Classic Blueberry Muffins Recipe

By
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Stella Parks
Editor Emeritus
Stella Parks is a CIA-trained baking nerd and pastry wizard, dubbed one of America's Best New Pastry Chefs by Food & Wine. She was the pastry editor at Serious Eats from 2016 to 2019.
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Updated Jun. 23, 2020
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Photograph: Vicky Wasik. Video: Natalie Holt
2:22

A Quick Tip to Make Your Blueberry Muffins Better

Why It Works

  • Blending butter and flour minimizes gluten development, for ultra-tender muffins.
  • A small portion of fragrant, lemony coriander makes the blueberry flavor seem more intense.
  • A spoonful of plain dough at the bottom of each cup prevents the berries from sinking.

The perfect blueberry muffin is quick and easy to whip up on a Sunday morning, and beautiful to behold: domed and delicately crisp on top, with or without a crust of sparkling sugar. Most of all, it's loaded with the best summer berries—which should never, ever sink to the bottom.

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Recipe Facts

4.9

(19)

Active: 15 mins
Total: 45 mins
Serves: 12 servings

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Ingredients

  • 12 ounces all-purpose flour (2 1/3 cups; 340g)

  • 5 1/4 ounces sugar (3/4 cup; 145g)

  • 2 teaspoons (8g) baking powder

  • 3/4 teaspoon (3g) Diamond Crystal kosher salt; for table salt, use half as much by volume or use the same weight

  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda

  • 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander seeds

  • 1/8 teaspoon grated nutmeg

  • 6 ounces unsalted butter (1 1/2 sticks; 170g), cut into 1/2-inch cubes

  • 4 ounces milk, any percentage (1/2 cup; 115g)

  • 2 large eggs, cold

  • 2 teaspoons (9ml) vanilla extract (optional)

  • 12 ounces fresh blueberries (2 cups; 340g)

  • 2 ounces sparkling sugar (1/3 cup; 55g) (optional)

Directions

  1. Adjust oven rack to middle position and preheat to 350°F (180°C). Prepare a nonstick or aluminum muffin pan by greasing lightly or lining with tinfoil or paper liners. Combine flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, baking soda, coriander, nutmeg, and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment. Mix at low speed to form a mealy powder, about 2 minutes. Add milk, eggs, and vanilla (if using), mixing briefly to form a thick batter.

  2. Drop a heaping tablespoonful (about 1 ounce, or 28g if you want to be mathematically precise) of plain dough into the bottom of each muffin cup. Fold blueberries into remaining dough, which will be extremely stiff. Divide evenly between each cup. If you like, top each muffin with sparkling sugar, about 1 teaspoon each or to taste. Bake until muffins are puffed and firm, about 25 minutes. Enjoy immediately and store leftovers in an airtight container for up to 1 day.

Special equipment

Standard muffin pan (see note), liners (optional), stand mixer

Notes

For muffins that are golden on the bottom and perfectly round on top, be sure to use a nonstick pan; more on the science behind that here.

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
287 Calories
13g Fat
39g Carbs
5g Protein
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Nutrition Facts
Servings: 12
Amount per serving
Calories 287
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 13g 17%
Saturated Fat 8g 38%
Cholesterol 62mg 21%
Sodium 224mg 10%
Total Carbohydrate 39g 14%
Dietary Fiber 1g 5%
Total Sugars 16g
Protein 5g
Vitamin C 3mg 14%
Calcium 72mg 6%
Iron 2mg 9%
Potassium 82mg 2%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

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