The Best Blueberry Muffin Recipe (with a secret trick for sky-high rise!)

By Holly Giles | Recipes

blueberry muffin recipe

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Blueberry Muffins

Blueberry muffin recipes vary with ingredients. However, I have found a tried-and-true recipe! Making them in batches and freezing is the secret to having a fresh, warm treat available anytime, especially when guests arrive.

Can I use wild blueberries in muffins?

Absolutely — and you should.
Wild blueberries are tiny flavor bombs: sweeter, tangier, and more intense than store-bought ones. I start my muffin journey every summer with a hike into the woods, bucket in hand. If you’re lucky to live near a patch of wild blueberries, this step becomes part of the joy. No wild berries nearby? A visit to a local blueberry farm is the next best thing — fresh-picked berries taste better than supermarket versions.

When is blueberry season?

Here in Florida, our blueberries bloom in February for a harvest that could start in March. Weather conditions play a significant role when we go picking at a blueberry farm. Wild blueberries are usually ready to pick in May and June in Florida.

florida blueberries

Try my peach cobbler recipe!

What’s the secret to tall, bakery-style blueberry muffins?

Freeze your blueberries first.
Here’s the magic trick: once you’ve picked or bought your blueberries, freeze them before adding to your batter. This does two things:

  1. Prevents soggy muffins – frozen berries don’t release juice as quickly, so your muffins bake evenly and hold their crumb.

  2. Helps muffins rise higher – the frozen berries slightly cool the batter, slowing the bake just enough for the tops to puff up like a dome.

Bonus tip: To prevent the frozen berries from sinking, toss them in a tablespoon of flour before mixing them in.

What makes a blueberry muffin moist and fluffy?

It’s all about the oil and gentle mixing.
This recipe uses oil for a soft, moist crumb, and melted butter for richness. And remember: overmixing = dense muffins. Stir just until the batter comes together.

How do I get that perfect, crunchy muffin top?

Sugar, baby.
Sprinkle a generous pinch of coarse sugar on top before baking. Turbinado or demerara sugar gives the muffins that golden, crackly crown you usually only find in bakeries. In a pinch I use regular sugar with great results.

The Best Wild Blueberry Muffins (Full Recipe)

Ingredients:

  • 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour

  • ½ tsp baking soda

  • 2 tsp baking powder

  • ½ tsp salt

  • 1/3 cup vegetable oil

  • 1/3 cup sugar

  • 3 TBL reserved sugar
  • 1 large egg

  • 1/3 cup milk

  • 2 tsp vanilla extract

  • 1  cup fresh, frozen, or wild blueberries

Instructions:

  1. Preheat oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.

  2. In a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, sugar, and salt.

  3. In another bowl, mix oil, egg, milk, and vanilla.

  4. Fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients gently.

  5. Toss blueberries with 1 tbsp flour, then fold them into the batter.

  6. Fill muffin cups nearly to the top. Sprinkle each with coarse sugar.

  7. Freeze muffins for 6 hours or overnight to make them rise higher.
  8. Bake for 20–23 minutes or until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.

Can I make these ahead of time?

Yes! I make the muffin batter and freeze in the liners overnight. I pop out the muffin batter and keep them in a ziptop bag in the freezer until I am ready to bake. Take out as many muffins as you want to bake fresh. You will always have fresh muffins ready to bake when you freeze them ahead.

5 Breakfast Casserole recipes

Final Thoughts: Why this is the best blueberry muffin recipe

Because it’s more than just a recipe. It’s a walk through the woods. A morning at the farm. A secret trick passed down like a treasure. And most of all, it’s a muffin that delivers — sweet, tall, golden, and bursting with blueberries in every bite.

Visit our short-term rental for your next Florida family vacation. You just might find fresh blueberry muffins when you arrive!

florida vacation home

Book your Florida family vacation HERE.


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About the Author

Holly Giles is a wife, mother, and storyteller. As an author and Florida Master Naturalist, she writes about heritage homemaking skills, motherhood, and why Florida offers the best hidden natural gems to explore as a family.