¼ cup water
    • ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt + ⅓ cup water

    NOTE: This recipe calls for ½  cup of buttermilk so reduce measurements by half.

    After trying out all these different substitutes over the years, I believe that Greek yogurt + water is the best buttermilk substitute and is the closest to real buttermilk.

    Variations of this Recipe

    These buttermilk blueberry muffins are easy to adapt and change up! Here are some fun variations to try.

    Make them Lemon Blueberry Muffins

    Add the zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon) to the batter. This would also pair great with the streusel of lemon glaze (below).

    Add a Streusel Topping

    A streusel topping is a delicious addition to these buttermilk blueberry muffins. Mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl and top the muffin batter generously with the streusel and bake according to normal baking instructions.

    Streusel Recipe

    • 3 tablespoons butter, melted
    • ½ cup flour
    • ½ cup sugar
    • pinch of salt

    Swap the Berries

    Swap the blueberries in this recipe for and equal amount raspberries or blackberries. Or you can use a combination of all three for a mixed berry buttermilk muffin.

    Add a Glaze

    A simple vanilla or lemon glaze is a great way to add some extra sweetness or give these buttermilk blueberry muffins a finished look. Simply whisk the ingredients below and drizzle over the cooled muffins.

    Glaze Recipe

    • 1 cup powdered sugar
    • ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 1 tablespoon lemon juice or water (use lemon for a lemon flavored glaze)

    Change the Size of the Muffins

    You can easily make these muffins into mini muffins or bake them in a loaf pan or 9x13-inch pan. You will need to adjust the bake time.

    blueberry muffin cut in half with berries around it.

    Leftover Buttermilk? Use it in one of these other recipes!

    • Buttermilk Parmesan Apricot Bacon Biscuits
    • Buttermilk Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
    • Banana Upside Down Cake

    How to Store this Recipe

    • Room Temperature. These muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days.
    • Frozen. These muffins freeze super well. Wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap (so they don’t stick to each other) and then place in an airtight container. Freeze for up to three months. When you’re ready to eat one, just pop it out of the freezer and thaw to room temperature. You can warm it up for a few seconds in the microwave if you prefer it warm.
    signature: "Enjoy! Alyssa".

    Try One of These Berry Recipes Next

    • blueberry pie slice on plate with fork and bite out of it
      Blueberry Sour Cream Pie
    • slice of lemon cake on white plate with blackberries on side.
      Lemon Blackberry Cake
    • blueberry lemon cookie sitting on wooden board with fresh blueberries and half a lemon.
      Blueberry Lemon Cookies
    • berry cupcakes on white cake platter
      Berry Cupcakes

    P.S. If you tried this recipe or any other In Fine Taste recipe take a second and rate it below! We love hearing what you think.  Let’s stay in touch! Sign up for our newsletter or follow us on Facebook, Instagram, or Pinterest for more recipe ideas.

    muffin on white parchment paper surrounded by fresh blueberries.

    Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

    These are the best ever, buttermilk blueberry muffins. They are light, tender, and bursting with blueberries in every bite!  
    4.58 from 14 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast and Brunch
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 10 minutes
    Cook Time: 18 minutes
    Total Time: 28 minutes
    Servings: 12 Muffins
    Calories: 231kcal
    Author: Alyssa--In Fine Taste

    Ingredients

    • 1 ¼ cups granulated sugar (250 grams)
    • ½ cup butter, room temperature (113 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
    • 2 eggs
    • ½ teaspoon almond extract
    • 2 cups flour, spooned and leveled (260 grams)
    • 2 teaspoons baking powder
    • ¾ teaspoon salt
    • ½ cup buttermilk
    • 1 ½ cups blueberries fresh or frozen (see notes)
    • 1 tablespoon granulated sugar for topping
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    Instructions

    • Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Cream together butter and sugar for 1 minutes. Then add in the eggs, vanilla, and almond extract. Cream for 2 minutes until light and fluffy.
    • Add the buttermilk in and mix until you have smooth batter.
    • Remove ¼ cup of flour from the 2 cups of flour you have and toss it with your washed and dried blueberries. This helps the blueberries to not sink in the batter. Set aside.
    • Whisk the salt, baking powder, and remaining flour together. Stir in until fully incorporated. Then fold in blueberries. I like to reserve some of the blueberries to top off the muffin batter with.
    • Line your muffin pan with muffin papers or grease generously. Spoon batter into the muffin papers evenly. If you reserved any blueberries, top the batter with them now.
    • Generously sprinkle 1 tablespoon of sugar over the top of the batter. Bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 minutes.

    Video

    Notes

    Using Frozen Berries. To use frozen blueberries in these buttermilk blueberry muffins start by thawing the blueberries out completely. Frozen berries tend to have a lot more liquid in them, so to prevent any extra moisture being added to the muffin batter, we thaw them first.
    After thawing out the blueberries, pat them dry with a paper towel to really absorb any of that extra liquid that might be clinging to the berries. Then gently fold them into your batter, trying not to break them up as they are mixed in.
    How to make buttermilk substitute for 1 cup of buttermilk:
    NOTE: This recipe calls for ½  cup of buttermilk so reduce measurements by half.
    • 1 cup milk + 1 tablespoon Lemon juice or white vinegar—let mixture stand for 10 minutes
    • ¾ cup plain yogurt + ¼ cup water
    • ⅔ cup plain Greek yogurt + ⅓ cup water
     
     

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1g | Calories: 231kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Cholesterol: 31mg | Sodium: 338mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 17g
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    Tried this recipe? Leave a review below, then take a picture and tag us @InFineTaste on Instagram so we can see!

    Originally Published on August 16, 2018

    View our web story for this post.

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