Blueberry Muffins With Crumble Topping – Tender, Juicy, and Comforting
Blueberry muffins are the kind of bake that makes a kitchen feel warm and welcoming. These muffins are soft, fluffy, and loaded with juicy berries, and the buttery crumble on top adds just the right amount of crunch. They’re easy enough for a weekday morning and special enough for brunch with friends.
You don’t need fancy tools or techniques—just a bowl, a whisk, and a love for simple comfort baking. If you’re looking for a reliable, great-tasting muffin recipe, this one delivers every time.
Blueberry Muffins With Crumble Topping - Tender, Juicy, and Comforting
Ingredients
Method
- Preheat and prep. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup well.
- Make the crumble. In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes and rub with your fingertips until you get chunky crumbs. Refrigerate while you make the batter so it stays firm.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Combine gently. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.Stir with a spatula just until most streaks of flour are gone. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy—don’t overmix.
- Prepare the blueberries. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to help prevent sinking. If using frozen berries, do not thaw; toss quickly and work gently to avoid streaking.
- Fold in berries. Fold blueberries into the batter with a few light strokes.Stop as soon as they’re evenly distributed.
- Portion the batter. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. For bakery-style domes, you can fill them a touch higher.
- Add the crumble. Sprinkle a generous layer of chilled crumble over each muffin, pressing lightly so it adheres.
- Bake hot, then reduce. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes to help the muffins rise tall. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake 14–17 more minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
What Makes This Special
What sets these muffins apart is the texture contrast: a tender, moist crumb inside and a crisp, golden crumble on top. The batter uses oil and yogurt for moisture, which keeps the muffins soft for days.
A touch of lemon zest brightens the flavor and complements the blueberries without making the muffins taste like lemon cake. The crumble topping is quick to mix and doesn’t require a mixer—just your fingertips. You get bakery-style muffins at home, with big domed tops and pockets of warm berries in every bite.
What You’ll Need
- All-purpose flour: 2 cups (plus 1 tablespoon for tossing blueberries)
- Granulated sugar: 3/4 cup for the batter
- Baking powder: 2 teaspoons
- Baking soda: 1/4 teaspoon
- Fine salt: 1/2 teaspoon
- Plain Greek yogurt or sour cream: 3/4 cup
- Milk: 1/3 cup (whole or 2%)
- Neutral oil: 1/3 cup (canola, vegetable, or light olive oil)
- Large eggs: 2
- Vanilla extract: 2 teaspoons
- Lemon zest: From 1 lemon (optional but recommended)
- Blueberries: 1 1/2 cups (fresh or frozen; see tips below)
For the crumble topping:
- All-purpose flour: 1/2 cup
- Brown sugar: 1/3 cup, packed
- Granulated sugar: 2 tablespoons
- Cold unsalted butter: 5 tablespoons, cubed
- Pinch of salt
- Ground cinnamon: 1/2 teaspoon (optional)
Equipment: 12-cup muffin tin, liners (or grease the cups), two mixing bowls, whisk, spatula, zester (optional).
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Preheat and prep. Heat your oven to 400°F (200°C).
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup well.
- Make the crumble. In a small bowl, combine flour, brown sugar, granulated sugar, salt, and cinnamon. Add the cold butter cubes and rub with your fingertips until you get chunky crumbs. Refrigerate while you make the batter so it stays firm.
- Mix dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together 2 cups flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Mix wet ingredients. In another bowl, whisk yogurt, milk, oil, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest until smooth.
- Combine gently. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients.
Stir with a spatula just until most streaks of flour are gone. The batter should be thick and slightly lumpy—don’t overmix.
- Prepare the blueberries. Toss blueberries with 1 tablespoon flour to help prevent sinking. If using frozen berries, do not thaw; toss quickly and work gently to avoid streaking.
- Fold in berries. Fold blueberries into the batter with a few light strokes.
Stop as soon as they’re evenly distributed.
- Portion the batter. Divide the batter among the muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. For bakery-style domes, you can fill them a touch higher.
- Add the crumble. Sprinkle a generous layer of chilled crumble over each muffin, pressing lightly so it adheres.
- Bake hot, then reduce. Bake at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes to help the muffins rise tall. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C) and bake 14–17 more minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs.
- Cool. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.
Enjoy warm or at room temperature.
How to Store
- Room temperature: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Add a paper towel to absorb moisture and keep the crumble crisp.
- Refrigerator: Keeps up to 5 days, but the crumble may soften. Re-crisp in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 5–7 minutes.
- Freezer: Wrap individually and freeze up to 3 months.
Thaw at room temp or warm in a 325°F (165°C) oven for 8–10 minutes.
Why This is Good for You
Blueberries bring natural sweetness and are rich in antioxidants, especially anthocyanins, which support overall wellness. The yogurt adds protein and helps create a satisfying texture, so one muffin can feel more filling than a typical bakery option. Using oil instead of all butter keeps the crumb moist and tender with less saturated fat.
While it’s still a treat, it’s a balanced one—great for breakfast with a side of fruit or a cup of coffee.
Pitfalls to Watch Out For
- Overmixing the batter: This leads to tough, rubbery muffins. Stop mixing as soon as the flour disappears.
- Blueberries sinking: Toss them in flour and use a thick batter. Overly thin batter won’t hold the berries.
- Watery yogurt: If your yogurt is very loose, strain it briefly or reduce the milk slightly.
You want a thick, scoopable batter.
- Underbaking: A wet center collapses as it cools. Check with a toothpick; look for moist crumbs, not raw batter.
- Soggy crumble: Keep crumble cold and don’t cover warm muffins during cooling. Trapped steam softens the topping.
- Color bleeding with frozen berries: Work gently and quickly.
A few purple streaks are fine, but avoid vigorous stirring.
Variations You Can Try
- Lemon-Blueberry Burst: Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the wet ingredients and glaze cooled muffins with a simple lemon icing (powdered sugar + lemon juice).
- Almond Crunch: Swap 1/4 cup flour in the crumble for almond flour and add 1/2 teaspoon almond extract to the batter.
- Whole-Wheat Twist: Replace 1/2 cup all-purpose flour with white whole wheat flour for a heartier texture.
- Cinnamon Streusel Center: Spoon a tablespoon of batter into each cup, sprinkle 1 teaspoon of cinnamon sugar, then top with more batter and crumble.
- Dairy-Free: Use a plant-based yogurt and milk, and a dairy-free butter for the crumble. The muffins will still be tender.
- Mixed Berry: Use half blueberries and half raspberries or blackberries. Cut large berries so they distribute evenly.
FAQ
Can I use frozen blueberries?
Yes.
Use them straight from the freezer and toss with flour. Don’t thaw, and fold them in gently to minimize color bleeding.
Do I have to use Greek yogurt?
No. Sour cream works just as well and gives a rich flavor.
Regular yogurt is okay too—just reduce the milk slightly if it’s very thin.
How do I get tall, bakery-style muffin tops?
Start with a hot oven at 400°F (200°C) for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat. Also, fill the cups a bit higher than usual and avoid overmixing so the batter stays thick.
Why did my crumble melt into the muffins?
Warm or overly soft crumble can melt. Keep it cold until baking, and make sure your butter was chilled.
Measuring the butter accurately also helps.
Can I make these gluten-free?
Yes. Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour blend that includes xanthan gum. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.
What’s the best way to reheat muffins?
Warm them in a 300–325°F (150–165°C) oven for 5–10 minutes to refresh the crumb and re-crisp the topping.
Microwaving is quick but softens the crumble.
How many muffins does this make?
This recipe makes about 12 standard muffins. If you fill the cups very high, you might get 10–11 with larger domes.
Can I cut the sugar?
You can reduce the batter sugar by up to 1/4 cup without affecting texture too much. Keep the crumble as written for structure and crunch.
Wrapping Up
These Blueberry Muffins with Crumble Topping are simple to make, reliably tender, and full of bright berry flavor.
The buttery topping gives them that classic bakery look and a satisfying crunch. Whether you bake them for a slow weekend or meal-prep them for the week, they hold up beautifully and reheat well. Keep this recipe in your back pocket, and you’ll always have a crowd-pleasing bake ready to go.
Teasty…