Delicious Bakery-Style Blackberry Buttermilk Muffins with Irresistible Crumble Topping
Prepare to fall in love with these incredible bakery-style blackberry buttermilk muffins! Each bite offers a perfect balance of moist, tender crumb and juicy, bursting blackberries, all crowned with a golden, buttery, and utterly irresistible crisp crumble topping. The secret to their unparalleled flavor and melt-in-your-mouth texture lies in the buttermilk, which not only adds a delightful tang but also ensures a supremely moist result. This isn’t just another muffin recipe; it’s a super easy, no-mixer required method that brings gourmet bakery-quality muffins right to your kitchen. Say goodbye to long bakery lines and hello to homemade perfection! These muffins are ideal for a delightful breakfast, a leisurely brunch, or a satisfying snack any time of day.
And if you’ve ever admired those tall, elegant bakery-style muffin liners but can’t find them in stores, don’t worry! This comprehensive guide includes a simple tutorial on how to craft your very own at home using parchment paper, making your muffins look as professional as they taste.
🧁 Why You’ll Adore This Blackberry Muffin Recipe:
- Effortlessly Easy: Forget the stand mixer! Both the delectable crumble and the moist muffin batter come together with just a few simple stirs, making this a perfect recipe for beginner bakers and busy home cooks alike. You’ll be amazed at how quickly you can whip up a batch of these bakery-worthy treats.
- Incredibly Soft & Moist: Thanks to the magic of buttermilk, these muffins boast an exceptionally soft, tender, and moist crumb that will have everyone asking for your secret. The buttermilk’s acidity tenderizes the gluten in the flour, resulting in a light and airy texture.
- Smart Fat Combination (Melted Butter & Oil): This recipe utilizes a clever blend of melted butter and oil. Melted butter infuses the muffins with a rich, classic buttery flavor, while the oil contributes an unparalleled level of moisture, ensuring your muffins stay tender for days. This combination also means no waiting for butter to soften, streamlining your baking process.
- Heavenly Crumble Topping: Each muffin is generously crowned with an easy-to-make, buttery crumble that bakes up to be wonderfully crisp and crunchy. This streusel topping adds a delightful textural contrast and an extra layer of sweetness that elevates these muffins from good to truly extraordinary.
- Versatile Berry Options: While blackberries are the star here, this recipe is incredibly adaptable. You can easily swap them out for other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or even chopped strawberries, making it a year-round favorite.
- Perfect for Any Occasion: Whether you’re looking for a quick grab-and-go breakfast, a lovely addition to your brunch spread, or a comforting snack with your afternoon tea, these muffins fit the bill perfectly.
If you’re seeking another perfect summer bake, our lemon zucchini bread offers equally delightful flavors. And for another unique muffin experience, be sure to try these indulgent red velvet muffins with a luscious cream cheese filling!
📝 Essential Ingredients for Bakery-Style Muffins
Read through for all the tips you will need for success!
Full steps and ingredients can be found in the detailed recipe card below.
- Butter & Oil: This winning combination is key to achieving the perfect muffin texture and flavor. The melted butter provides that rich, classic taste we all love, while a neutral-flavored oil (like vegetable or canola oil) adds superior moisture, keeping your muffins tender for longer. For the best flavor, always opt for good quality real butter, though a plant-based vegan butter can also work beautifully.
- Buttermilk: Buttermilk is truly a star ingredient here, contributing to the muffins’ incredibly moist and tender crumb, along with a subtle tang that complements the sweet blackberries. Store-bought buttermilk or kefir will yield the most consistent results. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, don’t fret! You can easily make your own by combining ¾ cup of room-temperature milk (dairy or a dairy-free alternative like soy or almond milk) with 2 teaspoons of white vinegar or apple cider vinegar. Let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it slightly curdles.
- Blackberries: The star fruit of these delightful muffins! You can use either fresh or frozen blackberries. If using frozen berries, there’s no need to defrost them; simply toss them directly into the batter. This recipe is also wonderfully versatile, so feel free to experiment with other berries like blueberries, raspberries, or even finely diced strawberries for a different flavor profile.
- All-Purpose Flour: Accurate flour measurement is crucial for achieving the perfect muffin consistency. We highly recommend weighing your flour using a kitchen scale for the most precise results. If you don’t have a scale, properly measure by first stirring the flour in its bag or container to aerate it, then gently spooning it into your measuring cup. Level off the excess with the flat edge of a knife, being careful not to pack the flour down into the cup. Over-packed flour leads to dense, dry muffins.
- Sugars (Granulated & Brown Sugar): Granulated sugar provides sweetness and helps with browning, while brown sugar in the crumble adds a deeper, molasses-rich flavor and a wonderfully chewy texture.
- Eggs: Large eggs, preferably at room temperature, help bind the ingredients, add richness, and contribute to the muffins’ structure and lift.
- Baking Powder: This leavening agent is essential for giving the muffins their signature domed tops and fluffy texture.
- Vanilla Extract & Lemon Juice: Pure vanilla extract enhances the overall flavor, adding warmth and depth. A touch of fresh lemon juice brightens the flavors and activates the baking powder, especially when combined with buttermilk, for an extra lift.
- Sea Salt: A pinch of sea salt balances the sweetness and brings out the vibrant flavors of the berries and other ingredients.
Any leftover buttermilk you might have can be put to excellent use in these delightful lemon poppy seed scones.
👩🍳 Step-by-Step: Crafting Your Blackberry Buttermilk Muffins
Preparation: Begin by preheating your oven to 195°C (385°F). Prepare a standard 12-hole muffin pan by lining it with either elegant tulip-style liners or regular paper liners. Alternatively, you can easily make your own charming DIY parchment paper muffin liners – keep reading for detailed instructions and photos on how to create them!
Step 1: Create the Crumble Base. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, all-purpose flour, and a pinch of salt. Use a fork or your fingertips to stir and mix these dry ingredients thoroughly until well combined.
Step 2: Form the Buttery Crumble. Pour the melted butter over the dry crumble mixture. Stir with a fork until the mixture comes together to form moist, lumpy crumbs. The texture should resemble coarse sand with some larger pea-sized clumps. Set this delightful crumble aside while you prepare the muffin batter.
Step 3: Flour the Blackberries. In a small bowl, gently toss the fresh or frozen blackberries with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour. This crucial step helps prevent the berries from sinking to the bottom of your muffins during baking, ensuring even distribution throughout each bite. Set them aside.
Step 4: Combine Wet Ingredients (Part 1). In a large, separate mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and granulated sugar until they are well combined and the mixture is slightly lighter in color and fluffy. This aeration helps create a tender crumb.
Step 5: Incorporate Remaining Wet Ingredients. To the egg and sugar mixture, add the melted butter (ensuring it’s cooled), vegetable oil, vanilla extract, fresh lemon juice, a pinch of salt, and the buttermilk. Whisk all these liquid ingredients together thoroughly until they are completely combined and smooth. This creates a homogeneous base for your muffins.
Step 6: Gently Mix Dry into Wet. Sift the remaining all-purpose flour and baking powder directly into the large bowl with your wet ingredients. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. The key here is to mix gently and stop as soon as no dry streaks of flour remain – a few lumps are perfectly fine and even desirable for moist muffins. Finally, gently fold in the flour-coated blackberries until they are evenly distributed throughout the batter.
Step 7: Fill and Top. Evenly divide the muffin batter among the prepared muffin liners, filling each one generously all the way to the top. This seemingly overfilled approach is what contributes to those beautiful, domed bakery-style tops. Once filled, liberally sprinkle the reserved crumble topping over each muffin.
Step 8: Bake to Golden Perfection. Transfer the muffin pan to your preheated oven and bake for 18-22 minutes. The muffins are ready when their tops are beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs attached. Allow them to cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack. Enjoy these warm, delicious treats!
✔️ Expert Tips for Perfect Blackberry Buttermilk Muffins
- Measure Your Flour Accurately: This is arguably the most crucial tip for any baking success, especially for these blackberry buttermilk muffins. Flour is often over-measured by volume, leading to dry, dense muffins. Invest in a simple kitchen scale – even the most affordable one will provide consistent results every time. If you must use measuring cups, remember to stir the flour, then gently spoon it into the cup, leveling off the top with a straight edge without packing it down.
- Do Not Overmix the Batter: Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour too much, resulting in tough, chewy muffins with an undesirable “tunneling” texture. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until no dry streaks of flour are visible. A few lumps in the batter are perfectly normal and actually preferred for a tender, fluffy muffin.
- Lightly Coat Blackberries with Flour: To prevent your juicy blackberries from sinking to the bottom of your bakery-style muffins, toss them with a teaspoon of flour before adding them to the batter. The flour creates a slight coating that helps the berries adhere to the batter, allowing them to remain suspended and evenly distributed throughout each muffin.
- Fill Muffin Liners Generously: For those coveted tall, domed muffin tops reminiscent of your favorite bakery, don’t be shy about filling your muffin liners almost all the way to the top. The generous amount of batter, combined with the initial high baking temperature, helps create that impressive rise.
- Avoid Overbaking at All Costs: Overbaking is the enemy of moist muffins. Keep a close eye on your muffins as they bake. They are ready when the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean, with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. If it comes out completely clean, they might be slightly overdone.
- Ensure Room Temperature Ingredients: For a smooth, emulsified batter and better rise, ensure your eggs and buttermilk are at room temperature. Cold ingredients can cause the batter to seize and affect the texture.
- Don’t Skip the Lemon Juice: The small amount of lemon juice isn’t just for flavor; it reacts with the baking powder and buttermilk to give your muffins an extra boost of lift and tenderness.
🥄 Make-Ahead and Storage Solutions
These delightful blackberry muffins are not only delicious but also incredibly freezer-friendly, making them an ideal choice for meal prepping or preparing ahead of time. You can bake a large batch and store them to enjoy whenever a craving strikes!
For freezing, allow the muffins to cool completely. Then, place them in an airtight container or a freezer-safe bag. They will maintain their quality in the freezer for up to 2 months. When you’re ready to enjoy, simply thaw them at room temperature or reheat gently in the microwave or oven until warm. Reheating in the oven is highly recommended as it will bring back that wonderful crispiness to the crumble topping.
If you plan to enjoy them within a few days, these muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container or bag for up to 3 days. This helps to preserve their moisture and fresh taste.
❔ How to Make Your Own DIY Bakery-Style Muffin Liners
Achieving that professional, elegant look of bakery-style muffins is easier than you think, even without special liners! For these muffins, I crafted my own DIY liners, and they are surprisingly simple to make, yet add an incredibly charming touch. These homemade parchment paper liners not only look adorable but also allow you to fill your muffin pan even higher, contributing to those desirable jumbo bakery-style muffin tops.
Step 1: Cut and Form with a Glass. Begin by cutting twelve square pieces of parchment paper, each measuring approximately 4″ to 5″ on all sides. Take a glass that fits comfortably into your muffin tin’s cavities and invert it onto a clean, flat surface. Center one parchment paper square over the bottom of the upside-down glass. Gently press the sides of the parchment paper down around the glass, creating creases that will define the shape of your liner.
Step 2: Place into Muffin Tin. Carefully lift the parchment paper off the glass. It should mostly hold its newly formed shape. Place this rustic liner into a cavity of your muffin tin. Repeat this process for the remaining eleven squares of parchment paper. Don’t worry if the liners don’t perfectly conform to the muffin tin at first; they will settle and take their final shape once you add the muffin batter, which will weigh them down.
🍞 Mastering the Art of the Perfect Muffin Dome
Achieving those impressive, high-domed muffin tops, a hallmark of bakery-style muffins, is a gratifying accomplishment. It’s not just about aesthetics; a well-domed muffin often signifies a beautifully risen, tender interior. Here’s how to master it:
Firstly, the consistency of your batter is paramount. You want a relatively thick muffin batter. A thick batter provides more structure and can hold more air bubbles, allowing for a higher rise without collapsing. If your batter is too thin, it will spread out rather than rise upwards.
Secondly, baking temperature plays a crucial role. Starting your muffins at a higher temperature, as this recipe suggests, creates an initial burst of steam. This steam rapidly expands the batter, causing it to rise quickly and set the dome shape before the interior fully bakes. After a few minutes at the high temperature, the temperature is typically reduced to allow the muffins to cook through without burning the tops.
Finally, filling your muffin liners almost to the brim, as advised in this recipe, works hand-in-hand with the thick batter and high heat. More batter means more material to rise, naturally contributing to a taller dome. To ensure optimal baking conditions for that perfect dome, we highly recommend using an oven thermometer. Oven temperatures can often be inaccurate by as much as 25-50 degrees, so verifying your oven’s actual temperature is a simple yet effective way to guarantee consistent and successful results every time.
For another recipe featuring beautifully domed muffins, try our decadent red velvet muffins, complete with a gooey cream cheese filling!
📖 Recipe FAQs – Your Buttermilk Muffin Questions Answered
This recipe strategically uses both butter and oil to give you the best of both worlds! Butter provides rich, delicious flavor, contributing to a more complex taste profile. Oil, on the other hand, is a liquid fat that helps keep the muffins exceptionally moist and tender, ensuring a beautiful, soft crumb that stays fresh longer. The combination creates a muffin that’s both flavorful and perfectly textured.
While you can certainly substitute granulated sugar for the brown sugar in the crumble, it will alter the final texture and flavor slightly. Granulated sugar will still create a crisp topping, but brown sugar adds a deeper, slightly caramel-like flavor and contributes to a chewier, more cohesive crumble. We tried both, and personally preferred the nuanced flavor and lovely golden color that brown sugar brings to the crumble.
Achieving those beautiful, rounded, bakery-style tops is a combination of a few factors! Firstly, the high initial baking temperature in this recipe creates a burst of steam, which helps the batter rise rapidly. Secondly, ensure you fill your muffin liners generously, almost all the way to the top. This extra volume of batter encourages a significant rise and a grand dome. Also, make sure your baking powder is fresh and active!
The best trick to prevent berries from sinking is to coat them lightly with a teaspoon of flour before folding them into the batter. This thin flour coating creates friction and helps the berries cling to the batter, allowing them to rise evenly during baking. Additionally, this recipe utilizes a relatively thick muffin batter, which inherently helps suspend the berries better than a thin batter would. Even with these steps, a few berries might settle, but the majority will remain beautifully distributed.
Absolutely! This recipe is incredibly adaptable to other types of berries. Blueberries, raspberries, and even sliced strawberries would work wonderfully as substitutes. Just use them in the same quantity and follow the same flour-coating step as you would with blackberries. For an autumn twist, finely diced apples or pears could also be a delicious addition!
Yes, you can definitely use frozen berries! The key is to add them directly to the batter while they are still frozen. Do not defrost them first, as defrosting can release too much moisture into your batter, potentially making your muffins soggy or affecting their texture. Coating them in flour is still a good idea.
Yes, you can absolutely make these into regular-sized muffins by using a standard muffin tin. Just follow all the same instructions regarding preparation and baking. For those beautiful domed tops, remember to fill the liners generously – don’t be afraid to fill them almost completely to the top. The generous fill and high initial baking temperature are key to their signature bakery-style appearance.
🥞 More Delicious Related Recipes to Explore
- Chocolate Vegan Muffins with Chocolate Chips
- Salted Caramel Cake with Blackberries
- Blueberry Lemon Pancakes
- Red Velvet Muffins
Did you make this delightful recipe? We would absolutely love for you to rate this recipe and share your thoughts in the comments below! Share your delicious creation on Instagram and tag @flouringkitchen. Follow us on Pinterest for even more inspiring recipe ideas and baking tips.
📖 Recipe
The Best Bakery-Style Blackberry Buttermilk Muffins
Mary
Pin Recipe
Shop Ingredients
Equipment
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12-hole regular sized muffin tin
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Bakery-style tulip muffin liners or regular liners (make your own like I did – check the notes section for instructions!)
Ingredients
Crumble Topping
- ¼ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup granulated sugar
- ¾ cup all purpose flour 90g
- ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted
Muffin Batter
- 1 cup blackberries fresh or frozen
- 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup butter melted and cooled to room temperature
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice (juice of about half a lemon)
- ¾ cup buttermilk room temperature
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 ¼ cup all purpose flour 270g
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
Shop Ingredients on Jupiter
Instructions
Crumble Topping
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In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, flour, and sea salt. Stir well with a fork until all dry ingredients are evenly mixed.¼ cup brown sugar, ¼ cup granulated sugar, ¾ cup all purpose flour, ⅛ teaspoon sea salt
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Pour in the melted butter and stir with a fork until the mixture forms coarse, lumpy crumbs. Set this crumble aside while you proceed with the muffin batter.¼ cup unsalted butter
Muffins
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Preheat your oven to 195°C (385°F). Prepare a regular 12-hole muffin pan by lining each cavity with tulip-style or regular paper muffin liners. (Refer to the notes section for instructions on how to create your own DIY parchment paper liners.)
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In a separate small bowl, gently toss the blackberries with 1 teaspoon of all-purpose flour to prevent them from sinking.1 cup blackberries, 1 teaspoon all purpose flour
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In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the room temperature eggs, granulated sugar, and ¼ teaspoon sea salt until well combined and slightly lightened.2 large eggs, ¾ cup granulated sugar, ¼ teaspoon sea salt
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Add the cooled melted butter, vegetable oil, lemon juice, room temperature buttermilk, and vanilla extract to the egg mixture. Whisk everything together thoroughly until smooth and fully incorporated.¼ cup butter, ¼ cup vegetable oil, 1 tablespoon lemon juice, ¾ cup buttermilk, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
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Sift the remaining 2 ¼ cups all-purpose flour and baking powder directly over the wet ingredients in the large bowl. Using a spatula, fold the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined and no dry streaks of flour are visible. Be careful not to overmix; lumps are fine.2 ¼ cup all purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder
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Gently fold in the flour-coated blackberries until they are evenly distributed. Immediately scoop the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each almost completely full to encourage high domes. Liberally sprinkle the reserved crumble mixture over the top of each muffin.
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Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs attached. Allow to cool slightly before serving and enjoying!
Video
Notes
Crumble: If you’re looking for a simpler muffin or prefer to omit the crumble, you absolutely can! Just follow the recipe instructions for the muffin batter and baking, simply skipping the crumble topping steps.
How to Make DIY Muffin Liners
Cut out twelve square pieces of parchment paper, each measuring about 4″ to 5″ on all sides. Take a drinking glass that fits snugly into your muffin tin’s cavities and flip it upside down on your counter. Center one parchment paper square over the bottom of the inverted glass. Gently press the sides of the parchment paper down around the glass, forming creases that will create your liner’s shape.
Carefully lift the formed parchment paper off the glass – it should mostly hold its shape. Place this homemade liner into a muffin tin cavity. Repeat with the remaining parchment paper squares. Don’t worry if the liners don’t perfectly conform to the muffin tin at this stage; they will settle and hold their shape once the muffin batter is added and weighs them down during baking.