Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Some recipes earn their place in your kitchen by being the ones you come back to again and again. These blueberry muffins are one of mine.
Adapted from the Williams Sonoma Baking book, this has been my favorite blueberry muffin recipe for years. They’re buttery, full of blueberries, and topped with a cinnamon streusel that makes even an ordinary morning feel a little special.
I make them with either all-purpose flour or King Arthur’s gluten-free Measure for Measure flour, depending on who’s coming to the table. Both versions are favorites here. For the gluten-free batch, I give the batter a 30-minute rest before baking so the flour has time to absorb the liquid. That extra time helps reduce the gritty texture you can sometimes get with gluten-free baking.
My little streusel trick
I make the topping first, but I change the order a bit: melted butter, sugars, and cinnamon go together first, then I stir in the flour. That gives me bigger, distinct crumbs instead of a fine, sandy topping.
Then the streusel goes into the refrigerator while I mix the muffin batter. The butter firms up, helping the crumbs hold their shape and stay on top as the muffins bake. It’s a small step, but I love the difference it makes.
Made for sharing
These are the kind of muffins I love to bake when people are coming over for coffee. Nothing elaborate — just a plate of something homemade, a warm mug, and a little room to sit and catch up.
Make them for a slow Saturday morning, bring them to a friend, or tuck a few into the freezer for another day. There’s plenty of joy in a simple blueberry muffin.
Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Adapted from the Williams Sonoma Baking book, with my sugar adjustments and chilled streusel method.
Makes: 12 standard muffins
Oven: 425°F and then 375°F
Bake time: 20–25 minutes, or until done
Gluten-free batter rest: 30 minutes
Ingredients
Cinnamon streusel
2 tablespoons butter, melted
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
⅓ cup all-purpose flour or King Arthur gluten-free Measure for Measure flour
Blueberry muffins
8 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
½ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed light brown sugar
2 large eggs
2¼ cups all-purpose flour or King Arthur gluten-free Measure for Measure flour
4 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon salt
1 cup milk
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1½ cups frozen blueberries
Instructions
In a small bowl, stir together the melted butter, granulated sugar, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Add the flour and stir until clumps form. Keep some larger crumbs instead of breaking everything into tiny pieces. Refrigerate while you prepare the muffin batter.
Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease the cups well.
Using an electric mixer, beat the softened butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl as needed.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir the vanilla into the milk.
Add about half the flour mixture to the butter mixture, mixing gently. Add the milk and vanilla, then the remaining flour mixture. Mix just until combined, finishing with a spatula if needed. Avoid overmixing.
Gently fold the blueberries into the batter until evenly distributed.
If using gluten-free Measure for Measure flour, let the batter rest at room temperature for 30 minutes before filling the pan. Keep the streusel refrigerated during this time. For the all-purpose flour version, proceed directly to the next step.
Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups; they will be quite full. Scatter the chilled streusel over the tops, keeping the larger crumbs intact.
Bake for 5 mins at 425, and then turn the oven down to 375, 15-20 mins, checking at 15 minutes. The tops should be lightly golden, and a toothpick inserted into the muffin portion should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If you hit a blueberry, test another spot. Add a few minutes if needed.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
Recipe notes
For gluten-free muffins: Use the gluten-free flour in both the batter and the streusel.
Measure gently: Spoon flour into your measuring cup and level it off rather than scooping directly from the bag.
To freeze: Cool completely, then freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag. Thaw and gently warm before serving.
