Blueberry Crumb Muffins

These Blueberry Crumb Muffins are topped with a Brown Sugar Almond Crumb that make them irresistible. Tender cake-like muffins, loaded with blueberries and crumbs, they are easily one of the best muffins you'll ever make and one of the easiest.

There are two types of blueberries, each being high in antioxidents: Wild and cultivated. The wild blueberries flourish by themselves and survive high in the glacial soils of Maine and Eastern Canada. They are about half the size of the cultivated ones. They are mostly sold frozen. I was lucky enough to find them at Sam's recently and snatched them up on sight. They are my preferred blueberry.

Cultivated blueberries are bred, planted and harvested around the world. They are sold fresh and frozen and are about twice as big as the wild ones.

In any case, the blueberries should be used frozen for ease of folding in as well as avoiding that dreaded gray look when baked.

Other Blueberry recipes for your enjoyment include: An easy Blueberry Crumb Coffee Cake, an intensely flavored Lemon Blueberry Cake, and a surprise dessert the Blueberry Lemon Pizza in a Brioche Crust.

Jump to:

• Why You Want to Make this Recipe
• Recipe Ingredients
• Step by Step Photos
• Recipe FAQS
• Expert Tips
• Other Irresistible Muffins and Quick Breads
• Blueberry Crumb Muffins

Why You Want to Make this Recipe

• It's super simple to make and will have you out of the kitchen in no time.
• Most of the ingredients can probably be found in your pantry.
• They are packed with flavor and taste incredible.

Recipe Ingredients

Brown Sugar Almond Crumble

FRONT ROW: Unsalted butter

MIDDLE ROW: Almond paste, salt

BACK ROW: Cake Flour, Brown Sugar

Blueberry Muffins

FRONT ROW: Vanilla, baking powder, cardamom, salt

SECOND ROW: Unsalted butter

THIRD ROW: Granulated sugar, eggs, white whole wheat flour

BACK ROW: All-purpose flour, blueberries, milk

• I use cake flour for the crumbs as they make a softer, more tender crumb. If using all-purpose flour, the measurement becomes 1 ⅓ cups.
• An easily made Almond Paste can be made in a jiffy. There are two ways of making it. Either one is fine for this recipe.
• I used a bit of white whole wheat flour to add to the taste of the muffins. Regular whole wheat flour, with its stronger taste, can be substituted. Additionally, 240 grams or 1 ¾ cups of all-purpose flour can be used omitting the whole wheat flour.
• I prefer dark brown sugar for this recipe for its more robust taste.

Be sure the see the recipe card below for the exact ingredients and instructions.

Step by Step Photos

Step 1. Place the brown sugar, cake flour and salt in the processor. Step 2. Process briefly to mix. Step 3. Cut the butter and almond paste into small pieces and place over the dry ingredients. Step 4. Using long pulses at the start and short pulses as it comes together in crumbs, process until the crumbs form. So not over process or it will form a paste. Refrigerate while making the muffins.

Step 5. Add the butter, sugar and vanilla to a mixing bowl. Step 6. Mix until completely blended. It will not be light or fluffy. Mix 7. Add the first egg. Step 8. Beat on medium until mixed.

Step 9. After adding the second egg the batter, most likely, will be curdled. See my post How to Avoid Curdled Cake Batters for more information. Step 10. Whisk together the dry ingredients. Step 11. Starting and ending with the flour, alternate the flour.... Step 12. ...and milk, beating each time to combine on low. Three additions of flour and 2 of milk work well here. Scrape often.

Step 13. Beat the batter on low until mixed. Step 14. Remove the bowl from the mixer and fold in the frozen blueberries. Step 15. I made these in Texas muffin cups and dropped them with a #8 disher/scooper, about ½ cup each. Because them came out rounded, I flattened them with a spoon. Step 16. Apply as much crumbs as you can, pressing then into the batter. Bake as directed. Cool in the pans for 5 to 10 minutes and then remove them to a cooling rack to prevent them from sweating in the pans as they cool.

Baked Crumb Topping

To bake any leftover crumbs please see my post on Crumb Topping. These are perfect over ice cream, or anywhere a crumb topping is needed but baked first.

Recipe FAQS

Expert Tips

• Use frozen blueberries for a more attractive baked muffin.
• Add them while frozen. Do not add them to the mixer.
• Use wild blueberries if possible. There will be twice as many berries as those found in the produce department or most frozen blueberries. They are usually sweeter.
• The muffins can be be made any size. Fill to about ¾ of the cup and add the crumbs. Just adjust the baking time.
• Using disher/scoopers help make muffins the same size.
• Home made almond paste is easy to make and is perfect for the Brown Sugar Almond Crumbs.
• Dark brown sugar yields a deeper flavored crumb.
• Cake flour is used in the crumbs for a lighter crumb.
• Lining the muffin tins with paper liners helps keep the crumbs in place.

Other Irresistible Muffins and Quick Breads