Blueberry Orange Muffins

Tangy, sweet and fluffy, these Blueberry Orange Muffins are the best way to start the day. Zesty orange and tart blueberry are the perfect unexpected combination.

This post contains affiliate links.

Blueberry Orange Muffins Recipe

What better way to start the day than with a delightfully fluffy muffin? Honestly, I can't think of a better one.

Slightly sweet and delicious, these orange muffins sing of flavor. The combination of oranges and blueberries is stellar.

A lot of people know of lemon blueberry muffins, so you shouldn't be surprised that orange works just as well - possibly even better. Oranges are sweeter than lemons, but they still have the sour vibes you get from any citrus.

Ingredients

Blueberry muffins can be made with fresh, frozen or canned blueberries. If you decide to use frozen berries, you don't need to thaw them.

Fresh oranges are ideal for these muffins so you can use the zest and the juice. Cara Cara and Navel Oranges both work well with this recipe, but you can use any type of oranges.

Upgrade any of your baked goods with the best ingredients you can afford. A high-quality flour, sugar and vanilla extract make any muffin taste better. Also, be sure your baking powder is fresh!

Variations

You can make dairy-free muffins if you want. Substitute your preferred dairy-free milk and use melted coconut oil or a neutral oil instead of butter. The texture will stay soft.

Add poppy seeds! Everyone loves my recipe for lemon poppy seed muffins, and those crunchy seeds are delicious in other recipes as well. And if you happen to be out of blueberries, you can make orange poppy seed muffins instead.

Hot Tip: Use a gluten-free 1:1 flour substitute, such as King Arthur Measure for Measure Flour, to make this recipe without gluten.

How to Make Blueberry Orange Muffins

Start by preheating your oven so it's good and hot when you add the batter. Line your muffin tin with paper liners and set it aside.

Tips and Tricks

• Zest first, then juice. The orange flavor will taste brighter if you use the zest. Rub it into the sugar with your fingertips before mixing to release the citrus oils. It makes a big difference in aroma and flavor.
• Toss the blueberries in a bit of flour. This keeps them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins and helps them stay evenly distributed. Frozen berries work too - don't thaw them first.
• Don't overmix the batter. Stir just until everything comes together. A few streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing leads to dense muffins, while a light hand keeps the crumb tender and fluffy.

How to Store Muffins

Muffins are best eaten when they're fresh, but they can be just as good a day or two later - or even a month later - if you store them properly.

I have a whole post about how to store and freeze muffins, but here's the gist:

Store in an airtight container, lined with paper towels to help collect condensation from residual heat in the muffins. Make sure they are completely cooled for best results.

The best way to store muffins depends on how soon you want to eat them: 

• Within 3 days of baking them: Store them on the countertop at room temperature. 
• In the next few days: Store them in the fridge, but with the risk of a change in texture. Alternatively, store what you'll eat in the next few days using the countertop method, then freeze the rest. 
• Within the next 3 months: Store them in the freezer - reheat when you get a muffin craving! 

Muffin Recipe FAQs

More Muffin Recipes

• Basic Muffin Recipe
• Pumpkin Muffins
• Chocolate Muffins
• Banana Bread Muffins