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These Lemon Blueberry Muffins are bright, bursting with juicy blueberries, and have the most tender, bakery-style crumb. I bake a batch on lazy Saturday mornings, and Maddie and Lizzie hover by the oven waiting for that first warm muffin. If you love this sweet-tart combo, our lemon blueberry coffee cake is another must-bake.
A splash of buttermilk and fresh lemon zest make these muffins extra moist and zingy, and the whole batch comes together in one bowl with no mixer required.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 20 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 20 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 40 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 12 muffins
- ⚡ Calories: 251kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Bright lemon with juicy bursts of blueberry
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our lemon blueberry coffee cake
Quick Answer
To make lemon blueberry muffins, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, whisk the buttermilk, oil, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir until just combined, then gently fold in fresh blueberries. Divide the batter among 12 lined muffin cups, top with extra berries, and bake at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool briefly, then enjoy warm.
Jump to:
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins FAQs
- Other Recommended Lemon and Blueberry Recipes
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Buttermilk makes them moist and tender. Its acidity reacts with the baking powder for a soft, fluffy crumb and a subtle tang that pairs perfectly with lemon.
- Fresh lemon zest and juice pack flavor. Zest carries the brightest citrus oils, while the juice adds tang, so every bite tastes vibrantly of lemon.
- Oil keeps them soft for days. Using oil instead of butter means these muffins stay moist and tender even a couple of days after baking.
- Folding in berries gently prevents streaking. A light hand keeps the blueberries whole and the batter from turning blue or tough.
- No mixer needed. Everything comes together in two bowls with a whisk and a spatula, so cleanup is a breeze.
- They are bakery-style at home. Tall, golden domes studded with juicy berries look and taste like they came from your favorite bakery.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They are bright, lemony, and packed with juicy bursts of blueberry in every bite.
- The one-bowl batter comes together in minutes with no mixer required.
- They are perfect for breakfast or a snack, just like our white chocolate raspberry muffins.
Key Ingredients
Here is what makes these lemon blueberry muffins so good. A few simple ingredients deliver big bright flavor and a tender crumb.
- Fresh Blueberries: The star of the show. Fold most into the batter and save some to sprinkle on top for pretty, berry-loaded muffins.
- Lemon Zest and Juice: Zest brings the brightest lemon oils while the juice adds tang, giving these muffins their fresh, zippy flavor.
- Buttermilk: Adds moisture and a subtle tang, and reacts with the baking powder for a soft, fluffy crumb.
- Oil: Keeps the muffins moist and tender for days, longer than butter would.
- All-Purpose Flour and Baking Powder: The simple base that gives these muffins their classic structure and tall, golden domes.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
These muffins are easy to adapt. Here are some favorite ways to switch them up.
- Add a lemon glaze: Whisk powdered sugar with lemon juice and drizzle over the cooled muffins for an extra pop of citrus.
- Use frozen blueberries: Fold them in straight from the freezer, without thawing, and toss them in a little flour first to keep them from sinking.
- Swap the berries: Raspberries, blackberries, or chopped strawberries all work beautifully in place of, or alongside, the blueberries.
- Add a streusel topping: Sprinkle on a quick butter, flour, and sugar crumble before baking for a bakery-style crunchy top.
- Make it a loaf or cake: Pour the batter into a loaf pan or try the same flavors in our lemon blueberry poke cake.
- Add poppy seeds: Stir in a tablespoon for a lemon-poppyseed twist with a little extra texture.
How to Make Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, lemon zest, and salt until well combined.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, oil, egg, lemon juice, and vanilla extract until smooth and well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Use a silicone spatula to stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- Gently fold in 1 cup of the blueberries, keeping them as whole as possible so the batter does not turn blue.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin liners and top each with some of the remaining blueberries.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overmix the batter; stir just until the flour disappears, which keeps the muffins tender instead of tough and dense.
- Toss frozen or fresh berries in flour before folding them in, which helps keep them suspended instead of sinking to the bottom.
- Use both zest and juice for the brightest lemon flavor, since most of the citrus punch lives in the zest.
- Save some berries for the top so every muffin bakes up pretty and loaded with visible blueberries.
- Fill the liners nearly full for tall, bakery-style domes instead of flat muffin tops.
- Check early; ovens vary, so start testing with a toothpick around the 18-minute mark to avoid overbaking.
- Let them cool 5 minutes in the pan before moving them, so they set up and release cleanly.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These lemon blueberry muffins are best enjoyed warm, when the blueberries are still a little jammy and the crumb is soft. Serve them for breakfast or brunch with a smear of butter and a hot cup of coffee or tea.
They are a wonderful addition to any brunch spread. Set them out alongside our blueberry croissant french toast or mini berry pancake bites for a berry-packed morning.
For a sweeter treat, drizzle them with a simple lemon glaze, or serve them as part of a dessert table with our lemon blueberry trifle and a no-bake blueberry cheesecake.
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days, or freeze them for up to three months. Warm a frozen muffin in the microwave for about 20 seconds to bring back that fresh-baked softness.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins FAQs
Yes, frozen blueberries work great. Fold them in straight from the freezer without thawing, and toss them in a teaspoon of flour first to help keep them suspended in the batter. They may tint the batter slightly more, but the muffins will taste just as delicious.
Toss the blueberries in a little of the flour before folding them into the batter. The light coating helps them grip the batter and stay suspended rather than sinking to the bottom. Saving some berries to press onto the tops also guarantees every muffin looks loaded with blueberries.
Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. To freeze, place them in a freezer bag or container for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or microwave a frozen muffin for about 20 seconds to enjoy it warm and fresh-tasting.
Dense muffins are almost always caused by overmixing the batter, which develops the gluten and makes them tough. Stir just until the flour disappears, lumps are okay. Make sure your baking powder is fresh, and avoid packing the flour, spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off instead.
Yes. If you do not have buttermilk, make a quick substitute by stirring 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup of milk and letting it sit for 5 minutes until slightly curdled. The acidity is what keeps these lemon blueberry muffins tender, so this swap works perfectly.
Absolutely. Pour the batter into a greased and lined 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350 degrees for about 50 to 60 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. Tent it with foil if the top browns too quickly. You will get one beautiful lemon blueberry loaf instead of a dozen muffins.
Craving more of this bright combo? Try our tender lemon blueberry coffee cake next.
Round out the brunch table with our lemon blueberry muffins.
Love fruity mornings? Our lemon blueberry muffins are a family favorite.
Lemon Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons lemon zest
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1/2 cup oil
- 1 egg
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 1/4 cups blueberries divided
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12 hole muffin pan with paper muffin liners and set aside.
- Add the all purpose flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, grated lemon rind and salt to a large mixing bowl. Whisk until well combined, set aside.2 cups all purpose flour, 1 cup granulated sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 2 teaspoons lemon zest, 1/2 teaspoon salt
- Add to a medium sized mixing bowl the buttermilk, oil, egg, lemon juice and vanilla extract.1 cup buttermilk, 1/2 cup oil, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the buttermilk mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Use a silicone spatula to mix until just combined. Gently fold in 1 cup of the blueberries.1 1/4 cups blueberries
- Divide the batter between the paper muffin liners.
- Top with the remaining blueberries.
- Bake the muffins for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes, before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter—just stir until you don’t see any dry spots in the flour mixture.
- Use a cookie scoop to evenly fill each muffin cup for tall muffins that bake evenly.
- Gently press a few blueberries into the top of each muffin before baking for a pretty look.
- Let the batter rest for 5–10 minutes before baking to get bakery-style muffin tops.
- Always preheat your oven to the right oven temperature so the muffins rise properly.
- Line your muffin pan with muffin liners to make cleanup easy and help muffins keep their shape.
Nutrition
Love This Recipe?
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So tasty – I would recommend everyone try this recipe.