Sour Cream Blueberry Muffins

Square close up side shot of a sour cream blueberry muffin on a blue and white plate.

4.91 from 20 votes

Moist, tender, bakery-style blueberry muffins with tall, sugar-crusted tops. The full-fat sour cream keeps the batter thick and the crumb soft, so the muffins rise high and stay tender for days.

Course Breakfast, Brunch

Cuisine American

Keyword blueberry muffins with sour cream, easy blueberry muffins, homemade blueberry muffins, sour cream blueberry muffins

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 20

Total Time 35

Servings muffins

Calories 221kcal

Author Blair Lonergan

Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup sugar
1 tablespoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
1 ½ cups full-fat sour cream, at room temperature
2 large eggs, at room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
4 tablespoons (½ of a stick) salted butter, melted and cooled
¼ cup vegetable oil
2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw if frozen)
Coarse sugar, for topping

Instructions

Preheat oven to 375°F. Line 16 muffin cups with paper liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, whisk together sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract until smooth.
Add the sour cream mixture to the flour mixture. Use a rubber spatula to stir gently, just until you don't see any dry pockets of flour. Gently stir in the melted butter and oil. Do not overmix. The batter will be very thick.
Fold in the blueberries.
Fill each muffin cup all the way to the top with batter. An ice cream scoop helps portion evenly.
Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of coarse sugar over each muffin. It will seem like a lot, but it gives you those bakery-style sugar-crusted tops.
Bake for about 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the tops are golden.
Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 to 10 minutes. Remove them from the pan and enjoy warm, or cool completely before storing.

Video

Notes

Use full-fat sour cream for the best rise and tenderness. Light sour cream and non-fat versions won't deliver the same texture. Thick, full-fat plain Greek yogurt works as a substitute.
Bring sour cream and eggs to room temperature before starting. They blend more smoothly into the batter.
Don't overmix. Stir just until the flour disappears. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing makes the muffins dense or biscuit-like.
Fill the cups all the way to the top for tall, bakery-style domes.
Don't skip the coarse sugar. It creates the crackly sugar-crust top.
Frozen blueberries can be used, but don't thaw them first. They tend to bleed and can turn the batter a bluish-green color.
Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted in the center. It should come out clean. Don't overbake or the muffins can dry out.
Remove muffins from the pan after 5 to 10 minutes of cooling. Leaving them too long traps steam and can make the bottoms soggy.
Pan size variations: For jumbo muffins, increase total baking time to 30 to 35 minutes. For mini muffins, bake at 350°F for about 12 to 15 minutes.
Storage: Room temperature for 2 to 3 days in an airtight container, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Recipe adapted from America's Test Kitchen.

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