If you’re looking for blueberry muffins with a cake-like consistency, these Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins are the answer.

Tender, sweet, and chock full of berries, you’ll want to make a double batch of the Best Blueberry Muffins!

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins on a white square plate with fresh blueberries.

Why You Must Make

  • Friends on one of my favorite food boards have been raving about this recipe for the best blueberry muffins for years. When I got an e-mail from the Mothers’ Club at my son’s high school about breakfast for the teachers, I finally got to make them to see if they were correct!
  • The sour cream makes these moist and tender, and I had enough batter so the thirteenth muffin was all mine! They are quite tasty!
  • And if you want to up your game even more, add a cheesecake filling and streusel topping like in these Cream Cheese Blueberry Muffins.

Ingredient Notes

  • Kitchen Staples – Flour, Salt, Sugar
  • Baking Powder – This is not the same as baking soda. It has a much shorter expiration time and your muffins won’t rise properly if it’s old. Check the date on the can; if it’s old, replace it before starting the recipe. You can also test it by putting a spoonful in a cup of hot water. If it doesn’t bubble vigorously, it’s past its prime.
  • Egg – Use a large room-temperature egg. Note that eggs will incorporate into the batter best when not cold.
  • Butter – Melt and cool slightly before using. I used salted butter.
  • Sour Cream – Use full fat for the moistest results.
  • Blueberries – Use fresh or frozen. If you have access to wild blueberries, that’s a terrific option. If you don’t want them to sink, dust them lightly in flour before adding to the batter. The flour will often stick in the stem end, so if this bothers you, skip this step.
Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins on a white plate with a red handled knife.

Recipe Tips

This blueberry muffin recipe produces muffins that are lighter than you’d expect, more like cake. Super delicious, especially since you don’t have to wait until the blueberry season to bake these!

  • Sour cream adds moisture and tenderness. PRO-Tip: The lactic acid in the sour cream helps soften the proteins in the flour by breaking some of the gluten bonds.
  • Using frozen blueberries is a wonderful way to minimize bleeding of purple juices into the muffin batter, but you must work quickly!
  • Plus, extend the baking time if using frozen berries allow time for them to bake thoroughly.
  • Coating the blueberries with flour helps keep them suspended in the batter. Otherwise, they could all sink to the bottom.
  • PRO-Tip: Do not over mix once the flour mixture is added as this will cause tunnels due to over activating the leaveners.
  • Fill your muffin tins ¾-full. This will result in a nice domed top instead of a flat top.
  • All ovens bake differently (my new oven is giving me headaches as everything takes longer to bake), so use the times listed as a guide, not as law.
  • Test your muffins with a toothpick inserted into the middle of a couple muffins near the end of the baking time. It should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs, not wet with batter when they’re done.
  • Let your muffins cool for at least 5 minutes before releasing them from the muffin tin. This allows the exterior to firm up before putting them on a cooling rack.
Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins on a round white plate with one cut to show the interior.

Frequently Asked Questions

Why Shouldn’t You Overmix Muffin and Quick Bread Batter?

Overmixing will create tunnels, make your muffins and quick bread tough, and create peaked instead of rounded muffin tops. This is due to over-activating the leavening agents.

Why Did All the Blueberries Sink?

Fresh berries are full of water and their weight will cause them to sink during the baking time. By lightly coating the blueberries in flour, they will remain suspended in the batter.

How Do You Make Sure Your Muffins are a Consistent Size?

Use a large cookie disher with a 3 tablespoon capacity.

Why Are My Muffins Sticking to the Muffin Papers?

Some cupcake or muffin papers are coated to prevent sticking. If yours are not, use a quick spritz with Pam or another no-stick baking spray to coat the liners before adding the batter.

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This post was originally shared in May 2011. Photos and text were updated in 2019.

Stay in touch through social media @ InstagramFacebook, and Pinterest. Don’t forget to tag me when you try one of my recipes! And if you love the results, please give it a 5-star rating in the recipe card.

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins on a white square plate with fresh blueberries

Blueberry Sour Cream Muffins

Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Yield 12 muffins

Perfect blueberry muffins for a breakfast, brunch or mid-afternoon treat!

Ingredients

  • 2 cups flour
  • 1 tablespoon baking powder
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 1 egg
  • 1 cup sugar
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted and cooled slightly
  • 1 ¼ cups sour cream
  • 1 ½ cups frozen blueberries (use wild if available) or fresh blueberries

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350º.
  2. Line muffin tin with paper liners.  Set aside.
  3. Whisk flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl.
  4. Using another bowl or large Pryex measuring cup, whisk egg for about 20 seconds, add sugar, and whisk well, then slowly add melted butter. 
  5. Add sour cream and whisk to combine.
  6. Add berries to dry ingredients and toss.  Add sour cream mixture and fold in gently with a spatula.  Do not over-mix, but make sure flour is incorporated.
  7. Divide the batter into muffin tin filling each ¾ full. 
  8. Bake till golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 25-30 minutes. 
  9. Cool for about 5 minutes, then remove muffins from the pan to a wire rack and cool slightly before serving.

Notes

Adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

To prevent the blueberries from sinking to the bottom of the muffins, lightly toss them in flour before adding them to the batter.

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Nutrition Information:

Yield:

12

Serving Size:

1 muffin

Amount Per Serving: Calories: 239Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 211mgCarbohydrates: 37gFiber: 1gSugar: 19gProtein: 3g

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