“I want blues!” When I was little, I remember begging my parents to go blueberry picking in the summer months. It was always a sweaty activity but running around with a plastic pail and hearing the “kerplunk” sound as I dropped fat, juicy blueberries in my bucket was one of my fondest summer memories as a kid. To this day, the sweet yet tart taste of native blueberries brings me right back to childhood.

Although I’m much more a chef than a baker, I love my sweets and it’s always fun experimenting in the kitchen! I spent some time perfecting my muffin skills and came up with this fabulous blueberry muffin recipe, perfumed with lemon zest. They’re moist, filled with blueberries and hard to keep in the house if you’re on a diet (I warn!).

Use this muffin base and try adding other flavors (raspberries, strawberries, chocolate chips) for a completely different muffin!

 

 

 

Makes: 16-18 muffins

Prep time: 20 minutes

Cook time: 20 minutes

Total time: 40 minutes

The Ingredients

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ¼ cups sugar

1 ½ cups fresh blueberries

1 ¼ cups whole milk

2 large eggs

2 sticks (1 cup) salted butter, melted

1 tablespoon + 2 teaspoons baking powder

2 teaspoons real vanilla extract

2 teaspoons lemon zest (about 1 lemon)

Turbinado sugar (optional, to sprinkle on top)

 

 

 

The Steps

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, lemon zest, and baking powder until thoroughly combined.

In a separate bowl using a mixer or whisk, lightly beat melted butter (make sure butter isn’t too hot so eggs don’t scramble), eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Mixture may be lumpy. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients.

Mix together all ingredients, until just combined (do not overmix!). Fold in blueberries until just combined.

Scoop batter into a greased muffin pan lined with paper muffin cups. Fill each cup about ¾ of the way.

Bake muffins for 8 minutes. Open oven and lightly sprinkle turbinado sugar on each muffin. Bake muffins for another 12-17 minutes (for a total of 20-25 minutes), until lightly golden and a tester/toothpick comes out with loose crumbs.

Wait 5 minutes before placing muffins directly on a wire rack to cool.

 

 

 

The Steps with Video