Brown Butter Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

Hey my dudes!

Brown Butter Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins take regular blueberry muffins to a whole new level. Despite the long name, these muffins are absolutely delicious.

One of the first things I learned to bake on my own were blueberry muffins from a Betty Crocker box mix. They didn’t even have real blueberries, just little blue sprinkles that were supposed to be blueberry-flavored. I loved them and felt so proud of myself for making them. As I’ve grown and improved my baking skills, this recipe has evolved too. I’ve swapped out regular milk for tangy buttermilk and replaced oil with brown butter to add layers of flavor because we love layers of flavor in this household.

Before you dive into making these muffins, let’s talk about a few key ingredients.

Brown Butter

My preferred method for browning butter is what I like to call the “babysitting method.” Start by placing your pot of butter over medium-high heat. Whisk continuously and keep a close eye on it. You’re aiming for the butter solids to turn a pale golden color. Once they start to take on some color, turn off the stove but keep whisking for another minute or two. The residual heat will continue to brown the butter without burning it, and you can let it cool in the pot while you attend to other things. I find this method more reliable because if I try to brown the butter on low heat and whisk occasionally, I usually end up burning it and feeling disappointed.

Buttermilk

If you live in the US, buttermilk is pretty straightforward—just buy it from the grocery store. However, if you live in Sweden, finding buttermilk can be a bit trickier. Buttermilk is the liquid left over from the butter-making process. When you separate the fat (butter) from cream, you’re left with a low-fat liquid (buttermilk). In Swedish, this is known as “kärnmjölk.” From my experience, it can be challenging to find kärnmjölk in Sweden, particularly in Stockholm. The best substitute I’ve found is lättfilmjölk. Regular fil has 3% fat, while lättfil has 0.5% fat, similar to buttermilk. It’s best to use lättfilmjölk if possible, but you can use whatever you have at home or can find.

Blueberries

I’m using wild Swedish blueberries for this recipe. They are small and blue all the way through. These blueberries grow abundantly throughout the entire country. You can’t walk two feet in the woods here without stumbling upon blueberry bushes. Some sources claim that Swedish blueberries are what Americans refer to as “bilberries.” However, my dad gets frozen wild blueberries from Maine at his local Ralphs, and they look the same as the Swedish ones, so I’m not entirely sure.

I prefer using frozen berries as they don’t release as much juice during the baking process. However, feel free to use whatever type of blueberries you can get your hands on—fresh or frozen, small wild blueberries, or larger cultivated ones. Any kind should work just fine.

These Brown Butter Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins are, in my opinion, very forgiving. Use the ingredients that are available to you, and the result will turn out great. Happy baking!

Print Recipe

Brown Butter Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins

Brown Butter Buttermilk Blueberry Muffins are like normal blueberry muffins but with the volume turned up. They are delicious and simple and are perfect for brunch, fika, or anything in between.

Ingredients

• 80 g unsalted butter
• 115 g sugar
• Zest of 1/2 lemon
• 180 g buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 7 g baking powder
• 2 g baking soda
• 5 g salt
• 200 g all-purpose flour
• 150 g blueberries

Instructions

• Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Prepare a muffin tray by lining it with muffin liners.
• In a small pot, melt the unsalted butter over medium-high heat until it turns a light golden brown color. Continuously whisk the butter to prevent it from burning. Once browned, remove from heat and keep whisking for a short while. This residual heat will continue to brown the butter slightly.
• Transfer the browned butter to a bowl and add the sugar. Stir to combine, allowing the butter to cool down slightly.
• Pour in the buttermilk and whisk until well mixed. Add the egg and a splash of vanilla extract. Whisk again until the mixture is smooth.
• Zest the lemon directly into the bowl and add the baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk everything together until the mixture starts to thicken.
• Switch to a spatula and gradually add the all-purpose flour to the bowl. Mix until there are no more streaks of flour in the batter.
• Gently fold in the blueberries, being careful not to overmix. This will prevent the entire batter from turning blue.
• Use a large scoop or spoon to distribute the batter evenly into the prepared muffin tray. Fill each muffin liner about 3/4 full. If there is any leftover batter, distribute it among the muffins.
• Place the muffin tray in the preheated oven and bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until the muffins turn golden brown.
• Remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the tray for a few minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Enjoy your delicious homemade blueberry muffins!

Video

Notes

You can sub milk for buttermilk if you don’t like buttermilk.
You can sub normal melted butter for the browned butter if you don’t feel like browning it.
You can skip the lemon zest or add the zest of a whole lemon instead of a half.
All of these things add layers of flavor, but you do whatever you want with your muffins. Do your own thing! Be free!