Mixed Berry Muffins with Streusel Topping

These mixed berry crumble top muffins are jam packed with fresh berry flavors and piled high with a delicious crumble topping. Thanks to a special ingredient, sour cream, these muffins are especially light, fluffy, and moist.

If you’ve tried my streusel blueberry muffins or pumpkin cream cheese muffins, you know that a good streusel topping can make a world of a difference. It takes the average muffin from good to great with just a simple addition.

The buttery crumble topped on these fluffy triple berry muffins caramelizes while baking to form a crisp topping. This adds just enough sweetness without making the fruit taste sour, but still sweet enough to satisfy your sugar cravings. A win-win!

These mixed berry muffins are just what you need in the middle of winter when you’re craving fresh berries. Frozen berries work just as well as fresh in this sour cream muffin recipe. Berries maintain their sweetness and flavor when frozen so you won’t be able to tell the difference.

Do you have a breakfast meeting coming up, these are a great choice to bring in because they’re not overly sweet and not as messy as a frosted cinnamon roll.

This is one of those muffins that is not better with a frosting or a glaze. The sweetness from a frosting combined with berries, make the fruit taste sour even when it’s not. So stick to the streusel.

Along with a delicious streusel, one of the secrets to making light moist muffins is to use sour cream. The creamy texture of sour cream instead adds moisture while they bake and keeps them from drying out. If you’ve never made muffins with sour cream, you’re in for a treat.

You can substitute plain greek yogurt for the sour cream. Non greek yogurt has more liquid than sour cream and will alter the texture.

Why they’re the berry best

• They’re the lightest, and fluffiest muffins you’ll ever taste
• They have a secret ingredient, sour cream, that makes them next level
• You can use fresh or frozen berries
• With a streusel topping, they taste just like a bakery style muffin
• You probably have all the ingredients except sour cream and berries

What you’ll need to make them

• Berries – It doesn’t matter what types of berries you use. I like using blueberries, raspberries, and strawberries but any combination will work. If using strawberries, you will need to chop them into pieces. Frozen or fresh berries both will work in this recipe. You can use a bag of mixed frozen berries.
• Sugar – You’ll need brown sugar and white sugar for this recipe.
• Sour cream – This is the special ingredient that makes these muffins so delicious! You can use Greek yogurt instead.
• Pantry staples – butter, eggs, flour, baking powder, baking soda, milk and cinnamon.

Pro tip: If using frozen berries, keep them frozen until added to the muffin batter. This way, they don’t bleed and turn the dough purple.

How to make mixed berry muffins

Start by using muffin liners in the muffin pan. The muffins are so light and fluffy, you want to be able to easily remove them from the pan once they have slightly cooled.

Step 1: Make the crumble

Using your fingers, combine crumble ingredients into a small bowl and set aside.

Step 2: Mix dry ingredients

Combine the dry ingredients and add a spoonful to the bowl of mixed berries.

Step 3: Whisk wet ingredients

Whisk together wet ingredients into a large bowl. Then, gently mix dry and wet until just combined. Gently fold in the berries.

Step 4: Muffin tops

Evenly divide batter into a prepared muffin tin and top with streusel.

Pro tip: Try using an ice cream scoop to add the batter to the muffin tin.

Step 5: Bake

Bake muffins starting at a higher temperature, then reduce after 5 minutes to complete the baking.

These are delicious warm but just as good at room temperature.

Muffin tips and FAQs

What temperature do you cook muffins at?

For taller muffins start at 425º and then reduce to 350º after five minutes. Do not open the door when reducing the heat. Higher temperatures allow the muffins to rise while lower temperature will ensure they stay fluffy.

How to store muffins?

Place a paper towel in a ziplock baggie or an airtight container then store muffins in a single layer. The paper towel prevents them from becoming soggy so you can keep them at room temperature for up to a week. Muffins will dry out in the refrigerator, so if you can’t eat them in 1-2 days, freeze them.

You can reheat these in the microwave for about 10 seconds, but they are delicious at room temperature.

Will the berries sink to the bottom of the muffins?

Since this muffin batter is thick, the berries will not sink to the bottom.

More ways to use frozen berries

• Nothing sounds better than starting your day with a cream cheese puff pastry.
• This berry crisp with lemon curd is the perfect dessert during summer months.
• Sheet pan pancakes is a great recipe for meal prepped breakfasts!
• Serve this blueberry rhubarb crisp at your next family gathering.

Muffin recipes to try

If you loved this recipe, give it a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating! Also, snap a picture of your finished dish and share it with me on Instagram using the hashtag #butterandbaggage and tagging me @butterandbaggage.