Mile-high lemon blueberry muffins with crunchy, sugar kissed tops, and fluffy, berry studded centers. Soft and moist and packed with blueberries, these easy muffins are a family favorite year-round, but especially during berry season.

Lemon blueberry muffins with white tulip liners in a vintage muffin tin.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Baking is a lovely sort of therapy. The even, precise measuring, the sweet aromas, the satisfying way a batter or dough comes together, the delicious, sweet rewards, emerging victorious from the oven…

…At least that’s what I’m reminding myself as there are two plumbers upstairs, ticking away a bajillion dollars with every hour that passes. It’s the perfect time to escape to the kitchen, stick your head in the sand – well, in the flour, and sugar, and butter – and release some anxiety by baking up some especially good lemon blueberry muffins.

What started as two seemingly benign issues – a broken hose bib and a loose fixture – that came up as minor things on our home inspection report, has ballooned into an all day affair that quadrupled in cost thanks to some newly discovered, creative DIY-ing by the previous homeowners. Alas.

But these fluffy, berry laden lemon blueberry muffins are all kinds of wonderful, and I’m choosing to focus on them instead of the painfully large check I’m going to have to write at the end of the day.

Why You’ll Love These Sweet Blueberry Muffins

These lemon blueberry muffins are mostly based on a New York Times Cooking recipe that sought to replicate the perfect blueberry muffins of Jordan Marsh department store fame.

I’ve tinkered with the original recipe a bit, reducing the sugar slightly, skipping the mashed blueberries, adding tangy whole milk sour cream, and a good measure of fresh lemon zest.

These muffins are not for the blueberry faint of heart. I actually think that the two full cups of berries called for verges on excessive, and was tempted to reduce them down to one and a half cups, but I’ll let you decide how berry-laden you’d like these to be. As written, these lemon blueberry muffins are packed with their namesake.

Also, if there was ever a time to whip out your cookie scoop when portioning out muffins, this is it. The batter comes together so thick that it seems impossible they will rise to the heights they do.

However, they emerge from the oven with sky-high, chunky, sugar-graced tops, and tender-crumbed, moist and flavorful centers – like all good muffins should. I dare say they rival even the most tempting bakery (lemon) blueberry muffins… Happy baking!!

Baking ingredients (flour, sugar, eggs, sour cream, butter, milk, blueberries, salt, baking powder, lemons, and vanilla) on a marble background, ready to made into blueberry muffins.

Lemon Blueberry Muffin Ingredients:

These classic muffins are made mostly with baking staples, and of course blueberries and fresh lemon. Here’s what you’ll need to make them:

  • blueberries: These muffins are absolutely bursting with berries. You can use fresh blueberries or frozen!
  • butter and sugar: the muffin batter begins with softened unsalted butter and granulated sugar, creamed together until light and fluffy.
  • eggs: two large eggs add richness, emulsify the batter, and help to create a light and fluffy texture.
  • vanilla and lemon: you’ll need a splash of vanilla extract and a good dose of fresh lemon zest for tons of flavor.
  • milk and sour cream: the combination of whole milk and tangy sour cream add flavor and creates a moist, tender crumb. I think you could also achieve similar results using Greek yogurt.
  • flour: the dry ingredients begin with regular all-purpose flour. Be sure to measure the flour by weight (or use the spoon and level method), and mix just until combined.
  • baking powder: for the perfect rise.
  • salt: to enhance all the other flavors, you’ll need just a bit of Kosher salt.

Find all the exact ingredients and measurements in the recipe card, below.

Lemon blueberry muffins with white tulip liners in a vintage muffin tin.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins FAQs

Can you make blueberry muffins with frozen berries?

Sure. That’s a great option when blueberries are out of season. You can add frozen blueberries (no need to defrost) right to the batter and bake as usual. If you can find them, frozen wild blueberries are great for this!

How do you store leftover muffins?

Keep leftover muffins in an airtight container for 2-3 days at room temperature. Once completely cooled, you can also freeze these blueberry muffins by wrapping each tightly in plastic wrap then placing in a freezer bag or aluminum foil.

More Blueberry Goodness to Bake Up Next:

If you make this lemon blueberry muffin recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram with the hashtag #forkknifeswoon and leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked them! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura

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Lemon blueberry muffins with white tulip liners in a vintage muffin tin.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

  • Author: Laura Bolton – Fork Knife Swoon
  • Prep Time: 20 mins
  • Cook Time: 35 mins
  • Total Time: 55 mins
  • Yield: 12 Muffins 1x
  • Category: Dessert
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American
  • Diet: Vegetarian

Description

Mile-high lemon blueberry muffins with crunchy, sugar kissed tops, and fluffy, berry studded centers. Soft and moist and packed with blueberries, these easy muffins are a family favorite year-round, but especially during berry season.


Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 cups blueberries ¹
  • 2 cups (240g) all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp Kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)
  • 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, softened
  • 1 cup (198g) organic cane sugar
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • zest of one lemon
  • 1/4 cup (60g) whole milk
  • 1/4 cup (60g) whole sour cream
  • 1 Tbsp Turbinado sugar ²

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 375℉. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Set aside.
  2. In a small mixing bowl, toss the blueberries with 1 Tablespoon of the flour. Set aside.
  3. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the remaining flour, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy, about 2 minutes.
  5. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in the vanilla and lemon zest.
  6. Turn the mixer down to low speed, and add half of the flour mixture, followed by the milk and sour cream, and ending with the remaining flour. Mix until just combined. Fold in the blueberries.
  7. Use a cookie scoop to portion the muffin batter (it will be super thick) between the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup just about to the top. Generously sprinkle the tops with the Turbinado sugar.
  8. Bake for 30-35 minutes, until the muffins are domed and golden and a cake tester (or toothpick) inserted into the center of each comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, before removing and cooling completely on a wire baking rack. Enjoy!!


Notes

¹ Two cups of blueberries amounts to a packed blueberry muffin. If you prefer a few less berries to batter ratio, reduce to 1-1/2 cups.

² If you don’t have Turbinado sugar, try Demerara or another coarse, raw sugar, or a light sprinkling of organic cane sugar.

Note: for more lemon flavor, and to make these even more decadent dessert muffins, you could add a lemon glaze with fresh lemon juice and powdered sugar.

Adapted from NYT Cooking.

Keywords: lemon blueberry muffins, jordan marsh muffins, meyer lemon, best blueberry muffins

This recipe was originally published in June 2017. New photos and recipe notes have been added.