Blueberry Yogurt Muffins

Name: Blueberry Yogurt Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 42 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tsp (9 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (2½ g) baking soda; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar; 2 (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; 1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, stirred smooth; ¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, at room temperature; 6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes; 2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1 tsp (2 g) lemon, zest only, finely grated; 1½ cups (225 g) blueberries, fresh, rinsed and dried, or frozen (do not thaw); 1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour, for tossing with the berries; 2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sugar or granulated sugar

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, moist muffins with tall bakery-style domes, made with plain yogurt and bursting with juicy blueberries. A short high-heat start gives the domes, and a sparkle of sugar on top adds a light crunch.

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 20 min
Total: 1 hr 2 min
Makes: 12 standard muffins

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the muffins
2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 tsp (9 g) baking powder
½ tsp (2.5 g) baking soda
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
2 (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
1 cup (245 g) plain whole-milk yogurt, at room temperature, stirred smooth
¼ cup (60 ml) whole milk, at room temperature
6 tbsp (85 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled for 5 minutes
2 tsp (10 ml) pure vanilla extract
1 tsp (2 g) lemon, zest only, finely grated
1½ cups (225 g) blueberries, fresh, rinsed and dried, or frozen (do not thaw)
1 tbsp (8 g) all-purpose flour, for tossing with the berries
For the topping
2 tbsp (25 g) coarse sugar or granulated sugar

Equipment (8)

12-cup standard muffin pan (½-cup / 120 ml cups)
12 paper liners or nonstick spray
2 large mixing bowls
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Ice cream scoop or ¼-cup measure (about ⅓ cup / 80 ml scoop)
Wire rack
Toothpick or cake tester

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and yogurt out of the fridge 30 minutes ahead so they mix smoothly into the butter.
Melt the butter and let it cool slightly so it won't scramble the eggs.
Use fresh blueberries, or frozen ones straight from the freezer without thawing, which keeps the batter from turning purple.
Position an oven rack in the center and preheat before you start mixing.

1
Preheat and prep panOven 425°F / 220°C
- Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 425°F (220°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease the cups well with nonstick spray.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 425°F (220°C).
Tip: Use an oven thermometer if you can; the high-heat start is what builds the domes.
2
Whisk dry ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups (250 g) flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt until evenly combined, about 30 seconds.
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Ready when: No streaks or clumps of leavening remain.
3
Prepare the blueberries
- In a small bowl, gently toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour until lightly coated.
- If using frozen berries, keep them frozen until the moment they go into the batter.
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Ready when: Berries look dusty and no longer sticky.
Tip: The flour coating helps stop the berries from sinking to the bottom.
4
Mix wet ingredients
- In a second large bowl, rub the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingertips for 20 seconds until fragrant and slightly damp.
- Whisk in the eggs until pale and slightly thick, about 1 minute.
- Whisk in the yogurt, milk, vanilla and cooled melted butter until smooth.
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Ready when: Mixture is smooth with no visible butter streaks or egg strands.
Tip: If the butter is too hot it will cook the eggs; it should feel just warm to the touch.
5
Fold batter together
- Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients.
- With a rubber spatula, fold gently, scraping the bottom of the bowl, just until most of the flour disappears, about 12 to 15 strokes.
- Add the blueberries and fold 3 or 4 more times.
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Ready when: Batter is thick and lumpy with a few small flour streaks; berries are evenly dispersed.
Tip: Overmixing makes tough, tunneled muffins. Lumps are fine.
6
Rest the batter
- Let the batter sit in the bowl at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- This lets the flour hydrate so the muffins are tender and domed.
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Ready when: Batter looks slightly thicker and puffier.
7
Fill the cups
- Scoop the batter into the 12 cups, filling each to the very top (about ⅓ cup / 80 ml each).
- Sprinkle the tops evenly with the 2 tablespoons coarse sugar.
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Ready when: Batter is mounded just above the rim of each cup.
Tip: Don't press down the batter; keep it mounded for tall tops.
8
Bake with a hot startOven 425°F / 220°C
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes.
- Without opening the door, lower the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and bake 15 to 17 minutes more, rotating the pan once at the 12-minute mark of the second stage if your oven is uneven.
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Ready when: Tops are golden brown and spring back when pressed; a toothpick in the center (avoiding berries) comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Tip: If the tops brown too fast, tent loosely with foil for the last 5 minutes.
9
Cool the muffins
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto a wire rack.
- Cool at least 10 more minutes before eating; the berry filling is very hot at first.
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Ready when: Muffins are firm enough to lift without tearing and warm rather than hot.
Tip: Leaving them in the pan too long traps steam and makes the sides soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Fill the cups to the top; the batter is thick enough to hold its shape and this is what creates bakery-style domes.
Stop mixing while the batter still looks lumpy for the most tender crumb.
Measure flour by spooning it into the cup and leveling, or weigh it; packed flour makes dry muffins.
For a streusel-style crunch, swap the topping for a mix of 2 tbsp sugar and ¼ tsp cinnamon.

Make ahead

"Whisk the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients (except the butter and berries) separately the night before; cover the wet mixture and refrigerate. Stir in the cooled butter, combine, and bake the next morning. Do not mix the batter completely more than 1 hour ahead, as the leavening loses power."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature in an airtight container lined with a paper towel for up to 2 days. Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Reheat room-temperature or thawed muffins at 350°F (175°C) for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave one for 15 to 20 seconds."

Substitutions

plain whole-milk yogurt → Sour cream or Greek yogurt thinned with a little milk. If using Greek yogurt, replace ¼ cup (60 g) of it with 2 tbsp milk plus 2 tbsp water so the batter isn't too thick.
unsalted butter → Neutral oil such as canola, ¼ cup plus 1 tbsp (75 ml). Muffins will be slightly moister but with less buttery flavor.
blueberries → Raspberries, chopped strawberries or chocolate chips. Use the same volume; handle raspberries gently so they don't break up.
whole milk → Any plant-based milk. Use an unsweetened variety at room temperature.