Classic Blueberry Muffins

From the Kitchen

Sometimes we discover a recipe and find it so good that we never stray from it. It becomes a staple; a familiar favorite that quietly marks seasons, celebrations and ordinary mornings alike. Before long, it becomes part of our story.

So it is with these blueberry muffins.

I first discovered the recipe in the Williams Sonoma Muffins cookbook from the Kitchen Library series, originally published in the 1990s. I began collecting the books in the early 2000s, and on this particular volume these blueberry muffins were the cover star.

Over the years, the recipe has become one we return to again and again. It is simple enough to stir together first thing in the morning and works beautifully with fresh or frozen berries, making it just as welcome in the depths of winter as it is during blueberry season.

Truthfully, I have altered very little. The recipe is wonderful just as it is. While I have occasionally thought about turning the topping into more of a streusel, my family would likely protest. Some things earn the right to remain unchanged.

And perhaps that is part of their charm.

Tip: I line my muffin tins with paper liners and fill every other cup. Giving the muffins a little extra room produces beautifully domed tops and that classic bakery-style rise. This recipe yields 15 muffins, so I use two standard muffin tins and one 6-cup tin when baking.

Ingredients

  • For the topping:
  • 1/4 cup all purpose flour
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons firmly packed light brown sugar
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
  • For the muffins:
  • 7 tablespoons unsalted butter at room temperature
  • 3/4 cup granulated sugar
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature is best)
  • 2 1/4 cups all purpose flour
  • 4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup milk (I have used oat milk with great success)
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh or frozen (unthawed) blueberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
  2. To make the topping, I combine all the ingredients into my food processor and pulse until pea size crumbs appear. You can always use a pastry blender to combine the ingredients in a mixing bowl. Set to the side.
  3. To make the muffins, cream together butter and sugar in a separate bowl until light and fluffy. Add the eggs, one at a time beating well after each addition until blended into the butter mixture. 
  4. In another bowl, stir together flour, baking powder and salt (if adding). Add the dry ingredients to the butter mixture in 2 increments, alternating with the milk and the vanilla. Stir until just evenly combined. The batter will be slightly lumpy. Gently fold in the blueberries just until even distributed being careful not to break them up or over mix.
  5. Spoon the batter into each muffin cup, filling it to the rim. Sprinkle each muffin with some of the topping.
  6. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean ~ about 20 minutes. Place the pan on a wire rack and cool for 5 minutes.