Bakery-Style Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel
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These Bakery-Style Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Cinnamon Streusel are bursting with sweet summertime blueberries and a subtle but bright lemon flavor. Topped with a delicious cinnamon streusel, they are simple to make using pantry staple ingredients. And with no electric mixers needed, they are truly the perfect breakfast treat!
A Cherished Recipe You’re Sure To Love
It’s no secret that my mom and I both adore the combo of blueberries and lemon in baked goods. Treats like our Blueberry Galette, Lemon Blueberry Sweet Rolls, and our Blueberry Pop Tarts are on a steady rotation. But these lemon blueberry muffins are the one constant that is always in our freezer.
My mom developed this recipe more than 30 years ago. She was tired of just plain old blueberry muffins and wanted a way to liven them up. My dad loved lemon, so she added a bit of lemon zest. That perked up the flavor; but they needed texture, so she added a streusel on top. These muffins quickly became a must have for the breakfast meetings she catered, and later for teachers’ appreciation days and swim meets.
This recipe has been meticulously revised, tweaked, and extensively tested (and taste tested!😉), ensuring each bite is bursting with flavor. If you’ve tried our cranberry muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, chocolate chip muffins, or banana nut muffins, I guarantee you will LOVE these lemon blueberry muffins!
Why You Will Love These Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Bursting with flavor. The combination of sweet blueberries and subtle lemon flavor creates a delightful burst of flavor in every bite!
- A family favorite for generations. Similar to our Buttermilk Biscuits and our Coffee Cake, this recipe has stood the test of time and been a beloved staple for over three decades.
- Versatile. Whether enjoyed for breakfast, as a snack, or for dessert, these muffins offer a versatile and convenient treat for any time of day!
- Freezer-friendly. The muffins freeze exceptionally well, making them a convenient and accessible option for busy mornings or as an on-the-go snack.
- Perfect texture: The muffins are tender, moist, and perfectly balanced, making them an enjoyable treat for everyone.
- No-fuss recipe. Like our Lemon Blueberry Loaf Cake, this recipe is made with simple ingredients and requires no electric mixers. You can even use frozen blueberries, if fresh aren’t available! It’s such an easy to follow recipe that suits both novice and experienced bakers!
- Quality you can trust. If you’ve enjoyed our ever-popular Chai Latte Muffins, Earl Grey Muffins, Pecan Pie Muffins, or even our Chocolate Chip Coconut Banana Muffins, you are sure to adore these simple to make lemon blueberry muffins too!
Here Are The Ingredients You’ll Need To Bake These Muffins (& Why!)
For The Streusel:
- Granulated Sugar – Because it has a neutral flavor, granulated sugar added sweetness and crunch without detracting from the cinnamon.
- Ground Cinnamon – I know it sounds weird, but the cinnamon really complements the lemon blueberry flavor of the muffins.
- All-Purpose Flour – You need something to hold the streusel together and thicken it. That’s where all purpose flour comes in.
- Salted Butter – We cut the extra step of adding salt by using salted butter to bind everything together and help the sugar melt and get the perfect crunch.
For The Blueberries:
- Blueberries – Fresh blueberries are the first choice for that pop of flavor when you bite into these muffins.
- Granulated Sugar – Just in case your blueberries are not quite as sweet as they should be, granulated sugar adds just the right amount of sweetness to both the blueberries and the muffins.
- All-Purpose Flour – Combined with the sugar, it keeps the blueberries from sinking to the bottom and helps keep the blueberries evenly distributed throughout the muffins.
For The Batter:
- All-Purpose Flour – The protein content in all purpose flour creates the ideal structure for these muffins.
- Granulated Sugar – While adding the perfect amount of sweetness, it also helps with the texture and structure of the muffins.
- Baking Powder – The leavening in these muffins, it’s what makes them rise.
- Salt – A little bit of salt enhance the flavor of both the lemon and the blueberries.
- Lemon Zest – Lemon zest adds just the right amount of lemon flavor without being overpowering. And the easiest way to get lemon zest is using this zester. It’s so much easier than a box grater.
- Egg – The binder that holds all the ingredients together, eggs also contribute structure, stability, moisture, and richness.
- Whole Milk – The higher fat content in whole milk is ideal for helping to tenderize these muffins as well as contributing to the structure and helping keep them moist.
- Vegetable Oil – Vegetable oil is the perfect choice to keep these muffins light and fluffy. It’s neutral flavor doesn’t add unwanted flavors. And it contributes moisture.
Let’s Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Step 1: Make the streusel
Combine the sugar, cinnamon, and flour for the streusel in a small bowl.
Cut in butter until the streusel resembles small peas. Set aside.
Step 2: Coat the blueberries (our secret step!!)
Mix blueberries, flour, and sugar in a medium sized bowl. Set aside.
Step 3: Prepare batter
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest in a large bowl.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg, milk, and vegetable oil.
Mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
Fold in the blueberries.
Step 4: Spoon into pan and bake
Spoon the muffin batter into a lined muffin pan. Top with streusel and bake for 15-20 minutes at 400 degrees, or until the muffins test done.
A Couple Tips for TALL Bakery-Style Muffins
- Fill every other one. Want tall muffins? Instead of lining each cavity in the pan, line every other cavity instead! This will provide better air-flow and heat circulation while the muffins bake, creating taller, more delectable muffins.
- Don’t be afraid to fill them up! It’s best to fill these muffin cups with about 3 Tablespoons of batter. This will equal to the cavity being ¾ of the way full.
Not only do these simple tricks create beautifully tall muffins, but they also make the muffins extra fluffy on inside!
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries – Which is Better?
The wonderful thing about this recipe is that you can use either one! We generally use fresh blueberries, as we tend to bake these all spring and summer long, but we have used frozen ones in the past…especially when we’re having a craving during the middle of winter!
If you use frozen blueberries, just remember not to thaw them out before baking with them!
How To Stop The Blueberries From Sinking/Bleeding Into The Batter
Want the perfect looking muffin? Be sure to follow the recipe exactly! You need to toss the blueberries in flour to help prevent sinkage and to keep them from popping (that’s generally what the bleeding of colors comes from!).
Also, when you’re adding the blueberries to the batter, use a rubber spatula and gently fold them in! Don’t whip/mix! By being careful, you won’t pop any blueberries and you’ll have beautiful blueberries waiting to burst in your mouth with every bite!
Can These Muffins Be Made Vegan?
Absolutely! You can substitute the butter for your favorite vegan butter and the milk with your favorite non-dairy milk. Also, be sure to check out our Vegan Blueberry Muffin recipe!
Here Are Some Other Blueberry Recipes You May Like:
When you make these Bakery-Style Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel, leave a comment down below! We love hearing from you and answering any questions you might have! Also, be sure to tag us on social media and hashtag it #BakersTable.
Happy baking!
x, Caylie
Bakery-Style Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Crunchy Cinnamon Streusel
Ingredients
Streusel
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 5 Tablespoons all purpose flour
- 3 Tablespoons salted butter, cool, sliced
Blueberries
- 2 cups fresh blueberries, rinsed and drained
- 1 Tablespoon granulated sugar
- 1 Tablespoon all purpose flour
Batter
- 1¾ cups all purpose flour*
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1¾ teaspoons baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1 Tablespoon lemon zest
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup whole milk
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
Instructions
- Heat oven to 400℉.
- Line muffin tins with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
Streusel
- In a small bowl, whisk together sugar, cinnamon, and flour.
- Cut in butter until streusel resembles small peas. Set aside.
Blueberries
- Toss blueberries with sugar and flour in medium bowl. Set aside.
Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk vegetable oil, egg, and milk together.
- Pour over dry ingredients and mix until wet ingredients are incorporated.
- Mix until dry ingredients have been incorporated. (It's ok if it's a little lumpy.)
- Gently fold in blueberries.
Assembly
- Use a 3 Tablespoon scoop to portion batter into prepared muffin tins.
- Top each muffin with 1 Tablespoon streusel.
- Bake for about 18 minutes, until tops are light gold.
Notes + Tips!
- You can use an electric mixer instead of a pastry blender or fork to make the streusel.
- Don’t over mix the batter! Stir just until the dry ingredients are moistened. It’s ok if it has lumps in it.
- Gently fold in the blueberries. You don’t want to pop them!
- Use a cookie scoop to portion batter into muffin tins.
- Don’t skip tossing the blueberries in the flour and sugar!
Tools You May Need (affiliate links)
Nutrition
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
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