
These are my favorite homemade blueberry muffins and I have been making them for years! You start by making a blueberry jam on the stove and that gets folded in with whole blueberries in the batter.
And the lemon-sugar topping that goes on top takes these muffins to the next level, the folks at America's Test Kitchen are geniuses!
This article was modified March 21, 2025, updates to the photos and the rest of the article coming soon!


Let's talk about these blueberry muffins, I have been wanting to try this recipe for a couple of years ever since I saw it on America's Test Kitchen on PBS. I love that you make a blueberry jam with half of the blueberries.
Spray your muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray or a baking spray, I like Baker's Joy. Whisk the dry ingredients and when adding the wet ingredients, just fold them in to combine. As the instructions say, the batter will be lumpy and that's fine. Don't overmix.
I used my cookie scoop to put the batter in the muffin tins and then you scoop 1 tsp of the blueberry jam into the muffins and swirl them. Add the sugar and lemon zest topping and pop them into the oven.
I let the muffins sit in the muffin tin for a few minutes and then I use a butter knife or offset spatula to remove them halfway, as pictured above, and cool a little bit longer.
Serve them with softened or spreadable butter and you're good to go. These are my new go-to blueberry muffin recipe, so good! The lemon zest on top along with the sugar tops off a great muffin recipe!
Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
Lemon Sugar Topping
- 1/3 cup sugar, 2 1/3 ounces
- 1 1/2 tsp finely grated zest from 1 lemon
Muffins
- Non-stick cooking or baking spray, I used Baker's Joy
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, about 10 ounces, picked over
- 1 1/8 cups sugar, 8 ounces plus 1 tsp
- 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour, 12 1/2 ounces
- 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp table salt
- 2 large eggs
- 4 Tbsp 1/2 stick unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
For the Topping:
- Combine sugar and lemon zest in a small bowl and stir. Set aside.
For the Muffins:
- If not already done, move oven rack to upper-middle position and heat oven to 425 degrees. Spray muffin tin with baking spray.
- Add 1 cup blueberries and 1 teaspoon sugar to a small saucepan at medium heat. Allow to simmer and cook, mash the berries with the back of a spoon until all of the berries are broken down. Stir frequently and cook until mixture is thickened and reduced to about ¼ cup, about 6 minutes. Set aside and allow to cool to room temperature, about 15 to 20 minutes.
- Add flour, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and whisk.
- To another bowl, add 1 1/8 cups sugar and eggs and whisk until thick, about 45 seconds. Whisk in butter and oil slowly, until combined. Then, whisk buttermilk and vanilla in, until combined.
- Using rubber spatula or a wooden spoon, fold in egg mixture and remaining cup blueberries into flour mixture until just moistened. (Do not overmix. The batter will be lumpy and that's fine.)
- Using an ice cream scoop or cookie scoop, add batter evenly to each of the muffin cups. The muffin cups will be full. Take one teaspoon of the cooled blueberry jam and add to the top of each mound of batter. Using a chopstick or skewer, swirl the jam into the batter a few times. (Cook's Illustrated says to use figure eight motions.)
- Add the lemon-sugar topping evenly over all of the muffins.
- Bake the muffins until they are just about gold on top, about 17-19 minutes. Halfway through the baking time, be sure to rotate the muffin tin. Allow muffins to cool in the muffin tin for about 2-3 minutes. Using a butter knife or offset spatula, remove the muffins from the tin and allow them to rest at an angle. Cool for another 5 minutes and place on a cooling rack. Serve with softened butter.
- These muffins can be stored in a zippered plastic bag for 2-3 days.
Notes
Other blueberry recipes you might enjoy:
- Blueberry Hand Pies
- White Chocolate Bark with Blueberries
- Blueberry Cobbler
- Blueberry Pancake Oatmeal
- Blueberry Slushy with Mango Wine
- Triple Berry Kale Salad
- Blueberry Breakfast Smoothie
- Strawberry Blueberry Smoothie
- Frost Bite Mocktail
Do you have any blueberry recipe favorites? Please share what they are in the comments below!
Todd says
Just happened to be looking for a blueberry muffin recipe and found this one. My first batch I followed the recipe and modified the next 2. They were all fantastic and had great reviews from family and friends. Great muffins. It looks like I’m the only guy posting here. Great recipe. Thanks
Tina says
So funny that I stumbled upon your recipe. My 4 yr old has been begging for blueberry muffins for about week and a half now. I will definitely be trying this out after our next trip to the produce place!
I think was holding my breath reading about your puffy, itchy face…I was so nervous for you! Good to hear that it was just your face products. Easily fixed as opposed to a food allergy. anyway, I used to have issues with acne/oily skin. Now I hardly ever “wash” my face; I use a little thing called a Magic Mitt (it’s made by Jane Iredale Cosmetics). It’s great! You need to check it out. But when I do feel like I need a “wash”, I use Philosophy’s Purity Made Simple. And I ALWAYS use jojoba oil to moisturize. Here’s a little info about it, http://www.acne.org/jojoba-oil.html
These things have really helped me. I hope they are useful to you! Good luck Ü
Julie Deily says
If you make them, I hope you enjoy them!!
thank you for all of your advice, I keep hearing about Jane Iredale Cosmetics being so good. I will definitely look into it! thanks again!! 🙂
Mercedes says
These look phenomenal! I cannot wait to make them!
Julianne @ Beyond Frosting says
Oh my gosh Julie, these look so good! I love making jam with half the berries!
jenny says
Delicious and a soft cupcakey texture. I used coconut oil instead of veg oil and a streusel topping, and I couldn’t taste any coconut once baked 😉
Julie Deily says
Ooh Jenny, so glad you liked them and thanks for the tip on coconut oil!
Angie says
I’m doing the hangout on Halloween goodies next month, can’t wait! These muffins look perfect. Love blueberries.
Paula - bell'alimento says
I love a VERY blueberry muffin and yours is just that xoxo
Christine (Cook the Story) says
Wow! That IS crazy. I didn’t notice any puffiness during our chat. Glad it was resolved! Thanks again for joining us to talk blueberries! So fun. Your muffins look amazing. I do so love that swirl of jam idea. I’m going to be trying it in several baked goods when the weather gets cooler and I get that instinctual urge to bake!
katie says
Julie thanks for joining our Google+ Hangout! We loved chatting with you! These muffins look to die for–AMAZING! I can’t wait to give them a try.
p.s. sorry to read about your allergy 🙁
Jeanette says
What fun – making a video with a hangout on Google+. Very cool and your blueberry muffins look fantastic!
Diane {Created by Diane} says
These look DE-licious! LOVED seeing you on the video 🙂
Sylvie @ Gourmande in the Kitchen says
Oh no! So glad you figured out what it was before it got worse.
Rachel @ Baked by Rachel says
These muffins look insanely delicious Julie! I’m so glad to hear you don’t have a food allergy. And how awful would it be if there were such a thing as a butter allergy omg. End of the world right there! Have you tried cetaphil? It’s light and good for sensitive skin. Worth a shot, right? 🙂
Carolyn says
Honestly, as you were describing your symptoms, I was thinking about face cream. I had an allergy to one once and it was awful! Love the muffins, though!
Tasha @ ThatsSoYummy says
These look so yummy, will have to try. 🙂 Great video!
Sommer@ASpicyPerspective says
What a fabulous recipe and I LOVED your video! 🙂
Julie Deily says
Thank you, Sommer! 🙂
Alejandra says
OK so these muffins look incredible! I really want to try this method out. I’ve been blueberry obsessed lately.
Regarding the skin, I used to love bare minerals face wash (it’s a powder) and moisturizing lotion. But lately I’ve actually just started using 100% jojoba oil or coconut oil to wash my face instead of any kind of face wash. I know it sounds weird to use oil for face washing, but it’s actually fantastic and it’s moisturizing at the same time. Here’s a good description on how it works: http://simplemom.net/oil-cleansing-method/
Julie Deily says
Thank you so much, Alejandra! I want to try this method out on other berry muffins too!
Thank you for the idea…because you’re the second one who has mentioned coconut oil. Must try it!
Laura (GotChocolate) says
This is awesome, Julie! Loved the video! Glad you aren’t allergic to blueberries.
Liz @ A Nut in a Nutshell says
I just hate that you were laid off, but I sure love the way you make blueberry muffins!
Cassie Laemmli says
First, these muffins look absolutely perfect…blueberry muffins are my favorite! And the video is fabulous, I will be chicking in to the Google hangouts!
Julie Deily says
It was so fun to do! We should just do a fun hangout with a few friends sometime!!
Julia Noran says
That Curtis sounds like a smartie! 🙂 I am making these muffins IMMEDIATELY.
Julie Deily says
He is, isn’t he? 🙂 Hope you both are doing well!
Jen @ BeantownBaker.com says
Allergies are the worst! Glad it’s not food. I love these muffins – I’ve made them quite a few times – they’re SO GOOD.
Julie Deily says
You and me both! Hope you’re doing well, Jen!!
Meghan says
I will have to give these a try.
Paula- bell'alimento says
Julie those muffins look scrumptious an WHEW glad you’re not allergic to butter ; )
Miss @ Miss in the Kitchen says
Great video! I’m so glad you aren’t allergic to butter or something yummy like blueberries! I can’t wait to try these muffins.
Julie Deily says
Thank you, Milisa, for watching the video! 🙂
Aggie says
Great job on the hangout!!
kelley {mountain mama cooks} says
So glad you aren’t allergic to blueberries…..I so thought that’s where the story was going. Good thing you’re not! These muffins looks awesome. I’m such a sucker for a great muffin!
Julie Deily says
Thank you, Kelley! I didn’t mean to lead you on…I was freaked out for sure though!
Brian @ A Thought For Food says
Love the video and I adore these muffins! Look fabulous!
Julie Deily says
Thank you, Brian! You’re so supportive and so sweet!! xoxo
Chung-Ah | Damn Delicious says
So happy for you that you’re not allergic to some sort of food! Wouldn’t that be the worst, especially for a food blogger?! Anyway, hope you’re doing well. These muffins are freakishly awesome. Love the jam that goes on top before baking. It’s genius!
Julie Deily says
Oh what a relief for me too! I kept thinking of the worst case scenarios!
Aggie says
So glad you’re not allergic to blueberries or brisket 🙂
These muffins look perfect!
Thanks for the link love 🙂
Glory/ Glorious Treats says
Ooh, these muffins look so amazing!! I’m definatly going to have to try them! Sorry to hear about the puffy face scare… so glad you got it figured out!
Averie @ Averie Cooks says
The story about your face…I get that with food allergies and thought for sure you were going to say you are now allergic to blueberries….glad it’s just the cream and you can eat bb’s til your heart is content! Love the muffins!
Julie Deily says
Gosh, I was so scared of that too! Thank you, Averie!
Chris says
What a nice video! I met Christine last year – so adorable! Your blueberry muffins look absolutely delicious!
Julie Deily says
Thank you, Chris! I hope you’re doing well and that we get to meet in person soon! 🙂
Jen M O says
My children were just asking me to make blueberry muffins! I’m sorry to hear about your job. I hope this means a better opportunity will be available real soon! I’m sending you lots of luck!
Julie Deily says
Jen, thank you so much for the kind words!