First, preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). I always start with this step because it gives the oven time to heat up while I get the rest of the ingredients ready. That way, when the batter is ready, the oven is already hot and ready to go.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. This is a key step to make sure the leavening agents are evenly distributed throughout the flour. When you mix them in with the wet ingredients later, you’ll get that light, fluffy texture we’re going for.

The salt is important too—it helps bring out the sweetness in the muffins and balances out all the flavors. Give it a nice whisk and set it aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, honey (or maple syrup), vanilla extract, and melted butter (or oil). The butter is what gives these muffins a rich flavor, but if you want to make them a little lighter, feel free to use oil. I personally love the buttery taste, but you do you!

It’s also important to note that using honey or maple syrup as the sweetener in these muffins keeps them a bit more natural. The sweetness is subtle but lovely, and it pairs perfectly with the tanginess of the cottage cheese.

Now comes the fun part! Slowly add the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stirring gently as you go. I like to use a spatula or a wooden spoon for this so I can control the mixing and make sure I don’t overdo it. Overmixing muffin batter can lead to dense, tough muffins—and nobody wants that.

Mix just until the flour is incorporated into the batter. It’s okay if it’s a little lumpy! The less you mix, the lighter the muffins will be. So, no need to stress here—just give it a quick stir and move on to the next step.

Now, here’s the star ingredient—the cottage cheese! Gently fold it into the batter until it’s just combined. The cottage cheese will add that extra moisture and make your muffins super tender. It also adds a slightly tangy flavor that perfectly complements the sweetness of the blueberries.

Once the cottage cheese is in, carefully fold in the blueberries. I use fresh ones whenever I can, but frozen blueberries work just as well. If you’re using frozen blueberries, don’t thaw them before adding them to the batter, as this can cause them to bleed into the batter and turn everything purple. Just fold them in frozen, and they’ll be perfect!

Line your muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease it with cooking spray. This step helps prevent the muffins from sticking and makes cleanup easier. Using an ice cream scoop or a spoon, divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups. You should be able to fill about 12 muffin cups with this recipe.

When filling the cups, try not to overfill them. You want to fill them about 2/3 full to give the muffins room to rise without spilling over. Trust me, the muffins will rise beautifully and won’t overflow.

Now, pop the muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake for about 18-22 minutes. The exact time will depend on your oven, so I suggest checking them at the 18-minute mark. Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, and if it comes out clean (or with just a few crumbs), your muffins are done.

If you like your muffins a little more golden on top, leave them in for a couple more minutes. But don’t overbake them, or they’ll be dry. We want them light and fluffy!

Once your muffins are out of the oven, let them cool in the tin for about 5 minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely. Or, if you’re anything like me, you’ll grab one fresh from the oven and enjoy it warm. There’s nothing better than a warm muffin right out of the oven!