Easy Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

Name: Easy Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Total time: 40 min
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour; 2 tablespoons brown sugar, packed; 2 tablespoons granulated sugar; 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 2 tablespoons (28g) unsalted butter, room temperature; 2 cups (300g) all-purpose flour; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1/2 teaspoon salt; 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, room temperature; 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, room temperature; 3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract; 1/2 teaspoon maple extract (or vanilla extract); 1/2 cup (118ml) milk, room temperature; 2 cups (380g) fresh blueberries (see note if using frozen)

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These moist and tender blueberry muffins with crumb topping are so easy to make, and they smell absolutely heavenly when you pull them warm and fresh from the oven. Their crunchy streusel crumb topping is cinnamon-infused and the perfect touch for these homemade, bakery-style muffins. And their fluffy, cake-like texture studded with bursts of fresh berries really makes them delicious.

Blueberry muffins with crumb topping on a cooling rack.

What makes these muffins so easy is that you can quickly and easily mix them up by hand in a mixing bowl. In fact, you should mix them by hand. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer will result in overmixing this batter and you won't get as tender muffins.

The ingredients needed for this recipe are very simple, as well. They are all pantry staples; so if you have some blueberries on hand you should be able to whip these up without any extra trips to the grocery store.

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Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Instructions
Serve with
Equipment
Storage
Tips for Success
FAQ
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A blueberry muffin with crumb topping on a marble counter beside a cooling rack covered in muffins.

These easy blueberry muffins store very well, making them excellent for making ahead of time. They make a lovely gift, too. I put them into little cardboard baking boxes tied up with twine to give to friends and family. I'm told they are a very appreciated treat to enjoy with the next morning's coffee.

I recommend that you try Mildred's Temple Kitchen's famous blueberry buttermilk pancakes or this fresh blueberry compote with yogurt for other delicious breakfast recipes featuring blueberries.

Ingredients

Fresh blueberries (if you use frozen, see the note in recipe card)
All-purpose flour
Baking powder
Salt
Unsalted butter
Granulated sugar
Eggs
Vanilla extract
Maple extract (or substitute with more vanilla extract)
Milk

See the recipe card below for quantities.

The Best Crumb Topping

Ingredients for crumb topping on a tabletop.

Flour
Brown Sugar
Granulated sugar
Ground cinnamon
Unsalted butter

See the recipe card below for quantities.

What is the difference between streusel and crumb topping? These are just different ways of saying the same thing. A streusel crumb topping is essentially a dessert topping made up of flour, sugar, and butter.

Substitutions

Blueberries: You can substitute the fresh blueberries in this recipe with frozen berries. See the note in the recipe card below for important tips on using frozen blueberries.
Crumb topping: You can omit the crumb topping in this recipe to make traditional blueberry muffins, or replace it with a light but flavourful cinnamon sugar crust. Simply mix together 2 tablespoons of brown sugar with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, and top the muffins with this mixture.

Variations

Other berries or fruit: You can switch the blueberries in this recipe with other berries or fruit chopped into small pieces. For example: blackberries, raspberries, cherries, peaches, plums, etc.
Nuts: Add chopped walnuts or your other favourite nuts into the batter at the same time as the berries.
Lemon zest: Adding 2 teaspoons of lemon zest into the batter with the wet ingredients will add a lovely citrus element to the muffins. If you do this addition, I recommend using only vanilla extract rather than vanilla and maple extracts.

Instructions

Combine the flour, sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the crumb topping together in a medium bowl until blended.

Add in the crumb topping's butter and mash into the dry ingredients with a fork until large crumbs form. Place bowl uncovered in refrigerator to firm and dry while you prepare the muffins.

Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C with the oven rack in the middle, and prepare a muffin pan with double liners.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt. Mix together until blended and set aside.

In a large bowl, use a wooden spoon or rubber spatula to cream the butter and sugar together until light and fluffy.

Wet ingredients mixed together in a bowl.

Add eggs individually, mixing well after each. Stir in the extracts.

Muffin batter with a red rubber spatula in a bowl.

Add the sifted dry ingredients alternately with milk. Mix just well enough to combine completely, being very careful to not overmix.

Flour-dusted blueberries being mixed into a bowl of muffin batter.

Gently toss the rinsed and drained blueberries around in a bowl with a bit of flour to coat them. Carefully fold them into the batter, leaving out roughly 24 blueberries.

A muffin pan filled with blueberry muffin batter.

The batter will be very thick. Evenly distribute the batter into the muffin liners. Press a couple of the left out blueberries into the tops of each of the muffins.

A muffin pan of blueberry muffin batter topped with streusel crumb topping.

Use your fingers to break up and sprinkle the crumb topping over the muffins. Bake for around 25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean.

Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes.

Baked blueberry muffins on a cooling rack.

Move the muffins from the pan to a cooling rack to finish cooling.

Serve with

A lot of people enjoy their blueberry muffins with crumb topping served warm with a pat of butter, however..

Serving these easy blueberry muffins topped with a dab of my whipped cinnamon sugar butter is an absolute dream for your taste buds. Believe me, this combination is truly phenomenal. You can quickly whip up this butter while the muffins are in the oven. Or, have some made the day before for a luxe addition to a quick and easy breakfast.

A blueberry muffin with crumb topping on a marble counter.

Equipment

To make this recipe you will need the following:

Mixing bowls - This easy blueberry muffins recipe should be mixed up by hand in a large mixing bowl.
Wooden spoon or rubber spatula
Kitchen scale or measuring cup set
Muffin pan
Muffin pan liners
Cooling rack

muffin pan

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kitchen scale

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A blueberry muffin broken in half on a marble counter.

Storage

To help keep the streusel crumb topping crisp, you should allow the muffins to completely cool on a cooling rack before storing. Leaving out overnight to do this is fine. Once cooled, store in an airtight container; at room temperature for up to three days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

If freezing, once completely cooled store them in a zip-top freezer bag or other airtight, freezer-safe container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them in the refrigerator. Please note that the crumb topping won't be quite as crisp after freezing and thawing.

Tips for Success

Weigh to be sure - You should always weigh ingredients like flour and sugar to get the best results. However, if you have to use a measuring cup rather than a kitchen scale, stir the ingredient to create air pockets then gently spoon it into the cup and level off the top. Do not scoop or you will get too much.
Don't overmix - As soon as you mix flour into any batter or dough it is so important to not overmix. If you do, you will lose the soft and delicate texture and make something that is dense and tough. Only mix until the flour has just been blended into the other ingredients.
Room temperature - Dairy and egg ingredients should be room temperature for this recipe. Cold ingredients simply won't combine properly, resulting in uneven lumps. Set them out an hour or two before you start.
Fresh berries - Although you can make this recipe with frozen blueberries, I recommend using fresh for the best flavour and to eliminate the risk of the berries' colour 'bleeding' into the batter.

A hand holding a piece of tender muffin, showing the soft inside.

FAQ

How do you keep blueberries from sinking to the bottom of muffins?

A light coating of flour helps to prevent blueberries from sinking in muffins. To prevent fresh blueberries from sinking, they should be rinsed and pat dry, then gently tossed around in a bowl with some flour until they are lightly and evenly coated. Frozen berries should be given the same flour toss but without thawing or rinsing first.

Why should you not overmix muffin batter?

As soon as flour is mixed with wet ingredients, the gluten proteins in the flour are activated. This gluten provides structure that is necessary in baked goods. However, the more you mix, the more the gluten is activated. And so, overmixing will result in dense, tough muffins.

Can you make these with frozen blueberries?

Yes, you can use frozen blueberries instead of fresh in muffins if you'd like. Don't thaw them out, keep them very frozen when you add them or they will turn the batter purple. Also, fold them into the batter while mixing as little as possible. Using fresh berries will eliminate the risk of 'colour bleeding.'

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