Blueberry Muffins – a Family Favorite

Bursting with fresh blueberries with a tender crumb and sparkling sugar crust, these really are the best blueberry muffins.

Blueberry Muffins Easy

From start to finish, you can have warm, homemade blueberry muffins ready in less than 30 minutes. Even on the sleepiest mornings, they turn out perfectly light and fluffy inside, with a sweet, irresistible crackly top. They work beautifully with fresh or frozen blueberries, so we end up making them year-round.

How to make Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¾ teaspoon salt
• 1 stick (½ cup) unsalted butter, softened
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs
• 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract
• ¼ teaspoon almond extract
• ½ cup milk
• 2¼ cups fresh blueberries
• 2 tablespoons turbinado sugar (also called raw sugar or demerara sugar)

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F and put an oven rack in the middle position. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Spray the pan and the liners with non-stick cooking spray.
2. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt.
3. In the bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter and granulated sugar for about 2 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, scraping down the sides of the bowl and beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla extract and almond extract. (The batter may look a little grainy — that’s okay).
4. Gradually add the flour mixture, alternating with the milk, beating on low speed to combine. The batter will be very thick. Add the blueberries to the batter and fold gently with a spatula until evenly distributed. Do not overmix.
5. Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tin (an ice-cream scoop with a wire scraper works well here); they will be very full. Sprinkle the turbinado sugar evenly on top of the muffins.
6. Bake for about 30 minutes, until lightly golden. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes. Run a knife around the edge of each muffin to free it from the pan if necessary (the blueberries can stick), then transfer the muffins to a rack to cool completely.
7. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Since the muffins are full of juicy blueberries, they stay moist for days. The flip side of this is that they tend to get a little soggy. To store them, line a sealable container with a sheet of paper towels. Arrange the muffins in a single layer and cover with another sheet of paper towels to absorb any excess moisture. Store the muffins on the countertop or freeze for up to 3 months.