A couple of weeks ago, we got a request for a great, simple blueberry muffin recipe. And I thought, “Um, duh, check the recipe index! It’s totally there!” And then I remembered that somehow, over the last 3 years and nearly 500 recipes, my favorite blueberry muffin recipe not only hasn’t made it onto the blog, but it missed the cookbook cut, too! Some days I don’t know how I can live with myself.
You might be saying, “Hey, Kate, where are all the healthy recipes?!” I’m not gonna lie, this isn’t necessarily bad for you, but it’s your typical muffin. Between book business and another super-exciting little secret we hope to share with y’all in the next week or two, we’ve got a lot of muffins, so to speak, on our plates (not to be confused with muffin tops, although…well…let’s not go there) right now and we’re just trying to stay sane. With the help of baked goods.
These muffins are so super easy and you probably have all or most of the ingredients in your house already. You’ll need all-purpose flour, salt, orange or lemon rind, baking powder, buttermilk, eggs, oil (although you can sub apple sauce if you want to healthify these a little), blueberries, and sugar for the muffins…
and then butter, flour, sugar, and cinnamon for the streusel topping.
Preheat your oven to 400 and line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake liners.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and citrus rind. Make a well in the center.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Pour it into the well and then whisk the mixture until it’s just combined.
In a small bowl, combine a little more flour and sugar and then toss the blueberries in that mixture.
Gently fold the blueberries into the batter…
And then evenly distribute the batter into the lined muffin tins so each cup is about 2/3 full.
In a small bowl, combine a little more flour, sugar, and the cinnamon, and then cut in some slightly softened butter to make crumbs. Sprinkle the crumbs over the muffin batter…
and bake for 18-20 minutes or until the muffins are golden on top and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.
Remove the pan(s) from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the pans and then transfer them from the pan to a cooling rack. 
Then you should eat ‘em (because they are muffins and that’s what you do).
Recipe from Our Best Bites
1 3/4 c. all-purpose flour
2 3/4 tsp. baking powder
3/4 tsp. table salt
1/2 c. sugar
2 tsp. grated orange or lemon peel
1 large egg
3/4 c. buttermilk
1/3 c. canola oil
1 c. fresh or frozen blueberries
1 Tbsp. flour
1 Tbsp. sugar
Streusel Topping
1/4 c. sugar
2 1/2 Tbsp. flour
1/2 tsp. cinnamon
1 1/2 Tbsp. butter
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Lightly spoon the flour into measuring cups and level ith with a knife and combine it in a large bowl with the baking powder, salt, sugar, and citrus peel. Make a well in the center of the mixture. In a smaller bowl, whisk together the egg, buttermilk, and oil. Add to the dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened.
In a small bowl, combine the remaining flour and sugar and then toss the blueberries in this mixture until they are well-coated. Gently fold the blueberry mixture into the batter. Spoon the batter into lined muffin tins, filling 2/3 full.
To make the streusel topping, combine the 1/4 c. sugar, 2 1/2 Tbsp. flour, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter with a pastry cutter or two butter knives until the mixture is crumbly. Sprinkle over the batter and bake for 18 minutes or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean. Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12 muffins.
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Gah! Seriously?! Where was this recipe LAST week?? :) I made blueberry muffins just last Wednesday and was bummed you didn't have a recipe. I'll have to try this out next time….
I love a muffin recipe that has butter milk in it. And the streusel puts it over the top for me. Thanks for this one!
mmm, yummy!
Even though I love blueberry muffins…okay any muffins…I'm more interested in what your super exciting little secret is!
Wow these look great! I've been using my MIL recipe for years and have become disenchanted. Really I mean what are muffins without the proper pouffy muffin tops? (ours have been flat…) The only difference between yours and hers is 1/4 tsp less baking powder and buttermilk. The buttermilk has got to make the difference! Now lets see if I fall in muffin love again… Here's hoping!! (plus I need a good birthday pick-me-up as i've got one down w/ possible stomach flu and one at school w/ sinus issues and surgery later this week!!)
Oh how I love me some blueberry muffins…but they've GOT to have crumb topping. So this recipe is perfect!!
I don't want to talk about muffin tops either…sore subject right now with warm weather around the corner. sigh.
I'm putting this on my must try list. I have yet to find a great blueberry muffin recipe.
Looks yummy!
I once tried blending the blueberries into the muffin batter (in hopes that my kids might try them that way) and it did something funky. Made me wonder if there's something in the actual blueberries that reacted with the rest of the muffin mix, or just because I'd used a blender on the batter. Do you know? (And I won't be trying it that way again either :)
Steph – You know how in quick bread recipes it says to stir in the dry ingredients “just until moistened”? That could be what the problem was with your batter in the blender experience. Over stirring (or blending) changes the texture and moistness of your end product. Don’t know if it has to do with the leavening agents, the gluten in the flour, etc, but I know that when I over-stir my biscuit dough they end up dry and almost tough.
Or it might have something to do with the consistency of your batter. Since the blueberries are usually suspended in the batter as opposed to being part of it, your dry to liquid ratio may have gotten out of whack when you blended them. Just a thought.
Yum! I wish I had one right now! Definitely would brighten up my Monday!
Just wondering why you stirred the blueberries in flour and sugar…is it so the color doesn't run?
Totally keeps them from sinking when you bake :) try this with anything you add muffins ote cakes! Pure magic!
Steph, that's weird! I have no idea!
Crystal–that's my guess. I'm thinking the flour kind of soaks up the juices while they're baking so the muffins don't get too much moisture in them and the sugar mixes with the flour to make a little syrup in each bite.
Also, mixing the berries with the flour will help so they don’t settle to the bottom of the muffin.
Is there a secret to keeping the crumble from melting? I have not had much luck, even when I keep the butter really cold.
those look fantastic!
For once and I mean ONCE, I have blueberries and buttermilk … there is a God in HEaven!! YUMMIE!! Thank you for the recipe, I'm off to the kitchen :)
Buoni !! I love blueberries and muffins!! Yummy ;)
Who won/win (?!!) the giveaway?!
Abbracci from Italy.
Oh my! Those look way too good.
The reason for stirring some of the flour in with the blueberries before adding them to the batter is to prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom. :) It's a great trick but have to admit I don't know why or how it works. LOL
My brother's roommate adores blueberry muffins so every time I visit I make sure to have a batch in tow. This will be next one I try!
Coating the blueberries in the flour/sugar mix keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the batter by basically creating a "glue" around each berry which helps to suspend it in the batter. One doesn't have to add the sugar to the mix as the flour alone is all that is necessary. :) (but it does add an extra bit of sweetness)
Oh my word!!!! I just bought fresh blueberries yesterday then I got your update today. Yummy, yummy, yummy and I might add very easy to make. I always find it unnerving to add liquid to the dry, I usually do it the other way because I am afraid it won't blend well but it did today! Looking forward to your secret, hope it's something us Canadians can use. Putting pictures of the muffins on your facebook! PS. Thanks for this recipe!
made this for breakfas side dish ……LOVE IT
love it :)
Yum yum! Know what I'm making for breakfast this weekend…Thanks!
Just last week I came here looking for a blueberry muffin recipe and was sure that it was in your cookbook since it wasn't here. So I reminded myself that there's another reason I still need to buy that book. I was happy to see that you posted this recipe today because I still had blueberries! Not anymore. They're in yummy muffins. I didn't do the streusel top, just because I'm lazy. They still turned out great. I've been looking for a go-to blueberry muffin recipe and finally found it!
Oh my yum!!!
I love blueberry muffins thanks for recipe. I will try this one. Thanks. Paulette
I love any recipe with streusel in it. Making these today for lunch! Can't wait to hear the results of the cookbook giveaway…:)
They look yummy…can you hear the growl of my stomach? I am always on the look out for more muffins to make for friend baskets! :)
Thank you! I was JUST looking through my cookbooks this morning for a blueberry muffin recipe!!
Yummmm. I'm so glad you posted this because I haven't found a good from-scratch muffin recipe yet, and I never seem to have the expensive box ones on hand. Yay!
Oooh, I think a change of plans is in order and we're having breakfast for dinner tonight. Those look delicious!! Thanks!
Nothing to do with the muffins, but I JUST GOT MY BOOK! Fed Ex just delivered it minutes ago. I am so excited!!!!
I made blueberry muffins this morning and looked to see if you had this recipe. Could have used it. I might just have to go get some more blueberries this week.
I just got my cookbook today! It and the food in it looks gorgeous. I can't wait for strawberry season to try those cream cheese-filled strawberries.
OK – I made your blueberry, streusel-topped muffins and now I'm completely addicted!!! :^)
Just tell me – do I HAVE to share them?
We did have these for dinner the other night, and they were delicious!! I even made a double batch so we've been enjoying them for lunches yesterday, for snacks, and for breakfast today. A new favorite for my kids. Thanks!!
Yum! I just made these with my daughter and they are great. Love the streusel topping!
Made these today and they were fabulous! The orange zest made them extra tasty. Thanks!!
I’m baking this right now as I type and it smells heavenly. I’ve been looking for a blueberry muffin recipe with crumb topping, Thank you!
Thank you thank you thank you… I love muffins, but hate those heavy, dry bricks that some recipes turn out. I’ve already made these several times, and they have become a family favorite! You girls are da bomb, and the new site looks awesome. Hugs!
just wanted to say your streusel topping is awesome! and for a semi-homemade muffin, i grabbed a betty crocker blueberry mix & then added your streusel. awesome!!! and so easy. i’m sure i’m not the first gal to think of doing this but i still wanted to share…big hugs!
Just made these for dinner! Yummy.
Finally making these this weekend and can’t wait to smell them baking (and eat them, of course ;-)! Just a quick FYI, I tried to print the recipe but the page comes up blank. It might just be me but thought it was worth passing along in case it isn’t. Thanks for all of the great and yummy recipes you two share!
I just found your blog a couple of weeks ago and I am in love!! I made these muffins this morning and they were delicious!!! I especially love the crumb topping! Thank you!!
Do these have to be made as muffins, or could you make these in a pan like a coffee cake? If so, about how long would you cook them? Can’t wait to try these!
I’m sure these could be made in a loaf pan or a 9×9″ pan…most quick bread recipes that I’ve made have been successful in pretty much any shape. If you do it in a bigger pan, probably start checking after 15-20 minutes but it’d probably take up to 30-40 minutes total. Just keep checking every 5ish minutes with a toothpick until it’s done.
I love this blog–its totally gotten me excited about cooking again! Thanks for the awesome recipes and great pics to go along with them. Just made these muffins and they’re delicious!
These turned out so great! Shared with a friend over coffee, thank you!
These turned out really good. :) I used white whole wheat flour since that’s what I had open in the pantry. I think next time I’d add an extra tablespoon of buttermilk or oil (or both) since the batter was pretty thick and the finished muffins are slightly dry. They still taste good, though. I added vanilla extract and grated nutmeg to my batter to bump up the flavor!
I just made these, after a complete blueberry muffin FAIL last week… these were perfect!! They were delicious and so yummy. Thanks!!!
These are so yummy! Whenever I make them though, I usually get about 18. I also call them “Kate’s you’ll use every measuring cup and spoon and most of your mixing bowls but you’ll love these blueberry muffin recipe”
This is my third time making the blueberry muffins. I substituted applesauce for the oil. They are so great!!!! The aroma is just overwhelming. I can’t wait to eat one. Each time I have made them it was to give away. This time I am going to get at least one before I give them away. Everyone has raved about how delicious they are. I just can’t thank you enough for such a great recipe.
Just made two batches of these. The flavor was fantastic but the crumb topping just melted into the top of the muffin (the first batch it actally melted and sunk INTO the muffin). What’s the secret to getting the crumb topping to look like your picture?!
Hey, Nikki! I’m so sorry I’m just getting back to you. You know, I can’t say for sure, but my guess would be that the butter crumbles may have been a little too small and maybe too warm. Sorry I can’t be of any more help!!
Love muffins and have previously done a crumble on top but tried these and the streusel topping worked so much better. Have been looking for an alternative topping and I have found it. Thank you ladies.
best.muffins.ever.
Thank you for the recipe :)
SO delicious! I love these muffins and I’ll definitely be making them again!
I just stumbled upon your page and I’m in AWWW! All these wonderful receipes. I have been trying for months now to find a good bluberry streusel receipe and this it. Plus I’m about to throw my soon to be 5 yr old daughter a “tea party” for her birthday and your rainbow cupcakes are going to put her over the rainbow. Thank you SO much!!!
Just made these and they were amazing!!! Best blueberry muffins I’ve ever had, and so easy!!!!
yummm! please tell me this works in a jar!
Made these this morning, they are delicious. To answer the whole-wheat question, I used 100% whole wheat flour, and it was great. I usually have this kind of luck when I grind the wheat myself, but not with store-bought whole wheat flour. I also subbed about 2/3 of the oil with applesauce, and there was no funny texture. Thanks for the recipe!
hi.i’m happy find another doable recipe!..could i sub buttermilk with fat free regular milk?
You *can*, but the acid in the buttermilk helps make the muffins super tender. If you’re worried about fat, you can add a tablespoon of lemon juice to a measuring cup and then measure out the milk. Let it stand for about 10 minutes, then stir it up and use it just like buttermilk.
Hope that helps!
Can I use self-rising flour and delete the baking powder?
I can’t say for sure without trying it, but I imagine you could.
I’ve made these twice using half whole wheat pastry flour and virgin olive oil! They are AWESOME! MY new “go-to” muffin recipe! Thank you so much for posting! I am addicted to your site! :)
These look delicious! I happen to have a big box of blueberries that need using so I will be making these soon. :)
Just two questions for you: Can I leave the orange/lemon zest out? I don’t have either of those fruits. Also, it says 1 large egg. If I have medium eggs, should I use two or just stick with one.
Thanks!
Oh wow! Even the batter looks amazing! A double batch is in the oven at this very moment and family members are gravitating toward the uber-yummy smell wafting from the kitchen! Thanks for a great Saturday morning recipe!
[...] Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins from Our Best Bites. I’ve never met anyone who doesn’t like blueberry muffins. These put a twist on the classic with the streusel topping. [...]
[...] called Alienated Blueberry Muffins. For some more pictures that will make your mouth water, try Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins from Our Best Bites or Perfect Blueberry Muffins from Smitten [...]
i just made these this morning without orange/lemon zest. so good! i’m sure the zest makes them even better, but they were fantastic without.
I have been anxious to try these muffins. Finally did this morning. Like a previous poster, I had trouble with my crumble topping melting off. I guess my butter was too warm. They weren’t as sweet as other muffins I’ve had which is a plus (calorie/nutrition wise) and a minus (b/c I do have quite the sweet tooth). Loved the texture – very light and moist.
I just made these and they turned out perfect! I have also had issues with flat muffins, but these have such a beautiful top! The crumb topping adds to the muffin and makes these so delicious to eat.
[...] Streusel Blueberry {recipe from Our Best Bites} [...]
[...] – Breakfast: Streusel-Topped Blueberry Muffins / Dinner: Christmas Eve with the Szajnas. Bringing Bourbon Pecan, Rum Walnut, & Almond Amaretto [...]
Making a double batch of these right now for breakfast! Didn’t have any lemon rind so i used pure lemon extract. Thanks for the great recipes!
EXACTLY what I’ve been looking for! Thank you so much!
Oh my gosh! I love this recipe! I made it for the second time today and I’ve been craving it ever since the first time I made it! Hands down the best blueberry muffin from scratch recipe I’ve ever made- I can’t stop eating them!
I also love that the recipe for the streusel is just the right amount and I don’t have a ton left over. Thank you Best Bites!
These muffins are to die for! They are easy to make and came out absolutely perfect!!! The recipe does require quite a few bowls but it’s SO worth it.
This will be my go-to muffin recipe from now on :)
One quick note – I only have dark muffin pans so I preheated to 375 and then reduced the temp to 350 when I put the pan in the oven. They cooked for exactly 18 min and the result was perfectly cooked, not too dark muffins with a nice puffy top!