Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

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These amazing bakery-style fluffy Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins come with a lovely cinnamon streusel topping for the dreamiest treat. Enjoy them for breakfast or brunch or a grab-and-go snack!

Two wooden plates with blueberry buttermilk muffins and fresh blueberries. A bowl of fresh blueberries in the background.

Do you ever find yourself craving a perfect blueberry muffin that’s just really, really good?

Well, you’re in luck, because these buttermilk blueberry muffins have so much to offer! They have a light and fluffy texture, bursts of juicy blueberries, are perfectly moist, and they come with a cinnamon streusel topping that elevates the whole experience.

Buttermilk makes them extra special, as it adds a slightly tangy undertone to complement the sweetness, helps the batter rise, and results in marvelous moisture.

The way I see it, they are perfect for weekend breakfast or brunch with friends and family, and double as a marvelous afternoon snack.

Plus, you can easily use this as a base recipe for all of your other favorite muffin flavors! I have included some options below.

If you enjoy muffins with fun toppings like this, also try my Coffee Cake Muffins!

You can find all of the simple ingredients for these delicious muffins at any grocery store.

Ingredients for Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

All-Purpose Flour or Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour: The base of these moist and fluffy blueberry muffins. I use gluten-free flour to make gluten-free buttermilk blueberry muffins, but you can just as easily use regular all-purpose flour.

If you’re making the optional crumb topping, you’ll also be using flour in the topping as well as the blueberry muffin batter.

Buttermilk: Why use buttermilk in muffins? It brings moisture, adds a slight tangy flavor, and helps leaven the batter for a fluffy texture. If you enjoy tender muffins, buttermilk is the way to go! You can also use regular milk, Greek yogurt, or sour cream in place of buttermilk.

Unsalted Butter: Softened butter makes moist muffins with plenty of richness and a soft crumb.

Fresh Blueberries: The main event! Fresh blueberries add little pops of blueberry juiciness and tangy flavor.

Brown Sugar: The sweetener here, brown sugar both sweetens the cookies and adds a subtle richness. This sweetener is used in the muffin batter and in the optional crumb topping.

You can also use regular cane sugar, sugar-free sweetener (like monk fruit sweetener or allulose), or coconut sugar.

Eggs: Bring light and fluffy texture to the batter so that it rises to its maximum potential.

Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract adds luscious warm flavor.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda: The leavening agents here. Baking powder and baking soda help the batter rise and ensure they bake evenly so that they aren’t overly dense in the middle. Be sure to include them!

Ground Cinnamon: Blueberries and cinnamon are a match made in heaven! Cinnamon is used in the streusel topping for warm flavor, and it can also be added to the muffin batter too.

Ways to Customize

Fruit Swap: Replace the blueberries with raspberries, chopped strawberries, cherries, apple, peaches, or cranberries.
Chocolate Infusion: Swap out the blueberries for 1 cup of chocolate chips. If you go this route, consider skipping the streusel topping, as the muffins will be plenty sweet on their own.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins: Add two lemons worth of lemon zest (about 2-3 teaspoons) for a citrus twist.
Different Flour: For a grain-free blueberry muffin recipe using almond flour, make my Blueberry Almond Flour Muffins.
Turn it Into Bread: To turn these muffins into a quick bread using a loaf pan, make my Blueberry Muffin Bread with Streusel Topping.

Now that the key ingredients are covered, it’s time to bake muffins!

How to Make Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins

Brown sugar and butter in the bowl of a stand mixer, ready to be mixed.

Butter and sugar mixed together in a mixer with eggs being added in.

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Mix the butter and sugar in a stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment on medium-high speed until combined and fluffy. As an alternative to a stand mixer, use a large mixing bowl and an electric hand mixer
Add the eggs one at a time and mix on medium speed. Scrape the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula as needed.
Pour in the buttermilk and continue mixing the muffin batter until a smooth batter forms, scraping the sides of the bowl if necessary.
Stir together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Transfer the dry ingredients into the stand mixer with the wet ingredients and beat until a smooth batter forms.
Fold the fresh blueberries into the batter.
Combine all of the ingredients for the streusel topping in a small bowl.
Fill the muffin holes of the prepared muffin tin ¾ of the way up with batter.
Sprinkle the topping mixture over the muffin batter. Note: If you aren’t making the crumb topping, you can top the muffins with extra blueberries.
Bake muffins on the center rack of the preheated oven for 22-35 minutes, or until they are golden brown on top and test clean.

Freshly baked blueberry muffins out of the oven in a muffin pan.

Insert a thermometer into the middle of a muffin to check its internal temperature for doneness. Muffins are ready once they have reached an internal temperature of 190 to 200 degrees Fahrenheit in the center.

Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storage Options

Room Temperature: Transfer the cooled muffins to a large zip lock bag or a sealable container and store on the counter for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Store muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freezer: For longer term storage, freeze in a large zip lock bag or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I use frozen blueberries?

Yes! Just know that frozen fruit generally holds onto more water than fresh fruit. For this reason, I recommend fully thawing the blueberries before adding them to the batter and discard any excess liquid.

Do I have to make the streusel topping?

No! The streusel topping is entirely optional. I love that it adds some texture to the muffin tops, some extra sweetness, and a little cinnamon goodness.

If you skip the crumb topping, I do recommend adding 1 to 2 teaspoons of ground cinnamon to the muffin batter so that you’re getting some of that inviting warm flavor.

Can I make my own buttermilk?

Yes! Make your own buttermilk by combining 2/3 cup of regular milk with 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or fresh lemon juice. Stir well and allow the mixture to sit and curdle for 5-10 minutes. As an alternative, you can mix together 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt or sour cream with 1/3 cup of milk.

Do I need the streusel topping?

No! You can easily skip it. For bakery style muffins, sprinkle turbinado sugar (coarse cane sugar) over the tops of the muffins for a little crispy sweet topping. Or leave the muffins as-is without any topping.

Blueberry muffin sliced in half on a wooden plate with another plate of blueberry muffin in the background and a small bowl full of fresh blueberries.

The next time you’re craving fresh blueberry muffins, whip up these fluffy delights! I love the idea of including them in a weekend breakfast or brunch alongside some form of protein for a real treat-of-a-way to start the day!

If you enjoy baking homemade muffins, try some of my other personal favorites.

More Muffin Recipes:

Make these blueberry buttermilk muffins your new favorite!