How to Make the Best Moist Blueberry Muffins at Home

These blueberry muffins use a simple flour, milk, egg, and butter batter. Fresh or frozen blueberries work; the key is to stir the batter gently so the muffins stay tender.

Ingredients and helpful notes

Measure the flour before taking a spoonful to dust frozen berries. Whole milk and melted butter add moisture, while baking powder lifts the batter.

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup granulated sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 cup whole milk (best for moisture)
• ⅓ cup melted unsalted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (or frozen, but not thawed)

How to make it

Whisk dry and wet ingredients separately, combine them briefly, fold in the blueberries, and divide between 12 muffin cups. Bake until the tops spring back and a tester has no wet batter.

1. Set your oven to 375°F (190°C) before you start. This ensures the oven is at the right temperature for muffins to rise evenly. To keep the muffins from sticking, line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners or grease it well.
2. In a big bowl, mix together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisking ensures that the leavening agent and salt are evenly spread out.
3. In another medium dish, mix the egg, milk, melted butter, and vanilla extract together with a whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a spatula or wooden spoon to mix until everything is just combined. Do not overmix! A few lumps in the batter are fine and contribute to soft, moist muffins. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes muffins tougher.
5. Gently fold in the blueberries. If using frozen blueberries, do not thaw them. Instead, combine them with about a tablespoon of the dry flour mixture (taken from the measured 2 cups of flour) before adding them to the batter. This coating helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom as they bake.
6. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Fill each cup about two-thirds of the way full so that the muffins have room to rise.
7. Bake for 18 to 22 minutes. The muffins are done when their tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean or with moist crumbs attached. They should also bounce back a little when you gently touch them.
8. Before moving the muffins to a wire rack to cool fully, let them cool in the muffin tray for a few minutes. This prevents the bottoms from getting soggy.

Practical tips and serving

Mix the batter only until the flour disappears; a few lumps are fine. Do not thaw frozen blueberries before folding them in. Cool the muffins briefly in the pan, then transfer to a rack.

For another recipe, see chocolate chip muffins or fluffy buttermilk pancakes.