The Best Blueberry Crumble Muffins Recipe and Picking Fresh Blueberries in Auburn (2024)

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This blueberry muffin recipe was originally posted in August of 2009. Today (February 2019) I’m updating it with new photos and more details about the recipe. It’s the same great recipe you’ve loved for the past 10 years. Just easier to print and prettier to look at!

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Be excited friends, it’s blueberry week! A couple weeks ago I discovered a blueberry farm in Auburn called Canterberry Farms. Eric and I picked 6 pounds on Saturday, and I went back Sunday to pick another 8 1/2 pounds.

So Saturday I made an entire meal of blueberry dishes for dinner, as well as some blueberry muffins for breakfast. I love blueberry crumble muffins, but not as much as Eric. He made me promise the best blueberrymuffins with crumble topping as his reward for helping me pick berries.

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Well trust me, these blueberry muffins are quite rewarding. They’ve been my favorite breakfast with my coffee in the morning (plus some turkey sausage for protein!).

And since I’m so blueberry rich, the next two posts this week will have some more savory and sweet blueberry recipes for you!

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BERRY PICKING AT CANTERBERRY FARMS

The main reason Eric wasn’t excited about blueberry picking was that when he picked berries as a kid, he would get in trouble for “stealing” by eating them while he picked.

But Canterberry Farms has a great solution to that, you’re allowed to eat as many berries as you want while picking! My guess is that they factor that into their price.

When we showed up, the parking lot was packed, and Eric was worried it would be crowded. But it was blueberry bushes as far as the eye could see. There were hundreds of bushes, and everyone kind of had their own row.

The bushes were so packed, we picked for an hour and didn’t even clear one bush of its ripe berries. Lots of berries for blueberry muffins!

There was a young couple in the row next to ours with a little boy who was probably almost two years old. He was having so much fun stuffing berries into his mouth, including unripe green ones. He didn’t care, he just loved that he could rip things off bushes and eat them!

The funniest thing was his dad at one point screamed and started dancing around like a possessed marionette. Then he looked around, put his tough guy voice back on and said: “Stupid spider, should know better than to crawl on me dog!” I was very nice and pretended I hadn’t noticed a thing 😉

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The farm has a great system of small buckets you tie around your waist and larger buckets to dump berries into. It does a good job of saving you from tons of bending, stooping and heavy lifting.

Berry picking was a great experience, Eric and I had so much fun together. We got tons of berries to freeze and preserve (and turn into blueberry muffins!), and I finally redeemed a childhood disappointment.

At about 4 years old my parents excitedly told me we were going to Knott’s Berry Farm. I envisioned a land of berries free for the picking, eating and turning into delicious jam. Imagine my surprise seeing a giant amusem*nt park when we arrived! I’m sure I had fun, but I still remember feeling disappointed I wasn’t going to make jam.

But these blueberrycrumble muffins won’t disappoint. I’ve experimented with several different recipes, and this one is our favorite!

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HOW TO MAKE THE BEST BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

There are two things that make these the best blueberry muffins EVER. The first is the muffin itself. A lot of blueberry muffin recipes are mostly bread (or cake!) with a few blueberries thrown in.

These blueberry muffins are PACKED with fresh blueberries. You are going to get sweet juicy blueberry in every bite! They are also big muffins, that spread out nice and poofy on top as they bake.

The second reason this is truly the world’s best blueberry muffin recipe, is the crumb topping. Sweet, crunchy, cinnamon bits top every muffin. So don’t skip the crumble, it’s the best part!

  • Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
  • Mix the muffin dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder) in a large bowl.
  • In a glass measuring cup, pour in 1/3 cup vegetable oil (I prefer avocado oil or melted coconut oil).
  • Add an egg to the oil and then pour in enough milk to make a full cup of liquid ingredients.
  • Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Carefully fold blueberries into mix and spoon into muffin cups.
  • Mix brown sugar, white sugar, flour, butter, and cinnamon together with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the muffin batter.
  • Bake about 25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean.

DAIRY FREE BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

You can easily make these blueberry muffins dairy free. I’ve made them with both almond milk and coconut milk (from a carton not the canned kind) with great success. Coconut milk was my favorite!

For the blueberry muffins’ crumble topping, swap coconut oil for the butter. Add a pinch of salt as well, since the coconut oil is not salted like the butter is.

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2517/3824942047_a5c6b49902.jpg

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Yield: 6 muffins

Blueberry Muffins with Fresh Blueberries and Crumb Topping

The Best Blueberry Crumble Muffins Recipe and Picking Fresh Blueberries in Auburn (8)

These blueberry crumble muffins made with fresh blueberries are the best blueberry muffin recipe you'll ever try!

Ingredients

Muffins:

  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 3/4 cup white sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 egg
  • 1/3 cup milk, approximately
  • 1 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

Topping:

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Grease a muffin tin or line with muffin cups.
  2. Mix the muffin dry ingredients (flour, sugar, salt, baking powder) in a large bowl. In a glass measuring cup, pour in the 1/3 cup oil. Add an egg and then pour in enough milk to make a full cup of liquid ingredients.
  3. Pour liquid ingredients into dry ingredients and mix well. Carefully fold blueberries into mix and spoon into muffin cups.
  4. Mix topping ingredients together with a fork until crumbly. Sprinkle over the top of the muffin batter.
  5. Bake about 25 minutes or until golden and a toothpick inserted in one comes out clean.

Notes

Approximate cost/serving: Picking your own blueberries is much more affordable than buying them in the store, ours were $2 a pound, and the muffins ended up costing under $2 for all six, so around 30 cents each. Vegetarian: Of course there’s no meat in these, if you want to make vegan blueberry crumble muffins I’ve heard you can replace the egg with vinegar.

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

6

Serving Size:

6 muffins

Amount Per Serving:Calories: 431Saturated Fat: 14gCholesterol: 43mgSodium: 264mgCarbohydrates: 61gFiber: 1gSugar: 33gProtein: 5g

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The Best Blueberry Crumble Muffins Recipe and Picking Fresh Blueberries in Auburn (2024)

FAQs

Is it better to use fresh or frozen blueberries for blueberry muffins? ›

It is really hard to find wild blueberries “fresh,” so I use frozen. Wild blueberries are smaller, and so they disperse better in the batter, in my opinion. You can use what you like. Frozen berries kind of “bleed” into the batter if mixed too much, so that is the only downside I can really think of.

How do you keep blueberries from bleeding in muffins? ›

Answer: Try tossing your berries with a tablespoon or two of flour before adding them to the batter. Just remember to account for that when you mix up your dry ingredients, subtracting that same tablespoon or two from the amount called for in the recipe.

How to make blueberry muffins better? ›

If you're still on a baking streak, let's take a look at how you can take your blueberry muffin mix to new heights.
  1. Add Lemon to Your Blueberry Muffin Mix.
  2. Add More Berries.
  3. Cream Cheese Please!
  4. Spice It Up!
  5. Add a Streusel Topping.
  6. Add Nuts and More Fresh Fruit.
  7. Use Sour Cream or Yogurt for Fluffy Muffins.

What not to do when making muffins? ›

Common Muffin Making Mistakes To Avoid
  1. Over mixing the batter.
  2. Overfilling the muffin tray.
  3. Leaving the muffins in the pan after they have baked.
  4. Berries, nuts, and chocolate chips sink to the bottom.
Mar 12, 2019

Can I use fresh blueberries instead of frozen for muffins? ›

Fresh or frozen blueberries work great! This tried-and-true recipe is a keeper, and the only one you need if you've been looking for a straightforward, go-to blueberry muffin recipe!

Should I coat blueberries in flour for muffins? ›

Coating the berries with a spoonful of the recipe's dry ingredients prevents sinking. Instead, it helps the berries adhere to the batter, keeping them well distributed throughout the muffin. And if you're using frozen blueberries, the flour will also help minimize how much the berries bleed into the batter.

Why do blueberries sink to the bottom of muffins? ›

There are a few reasons: Chunky ingredients are denser and usually heavier than the batter—so down they go. The heavier the ingredient, the more it will sink, until you have a nice bottom crust of blueberries instead of evenly distributed, gooey berry goodness.

Why do you add lemon juice to blueberries? ›

Lemon can enhance the flavor of blueberries by adding a touch of acidity that brings out their natural sweetness. Both lemon and blueberry are versatile flavors that can be used in a variety of dishes, from sweet to savory.

Do you drain blueberries for muffins? ›

If you don't drain them, you'll end up with blue-colored muffins! Also, draining helps keep excess liquid out of the batter.

How can I make my muffins more moist? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

Why are my blueberry muffins so dense? ›

Too much liquid – If there is too much liquid in the batter, the muffins will be very dense. Make sure to measure liquid ingredients in the correct type of measuring cup. There's a big difference between measuring cups for dry ingredients and those for liquids.

Is it better to use oil or butter in muffins? ›

Using oil as a substitute for butter in muffins can result in a lighter and more tender crumb, but it may also produce a slightly different flavor, depending on the type of oil used. Applesauce can also be used as a substitute for butter in muffins, as it provides moisture and can help to keep the muffins tender.

Should blueberry muffin batter be thick or thin? ›

Top the muffins with lots of blueberries and sanding sugar for a true bakery style muffin. Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly. Because the muffin batter is so thick, the blueberries stay in place and don't sink to the bottom of the muffins.

How do you intensify blueberry flavor? ›

Mix the berries with a few tablespoons of sugar and some citrus zest. Blueberries pair well with lime but orange or lemon would work as well. You'll want to mash a few berries to release the juice but leave most of them whole. Let them sit for 30 minutes before using them.

Why shouldn t you use frozen blueberries in your muffin recipe? ›

But anyone who's ever put frozen blueberries into the mix knows—whether pancake, muffin, or cake batter—even if you go straight from the freezer and they don't thaw, the juice that's collected on the outside of them will immediately turn your batter purplish-blue.

Should I thaw frozen blueberries before baking in muffins? ›

How to Prep Frozen Blueberries. Most recipes call for thawing berries before baking, particular if the recipe can be made with either fresh or frozen berries. This allows the ice crystals that may have formed around them to melt away.

Are fresh blueberries better for muffins? ›

If you use frozen blueberries the batter may seize up a bit due to the temperature, but the muffins should still bake up beautifully. I recommend sticking with fresh blueberries if possible!

Why frozen blueberries are better than fresh? ›

As each day passes, the berries slowly lose the nutrients that were so concentrated when they were picked. In comparison, frozen berries are almost always flash frozen the same day that they are harvested, preserving the natural nutrients and antioxidants that are present at the peak of freshness.

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