Blueberry Muffin Tops — If you like to eat just the tops of your muffins, you’re going to LOVE this EASY recipe for soft and tender blueberry muffin tops bursting with juicy berries in every bite!! Only 1/2 cup sugar in the entire batch!!
Buttermilk Blueberry Muffin Tops
These muffin tops are light, fluffy, tender, have a tiny bit of chewiness around the exterior, and are bursting with juicy blueberries in the interior. We couldn’t stop eating them and the batch lasted precisely one day.
Because there is only 1/2 cup sugar in the batter, the muffin tops are not overly sweet and are perfect for breakfast, brunch, or healthier snacks. If you want to sweeten them up a bit more, add a pinch of sugar to each muffin top midway through baking.
Make these blueberry muffin tops with those fresh blueberries you just bought and enjoy!
What’s in the Blueberry Muffin Tops?
To make these moist blueberry muffin tops, you’ll need:
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Egg
- Vanilla extract
- All-purpose flour
- Salt
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Buttermilk
- Fresh blueberries
How to Make Blueberry Muffin Tops
Simply cream together butter, 1/2 cup sugar, an egg, and vanilla before adding the dry ingredients in addition to 1/4 cup of buttermilk and fresh blueberries.
Using a large spoon or an ice cream scoop, dollop the dough onto Silpat-lined baking sheets. You’ll be able to make about 10 muffin tops.
Place a few more berries on top of the muffin tops, then bake until done. You’re looking for the edges to turn ever so slightly golden brown.
Can I Use Frozen Blueberries?
I made these muffin tops with fresh blueberries and haven’t tested the recipe with frozen.
My guess, however, is that because this batter is already so moist, when the frozen berries would release their extra moisture and juices during baking, it would water down the batter and cause too much spreading in the muffin tops.
For that reason, I do recommend fresh blueberries. But if you do use frozen, let me know how things go in the comments.
Can I Substitute the Buttermilk?
I realize there’s only 1/4 cup buttermilk in the recipe and you may not keep buttermilk on hand and so you’ll have to buy a container of it just for this recipe, but just do it because it keeps the muffin tops so moist, tender, and perfectly light.
Then make these other recipes using buttermilk later.
You may be able to use sour cream or Greek yogurt in place of the buttermilk but I haven’t tested that so cannot say how much to use or what the final results will be like.
Tips for Making This Muffin Top Recipe
If you’ve never baked on a Silpat, it’s time to get started. These silicone mats provide traction to prevent excess spreading of your baked goods, which is normally cookie-baking for me, but in this case I found my Silpats so helpful for this muffin top recipe.
I fear that baking the muffin tops directly on a nonstick baking pan or on parchment (the equivalent of an ice skating rink for your baked goods) could result in excess spreading and you’ll have pancakes rather than muffin tops.
If you try the recipe and don’t use a Silpat, I would advise adding an extra 1/4-cup flour to the batter to thicken it up. I haven’t done this but it’s my baker’s hunch.
If you do end up with pancakes rather than muffin tops, they’ll still taste great I’m sure but just wasn’t quite the intended cosmetic appearance.
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Blueberry Muffin Tops
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter, softened
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus optionally more for sprinkling the tops if desired
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, plus 1 tablespoon for tossing blueberries
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ cup buttermilk
- 1 cup fresh blueberries for batter, plus 1/2 cup for adding to the tops
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line two baking sheets with Silpat baking mats; set aside.
- To a large bowl, add the butter, 1/2 cup sugar, and beat on high-speed with a handheld electric mixer to cream the batter.
- Add the egg, vanilla, and beat to incorporate. Stop to scrape down the sides of the bowl.
- Add 1 cup flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, and beat to just incorporate; don't overmix.
- Add the buttermilk and beat to incorporate; set aside.
- To a separate small bowl, add 1 cup blueberries, 1 tablespoon flour, toss to combine, and add the blueberries and any residual flour to the large mixing bowl. Stir gently by hand to incorporate.
- Using a large cookie or ice cream scoop, divide the dough in 10 equal portions, distributed equally on the two baking sheets. Flatten the dough mounds slightly so they're uniformly about 2 inches high and not mounded up in the center to ensure even baking.
- Evenly distribute the remaining 1/2 cup blueberries over the 10 muffin tops, an extra 3-4 blueberries per muffin top.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, or until muffin tops are set in the center and cooked through, the bottoms will be ever so slightly golden browned around the edges; they firm up as they cool. Start watching at 15 minutes since all ovens and ingredients vary. Don't overbake to ensure soft and tender muffin tops. BAKING TIPS - Midway through baking I recommend turning your baking sheets for even baking and browning. If your berries are not very sweet or if you prefer slightly sweeter muffin tops, I recommend adding a pinch of sugar to each muffin top when you go to turn your baking sheets midway through baking.
- Allow the muffins tops to cool on the baking sheets for about 10 minutes before moving them. Muffin tops are best fresh but will keep airtight for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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Made these muffin tops this morning using frozen blueberries and they were really good. Will try with other frozen fruits, but will cut up the larger ones. Thanks for such a quick recipe.
Thanks for the 5 star review and I am glad that these turned out great frozen blueberries and you’ll try with other fruit!