Brown Butter Blackberry Streusel Muffins
These muffins have been on repeat in my kitchen lately, and for good reason. They’re soft and golden with little pockets of juicy blackberry in every bite, and the browned butter adds the kind of nutty richness that makes them feel a little extra special. The crumbly streusel on top? Just the right amount of sweet to balance out the tart berries. If you love blackberry muffins, these are a must-try in your home.
I love making a batch of these blackberry muffins on slow weekend mornings and saving the extras for weekday snacks or breakfast on the go. They’re simple to make but still feel like a treat—exactly the kind of bake I always come back to.
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Recipe Tips
Browned butter is the secret star of this blackberry muffin recipe—watch it closely so it doesn’t burn. The moment it turns golden and smells nutty, pull it off the heat.
Don’t overmix the batter once the wet and dry ingredients are combined. A few lumps are okay and keep the texture tender.
For even taller muffin tops, let the batter rest for 10–15 minutes before baking. It helps activate the leavening agents and gives a better rise.
If using frozen berries, coat them in 1 tbsp flour before folding in. This helps them stay suspended in the batter, perfect for creating delicious blackberry muffins.
Streusel can be made in advance and stored in the fridge—sometimes I double it and keep extra for topping other bakes later in the week.
Ingredient Swaps:
No dairy? ? Use plant-based butter and a thick dairy-free yogurt (like coconut or cashew). The blackberry muffins will still be soft and flavorful with that same bakery-style texture.
No maple syrup? ? You can use honey or agave instead, though the flavor will shift slightly sweeter.
Don’t have blackberries? ? Swap with blueberries, raspberries, or chopped strawberries. Frozen berries also work—just fold them in straight from the freezer to prevent color bleeding.
Want a gluten-free version? ? Use a 1:1 gluten-free all-purpose flour blend with xanthan gum included.
Amp up the cozy? ? Add ½ tsp of cinnamon or cardamom to the streusel for a warm, spiced twist.
Storage Tips: Once cooled, store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If you’d like to keep them longer, refrigerate for up to 5 days. For freezing, wrap each muffin individually or place them on a tray to flash freeze before transferring to a freezer-safe bag or container. Blackberry muffins will keep well in the freezer for up to 2 months. To reheat, microwave for 20–30 seconds or warm in a 300°F oven for about 8–10 minutes.
Meal Prep Tips: These muffins are great for making ahead. You can prepare the batter and streusel the night before—store them separately in the fridge, then bake fresh in the morning. They also freeze beautifully, so I often make a double batch and stash half away for busy weeks. Just grab one from the freezer, pop it in the microwave, and you’ve got a cozy breakfast or snack in seconds. They’re especially handy to have around during back-to-school season or if you’re trying to keep weekday mornings low-effort but still delicious.
more recipes to try:
Brown Butter Blackberry Streusel Muffins
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 1 ¾ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 3/4 cup maple syrup
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup plain Greek yogurt or sour cream
- ¼ cup milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ¼ cups fresh blackberries (cut in half if large)
For the Streusel:
- 3 tbsp melted butter
- 1/3 cup flour
- 3 tbsp coconut sugar
- Pinch of salt
- Optional: dash of cinnamon
For the Glaze:
- ½ cup powdered sugar
- 1-2 tbsp milk
- ¼ tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a small pan, melt butter over medium heat. Stir frequently until golden brown and nutty-smelling (4–6 min). Let cool slightly.
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a muffin pan with 9 liners for tall muffins (or 12 for smaller).
- For streusel, mix flour, brown sugar, salt, and melted butter until crumbly. Set aside.
- In a bowl, whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- In another bowl, whisk brown butter, maple syrup, eggs, yogurt, milk, and vanilla.
- Fold wet into dry until just combined.
- Gently fold in blackberries (don’t overmix or they’ll turn the batter purple).
- Divide batter into muffin cups, filling nearly to the top for a nice dome.
- Sprinkle each generously with streusel.
- Bake for 18–22 min until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Let cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to wire rack.
- Whisk glaze ingredients and drizzle over cooled muffins. Add a few extra berries on top if desired.
