Why This Recipe Works

One hundred percent whole-wheat muffins can often be dense, squat sinkers that nobody wants to eat. Our goal was to fix that problem. After combining two leaveners and incorporating ingredients with high amounts of moisture (buttermilk, eggs, and blueberries) and a mix of melted butter and oil with 100 percent whole-wheat flour, we were ecstatic to find our blueberry muffins as tender as they are. After a sprinkle of streusel on the top of the muffin, we now had a tender, slightly sweet whole-wheat muffin with that signature nutty, whole-wheat flavor.

Before You Begin

Do not overmix the batter. You can substitute frozen (unthawed) blueberries for fresh in this recipe.

Instructions

for the streusel

Combine granulated sugar, brown sugar, flour, and salt in bowl. Add melted butter and toss with fork until evenly moistened and mixture forms large chunks with some pea-size pieces throughout; set aside.

for the muffins

Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 400 degrees. Spray 12-cup muffin tin, including top, generously with vegetable oil spray. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together in large bowl. Whisk sugar, eggs, melted butter, and oil together in separate bowl until combined, about 30 seconds. Whisk buttermilk and vanilla into sugar mixture until combined.

Stir sugar mixture into flour mixture until just combined. Gently stir in blueberries until incorporated. Using heaping 1/4-cup dry measuring cup, divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups (cups will be filled to rim); sprinkle muffin tops evenly with streusel.

Bake until golden brown and toothpick inserted in center comes out with few crumbs attached, 18 to 20 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and let cool 5 minutes longer. Serve.