Blueberry Muffins Lab272 recipes

Blueberry Muffins Lab · Decision tree

Find your blueberry muffin

Three questions sort all 272 recipes into 8 groups. Each question is about one of the ingredients recipes disagree on most, and splits the recipes in front of it at their own median, so each answer keeps about half of them. Every group ends with its median recipe in grams and the real recipes nearest it.

The questions

  1. Question 1

    More dairy than most, or less?

    Milk, buttermilk, yogurt or sour cream thin the batter; the acidic ones give a more tender crumb.

    All 272 recipes: median 65% of the flour weight, 165 g per 250 g of flour; middle half 48% to 92%; 4% use none.

  2. Question 2

    More blueberries than most, or fewer?

    More berries means more moisture and a heavier muffin; tossing them in flour keeps them from sinking.

    All 272 recipes: median 80% of the flour weight, 200 g per 250 g of flour; middle half 60% to 100%.

    Asked within each answer to question 1, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.

  3. Question 3

    More fat than most, or less?

    Oil gives a softer muffin that keeps; butter gives more flavor and a slightly drier crumb.

    All 272 recipes: median 40% of the flour weight, 100 g per 250 g of flour; middle half 30% to 47%.

    Asked within each answer to question 2, split at the median of the recipes that gave it.

The key

Read left to right: pick an answer to question 1, then one of the answers beside it for question 2, and so on to a group. Each cell gives the answer, its bound in grams per 100 g of flour, and how many recipes give it.

Decision key: 3 questions, one per column, leading to 8 groups of recipes
1. Dairy2. Blueberries3. FatGroup
Moreover 65%142Moreover 79%70Moreover 41%34A34
Less41% or less36B36
Fewer79% or less72More36% or more35C35
Lessunder 36%37D37
Less65% or less130More80% or more66Moreover 44%34E34
Less44% or less32F32
Fewerunder 80%64Moreover 39%32G32
Less39% or less32H32

The 8 groups

Each median recipe is the median of every ingredient over the group's recipes, scaled to 250 g of flour, beside the typical batch of all 272. Bold rows are the ingredients the questions asked about.

Group A · 34 recipes · 12% of all

More dairy, more blueberries and more fat

Dairy over 65%, blueberries over 79% and fat over 41% of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group A at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup AAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries250 gabout 1 2/3 cups200 g
Sugar200 gabout 1 cup170 g
Fat115 gabout 1/2 cup100 g
Egg100 gabout 2 large eggs85 g
Dairy240 gabout 1 cup165 g
Leavening14 g10 g
Salt3 g2 g

Bake400°F (205°C) for about 19 minutes, the medians of the 29 recipes here that state a temperature and the 33 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group A

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Classic Blueberry Muffins · acouplecooks.comdairy 98% · blueberries 89% · fat 44%
  2. Lemon Blueberry Muffins · acouplecooks.comdairy 122% · blueberries 89% · fat 44%
  3. Cómo hacer muffins de blueberry en casa · comedera.comdairy 80% · blueberries 102% · fat 52%
  4. Blueberry Muffins · savingdessert.comdairy 106% · blueberries 125% · fat 42%
  5. Perfect Blueberry Muffin Loaf · smittenkitchen.comdairy 87% · blueberries 123% · fat 44%
Back to the key

Group B · 36 recipes · 13% of all

More dairy, more blueberries and less fat

Dairy over 65%, blueberries over 79% and fat 41% or less of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group B at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup BAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries250 gabout 1 2/3 cups200 g
Sugar170 gabout 3/4 cup170 g
Fat85 gabout 1/3 cup100 g
Egg80 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs85 g
Dairy205 gabout 3/4 cup165 g
Leavening11 g10 g
Salt1.5 g2 g

Bake375°F (190°C) for about 22 minutes, the medians of the 30 recipes here that state a temperature and the 35 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group B

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Easy Lemon Blueberry Muffins · pipingpotcurry.comdairy 87% · blueberries 99% · fat 39%
  2. BEST Blueberry Muffins · butternutbakeryblog.comdairy 75% · blueberries 88% · fat 33%
  3. Muffin ai mirtilli · chiarapassion.comdairy 80% · blueberries 100% · fat 30%
  4. Blueberry Muffins with Sugar Topping · leitesculinaria.comdairy 88% · blueberries 109% · fat 36%
  5. Perfect Blueberry Muffins · theviewfromgreatisland.comdairy 98% · blueberries 95% · fat 35%
Back to the key

Group C · 35 recipes · 12% of all

More dairy, fewer blueberries and more fat

Dairy over 65%, blueberries 79% or less and fat 36% or more of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group C at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup CAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries165 gabout 1 cups200 g
Sugar170 gabout 3/4 cup170 g
Fat115 gabout 1/2 cup100 g
Egg90 gabout 2 large eggs85 g
Dairy235 gabout 1 cup165 g
Leavening10 g10 g
Salt2 g2 g

Bake375°F (190°C) for about 20 minutes, the medians of the 31 recipes here that state a temperature and the 33 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group C

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Easy Blueberry Muffins · livewellbakeoften.comdairy 97% · blueberries 60% · fat 46%
  2. Jumbo Blueberry Muffins · sallysbakingaddiction.comdairy 86% · blueberries 56% · fat 38%
  3. Blueberry Muffins · bakedbyanintrovert.comdairy 74% · blueberries 59% · fat 45%
  4. Blueberry Muffins · completelydelicious.comdairy 73% · blueberries 59% · fat 45%
  5. Jumbo Blue Corn Blueberry Muffins · foodnetwork.comdairy 126% · blueberries 61% · fat 49%
Back to the key

Group D · 37 recipes · 13% of all

More dairy, fewer blueberries and less fat

Dairy over 65%, blueberries 79% or less and fat under 36% of the flour weight.

Median recipe of group D at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup DAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries150 gabout 1 cup200 g
Sugar135 gabout 2/3 cup170 g
Fat70 gabout 1/3 cup100 g
Egg65 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs85 g
Dairy205 gabout 3/4 cup165 g
Leavening10 g10 g
Salt2 g2 g

Bake400°F (205°C) for about 22 minutes, the medians of the 29 recipes here that state a temperature and the 34 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group D

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Lemon Blueberry Muffins · savingdessert.comdairy 72% · blueberries 70% · fat 36%
  2. Easy Blueberry Muffins · beyondfrosting.comdairy 98% · blueberries 71% · fat 26%
  3. Best-Ever Mini Blueberry Muffins · tasteofhome.comdairy 78% · blueberries 71% · fat 18%
  4. Blueberry Muffin · tasteofhome.comdairy 78% · blueberries 71% · fat 18%
  5. Blueberry Muffins · jessicagavin.comdairy 78% · blueberries 71% · fat 36%
Back to the key

Group E · 34 recipes · 12% of all

Less dairy, more blueberries and more fat

Dairy 65% or less, blueberries 80% or more and fat over 44% of the flour weight. 2 of the 34 use no dairy.

Median recipe of group E at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup EAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries260 gabout 1 3/4 cups200 g
Sugar205 gabout 1 cup170 g
Fat125 gabout 1/2 cup100 g
Egg100 gabout 2 large eggs85 g
Dairy120 gabout 1/2 cup165 g
Leavening9 g10 g
Salt2 g2 g

Bake375°F (190°C) for about 25 minutes, the medians of the 34 recipes here that state a temperature and the 34 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group E

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Homemade Blueberry Muffins · bettycrocker.comdairy 54% · blueberries 86% · fat 49%
  2. Blueberry Lemon Muffins · tasteofhome.comdairy 49% · blueberries 118% · fat 45%
  3. Blueberry Muffins · rasamalaysia.comdairy 49% · blueberries 118% · fat 45%
  4. Blaubeer Muffins Rezept – und zwar das beste, was mir je aus dem Ofen huschte · zuckerzimtundliebe.dedairy 50% · blueberries 140% · fat 48%
  5. Perfect Blueberry Muffins · bakerbettie.comdairy 63% · blueberries 104% · fat 47%
Back to the key

Group F · 32 recipes · 11% of all

Less dairy, more blueberries and less fat

Dairy 65% or less, blueberries 80% or more and fat 44% or less of the flour weight. 5 of the 32 use no dairy.

Median recipe of group F at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup FAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries255 gabout 1 2/3 cups200 g
Sugar190 gabout 1 cup170 g
Fat90 gabout 1/3 cup100 g
Egg90 gabout 2 large eggs85 g
Dairy110 gabout 1/2 cup165 g
Leavening10 g10 g
Salt2.5 g2 g

Bake375°F (190°C) for about 23 minutes, the medians of the 29 recipes here that state a temperature and the 32 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group F

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Homemade Blueberry Muffins · thefirstyearblog.comdairy 47% · blueberries 111% · fat 28%
  2. Healthy Blueberry Muffins · themediterraneandish.comdairy 29% · blueberries 106% · fat 35%
  3. Gluten-Free Blueberry Muffins · tasteofhome.comdairy 44% · blueberries 106% · fat 41%
  4. The Very Best Blueberry Muffins · melskitchencafe.comdairy 48% · blueberries 117% · fat 43%
  5. Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe · thefirstyearblog.comdairy 47% · blueberries 118% · fat 28%
Back to the key

Group G · 32 recipes · 11% of all

Less dairy, fewer blueberries and more fat

Dairy 65% or less, blueberries under 80% and fat over 39% of the flour weight. 2 of the 32 use no dairy.

Median recipe of group G at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup GAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries150 gabout 1 cup200 g
Sugar165 gabout 3/4 cup170 g
Fat120 gabout 1/2 cup100 g
Egg90 gabout 2 large eggs85 g
Dairy120 gabout 1/2 cup165 g
Leavening9 g10 g
Salt1.5 g2 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 22 minutes, the medians of the 31 recipes here that state a temperature and the 32 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group G

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Easy Blueberry Muffins · tasteofhome.comdairy 49% · blueberries 59% · fat 45%
  2. Lemon Blueberry Muffins · bakedbyanintrovert.comdairy 55% · blueberries 44% · fat 51%
  3. Muffins Myrtilles de Pierre Hermé · mesinspirationsculinaires.comdairy 62% · blueberries 42% · fat 42%
  4. Blueberry Muffins mit Streuseln · backenmachtgluecklich.dedairy 49% · blueberries 70% · fat 48%
  5. Simply Perfect Blueberry Muffins · bakingamoment.comdairy 58% · blueberries 59% · fat 45%
Back to the key

Group H · 32 recipes · 11% of all

Less dairy, fewer blueberries and less fat

Dairy 65% or less, blueberries under 80% and fat 39% or less of the flour weight. 2 of the 32 use no dairy.

Median recipe of group H at 250 g of flour, beside the typical recipe of all 272
At 250 g flourGroup HAll
Flour250 g250 g
Blueberries150 gabout 1 cup200 g
Sugar155 gabout 3/4 cup170 g
Fat70 gabout 1/3 cup100 g
Egg65 gabout 1 1/2 large eggs85 g
Dairy125 gabout 1/2 cup165 g
Leavening11 g10 g
Salt1.5 g2 g

Bake350°F (175°C) for about 21 minutes, the medians of the 29 recipes here that state a temperature and the 31 that state a time.

Nearest the middle of group H

Closest to the group's median on every ingredient at once.

  1. Whole Wheat Blueberry Muffins · livewellbakeoften.comdairy 64% · blueberries 78% · fat 29%
  2. Mini muffins aux myrtilles · ptitchef.comdairy 62% · blueberries 48% · fat 32%
  3. Blueberry Muffins · thebakingexplorer.comdairy 63% · blueberries 77% · fat 39%
  4. Muffins de blé entier aux bleuets : la meilleure recette · marmiton.orgdairy 38% · blueberries 73% · fat 36%
  5. Classic Blueberry Muffins Recipe · anediblemosaic.comdairy 58% · blueberries 66% · fat 19%
Back to the key

How the questions are chosen

Each ingredient is ranked by how much recipes disagree on it: the width of the middle half of recipes (25th to 75th percentile) divided by the median, less 4% for each place it sits down this lab's list of ingredients, so the ones that define the dish win near ties. For blueberry muffins the order is dairy (0.67), blueberries (0.50), fat (0.43), egg (0.44), sugar (0.38) and leavening (0.45), and the first 3 are asked. Salt is never asked about: recipes differ on it mostly by brand and taste.

Every split is at the median of the recipes in front of it, rounded to the percentage shown. Recipes exactly at the median go to whichever side leaves the two halves more even. No answer may keep fewer than 5 recipes; a group that could not be split further says so.

The recipes listed under each group are the 5 nearest its median on every ingredient at once, each scaled by how much recipes vary on it. Every recipe page links to the original for the method.