These buttermilk blueberry muffins are moist and tender, filled with fresh blueberries and topped with a vibrant blueberry compote to deliver maximum blueberry flavor. We top each muffin with a sprinkle of sugar in the raw to give some sweetness and subtle crunch to the tops.

If you love delicious muffins try our banana chocolate chip muffins and lemon poppy seed muffins. Need another muffin recipe to use up your buttermilk? Try my Buttermilk All-Bran Muffins! And for another delicious blueberry recipe for breakfast, make my easy Blueberry Danish!

Overhead photo of blueberry muffins.

Why This Recipe Works

Blueberry Compote

This recipe makes the best fluffy buttermilk blueberry muffins! The addition of a blueberry compote swirled into the muffin batter in addition to the whole blueberries that are folded in, adds more blueberry flavor throughout. It’s absolutely delicious! If you’re a blueberry lover, try my blueberry crisp recipe!

One reader made these buttermilk blueberry muffins and had this to say about the recipe: “Simply the best blueberry recipe ever! My family cannot eat any other muffins now. Easy, great instructions — perfect every time. I’ve used even more blueberries on occasion and subbed coconut oil for vegetable oil. The compote cannot not be skipped!”

Blueberry Tips

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries to make the compote and the muffins! If using frozen berries you don’t need to thaw them. I love this aspect of the recipe because it makes it easy and convenient.

A secret of mine, and one I use in my chocolate chip zucchini bread, is to toss the blueberries in flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom. This simple step ensures blueberries will be dispersed throughout the muffins, and not all of them sink to the bottom. 

Ingredients Needed

Ingredients used to make buttermilk blueberry muffins.
  • Buttermilk: The buttermilk is a key in getting the moist, fluffy texture of these muffins. The acidic nature of the buttermilk softens the gluten and makes the muffin texture soft and fluffy, while helping with the muffins’ rise. If you don’t have buttermilk, you can use a substitution of 1 tablespoon lemon juice or white vinegar to 1 cup milk. 
  • Blueberries: You can use fresh or frozen blueberries for the compote and the muffins.
  • Sugar in the raw: The sugar in the raw is added to the very top of the muffins before being baked. This gives it a beautifully sweet kind of glaze on top of the muffins.

Step-By-Step Instructions

Blueberry Compote

  1. Place a cup of fresh (or frozen) blueberries in a small saucepan, add sugar and bring the blueberries to a simmer.
  2. Using a wooden spoon, gently mash several of the blueberries. As the mixture cooks, the blueberries will start to break down and some may even pop. Don’t get too carried away with mashing the blueberries. It’s ok to have chunks, after all, this is a compote.
  3. Simmer for 5-7 minutes or until the mixture has thickened. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature. 

Muffin Batter

  1. In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Toss the remaining 1 cup of blueberries into the dry ingredients. 
Glass bowl with dry ingredients and fresh blueberries for making easy blueberry muffins.
  1. In a separate bowl, whisk the remaining 1 cup of sugar and eggs for 1 minute. Add the melted butter and oil to the sugar and eggs. Whisk again.
  2. Finally, add the buttermilk and vanilla to the wet ingredients and whisk to combine.
  3. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Use a rubber spatula to mix everything together. DON’T OVER-MIX. 
  4. Spray a standard sized muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 of the way full. You want the batter to be almost to the top of the tin, but not quite. I’d say you want about a 1/4″ inch from the top of the tin.
A muffin tin with blueberry muffin batter, and a fresh blueberry compote being poured into each muffin tin.
  1. Spoon 1 teaspoon of the blueberry compote into each batter filled muffin tin. Using a wooden skewer or fork, swirl the blueberry mixture into the batter.
A wooden stick stirring blueberry compote into blueberry muffin batter.
  1. Sprinkle 1 teaspoon of sugar in the raw over the finished blueberry swirl batter.
A close shot of blueberry muffin batter with blueberry compote swirled into the batter and topped with raw sugar.
  1. Bake the buttermilk blueberry muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.
  2. Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely.
Two blueberry muffins side by side, with one muffin having a bite taken out of it, exposing fresh blueberries baked into the muffin.

Recipe Tips

This compote isn’t overly sweet. Feel free to add an additional teaspoon of sugar to sweeten it up.

Mix the muffin batter until you can no longer see streaks of flour. Some lumps in the batter are OK. It’s best to refrain from over mixing muffin batter; over mixing can cause tough, sometimes gummy, and overly chewy muffins.

Variations

You can use different berries other than blueberries to make this recipe. Huckleberries work beautifully, as do raspberries.

Storing

To store at room temperature: Place the muffins in a plastic bag, foil, or plastic wrap and seal. Muffins stored properly will keep at room temperature for 2-3 days.

To store in the refrigerator: Place the muffins in a plastic bag, foil, or plastic wrap and seal. Muffins stored properly will keep in the fridge for about 5 days.

To freeze muffins: Wrap them tightly in foil or place in a plastic freezer safe Ziploc bag. Muffins stored properly will keep in the freezer for 2-3 months.

A stack of blueberry muffins.

FAQs

Can I use frozen blueberries in muffins?

Yes! You can use frozen blueberries to make the compote and the muffins. If using frozen blueberries there is no need to thaw them beforehand. 

What makes muffins light and fluffy?

The buttermilk and baking soda together will react and bubble, giving the muffins a light texture. Also, be sure not to over-mix your batter as this can prevent muffins from being light and fluffy. 

Is there a good substitute for vegetable oil? 

Yes, one reader who made these muffins commented saying she has substituted coconut oil for the vegetable oil with amazing results! You can also use unsweetened applesauce as a vegetable oil substitute. 

Other Muffin and Sweet Bread Recipes

Did you make this recipe? I’d love to hear about it! Click here to leave a rating and review, or scroll below the recipe card and do so there. 

Overhead photo of easy to make blueberry muffins.
Print Save Review
4.67 from 12 votes

Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

This blueberry muffin recipe has a beautifully moist and tender muffin base. The muffins are filled with fresh blueberries and then topped with a blueberry compote to deliver maximum blueberry flavor.
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 45 minutes
Servings: 14 muffins

Ingredients
 

  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 2 1/2 cups all purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup + 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 4 tablespoons unsalted butter - melted and slightly cooled
  • 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons Sugar in the Raw

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 425°F Spray muffin tin pan with nonstick cooking spray. Set aside. 
  • In a small saucepan add 1 cup of blueberries and 1 tablespoon granulated sugar. Simmer. As you’re stirring, use the back of a wooden spoon to mash some of the berries. *Simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened. Remove from heat and cool to room temperature.
  • In a medium size bowl whisk the flour, baking powder, and salt. Add the remaining 1 cup of blueberries to the flour mixture, toss to coat. Set aside.
  • In another medium size bowl whisk the remaining 1 cup of sugar and the eggs for 1 minute. Add the butter and oil whisking to combine. Finally, whisk in the buttermilk and vanilla. 
  • Add the wet ingredients to the flour and blueberry mixture. Use a spatula to mix everything together. Don’t overmix. 
  • Scoop the muffin batter into the muffin tins. Fill each muffin tin 3/4 full, or pretty close to the top of the muffin tin. 
  • Spoon 1 teaspoon of the cooked blueberry mixture into each muffin tin. Use the prongs of a fork or a chopstick to swirl the blueberry mixture into each muffin tin. Sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of sugar in the raw. 
  • Bake for 16-20 minutes. (Mine baked for 17 minutes).
  • Remove from oven and let the muffins cool for 3-5 minutes and then remove the muffins from the tin and let them cool completely on a wire rack. 

Notes

*This blueberry compote is exactly that, a compote. So yes, there will be some chunks of blueberries. But as the blueberries cook they will break down and some may even pop as they cook. This compote isn’t overly sweet. Feel free to add an additional teaspoon of sugar to sweeten it up.
Toss the blueberries in flour to prevent them from falling to the bottom of the batter while baking. 
Mix the muffin batter until you can no longer see streaks of flour. Some lumps in the batter are OK. It’s best to refrain from over mixing muffin batter; over mixing can cause tough, sometimes gummy, and overly chewy muffins.
Variations: You can use different berries other than blueberries to make this recipe. Huckleberries work beautifully, as do raspberries.

Nutrition

Calories: 256kcal (13%)Carbohydrates: 41g (14%)Protein: 3g (6%)Fat: 8g (12%)Saturated Fat: 5g (25%)Cholesterol: 33mg (11%)Sodium: 112mg (5%)Potassium: 144mg (4%)Fiber: 1g (4%)Sugar: 23g (26%)Vitamin A: 175IU (4%)Vitamin C: 2.1mg (3%)Calcium: 60mg (6%)Iron: 1.3mg (7%)
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Did you make this recipe?Leave a star rating and review on the blog post letting me know how you liked this recipe! Take a picture and tag @saltandbaker on Instagram and Facebook so I can see what you’re making!