These blueberry muffins have the tall, golden tops you see in bakery cases. They are moist inside, packed with juicy blueberries, and finished with a crunchy sugar topping. They taste like a weekend morning, even on a busy Tuesday.
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 2.5 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups fresh blueberries (or frozen, not thawed)
- 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing the berries)
For the crunchy top:
- 3 tablespoons coarse sugar (turbinado or sparkling sugar)
Steps
1. Heat the oven and prep the pan
Heat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners, or grease the cups well with butter. Starting the oven hot is the secret to tall muffin tops. The burst of high heat makes the muffins rise fast before the structure sets.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking well now means the leavening is spread evenly, so every muffin rises the same. Set this bowl aside. This takes less than a minute but makes a real difference in the final texture.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk the melted butter and sugar together until smooth. Add the eggs one at a time, whisking well after each. Then whisk in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract until everything is combined. The sour cream is what keeps these muffins moist for days, so do not skip it.
4. Combine wet and dry gently
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula just until you no longer see streaks of flour. A few lumps are completely fine. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour and makes muffins tough instead of tender, so stop as soon as it comes together.
5. Fold in the blueberries
Toss the blueberries with the tablespoon of flour in a small bowl. This light coating keeps the berries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins. Gently fold the floured berries into the batter with just a few strokes. If you are using frozen berries, add them straight from the freezer.
6. Fill the muffin cups
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each one nearly to the top. A full cup is what gives you those tall bakery-style domes. An ice cream scoop makes this quick and neat. Sprinkle the coarse sugar generously over the top of each muffin for that crunchy bakery finish.
7. Bake hot, then lower the heat
Bake at 425 degrees for 5 minutes, then without opening the oven door, lower the temperature to 350 degrees. Continue baking for 15 to 18 more minutes. The muffins are done when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick poked into the center comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool before eating
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. They are wonderful warm, when the blueberries are still a little jammy inside. Letting them cool just slightly keeps them from falling apart when you peel off the liner.
Tips
Room temperature eggs mix into the batter more smoothly than cold ones, so set them out 30 minutes before baking. If you only have cold eggs, put them in a bowl of warm water for 10 minutes and they will be ready to go. These muffins stay fresh in an airtight container at room temperature for 3 days, and they freeze beautifully for up to 3 months.
Conclusion
I hope these muffins make your mornings a little brighter. They are simple to make, and that tall golden top makes them feel like a real treat. Bake a batch this weekend and enjoy every blueberry-filled bite.
