Blueberry Muffins with Streusel

There’s no better way to start the morning than with some homemade blueberry muffins. This filled muffin recipe achieves the perfect balance between the sweetness of the batter, the slight tartness of the blueberries, and a fluffy texture thanks to the buttermilk inside, with a golden crust on the outside. But what really makes them irresistible is the streusel – that crispy and slightly caramelised topping that adds a special touch. However, the real game-changer when baking them is using a Lodge cast iron muffin pan.

Cast iron is unbeatable for baking: it retains heat better than any other material and distributes it evenly, ensuring that the batter rises well, bakes evenly, and develops a golden, slightly crispy surface. Baking muffins in an aluminium or silicone mould just isn’t the same as using cast iron… and once you taste them, you’ll notice the difference.

Moreover, these muffins have streusel, a crispy and slightly caramelised topping that makes them even more special.

Another secret to this recipe is buttermilk, which enhances the flavour and adds incredible moisture. With all these little details, these muffins become an essential treat – perfect for a special breakfast or as an indulgent afternoon snack.

So, preheat the oven, grab your cast iron pan, and get ready to enjoy muffins that not only smell amazing while baking but also taste delicious. Let’s get baking! (You’ll find the step-by-step video recipe below).

Ingredients

For the muffin batter:

• 55 g unsalted butter, at room temperature
• 100 g sugar, plus 10 g extra
• 1 egg
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 120 g wheat flour*, plus 7.5 g extra
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 60 ml buttermilk
• 1 cup blueberries, washed and dried

For the streusel topping**:

• 30 g wheat flour
• 10 g sugar
• 15 g brown sugar
• 20 g unsalted butter
• 10 ml milk

Preparation

1. Preheat the oven to 220°C.
2. Let’s make the streusel: In a bowl, mix the first four ingredients with a fork until pea-sized crumbs form. Add the milk and mix well. Set aside.
3. Now for the muffin batter: In a separate bowl, using a hand mixer or a KitchenAid with a whisk attachment, beat the butter and sugar until soft and fluffy.
4. Add the egg and vanilla and continue beating until fully combined.
5. In another bowl, sift together the flour, salt, and baking powder and mix well.
6. Gradually add the flour mixture and buttermilk to the batter, alternating between them, until fully incorporated.
7. Mix the blueberries with the remaining flour and sugar, then gently fold them into the batter, stirring just enough to distribute them evenly.
   
8. Pour the batter into a greased muffin pan and sprinkle the streusel topping over the top.
9. Bake for 20-25 minutes, until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the centre comes out clean.
10. Let them cool on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then run a knife around the edges and carefully remove them from the pan.
11. Allow to cool completely before serving.

Tips & Tricks:

• *If you want lighter muffins, you can substitute plain flour with cake flour.
• *The streusel topping is very similar to the popular crumble, but there are slight differences. Streusel is a finer, sandier topping, typically used for muffins, cakes, and pastries, made with flour, sugar, and butter, sometimes with nuts or cinnamon. Crumble, on the other hand, has a chunkier, more rustic texture with larger pieces and is mostly used for baked fruit desserts like classic apple crumble. Additionally, crumble often contains oats or almonds for extra texture.
• If you prefer, you can place muffin liners in the pan cavities. The heat from the cast iron pan will still bake the batter beautifully, but liners make removal easier and save you from cleaning the pan.