The secret Jordan Marsh blueberry muffin recipe-just like the iconic bakery made them! With a golden sugar crust, tender crumb, and bursts of juicy berries, these easy muffins taste like nostalgia. Discover why this copycat recipe went viral
Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins were a staple in New England when I was growing up. I used to love going to the mall when I was little and stopping at the bakery outside the Jordan Marsh department store for blueberry muffins to bring home. They were always so delicious! This recipe will bring you back to those days.
I wrote down this recipe years ago, after they closed down and the Jordan Marsh baker revealed his secret recipe…remember writing down recipes??!!
Best Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffin Recipe (and it’s easy!)
Why This Recipe is a Keeper:
One of the things I adore about this recipe is how effortless it is-you can have the batter mixed and in the oven in just 10 minutes flat! No fancy techniques, no fussy ingredients, just delicious (not overly sweet) muffins with minimal effort.
And here’s the best part: they’re foolproof whether you use fresh or frozen blueberries. I’ve tested this recipe countless times (including those mornings when I thought I had fresh berries but found an empty fridge-oops!). A bag of wild Maine frozen blueberries works like a charm-just toss them in flour straight from the freezer to keep them from bleeding. The result? Just as juicy, tender, and packed with flavor as the fresh version.
Blueberry Muffin Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter
- 1 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups blueberries (fresh or frozen)
- course sugar for tops of muffins
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease muffin cups or use liners.
- Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer.
- Add the eggs and vanilla; mix until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to combine.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture.
- Toss blueberries in a little flour and fold them into the batter.
- Scoop batter into the prepared muffin pan.
- Spoon the extra sugar on top of muffins.
- Bake at 375° for 25-30 min
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Step-by-Step Instructions:
Step 1: Cream Butter & Sugar, Then Add Wet Ingredients
- Beat butter and sugar – In a large bowl, use a hand mixer or stand mixer to cream the softened butter and granulated sugar together on medium-high speed for 2–3 minutes, until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs and vanilla – Scrape down the bowl, then beat in the eggs one at a time, followed by the vanilla extract. Mix on medium speed for 1–2 minutes until smooth and slightly airy.
Step 2: Whisk Dry Ingredients
In a separate medium bowl, whisk together:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 2 tsp baking powder (ensure it’s fresh for maximum rise)
- ½ tsp salt
Whisk until fully combined—to evenly distribute the leavening agents.
Step 3: Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
With the mixer on low speed, alternately add:
- ⅓ of the dry ingredients → Mix just until incorporated.
- ½ cup (120ml) milk → Mix until smooth.
- Repeat, ending with the final â…“ of dry ingredients.
Stop mixing as soon as no flour streaks remain—overmixing leads to tough muffins!
Step 4. Fold in the Blueberries
Coat the berries:
- In a small bowl, toss 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries with 1 tbsp flour (this prevents sinking!).
Gentle Folding:
- Use a spatula to gently fold floured berries into the batter—just 3-4 folds until evenly distributed. Overmixing = purple streaks!
Step 5. Fill Muffin Pan & Sugar-Coat the Muffins
Scoop generously
- Use an ice cream scoop to divide batter into 12 lined muffin cups, filling each all the way to the top
The Sugar Sparkle
- Sprinkle each muffin with ½ tsp coarse sugar (like turbinado or sanding sugar) for that iconic Jordan Marsh crunch.
Step 6: Bake & Serve Like a Pro
Baking to Golden Perfection:
- Bake: 375° For 25-30 Minutes. A toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (no wet batter – a few moist crumbs are okay!).
- Look for:
- Golden, crackly tops
- A toothpick inserted near the center comes out clean (no wet batter – a few moist crumbs are okay!).
Cooling Like a Bakery:
- Let muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes (they’ll firm up!).
- Transfer to a wire cooling rack – this stops the bottoms from steaming and getting soggy.
I suggest serving them warm with a pat of butter! Yum.
The Perfect Bite of Nostalgia
The Perfect Bite of Nostalgia
There you have it, the secret to bakery-style blueberry muffins just like Jordan Marsh’s famous treats! With their golden, sugar-crusted tops, tender crumb, and bursts of juicy berries, these muffins are pure comfort in every bite.
Whether you’re serving them warm with butter for breakfast, packing them in lunchboxes, or gifting them to a neighbor, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser. And the best part? They’re easier to make than a grocery store run!
Final Baker’s Tip: For an extra-special touch, try adding a sprinkle of lemon zest to the batter—it brightens up the berries beautifully.
If you make this recipe, I would love to see it and add you to the Reader’s Spotlight gallery. Send a photo to me at jennifer@cottageonbunkerhill.com
xo, Jennifer
baking favorites
Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins
The recipe for the famous Jordan Marsh Dept. Store muffins!
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup butter (softened)
- 1 cup white sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup milk
- 2 cups blueberries
- extra sugar for tops of muffins
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°. Lightly grease muffin cups or use liners.
- Cream butter and sugar together with a mixer.
- Add the eggs and vanilla; mix until fluffy.
- In a separate bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt; stir to combine.
- Alternate adding dry ingredients and the milk to the butter mixture.
- Toss blueberries in a little flour and fold them into the batter.
- Scoop batter into the prepared muffin pan.
- Spoon the extra sugar on top of muffins.
- Bake at 375° for 25-30 min
Notes
I suggest using muffin liners for this recipe.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 252Total Fat: 9gSaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 257mgCarbohydrates: 40gFiber: 1gSugar: 22gProtein: 4g
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I make these muffins regularly, and use monkfish sugar (better for the kids) are they’re truly wonderful. I can’t imagine using another recipe.
Ooooh, that’s so interesting!Ashleigh, is it the same measurement for the monkfish sugar as the regular sugar?
These look so delicious!! Can’t wait to give them a try!
They are yummy!!
Yummy! Gonna make these with Brookie!
They are delicious! Wondering if I make 6 jumbo muffins, how long I would need to bake?
Linda, I sent you an email but in case you didn’t see it: I’m not sure, I’ve never tried making them in the jumbos.
These muffins look so delicious! I can’t wait to try them!
I remember going to Jordan Marsh in Boston – remember the Christmas windows? But I never had Jordan Marsh Blueberry muffins. Was the bakery at the North Shore Mall? We lived in Medford and my mom had six kids, probably on a pretty tight budget. I am definitely going to try these Jennifer!
I actually worked downtown at Filene’s a million years ago!! The Xmas windows were such a big deal at both of the stores back then! There was a bakery in the downtown store, I never went to the North Shore mall growing up,I lived in Haverhill and we used to go to the Methuen Mall back in the day.
Every July I pick fresh blueberries and freeze some. I am going to try this recipe with my frozen treasures!!
Yes, it’s really good with frozen blueberries!!
Did you thaw blueberries?
Looks like not, thanks for the recipe!
No, just toss them in the flour frozen! If you are using fresh or thawed the muffins might cook a little quicker so keep your eye on them.
Could this same recipe be used for chocolate chips instead of blueberries?
Oh, I think so! Now I want a muffin!!
Just made these muffins. They are very good I will make them again 😃
Now I have muffins on the mind this morning Pam!! It’s my favorite recipe!!
These look so amazing! Thank you for sharing the recipe with us!