These Lemon Blueberry Muffins are absolutely the best! They are ultra soft with a plush crumb and have an irresistibly crunchy shell. With just 10 minutes of prep, they are packed with lemony goodness, and fresh blueberries, and are not overly sweet.
I wanted to create lemon blueberry muffins, bursting with the juiciness of fresh blueberries, while boasting a pronounced lemon flavor. My goal was to achieve a tender, velvety crumb that would melt in the mouth, all while ensuring the blueberries stayed evenly distributed throughout the muffins and didn't sink to the bottom.
Muffins are a favorite because they’re easy to make, quick to bake, and the flavors are endless, like the Nutella muffins, which can double as a dessert. In season blueberries are juicy, sweet, plump, and just begging to be popped into your mouth by the handful.
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Why this recipe works?
I swapped some of the butter for oil! While butter adds tons of flavor and richness, the oil contains no water and has the ability to make the lemon blueberry muffins moist and tender.
To get a good crust on top and to add more lemony flavor, I top them with lemon-scented sugar, which melts slightly and hardens as it bakes, creating an irresistible crunchy shell.
Lemon juice adds acidity and tartness, but its brightness is lost as it bakes. However, adding more lemon juice will interfere with the structure of the muffin and make it fall apart tender. A modest 1 tablespoon did the trick.
To really pack in a lemony flavor, I use the thin, outermost yellow layer of the lemon, which contains the floral, lemony oils in the batter and as a topping.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- All-purpose flour - With 10 to 12 percent protein content, all-purpose flour provides enough structure and is light enough to create a tender crumb.
- Sugar - White sugar adds tenderness and a neutral flavor letting the lemon shine.
- Baking powder - Double-acting baking powder with two or more acids begins working as soon as it hits the wet ingredients and then again as it bakes, resulting in a much higher rise.
- Blueberries - Fresh or frozen blueberries are ok. If using frozen, do not thaw.
- Lemon - I add freshly squeezed juice and zest in the batter, and then again top the lemon blueberry muffins with lemon-scented sugar to pack in three times the lemony punch, like in almond flour lemon cookies.
- Sour cream - Adds richness with a tangy flavor and limits gluten development. I like to use full-fat sour cream like in my no-bake mini cheesecake.
- Vegetable oil - Adds moisture and tenderness. Use a flavorless oil such as vegetable or corn oil.
- Egg - It works its magic, providing structure and overall richness.
Pro tip: How to choose lemons at the store? Make sure they are smooth-skinned and heavy for their size. That way, you know they are filled with juice.
How to make?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1. Add all-purpose flour, baking powder, and salt into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
2 & 3. Add one egg and sugar into another larger bowl and whisk for 60 seconds until thick and creamy.
4. Pour in melted butter and vegetable oil and whisk for 45 seconds.
5. Add sour cream, lemon juice, and zest, and mix again for 30 seconds.
Tip: Sour cream adds moisture and produces the softest lemon blueberry muffins ever.
6 & 7. Add combined dry ingredients and fresh blueberries, and fold gently until just combined.
Tip: It is important not to over-mix your lemon blueberry muffins batter. The goal is to do it gently, just until it comes together. The more you stir, the more gluten develops and the tougher it becomes.
8. Make lemon sugar - Using your fingertips or a spoon, mix sugar and lemon zest until evenly distributed.
Pro tip: I create a thicker batter, which provides enough structure to keep the blueberries from sinking to the bottom as it bakes. Also, instead of tossing them separately with a little flour, I stir both dry ingredients and blueberries together, which does the double duty of coating most of them with flour.
Divide batter into a paper-lined muffin tin, top with more blueberries, and cover the tops with lemon sugar. Bake at 425 degrees for about 30 minutes, or the tops get a deep golden brown color.
Storage instructions
Allow the lemon blueberry muffins to cool completely before storing them. This prevents excess moisture from building up inside the container, potentially making them soggy. Store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
To freeze: Freeze the lemon blueberry muffins for up to 3 months. Cool completely, and then place them in a freezer-friendly zipped-top bag or container. When ready to eat, thaw at room temperature on the counter. To warm up, air fry at 375 for 3 to 4 minutes or bake at 300°F for 5 to 8 minutes.
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Helpful tips
- Sour cream - Use full-fat or reduced-fat sour cream. Plain, full-fat yogurt is a great substitute.
- Best on the day they are made - These are absolutely divine when fresh!
- Measure the flour correctly - Adding too much flour is one of the main reasons for tough baked products. Spoon flour into your measuring cup, remove excess with the side of your butter knife, and add into the bowl.
Pro tip: How to create a tall bakery-style muffin?
- Make sure your batter is thick. A thick batter also ensures the blueberries remain suspended without sinking to the bottom.
- Fill your muffin tins to the top.
- Bake them at a higher temperature. This will quickly lift it up!
Recipe FAQs
You can follow these steps to prevent them from sinking like in mini blueberry muffins.
1. Choose the right size. Smaller blueberries tend to distribute more evenly and are less likely to sink.
2. Make sure to distribute them as evenly as possible when mixing. This will help prevent clumps of berries from weighing down a particular muffin spot.
3. Lightly toss them in a small amount of flour to create a thin coating, helping them adhere better to the batter and reducing the chances of sinking.
If using frozen, do not defrost or they will weep into the batter. Measure the blueberries, break them up if clumped, and place them back into the freezer. Make your lemon sugar and stir the wet and dry ingredients together (reserve about 2 tablespoons of flour mixture). Get the blueberries out of the freezer, toss them with the reserved flour, and quickly stir into batter.
The citrus fruit's tartness balances the sweetness of the blueberries. It also neutralizes any of their bitterness, adding zesty and refreshing notes of lemon. The vibrant yellow color and the blueberries' deep purple hue creates an appealing visual contrast.
More muffin recipes
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Dry ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups all purpose flour
- 1 ¼ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
Wet ingredients
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons sugar, white
- ¼ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup vegetbale oil
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Zest of 1 lemon
Additional ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups fresh blueberries, divided
- 2 ½ tablespoons sugar, white
- Zest of ½ lemon
Instructions
- Line a standrad muffin pan with 6 paper liners, set aside. Pre heat oven to 425°F.
- Add all dry ingredients into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Add egg and sugar(½ cup + 2 tablespoons) into a larger bowl and whisk for 60 seconds, until creamy and thick.
- Add both melted butter and oil and continue whisking for 45 seconds. Add sour cream, lemon juice and zest (from one lemon), and whisk for 30 seconds..
- Add the combined flour mixture and 1 cup blueberries, stir gently using a spatula, until just combined. Tip: It is important not to over-mix your batter. The goal is to do it gently, just until it comes together. The more you stir, the more gluten develops and the tougher it becomes.Pro tip: I create a thicker batter, which provides enough structure to keep them from sinking to the bottom as it bakes. Also, instead of tossing them separately with a little flour, I stir both dry ingredients and blueberries together, which does the double duty of coating most of them with flour.
- Divide batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, place additional blueberries on top and then cover the tops with lemon sugar. To make lemon sugar - Add 21/2 tablespoons sugar and ½ lemon zest into a small bowl and mix using your finger tips or spoon, until evenly distrucbuted. Tip: To get a good crust on top and to add more lemony flavor, I top them with lemon-scented sugar, which melts slightly and hardens as it bakes, creating an irresistible crunchy shell.
- Bake muffins for 26 to 30 minutes, or the tops are deep golden brown in color. Tip: The high heat results in a faster initial rise, creating a light and fluffy texture in the muffins. It also create a burst of steam, which ontributes to the formation of a domed top and caramelizes the sugar topping resulting in a a crunchy shell.
- Place pan on a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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