Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins

How to Make the BEST Blueberry Muffins

How to Brown Butter

When browning butter, you want to swirl the pan occasionally once the butter is melted and it starts to cook. It should become foamy with audible cracking and popping noises. If this isn’t happening you may need to turn up the heat slightly.

Once the crackling stops continue to swirl the pan until the butter develops a nutty aroma and brown bits start to form at the bottom. Once the bits are amber in color, about 2 to 3 minutes after the popping stops, remove from heat and pour everything (bits and all) into a medium mixing bowl to cool.

For best results when browning butter, avoid using a nonstick pan. I like to use a 10-inch stainless steel skillet.

Can I substitute the buttermilk in muffins?

I’ve done extensive side-by-side testing of buttermilk in baking and find that it makes a pretty big difference in muffins. Buttermilk creates a finer crumb and more moisture AND flavor. So I’d highly recommend using real buttermilk if you can. DIY substitutions don’t always compare. To learn more, check out my Buttermilk 101 post here.

If you don’t have buttermilk on hand then you can use whole milk instead with a spoonful of lemon juice or vinegar.

What do I do with leftover buttermilk?

Did you know you can actually freeze buttermilk and then defrost it at some later date for a future recipe? Get the details for freezing buttermilk here.

How to bake moist & tender muffins:

Be very careful not to overmix, this will create rubbery muffins. Once the dry ingredients are combined with the wet, gently stir until *just* combined. Since we’re adding in blueberries, I actually like to leave a few streaks of flour. They’ll get stirred into the batter with the berries.

Also, using buttermilk or full fat whole milk can also help create moist and tender muffins. Don’t skimp!

Another trick to ensure these muffins bake up nice and moist is to use brown sugar! That’s because brown sugar is more hygroscopic, a fancy way of saying it attracts and holds in more moisture. I actually use brown and white in this recipe for the best of both worlds.

How to Bake TALL Muffins:

I recently experimented with the science of muffins and how to achieve beautiful, TALL muffins that look like they belong on the shelf of a fancy bakery. Check out my 3 tips for baking tall muffins here!

Hint: Chilling your muffin batter overnight makes for the BEST ever muffins!!

How long do blueberry muffins last?

They’ll stay good for up to 3 days if stored in an airtight container at room temperature.

Can I use frozen blueberries in muffins?

Yes! You can use fresh or frozen in this recipe. Just make sure they’re ripe for optimum flavor. If using frozen, don’t bother to defrost. I typically like to use organic blueberries.

If chilling the muffin batter overnight, add the frozen blueberries to the mix in the morning-otherwise their color might bleed into your batter.

How do I stop my muffins from sticking to the liner?

This can sometimes be caused by the brand of liners. This is my favorite brand that I order in bulk from Amazon. If you find your liners still get stuck and end up ruining your muffins, don’t worry. I’ve actually written an entire article about how to prevent muffin or cupcake liners from sticking here.

Can blueberry muffins be frozen?

Yes! Muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Defrost on the counter or in the microwave.