featured 4175

Moist Blueberry Orange Muffins with Zesty Citrus Glaze

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

Three blueberry orange muffins with crumb topping stacked on a cooling rack, with loose blueberries and a slice of orange nearby.

Blueberry Orange Muffins Recipe

There’s nothing like a warm, fluffy muffin to kick off the morning. Slightly sweet with bright citrus notes, these Blueberry Orange Muffins combine two favorite fruits for a flavor that’s fresh and satisfying. They’re easy to make from scratch and work especially well for relaxed weekend breakfasts.

If you love lemon-blueberry muffins, you’ll find orange pairs just as well—often with a sweeter, more mellow citrus flavor. Use fresh oranges for the best zest and juice, and choose quality staples like fresh flour, sugar and pure vanilla to elevate the final result.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

  • Light, tender crumb with vibrant orange flavor and juicy blueberries in every bite.
  • Simple, from-scratch method—no boxed mixes required.
  • These muffins freeze nicely, so you can enjoy a batch later without sacrificing taste or texture.
Overhead view of labeled baking ingredients for Blueberry Orange Muffins, including flour, sugar, butter, oats, orange juice, salt, baking powder, egg, avocado oil, and blueberries on a colorful surface.

Ingredients

These muffins work with fresh or frozen blueberries; if using frozen, no thawing is necessary. Fresh oranges are best because you’ll use both zest and juice—Cara Cara or Navel oranges are excellent choices.

To make dairy-free muffins, substitute dairy-free milk and use melted coconut oil or another neutral oil in place of butter. For gluten-free muffins, use a 1:1 gluten-free flour substitute.

Muffins

  • 1½ cups all-purpose flour
  • ¾ cup sugar
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1 egg (room temperature)
  • ¾ cup fresh-squeezed orange juice (pulp optional)
  • ⅓ cup avocado oil (or neutral oil)
  • 1 tablespoon orange zest
  • 1½ cups fresh (or frozen) blueberries

Topping

  • ¼ cup softened butter
  • ½ cup sugar
  • ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
  • ¼ cup old-fashioned oats

How to Make Blueberry Orange Muffins

  1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Zest the orange and set the zest aside. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, salt and baking powder.
  3. In a separate bowl, whisk the egg, orange juice and avocado oil until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until mostly smooth—do not overmix.
  4. Gently fold in the orange zest and blueberries. If you’re worried about the berries sinking, toss them with a teaspoon of flour first.
  5. Make the crumb topping by combining the softened butter, sugar, flour and oats. Use a fork to work the ingredients together until the mixture becomes sandy and crumbly.
  6. Fill each lined muffin cup about three-quarters full with batter. Sprinkle the crumb topping evenly over each muffin.
  7. Bake 20–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a gentle touch springs back. Allow muffins to cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a rack.

Tips & Tricks

  • Zest first, then juice: Zesting before juicing makes it easier to collect flavorful orange zest. Rub the zest into the sugar to release the citrus oils for extra aroma.
  • Prevent sinking: Toss blueberries in a little flour so they stay suspended in the batter. If using frozen berries, add them straight from the freezer to avoid color bleed.
  • Avoid overmixing: Stir until ingredients are combined; a few streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing gives dense muffins—mix lightly for the best texture.
A muffin tin with nine baked blueberry muffins, three empty cups filled with fresh blueberries and orange slices, on a textured surface with a striped towel nearby.

How to Store Muffins

Muffins are best the day they’re baked but will keep well for several days if stored properly. Let muffins cool completely, then place them in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb any excess moisture.

  • Within 3 days: Store at room temperature on the countertop.
  • Up to a week: Refrigerate, though this can change texture; alternatively, keep the portion you’ll eat soon at room temperature and freeze the rest.
  • Up to 3 months: Freeze muffins individually wrapped or in a sealed container. Reheat when ready to enjoy.

FAQ

Can I use frozen blueberries instead of fresh?

Yes. Add frozen blueberries directly to the batter without thawing to avoid bleeding into the batter. Tossing with a teaspoon of flour before folding in helps, too.

How do I keep the blueberries from sinking?

Coat the berries lightly with flour before folding them into the batter. This helps them stay distributed through the muffins.

More Muffin Recipes

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