Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

This is the blueberry muffin recipe I grew up on, straight from my Grandma Renelt’s recipe box. They’re tender and moist, with bright bursts of fresh blueberries studded throughout. And, as if that wasn’t enough, there’s a crunchy, buttery, sugary crumb topping that totally clinches the win for blueberry muffins.

So many of you love this recipe. It’s one that I shared during my very first year of this blog, back in 2010. I thought the muffins deserved some extra love before we say goodbye to 2021, as Grandma Renelt passed away earlier this year. She had such a strong, beautiful presence in our family and we miss her dearly!

Friends and family have asked me for this recipe time and time again and with very good reason. Once you try these, you’ll never need another blueberry muffin recipe!

Why You’ll Love These Blueberry Muffins with Crumb Topping

• A cherished family recipe passed down with love. These blueberry muffins come straight from Grandma Renelt’s kitchen, bringing generations of baking wisdom and heart to every bite.
• That sweet, buttery crumble topping. It’s not just there for looks! The streusel-style topping adds irresistible texture and flavor that sets these muffins apart.
• Perfectly soft and tender inside. Thanks to buttermilk and just the right amount of oil, these muffins bake up beautifully moist with a delicate crumb.
• Blueberries in every bite. No skimping here! Each muffin is loaded with fresh berries, just the way Grandma made them.
• Easy to make. All you need to do is mix the batter ingredients, and then make the crumble and sprinkle it over the top of the batter. Bake, and you’re good to go!
• Simple ingredients. Every ingredient is a pantry staple, which means that as long as you have blueberries on hand (fresh or frozen), you can whip up these moist blueberry muffins anytime!
• Freezer-friendly for easy mornings. Make a batch (or two!) and stash some away. They reheat like a dream for a quick breakfast or afternoon treat.
• A tried-and-true favorite for decades. This isn’t a trendy new recipe. It’s stood the test of time at family breakfasts, brunches, and holidays, and it always disappears fast.

What You’ll Need

I love this recipe’s short ingredients list of pantry staples! Here’s a quick look at what you’ll need to make these blueberry crumb muffins, along with my notes. Don’t forget to scroll down to the recipe card for a printable list.

FOR THE MUFFINS:

• Egg – Ideally at room temperature.
• Milk – Any dairy milk on hand will work.
• All-purpose flour
• Sugar – Regular white sugar, but light brown sugar will also work.
• Baking powder – Helps these muffins rise and gives the perfect texture.
• Salt
• Cinnamon – Adds a little warmth to the overall flavor of the muffins, beautiful with the blueberries.
• Blueberries – You can use fresh or frozen blueberries.

FOR THE CRUMB TOPPING:

• Sugar – When baked with the flour and butter, the sugar adds a crunchy, sweet element to the tops of the muffins.
• Flour
• Unsalted butter – The butter should be at room temperature, not melted, for the perfect crunchy crumb texture. 

Tips for Success

• Do not overmix the batter. Once you add the wet ingredients, mix just until combined. Overmixing will cause the muffins to lose some of their tenderness.
• Use less muffin cups for fuller muffins. For plumper, fuller muffins, divide batter between just 10 of the muffin cups (as shown in my photos). For smaller muffins, use all 12 cups.
• Make the topping perfectly crumbly. My biggest piece of advice for making crispy crumb topping for muffins is to use butter that is just nicely softened at room temperature. Do not melt the butter and do not use butter that is overly soft. And then, with a fork, just keep pressing the dry ingredients into the butter until pea-sized pieces form. When sprinkling the crumb topping mixture over the muffin batter, use your fingers to compress some of it into larger pieces.

Serving Suggestions

With the sweet, crunchy topping, these muffins really don’t need anything else. However, a schmear of butter is always welcome. A good quality, salted butter is beautiful, and for an extra special experience with even more flavor, try my whipped blueberry butter or cinnamon honey butter!

How to Store

• How to store leftovers. These blueberry muffins are best eaten on the day they are made, when the crumb topping is crunchiest. If we don’t eat all the muffins in the first day, we leave them out on the counter, uncovered. This helps to keep the crumb topping crisp.
• Want to freeze them? These muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months. You can either defrost them in the fridge or pop one in the microwave for a quick breakfast on the go. Just know that the crumble topping will not be as crisp as when they are just baked.

My grandma was an incredibly special woman to me. She always worked hard and played even harder – she was a force to reckon with when it came to games of cards, dice, and marbles! And I’m positive that much of my domestic ways were passed directly from her, to my mom, to me. I am grateful for all the recipes Grandma passed along to our family, including the one for these blueberry muffins.