Blueberry Muffins
A classic blueberry muffin recipe with a creamy crumb.
There are very few (if any) secrets in baking.
Keep that in mind the next time you study a recipe or bite into a cookie so perfect you swear it must be enchanted. Most of what makes food extraordinary comes down to technique—how ingredients interact, how they’re handled, and the intention behind each step. Baking is both a science and an art, where formulas provide structure, but it’s the execution, technique, and style of the baker, that transform the ordinary into the divine. It’s why one chocolate chip cookie can feel like it holds the universe while another feels forgettable.
And here’s the truth: there is no secret club. No one ever truly masters anything; there are only those who have journeyed a little farther down the path than you. With that in mind, let’s embark on this journey together with the very first post on my Substack—the humble yet exquisite blueberry muffin.
I have a habit of making lists of classic recipes I’m drawn to refine, perfect, and reimagine until they feel like my own. While there were many choices, the blueberry muffin called to me first. Its ingredients are deceptively simple, and you likely have most of them on hand. When I began developing this recipe, I had a vision: a muffin that was light yet flavorful, with a creamy, tender crumb that didn’t feel heavy. Above all, I wanted the blueberries to shine without relying on elaborate tricks.
The magic lies in three key choices: rye flour, wild blueberries, and sour cream. Rye flour imparts a subtle, nutty complexity that elevates the entire experience. Wild blueberries, smaller and more potent than their standard counterparts, bring an intensity of flavor that feels like a burst of summer. And sour cream adds both a delicate tang and a richness that transforms the crumb into something almost ethereal.
If wild blueberries elude you, regular ones will suffice, though they lack the same vibrancy, especially out of season. If you can, look for wild blueberries in the freezer section—they’re worth the effort.
Now, for the one piece of advice you must not overlook: resting the batter. This simple act—letting the batter chill overnight in the fridge—is transformative. During this time, the flour hydrates, the proteins relax, and the flavors meld into a harmonious whole. Skipping this step robs you of the texture and depth you deserve.
This recipe, like the best kinds of magic, is simple. It doesn’t demand a stand mixer or a kitchen full of gadgets. A few bowls and a little patience are all you need. That said, you will also need a kitchen scale. I can already hear the sighs and see the eye rolls, but trust me on this—it’s a tool worth embracing. A scale is your compass, your assurance that every measurement is precise and every result reliable. It removes the guesswork, the margin of error, and the inconsistency that can turn a promising recipe into a disappointment. With it, you gain control, ensuring that each batch emerges from the oven exactly as it should—every time, without fail.
Think of it not as a chore, but as an investment in the alchemy of baking. Precision is, after all, a kind of magic. This recipe makes 4 large muffins, and the recipe can easily be doubled and scaled up if necessary. So let’s begin.
BLUEBERRY MUFFINS RECIPE:
Yield: 4 muffins (130 g. each)
60 g. butter
10 g. avocado oil (or vegetable oil)
110 g. sugar
180 g. sour cream
1 egg
1 t. vanilla
1 ½ t. baking powder
¼ t. baking soda
¾ t. kosher salt
180 g. Pastry Flour (or 108 g. of AP flour and 72 g. of cake flour)
Zest 1 lemon
175 g. wild blueberries (frozen)
Line the cups of a large muffin tin with paper liners or grease with butter or oil, including about 1/4 inch around the rims. with nonstick spray. Set aside.
Melt the butter and set it aside to cool slightly. In a large bowl, massage the lemon zest into the sugar with your fingers, then whisk in the salt and egg until the mixture is thick and smooth (about 45 seconds).
Gradually whisk in the melted butter, followed by the sour cream, oil, and vanilla. Mix until fully combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the baking powder, baking soda, and pastry flour. Gently fold the wet mixture into the dry ingredients. Mix until just combined—the batter will be thick and slightly lumpy. Do not overmix.
Cover the bowl and refrigerate the batter overnight. Do not skip this step.
Before baking, toss the frozen blueberries with a little flour to coat them lightly. Keep the blueberries frozen until ready to add to the batter.
Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C).
Weigh 130 g of batter for each muffin. Gently fold 35 g of frozen blueberries into each portion of batter and place into the prepared muffin cups. Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center comes out clean (blueberry juice is fine). The domed centers might look slightly pale but shouldn’t appear wet.
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
NOTE: If you want a little extra crunch, feel free to sprinkle a little coarse demerara sugar on top of the batter before baking. They don’t rise quite as nicely, and I’ve never preferred the crunchy top (nor do I think they need the extra sweetness), but you do you! Additionally, if you don’t have or want to use rye flour, by all means leave it out and use the same amount of pastry, all-purpose, or cake flour.
