I love nothing more than a really good blueberry muffin. But when I don't need a ton of pastries laying around, this recipe for small batch blueberry muffins is my #1 go-to! With buttermilk, lots of vanilla, and a raw sugar topping, they're super flavorful, fluffy, and make just 6 tall & gorgeous muffins.
My muffin of choice is almost always blueberry unless it's those poppy seed muffins from Costco, which let's be real, are just frosting-less cupcakes. But I digress. Blueberry muffins are elite. And it's really hard to find a good one.
Luckily, I've been working on this recipe since I was a student in pastry school and I think it's finally ready to share with the world. These muffins are tall and fluffy, studded with lots of blueberries, and have those crunchy bakery-style tops. And since this is a half batch recipe, you'll end up with just 6 beautiful muffins!
These are lovely for breakfast alongside small batch banana muffins or even these fluffy small batch cinnamon rolls which are maybe one of the best recipes I've ever created. Serve them with coffee and a side of gossip, and thank me later.
Tips for bakery-style muffins
If you want those tall, gorgeous tops, I have a few simple tricks I've picked up along the way. These will give you super fluffy muffins with that bakery-style look.
- First, toss the blueberries with a little flour. It'll keep the berries from sinking.
- Let the batter sit for 20-30 minutes if you have time. This gives the baking powder a head start!
- Fill the muffins all the way to the top. Trust me, they won't over-flow.
- Start by baking the muffins at 400°F (204°C) for 5 minutes which will make them nice & tall.
Fresh or frozen blueberries
You can use fresh or frozen blueberries in this recipe. I usually prefer fresh but frozen will work if berries are out of season! If you use frozen berries, make sure they're completed defrosted & pat them dry so they don't add extra liquid to the batter.
You'll also need unsalted butter, granulated sugar, a large egg, whole buttermilk, vanilla extract, all-purpose flour, baking powder, Kosher salt, and raw sugar.
To be honest, I almost never have buttermilk lying around, so here's what I do instead! Just combine 85 grams (5 ¾ Tablespoons) of whole milk with 5 grams (1 teaspoon) of white or apple cider vinegar.
Bake the muffins
It's important that you don't over-bake the muffins or they'll come out dense and dry. They're ready when an inserted toothpick has just a few moist crumbs.
Storage tips
If you store the muffins in an airtight container, the raw sugar tends to melt. Instead, I like to place the muffins in a container and cover them with a clean linen. They'll stay good for 1-2 days at most. After that, they tend to dry out.
Freeze the muffins for later
To freeze the leftovers, wrap each muffin in parchment paper. Then, pop them in a zipper bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost uncovered at room temperature when you're ready to eat!
When it comes to small batch baking, I always recommend using a scale to measure the ingredients. Just a small amount of flour can make or break an entire recipe. But if you don't have a scale, use the fluff, spoon, & level method to measure flour, cocoa, & other dry ingredients. Here is a whole guide on how I measure ingredients for small batch baking!
If you try this recipe, I would love if you left a star rating and review. I read every comment and love hearing what you think about my recipes. Thanks so much for supporting Midnight Bake Club!
The Best Small Batch Blueberry Muffins
Equipment
- Standard cupcake pan
- Paper muffin or cupcake liners
Ingredients
- 60 grams unsalted butter, melted & cooled (¼ cup)
- 70 grams granulated sugar (⅓ cup)
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 90 grams whole buttermilk (6 Tablespoons)
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 140 grams all-purpose flour, divided (1 cup + 2 ½ Tablespoons)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher salt
- 160 grams blueberries fresh or frozen (1 ¼ cup)
- Raw sugar, for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F (204°C). Line a 12-cup cupcake pan with 6 liners, spacing them out so there is an empty cup in-between each liner. The extra airflow will help the muffins rise even taller. (See the post for a visual example.)
- Add the cooled, melted butter and granulated sugar to a medium mixing bowl. Whisk until smooth. Then, mix in the egg, buttermilk, and vanilla extract. Add 135 grams (1 cup + 2 Tablespoons) of all-purpose flour to the wet ingredients along with the baking powder and Kosher salt. Whisk until it's about 90% combined.
- Toss the blueberries with the remaining 5 grams (½ Tablespoon) of flour. Fold the blueberries into the batter just until there are no more streaks of flour. The batter will be a little lumpy, that's totally normal. Optional - cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes. This will help make the muffins extra tall!
- Use a cupcake scoop to evenly divide the batter between the 6 muffin liners, filling them all the way to the top. Finish each muffin with a generous sprinkle of raw sugar.
- Bake the muffins at 400°F (204°C) for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the heat to 350°F (177°C) and bake the muffins for 13-14 more minutes, until an inserted toothpick has just a few moist crumbs. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Did you make this recipe? I'd love to hear what you think!