Blueberry Orange Muffins

These Blueberry Orange Muffins bake up moist and flavorful and are ready to eat in under 30 minutes! No need to drag the mixer out, all you need is a whisk and a bowl.

This easy recipe uses fresh or frozen blueberries, fresh orange juice, and orange zest for than irresistible orange-blueberry flavor combo you love!

Eat them fresh out of the oven (eaten hot, they'll melt in your mouth!), but don't burn your tongue 🙂 Save the leftover muffins for a special treat (or breakfast) the next day.

Not only does orange go great with blueberries, it's also fantastic with chocolate! If you have not tried my Chocolate Orange Cake yet, you're missing out on a highly decadent cake experience!

Why You'll Love Them

Blueberry Orange Muffins are easy to make. No need to separate the dry ingredients from the wet ingredients - one bowl is all you need!

If you love blueberries with a hint of orange flavor, these muffins are for you! There is no need to add orange extract to these babies as they have just the right amount of orange flavor.

You can use fresh or frozen blueberries, but fresh is always better (and I prefer fresh organic for the best flavor). I can't wait for our blueberry bush to start putting out those juicy little blueberries this summer. I'll use them for these muffins as well as my Best Blueberry Pound Cake.

This no-fail recipe makes 12 muffins that are filled with sweet, juicy blueberries. One large naval orange is all you need for the juice and zest for this recipe.

Ingredients You'll Need

I love the simple ingredients for these blueberry orange muffins!

Blueberries - I adore fresh, organic blueberries for their flavor and juiciness! But you can also use frozen blueberries if fresh are not available. Be sure to rinse and dry fresh blueberries before using them to remove any debris that may be present.

Naval orange - One large naval orange should give you enough juice and zest for this recipe. Make sure the orange is fresh, with a bright orange peel and not too mushy.

Milk - As a general rule, whole milk works best for baking. But feel free to use your milk of choice, if needed. Almond milk works fine. Evaporated will work, too, if that's all you have.

Egg - no need to let the egg come to room temperature before using it. Eggs add structure and moisture to baked goods.

Melted butter - butter adds flavor and moisture.

All-purpose flour - use your favorite brand of flour but do not use self-rising flour. It won't work the same as all-purpose flour for this recipe. You can also use your favorite gluten-free flour.

Salt and baking powder - helps the muffins rise.

How to Make Them

Follow the recipe card below to ensure the best blueberry orange muffins!

Step 1 - Whisk together the butter, milk, orange juice, orange zest, and egg.

Step 2 - Add the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk some more.

Step 3 - Gently fold in the blueberries.

Step 4 - Evenly distribute the batter into regular size muffin cups. Bake for about 15 minutes at 400F.

How to Juice an Orange

To get the most juice out of the orange, roll the orange around on your countertop and apply firm pressure with the palm of your hand. 

Slice the orange into 4 sections and squeeze each section using your fingers to collect the juice in a small bowl. 

After that, you can place the orange section, pulp side down, into a mesh strainer over the bowl, pressing down with your fingers to release more juice into the bowl. 

How to Best Store Leftover Muffins

Place leftover muffins in an airtight container on the countertop and eat within 2 days. Or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Pop one in the microwave (wrapped in a moist paper towel) for a few seconds to revive the moisture and flavor!

You can freeze leftover muffins for up to 2 months. Be sure they're wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, then placed inside a freezer friendly zip-top bag or wrapped in foil.

Muffin Tips and Tricks

Tips, tricks, and techniques for Blueberry Orange Muffins!

• Zest the orange first, then cut it in half to squeeze out the juice.
• Rinse and dry fresh blueberries and the naval orange before using them. No need to rinse and dry frozen blueberries.
• No need to thaw frozen blueberries - use them right out of the freezer!
• Use paper liners to keep the moisture in and to keep muffins from sticking.
• Be sure not to overbake the muffins! Always check for doneness 3-5 minutes before what the recipe call for.
• Enjoy these muffins as is or top with butter and honey while still hot.
• To fancy them up, after they have completely cooled off dust them with powdered sugar or course-ground sugar.

Recipe FAQs

Enjoy these as mini blueberry orange muffins! Mostly fill each mini muffin cup with batter and bake at 375F for 12-15 minutes.

How to zest an orange - Remove peel from the orange with a citrus zester.  A good zester will remove all the orange part and none of the bitter white layer. 

If you don’t have a zester specifically designed for this, you can use a grater with small holes, or a paring knife. Scrape them on the peel of the orange. You essentially want to gather small bits of the orange peel.

When measuring flour, spoon the flour into the measuring cup until it's slightly higher than the cup. Then use the back of a butter knife to level it off.