The World’s Best Fresh Blueberry Muffins are seriously the best blueberry muffins ever. Every time I make a batch, I get a recipe request. They are similar to a muffin you’d buy in a specialty bakery; and nothing like the muffins you’ll buy in a big box store!
 

One year, when my  baby  turned 14, I wanted to make him the World’s Best Blueberry Muffins.  Jake isn’t a huge cake fan, but he LOVES blueberry muffins. So I set out to make the best blueberry muffin. In the world.  Mission accomplished! Now every year when he asks for muffins, I make him this recipe.

The World’s Best Fresh Blueberry Muffins are moist, FULL of blueberries, and a bit of lemon. This is the ultimate blueberry muffin! They are light and fluffy, but still have enough substance to taste like a muffin and not a cake.

They’re spilling over with fresh blueberry taste, because they are packed with blueberries. A good blueberry muffin needs to highlight blueberries, in my opinion!

I’ve made dozens of blueberry muffins over the past 37 years of marriage. I grew up eating boxed blueberry muffins. I loved them as a kid. I didn’t even know people made blueberry muffins from scratch until I was an adult!   When I first got married, I’d buy a box mix and add some fresh or frozen blueberries. But I knew there had to be a better way.  So I started experimenting with recipes. I’ve tried the good, the bad, and the downright ugly over the years when it comes to blueberry muffins.
 
 
 
 
I’m almost certain this recipe originated from Cook’s Illustrated, but the directions were long, and the process overly complicated. I knew there had to be an easier way to make the best blueberry muffin! I learned long ago that muffins could easily be made in one bowl if the ingredients were combined properly.
 
Basically,  I mix all of the wet ingredients in a bowl, then add all of the dry ingredients at once and fold together. Folding is key when making muffins!  Never over-mix or beat on a high speed.  Finally, add the blueberries and fold gently. Really easy, and no need to dirty every bowl in the pantry!
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
Here’s what sets this recipe apart from the rest: Home-made blueberry “jam” on top of the muffin. Seriously yummy. Top that with sugar and a heavy dose of fresh lemon zest and you’ve got a nearly perfect muffin.  The World’s Best Fresh Blueberry Muffins work with either fresh or frozen blueberries. If it’s summer when you’re making this recipe, buy some fresh berries, you won’t be sorry!
 
The World’s Best Fresh Blueberry Muffins were originally posted in July of 2010. The photos and recipe have been updated since the original posting.

The World’s Best Fresh Blueberry Muffins

4.85 from 13 votes
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Author: Si Foster
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Total Time: 38 minutes
Servings: 12 large muffins
World's Best Fresh Blueberry Muffins are filled with blueberries and a bit of homemade blueberry jam!

Ingredients 

Lemon-Sugar Topping:

  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 teaspoons grated lemon zest

Muffins and cooked berry mixture:

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and divided
  • 1 1/4 cup + 1 teaspoon sugar, divided
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, room temperature or softened in microwave
  • 2 eggs
  • ¼ cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
  • 3/4 cup buttermilk, shaken
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 2 1/2 cups flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

Instructions

FOR TOPPING:

  • Stir together sugar and lemon zest in small bowl until combined; set aside.

FOR MUFFINS:

  • Preheat oven to 425 degrees and set rack in center of oven. Spray inside of muffin tin with cooking spray.
  • Bring 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to simmer in small saucepan over medium heat. Cook, mashing berries with large spoon or potato masher until mixture is thickened and reduced to 1/3-1/4 cup, about 5 minutes. Transfer cooked blueberry mixture to small bowl and place in refrigerator while preparing muffin batter. This can also be made a day or two ahead of time.
  • Place 1 1/4 cups sugar, and softened butter into the bowl of a stand mixer or large bowl. Mix until blended. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla to bowl. Mix until blended on medium speed. Turn off mixer.
  • Dump flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda into the bowl of wet ingredients. Turn mixer to low and mix just until the flour dissapears and there are no longer any white streaks in the batter. Do not over mix. Do not mix on high speed.
  • Using a spatula or large spoon, fold (in about 3-4 turns) remaining 1 cup of blueberries into batter until incorporated.
  • Use cookie scoop or large spoon to divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (batter should completely fill cups and mound slightly).
  • Spoon a teaspoon of cooked berry mixture on top of each mound of batter. Sprinkle lemon sugar over muffins. See photos on post.
  • Bake until muffin tops are golden, 18 to 20 minutes, rotate muffin tin halfway through baking time if needed. Insert a toothpick into center of muffin to test for doneness.
  • Cool muffins in tin for 5 minutes, then remove and set on wire rack and let cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

  • If buttermilk is not available, substitute 3/4 cup plain whole-milk or low-fat yogurt. 
  • I like to use a cookie scoop or ice cream scoop to get uniform scoops of batter into the muffin tin.
  • If you find your blueberries are sinking, you may add the blueberries to the flour mixture and fold once all together )instead of folding the berries in after the dry and wet mixture are combined), just until flour disappears. The flour coating the berries will help prevent sinking of the berries in the muffins. 
  • Do not thaw frozen berries before using. Simply add to the batter frozen. 

Equipment

  • mixer
  • muffin pan
  • saucepan

Did you make this recipe?

Be sure to leave a comment and give this recipe a rating, letting me know how you liked it. I’d love to see a photo, tag @abountifulkitchen on Instagram!