I have been working on this recipe for awhile now. I wanted a really moist, buttery muffin with distinct bursts of blueberry and a nice crunchy sweet streusel topping. Because I am baking at altitude, I also wanted a muffin with a perfectly level top (no caved in centers here), and I wanted the ingredients to be very pantry friendly. I am very pleased to say that these blueberry muffins are everything I ever wanted (in a blueberry muffin that is)!

I love to have muffins on hand for the kids. They’re great for breakfast, obviously, but they also make an excellent after school snack or special treat. Homemade muffins are a fairly easy bake, but they are so much better (and better for you) than store bought or prepackaged muffins. I usually make muffins with the kids in the afternoon, and it always feels like a triple gift to myself: it’s a fun learning activity with the kids; it’s a yummy afternoon treat; and then breakfast is already made for the next morning. Win, win, win!

Some tricks and tips for this recipe. First, line the muffin tin with paper liners. This helps prevent sticking, and it makes storing the baked muffins so much easier. Second, use salted butter. I don’t usually bake with salted butter, but in this recipe the extra salt really makes a difference for the flavor!

Third, be sure to keep the blueberries in the freezer until right before you mix them into the batter. Then gently fold the blueberries by hand into the batter with a rubber spatula, mixing only until they are evenly incorporated. You don’t want to over mix them because their juices will seep into the batter and color the muffin crumb purple. This isn’t bad from a flavor perspective, but it definitely ruins the pretty contrast between the blueberry and yellow crumb that I always look for in a blueberry muffin.

Finally, I call for a stand mixer, but you can definitely mix this recipe by hand. Just be sure to thoroughly cream the sugar and butter before adding the eggs, vanilla, flour, and sour cream.

The Best Blueberry Muffins - Makes 12 muffins

Equipment:

• Muffin tin

• Stand mixer (optional)

Streusel Ingredients:

• 2 TBS. salted butter, melted

• 2 TBS. sugar

• 1 tsp. brown sugar

• 1/4 cup + 2 TBS. all-purpose flour

Muffin Ingredients:

• 1 1/3 cups all-purpose flour

• 3/4 tsp. baking powder

• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt

• Zest of 1 lemon

• 1 stick (8TBS.) salted butter, softened

• 1 cup sugar

• 2 large eggs

• 1 tsp. vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1 cup frozen wild blueberries

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 350ºF, and line the muffin tin with 12 liners. I use convection bake and set the rack in the middle of the oven.

2. Make the streusel. Combine all the streusel ingredients in a small bowl and mix until evenly incorporated and little balls form. Place the streusel in the refrigerator while you make the muffin batter.

3. Make the batter. Sift the flour, baking powder, salt, and lemon zest together in a medium bowl. Set aside.

4. Cream together the sugar and the softened butter using the paddle attachment fitted into the stand mixer. Mix until the sugar is dissolved and the butter is nice and fluffy. Then add the eggs one at a time, mixing thoroughly in between each addition. Once the eggs are fully mixed in, add the vanilla extract and mix again.

5. Add half the flour mixture to the batter, and mix on medium low until it’s fully incorporated. Then add half the sour cream, and mix again until the sour cream is incorporated. Then add the remaining flour and mix to incorporate. Finally add the remaining sour cream and mix fully. You may need to scrape down the sides and bottom of the bowl to get all the flour mixed in.

6. Remove the bowl of the stand mixer, and add the blueberries to the batter. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the blueberries into the batter by hand. Mix only until the berries are evenly incorporated.

7. Scoop 1/4 cup of the batter into each prepared muffin liner. Then top each muffin evenly with the prepared streusel. Bake the muffins in the oven for 30-35 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for at least 5 minutes before enjoying. Store covered at room temperature for up to three days.

Recipe adapted from Magnolia Table Vol. 2