Blueberry Banana Muffins with Sour Cream

My blueberry banana muffins combine sweet mashed bananas with bursts of juicy blueberries for a fruity muffin with a tender, buttery crumb. Sour cream is my go-to ingredient to keep the muffins moist. I bake these muffins with a quick blast of high heat before finishing at a lower temperature, which creates tall domed tops with the perfect texture.

The Story Behind These Muffins

This blueberry banana muffin recipe started with a smoothie. One day I blended bananas and fresh blueberries because that’s what I had on hand. I was so surprised with how good it tasted, that I knew I had to make a muffin.

I built this recipe from my base recipe for banana muffins with sour cream, then adjusted it to handle the extra fruit.

If you enjoy fruit forward muffins like my lemon blueberry muffins or heartier options like whole wheat blueberry muffins, this one fits right in between. It has the comfort of banana muffins with the fruity sweetness of blueberries.

My Recipe Development Notes

• Adding more flour for structure. Because I was trying to pack in as many blueberries as possible, I added more flour than my base base banana muffin recipe to support the weight and the fruit and to keep the center of the muffins from becoming gummy.
• Start with high heat in the oven. Usually I start my muffin recipes at 400°F, then reduce the temperature to 350°F to finish baking. But to ensure my muffins overcame the weight of the fruit and ended up with a nice dome, I started at 425°F and then finished at 350°F.

Fresh or Frozen Blueberries, Which Should You Use?

I tested these blueberry banana muffins with both fresh and frozen blueberries, and the muffins tasted great with both.

When blueberries are in season, ripe, and sweet, fresh berries are wonderful. But here’s the important part. Out of season fresh blueberries can taste bland and watery. When that happens, they dilute flavor instead of adding it.

That’s why I recommend frozen blueberries for this recipe. Frozen berries are picked at peak ripeness, which means they’re typically sweet, which means you can make these muffins any time of the year. Plus they're less likely to break when mixing the batter.

Blueberry Banana Muffins Ingredients

• Blueberries: For this recipe you can use fresh or frozen blueberries. I prefer frozen blueberries because they are typically sweet. I recommend only using fresh blueberries when they are in season. They are more likely to be sweet. Out of season blueberries tend to be taste bland and watery (and more expensive).
• Ground Cardamom: I love using cardamom in this recipe. The citrusy floral vibe of this spice goes really well with the sweetness of the blueberries and banana.

Full ingredients, measurements, and instructions are in the recipe card at the bottom of this post.

How to Make Blueberry and Banana Muffins

Step 1: Place the flour, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and whisk to combine. Set the dry ingredients to the side.

Step 2: Place the granulated sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl and whisk to combine.

Step 3: Add the eggs and whisk until the batter is lighter in color and smooth.

Step 4: Mash the bananas with a fork, then whisk them by hand to make them smoother.

Step 5: Whisk in the pureed bananas, melted butter, and sour cream. Let the batter sit for 5 minutes

Step 6: Add half the flour and fold it in with a silicone spatula. Add the remaining flour.

Step 7: The batter is now ready to bake.

Step 8: Divide the batter between a 12-cup muffin pan lined with paper liners.

Step 9: Bake the muffins first at 425°F, then at 350°F for a total baking time of 20-22 minutes.

Step 10: Remove the muffins from the oven, let them cool in the muffin tin, then move them to the

Tips for Successfully Making These Muffins

• Cool the butter before adding it.  If it is too hot, it can partially cook the eggs and affect texture.
• Let the batter rest briefly after adding sour cream.  This gives more time for the sugar to dissolve and make the muffins more moist, since sugar adds moisture.
• Use an instant read thermometer if unsure.  These muffins are done around 200°F internally. That takes the guesswork out of baking time.
• Do not skip the temperature shift.  That initial high heat is key for getting tall bakery style tops, especially with the added weight of blueberries.

If you make these fruity banana muffins please leave a rating and a comment below.

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Blueberry Banana Muffins with Sour Cream

5 from 1 vote

Prep Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 25 minutes minutes

Cooling Time: 5 minutes minutes

Total Time: 53 minutes minutes

I love the combination of the banana and blueberries in these incredibly moist and fruity muffins. Somehow these two fruits bring out the best in each other. Sour cream helps them stay moist and my tried and true method ensure tender delicious muffins.

Servings: 12 muffins

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Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Author: Cheryl Norris

Equipment

• ▢
  12-cup Muffin Pan
• ▢
  Digital Scale
• ▢
  Mixing Bowls
• ▢
  Large Whisk
• ▢
  Silicone Spatula

Ingredients

• ▢ 1/2 cup (113 grams) unsalted butter melted and cooled
• ▢ 2 cups (250 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour plus 2 teaspoons
• ▢ 1-1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• ▢ 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 1/2 teaspoon ground cardamom
• ▢ 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
• ▢ 1-1/2 cups (227 grams) mashed bananas about 3 medium bananas
• ▢ 2 large (100 grams) eggs room temperature
• ▢ 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1/2 cup (120 grams) full-fat sour cream room temperature
• ▢ 2 cups (295 grams) frozen blueberries divided

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Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 425°F. Add paper liners to a 12-cup muffin pan. Measure out the blueberries. Put them in a bowl or bag and put that container back into the freezer until ready to use the blueberries. Do not let the blueberries thaw.

Make the Muffin Batter

• Melt the butter over medium low heat and cool until it is barely warm, about 90°F. Crack the eggs into a small bowl.
• Place 2 cups (250 grams) of flour, the baking soda, and salt in a bowl and whisk for 30 seconds to combine.
• Place the sugar, cinnamon, and cardamom in a large bowl. Add the eggs and vanilla extract. Whisk for 1 minute until the mixture is creamy and lighter in color.
• Place the bananas in a medium sized bowl and use a fork or potato smasher to mash them up. Then use a whisk to make them creamy. Add the bananas to the batter and mix until fully incorporated.
• Add the cooled melted butter and whisk until thoroughly mixed. Next whisk in the sour cream and let the batter sit for 5 minutes.
• Toss 1-1/2 cups (225 grams) of the blueberries with 2 teaspoons of flour.
• Add 1/2 of the dry ingredients to the batter and fold it with a silicone spatula until incorporated. Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix in until there are no white streaks of flour. Scrape the bottom of the bowl to ensure all the ingredients are thoroughly combined. Add the blueberries and fold them into the batter.

Bake the Muffins

• Divide the batter even between the 12 muffin cups. Take the remaining blueberries and top each muffin with 3-4 blueberries. Bake the muffins at 425°F for 7 minutes and then without opening the oven door reduce the temperature to 350°F. Bake the muffins for another 14-16 minutes until the internal temperature registers at about 200°F using an instant-read thermometers.
• Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes, them move the muffins to a wire cooling rack.

Store the Muffins

• The muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days. To freeze the muffins wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Store the muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container. Label and date the bag and freeze for up to 2 months.
• To reheat the muffins, thaw them overnight in the refrigerator or at room temperature for about an hour. Warm the muffins in the microwave or in the oven for 5 minutes at 350°F.

Notes

Preventing Blueberry Sinking: Tossing he blueberries with flour creates a light coating that helps suspend them in the batter. The remaining blueberries for topping don't need this treatment.

Room Temperature Ingredients: Room temperature eggs and sour cream incorporate more smoothly into the batter, preventing overmixing and creating a more uniform texture.

High-Heat Start: The initial 425°F bake creates a burst of steam that helps the muffins rise quickly and develop tall, domed tops. Reducing to 350°F ensures the centers bake through without over-browning the exterior.

Doneness Test: An internal temperature of 200°F ensures fully baked muffins without overbaking. The muffins should spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs.

 

Nutrition

Calories: 324kcal | Carbohydrates: 53g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 11g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 28mg | Sodium: 222mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 20g | Vitamin A: 337IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 2mg

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