In a world where there exists hundreds or even thousands of blueberry muffin recipes, how can you possibly choose a favorite?
These blueberry muffins are loaded with fresh, juicy blueberries and have just the right amount of sweetness, but I’ve also added a few extra touches to make these muffins even more special!
Cream cheese, buttermilk and lemon give the batter a tangy flavor and a tender crumb and a buttery streusel topping adds a satisfying, cinnamony crunch that takes these muffins up about 100 notches!
Here’s what you need for the muffins.
Equipment you may need:
All the ingredients MUST be at room temperature.
This will make the silkiest, smoothest batter and tender, pillowy muffins. Give the butter a couple hours to soften on the countertop. Everything else will need 30 minutes to an hour to warm up.
Start by creaming the butter, cream cheese and granulated sugar.
The optimal creaming time is approximately 3 minutes. The ingredients will be well combined into a smooth, light mixture.
Next add the (room temperature) eggs, one at a time, followed by the (room temperature) buttermilk, vanilla, lemon zest and juice.
This batter can be made with either a stand mixer or hand mixer. I prefer my stand mixer so I have 2 free hands to work with.
Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula.
Then, with the mixer running on low speed, add the combined dry ingredients, a big spoonful at a time, until the batter just comes together.
Finally, gently fold in the fresh blueberries.
Use a 2 ounce ice cream scoop to divide the batter.
This is my go-to for muffins and cupcakes. It yields perfectly sized, uniform muffins every time!
This is the perfect time to turn on the oven. By the time it reaches 350 degrees, the muffins will be topped with streusel and ready to go!
Here’s what you need for the streusel:
Make streusel.
The best way to make streusel is with clean hands! Use a whisk to combine the flour, sugar and salt. Then, pour in the melted butter. Use your hands to squeeze and clump the streusel together.
Add about a tablespoon of streusel clumps all over the tops of the muffins. Gently press it onto the top of the muffin batter, but don’t press it all the way in. You just want it to adhere to the tops so you don’t lose the streusel after the muffins are baked.
Bake muffins for 20-22 minutes.
You will be able to tell they are ready when the very center of the muffins are set. If baking one pan at a time, it will take closer to 20 minutes, but if you are doing all of the muffins at the same time, the bake time will take a couple minutes longer.
Let the muffins rest in the pan for a few minutes before handling, so they don’t fall apart. Then, use an offset spatula or butter knife to help coax them out of the pan and onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days, if they even last that long! After that, keep them refrigerated for up to an additional 3 days. If needed, you can even freeze the muffins for up to 6 months in a tightly sealed ziplock bag.
Other recipes to try:
Blueberry and Cream Cheese Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp kosher salt
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter at room temperature
- 1/2 cup cream cheese at room temperature
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1 zest of a lemon
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 2 cups fresh blueberries
For the streusel topping:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/4 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 tsp kosher salt
Instructions
Make the muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Cream the butter, cream cheese and sugar in a stand mixer with a paddle attachment or with a hand mixer for 3 minutes. With the mixer running on low, add the eggs, one at a time, then the buttermilk, vanilla, lemon zest and juice. During this time, you will likely need to stop a couple times and use a rubber spatula to scrape down any of the batter that has climbed up the sides of the bowl and incorporate it back into the rest of the batter.With the mixer running on low speed, add the dry ingredients, one large spoonful at a time, to the batter, until it just comes together. Finally add the blueberries and stir to combine. Spray muffin pan(s) with cooking spray. Use a 2 ounce ice cream scoop or a 1/4 cup measuring cup to distribute the muffin batter into the pan.
Make streusel, top muffins and bake.
- Whisk together the two sugars and salt. Add the butter and use your hands to squeeze and crumble the topping into clumps.Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of the crumble topping. Bake the muffins for 20-22 minutes. Allow them to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then let them finish cooling on a wire rack.