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Brown Butter Blueberry Crumb Muffins

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Brown Butter Blueberry Crumb Muffins are the fluffy, nutty, slightly sweet breakfast of your dreams. . .Run, don’t walk, to the kitchen and whip up a batch today!

brown butter blueberry crumb muffin split open with butter melting on it

Ohmygosh you guys! I’ve got you covered for breakfast this weekend. I’m telling you, you’re gonna want these muffins. I’m eating one right now because I made the brilliant decision to snag one out of the freezer before I left on a mini road trip (!) this afternoon.

But I wish I’d made the even more brilliant decision to grab three or four. I’m in Arizona at the moment kicking myself for only bringing one with me. It would be crazy to drive all the way home to get another right?

Maybe not so crazy because these are not just any blueberry muffins. They’re made with brown butter. Nutty, caramel-y BROWN BUTTER! And topped with a sweet-n-crunchy crumb topping. And jam-packed with juicy blueberries.

Yeah, they’re not your ordinary muffin.

overhead shot of brown butter blueberry crumb muffins in the muffin tin before they are baked

Don’t get me wrong; I love an average, run-of-the mill muffin. They don’t make a regular appearance in my breakfast rotation because I try NOT to eat cake for breakfast most days, and let’s be real, muffins are basically cake you can spread butter on. (Which is, of course, the best thing ever.)

But I do try to balance out the buttered cake every once in a while. Oatmeal on the weekdays, something non-oatmeal on the weekends or as a post-road trip snack. Life’s about balance.

Enter these beauties. They’re super-moist and so, SO fluffy, and just the right amount of sweet. And that brown butter smell as they bake? Let’s just say you know what I’m talking about if you’ve ever thrown some brown butter into a baked good.

If you’ve never thrown some brown butter into a baked good then get ready. There’s no turning back. Run, don’t walk, to the fridge and make sure you have about three pounds of butter because you’re going to want to start adding brown butter to every-every-EVERYTHING.

brown butter blueberry crumb muffins in the muffin tin after they're baked

What is brown butter exactly? It’s butter that’s been heated until the water cooks out, leaving the milk solids to get toasty and brown. (That’s where the name comes from I imagine.) The result is this gorgeous, delicious, nutty stuff that you can spread on toast/pour over pasta/eat right out of the pan. (Not that I’ve ever eaten brown butter right out of the pan or anything.)

It’s super simple to make and you really will want to make tons of it. This is not hyperbole.

But use your first bit of brown butter in these muffins. You won’t be sorry.

Note: I did my best to explain the brown butter process in the recipe below. Don’t be discouraged if you burn your first attempt—I did. The key is to keep your heat low, even lower than I suggest if you have a tendency to burn things. It will just take a little longer to brown. And after that first time you’ll know what you’re doing and it will become second nature. If my explanation isn’t thorough enough you can google “how to brown butter.” There are bazillions of explanations out there.

Annnnnnd I’m still thinking about those muffins at home in my freezer. I might just make that five-hour drive to get another. Worth it. . .you’ll see.

muffin with the wrapper slightly unpeeled with more brown butter blueberry crumb muffins in the background

Print
Brown Butter Blueberry Crumb Muffins
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
25 mins
Total Time
45 mins
 

Brown butter blueberry crumb muffins are nutty, sweet, and they'll be your new favorite breakfast!

Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 18
Author: Kelsie
Ingredients
Muffins:
  • 8 tablespoons unsalted butter divided
  • 1 3/4 cups all-purpose
  • 2 1/4 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup light brown sugar
  • 2 large eggs + 1 large egg yolk
  • 3/4 cup whole milk
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 1/2 cups blueberries fresh or frozen
Crumb topping:
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/4 cup finely chopped pecans
  • 3 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 6 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
Muffins:
  1. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line 18 muffin cups with paper liners or spray with cooking spray. Set pan aside.
  2. Place 6 tablespoons of the butter in a pan with a light bottom (so you can see when the butter starts to brown). Set the pan over medium heat and melt the butter, swirling the pan occasionally to ensure the butter melts evenly. Once it’s fully melted, begin stirring with a whisk. The butter will begin to foam, deepen in color, and little flecks of brown will start to come up from the bottom of the pan. Remove from the heat a few seconds after those flecks appear, but continue whisking for another 30 or 40 seconds. Pour into a small bowl, leaving as many of those brown flecks as possible in the pan. Allow butter to cool to room temperature before finishing the muffins.
Crumb topping:
  1. While brown butter is cooling, make the topping. Combine the all ingredients except butter in a medium bowl. Stir in the melted butter until the mixture forms clumps about the size of peas. Set aside.
  2. Once brown butter has cooled, finish the muffins. Whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl. Combine the sugar, eggs, egg yolk, and cooled brown butter in a large bowl and beat on low speed with an electric mixer until combined. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter and beat into the mixture. Beat in the milk and vanilla. Add the flour mixture, then beat on low speed until flour is fully incorporated. Gently fold in the blueberries.
  3. Divide batter evenly between the prepared muffin cups, filling each cup about 3/4 of the way full. Sprinkle each with crumb topping and bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then serve and enjoy.

Adapted from Food and Wine

Comments

  5. David | Spiced says

    So blueberry crumb muffins happen to be my first love, Kelsie. I’m not kidding one bit either! I could easily down a whole tray of muffins. Like you, I enjoy a good run-of-the-mill muffin, but blueberry muffins with a crumb topping hold a special place in my heart. But I’ve never added brown butter. Now I’m intrigued! I need to get on that one asap…but I just gotta wait until there’s a group of people around since I suspect I’d eat the whole tray by myself. Oops.

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Definitely don’t make these when you’re by yourself. They’re dangerous even if you don’t love a blueberry crumb muffin! I’m telling you David, brown butter makes these so ridiculous you’ll wonder why you haven’t been making muffins with brown butter FOREVER!

      Reply

  8. wearenotmartha says

    As if blueberry muffins aren’t delicious enough, you went and added brown butter to them!! I totally wouldn’t even blame you at all if you drove back home to get more of these 🙂

    Sues

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      You’re right! I was so caught up in my muffin I didn’t even think to go out in search of something yummy locally. Next time. . .thank you, Heather!

      Reply

  14. evolvewithmary says

    I love muffins especially when they are filled with fruit. All those blueberries and that crumb topping makes my mouth water. This is a great muffin for spring. I’ve never used brown butter in muffins before. Can’t wit to try it.

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you so much! I love fruity muffins too :). You’ll love brown butter in muffins, Mary. It adds this incredible flavor you’ll never want to live without again.

      Reply

  15. Cheyanne @ No Spoon Necessary says

    I haven’t even tried these muffins yet, and I already want them all week long on repeat!!!! I’m obsessed with all things crumb related, and your use of brown butter seriously has me swooning!! These look perfect, girl! Cheers!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you dear Cheyanne! Anything is perfect with a crumb topping isn’t it? It’s always irresistible! Have a great week!

      Reply

  18. Dawn @ Girl Heart Food says

    I love butter on my muffins. Well, to be honest I just love butter. For reals. And brown butter?? OMG! Can someone bottle that up and put that scent in a candle or something? These blueberry muffins look so moist and that crumb topping is the icing on the cake, or er, muffin 😉 Would love one of these right now with a big cup of coffee….and then another for a snack around 10am….hehehe! You’ll have to have extra when you get back from your road trip. Have a good one 🙂 !!

    Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Thank you so much, Grace! Why does brown butter have to be so so so delicious! Let’s make a deal to use it in ALL of our baking 🙂

      Reply

    • Kelsie says

      Haha! They really are worthy of the longest road trip ever :). Brown butter makes ALL THINGS better. Thank you, Carlee!

      Reply

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