MuffinsAmericanEasy

Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping

Name: Blueberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour; 2½ teaspoons (12 g) baking powder; ½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt; 4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, at room temperature; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 large eggs, at room temperature; 1½ teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract; ¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk; 1½ cups (225 g) fresh or frozen blueberries, tossed with 1 tablespoon flour (to prevent sinking); 3 ounces (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes; ½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour; ¼ cup (55 g) packed brown sugar; 1 teaspoon (2½ g) ground cinnamon; ⅛ teaspoon (¾ g) kosher salt

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Golden, tender muffins studded with juicy blueberries and topped with a buttery, cinnamon-sugar streusel that bakes up crisp and crumbly. These are moist but not dense, with a subtle vanilla flavor that lets the fruit shine. Perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat.

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 10 min
Total: 47 min
Makes: 12 muffins

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Ingredients

12 servings

2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
2½ teaspoons (12 g) baking powder
½ teaspoon (3 g) kosher salt
4 ounces (115 g) unsalted butter, softened, at room temperature
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1½ teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract
¾ cup (180 ml) whole milk
1½ cups (225 g) fresh or frozen blueberries, tossed with 1 tablespoon flour (to prevent sinking)
For the streusel topping
3 ounces (85 g) cold unsalted butter, cut into small cubes
½ cup (60 g) all-purpose flour
¼ cup (55 g) packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon (2.5 g) ground cinnamon
⅛ teaspoon (0.8 g) kosher salt

Equipment (7)

Standard 12-cup muffin tin
Two medium mixing bowls
One small bowl (for streusel)
Whisk
Wooden spoon or spatula
Measuring cups and spoons
Ice cream scoop or ¼-cup measure (helpful but optional)

Steps

Before you start

Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C)
Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups
Have all ingredients at room temperature
Do not rinse frozen blueberries if using them; use straight from the freezer

1
Make the streusel
- In a small bowl, combine the cold butter cubes, ½ cup (60 g) flour, ¼ cup (55 g) brown sugar, 1 teaspoon (2.5 g) cinnamon, and ⅛ teaspoon (0.75 g) salt.
- Using your fingertips, pinch and rub the butter into the flour mixture until it resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized pieces of butter still visible.
- Set aside.
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Ready when: Mixture resembles coarse breadcrumbs with pea-sized butter pieces visible
Tip: Keep the butter cold so the streusel bakes up crisp and crumbly rather than greasy.
2
Mix dry ingredients
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) flour, 2½ teaspoons (12 g) baking powder, and ½ teaspoon (3 g) salt until evenly combined.
- Set aside.
3
Cream butter and sugar
- In another medium bowl, whisk together 4 ounces (115 g) softened butter and ¾ cup (150 g) sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes of vigorous whisking.
- The mixture should be noticeably lighter in color and increased in volume.
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Ready when: Mixture is light, fluffy, and noticeably paler
Tip: Room-temperature butter is essential here—cold butter won't incorporate air properly, and the muffins will be dense.
4
Add eggs and vanilla
- Add 2 eggs one at a time to the butter-sugar mixture, whisking well after each addition until incorporated.
- Add 1½ teaspoons (8 ml) vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth and homogeneous after each egg addition
Tip: Add eggs slowly to prevent the batter from breaking or separating, which makes dense muffins.
5
Alternate dry and wet
- Add half of the dry mixture (about ½ cup/125 g flour mixture) to the butter mixture and whisk until just barely combined.
- Pour in half of the milk (about 6 tablespoons/90 ml) and whisk gently until almost incorporated.
- Add the remaining dry mixture and whisk until nearly combined.
- Add the remaining milk and stir with a wooden spoon or spatula until just combined.
- The batter will be slightly lumpy—do not overmix.
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Ready when: Batter is just combined with small lumps remaining
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten and creates tough, dense muffins. Stop as soon as you don't see streaks of dry flour.
6
Fold in blueberries
- In a small bowl, toss 1½ cups (225 g) blueberries (fresh or frozen) with 1 tablespoon of the reserved flour to coat lightly—this prevents them from sinking.
- Gently fold the blueberries into the batter with a spatula using as few strokes as possible, about 10–12 folds.
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Ready when: Blueberries are evenly distributed throughout the batter
Tip: Use frozen blueberries straight from the freezer—they hold their shape better and won't bleed color into the batter.
7
Fill muffin cups
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each about ⅔ full.
- An ice cream scoop (about ¼ cup/60 ml) is helpful for even distribution.
- Smooth the tops slightly with a wet spoon or your finger.
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Ready when: Cups are filled evenly to about ⅔ full
Tip: Filling the cups ⅔ full leaves room for rise without overflow; overfilled cups create flat, dense muffin tops.
8
Top with streusel
- Sprinkle the streusel mixture evenly over each muffin, dividing it into 12 portions and pressing it very gently onto the batter surface.
- Don't pack it down—you want it to stay loose and crumbly.
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Ready when: Streusel is evenly distributed over all muffins
Tip: Gentle handling keeps the streusel from compacting into a dense layer; loose streusel bakes up crispier.
9
Bake muffinsOven 400°F / 205°C
- Place the muffin tin in a preheated 400°F (200°C) oven and bake for 20–22 minutes.
- The muffins are done when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of one muffin (avoiding the streusel) comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it.
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Ready when: Tops are golden brown and a toothpick from the center comes out clean or nearly clean
Tip: Don't overbake—muffins continue to cook slightly as they cool. Once the toothpick comes out with just a few moist crumbs, they're done.
10
Cool and remove
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack (or simply leave them in the tin) to cool completely, about 30 minutes more.
- The streusel will firm up as it cools.
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Ready when: Muffins have pulled slightly away from the sides of the tin and are cool enough to handle
Tip: Cooling in the tin for 10 minutes prevents the bottoms from tearing when you unmold them, but don't leave them longer or steam will make them soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Room-temperature eggs and butter emulsify better, creating a lighter, airier crumb. Take them out of the fridge 1 hour before baking.
Tossing blueberries in flour before folding them in prevents them from sinking to the bottom during baking.
For loftier muffins, measure flour by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off, or weigh it. Scooping directly from the bag compresses the flour and makes dense muffins.
The streusel topping can be made up to 24 hours ahead and stored covered in the refrigerator or freezer.

Make ahead

Batter can be prepared and filled into muffin cups up to 2 hours ahead, covered loosely with plastic wrap, and refrigerated. Top with streusel just before baking. Baked muffins are best served the day they're made.

Storage & reheating

Store cooled muffins at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 2 days, or wrap individually and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm gently in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8–10 minutes. Do not refrigerate—it dries them out.

Substitutions

whole milk → low-fat milk, buttermilk, or plain yogurt thinned with water (1:1 ratio). Each works well; buttermilk adds subtle tang. Use the same volume.
fresh or frozen blueberries → blackberries, raspberries, or a mix of berries; or ½ cup blueberries plus ½ cup diced banana. Frozen berries work equally well as fresh. Avoid rinsing frozen berries so they don't bleed color.
vanilla extract → almond extract (use only 1 teaspoon/5 ml due to its intensity) or omit entirely. Almond extract pairs beautifully with blueberry; without it, the fruit flavor is more prominent.
ground cinnamon → ground nutmeg, cardamom, or a pinch of ground ginger. Each adds a different spice note; nutmeg is the closest substitute. Use the same amount.