Best Blueberry Muffins

These stay fairly pale, even when fully baked, but they're super soft and moist!

Ingredients
2 C flour
1 T baking powder
pinch salt
1 egg
1 C sugar
¼ C butter, melted
1 t vanilla
1¼ C sour cream
1 C frozen blueberries
Optional: 3 T turbinado sugar - for sprinkling on top (I sometimes use this, or a simple flour-butter-sugar crumble...that's what's on the ones in the photos.)

Directions
Preheat oven to 350°F. Line muffin tins with 12 paper muffin liners.

Melt butter; set aside to cool slightly.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking powder, and salt; set aside.

In a large bowl, briefly whisk egg vigorously. Add sugar, again whisk vigorously until well combined and smooth. Continue whisking while slowly adding melted butter (or add a little at a time, whisking after each addition). Add vanilla...whisk again. Add sour cream stiring just until smoothly blended.

Toss frozen blueberries in about ½ C of the flour mixture.

Add the rest of the flour to the batter, stirring just until blended (do not overmix!). Gently fold in blueberries -- and any remaining flour with them. Divide eevnly among 12 muffin cups. To with turbinado sugar (if desired...or a simple crumble topping).

Bake 30-35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Gingerbread Blackberry Crumb Muffins

I have another version of gingerbread blackberry muffins, but when I was without internet, I made them this way – a modified version of the Peach Spice muffins I made just recently. They’re slightly milder than my other recipe, but very fluffy and moist. And I love throwing a bit of crumble on top of almost ANY muffin!

Ingredients

¹/₃ C butter, melted

¼ C sugar

¹/₃ C brown sugar

1 egg

¼ C molasses

½ tsp vanilla

½ C buttermilk

1 ½ C + ¼ C flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 tsp cinnamon

1½ tsp ground ginger

2 C fresh blackberries

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 12 muffin cups or coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray, or use paper liners.

Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add egg, molasses, vanilla and buttermilk, stirring until well blended. Add dry ingredients, stir until just combined (except ¼ C flour). Gently toss blackberries with ¼ C flour; gently fold blackberries into batter.

Fill muffin cups ²/₃ full. If you want the ‘crumble’ on top, use this streusel crumble topping (or something similar if you have a favorite). Sprinkle over muffin tops.

Bake 15 – 18 minutes until muffins are crowned, lightly browned, and a toothpick comes out clean.

Peach Spice Muffins

I already have a variety of muffin recipes on this blog, easily adaptable. But…recently being without internet connection for a few weeks after moving, I had a print copy of this one, and some fresh peaches begging to be used!

Ingredients

¹/₃ C butter, melted

¹/₃ C sugar

¹/₃ C brown sugar

1 egg

½ tsp vanilla

½ C buttermilk

1 ½ C flour

1 tsp baking powder

½ tsp baking soda

½ tsp salt

1 ¼ tsp cinnamon

½ tsp ground ginger

2 C diced fresh peaches

Directions

Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease 12 muffin cups or coat lightly with non-stick cooking spray, or use paper liners.

Cream butter and sugars in a large bowl. Add egg, vanilla and buttermilk, stirring until well blended. Add dry ingredients, stir until just combined. Gently fold in diced peaches.

Fill muffin cups ²/₃ full. Bake 15 – 18 minutes until muffins are crowned, lightly browned, and a toothpick comes out clean.

Apple Bacon Muffins

Apple + bacon = delicious! The bacon in this recipe wasn't particularly prominent.Maybe it just needs a little more. I added a some crumble topping, and maybe I should have put some bacon in it to boost the flavor. They were definitely good enough to try again, and fiddle with the recipe a little.

Ingredients
½ C brown sugar
¼ C butter, softened
2 eggs
²/₃ C milk
2 C flour
2 tsp baking powder
½ tsp salt
2 T cinnamon
¾ C apple, finely chopped
½ C cooked, drained, chopped bacon

Directions
Preheat oven to 350˚. Spray muffin tin cups or line with paper liners.

Cream butter and sugar. Beat in eggs. Combine dry ingredients, then add to creamed mixture, alternately with milk. Fold in apple and bacon just until blended.

Fill muffin cups full. [Optional - top with crumble topping.] Bake 20 minutes. Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then remove to wire rack to cool completely.

Pumpkin Cranberry Muffins

Perfect for fall!

INGREDIENTS:

2 C all purpose flour

½ C sugar

½ C brown sugar

2 tsp baking powder

1 tsp salt

2 tsp cinnamon

½ tsp nutmeg

1 egg

¼ C milk

½ C vegetable oil

1 C pumpkin purée

½ C dried cranberries, reconstituted

DIRECTIONS:

Pre-heat oven to 375°.

Grease bottoms of 12 medium muffin cups (use shortening or coat with non-stick cooking spray).

Gently mix or sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Add milk, oil and pumpkin to egg, and stir to mix.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour pumpkin mixture into well; mix just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy). Gently fold in cranberries.

Fill muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake 25 minutes.  Immediately remove from pan, cool on wire racks.

Orange-Cranberry Bread

Makes 2 regular loaves, or 6 mini loaves

Ingredients
1½ C butter, softened
1½ C sugar
4 eggs
1 C orange juice
1 C sour cream
2 Tbls grated orange zest
2 tsp vanilla extract
4 C flour
1 Tbls baking powder
½ tsp salt
1 C cranberries; dried or fresh
   For icing:
2 C powdered sugar
7-8 Tbls orange juice/liqueur

Directions
Preheat oven to 330˚. Lightly coat two 6-cup capacity loaf pans (or six mini loaf pans) with non-stick cooking spray.

Cream butter and sugar together in large bowl until pale and fluffy (about 3 minutes). Add eggs one at a time, mixing well after each. Add orange juice, sour cream, orange zest, and vanilla; mix until well blended.

In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt. Add flour mixture to batter. Mix until dry ingredients are completely absorbed; do not overmix. Gently fold in cranberries. Divide batter evenly between loaf pans. Bake 70-75 minutes (or about 60 minutes for mini loaves), until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean.

     For icing: Stir together powdered sugar and orange juice/liqueur. Icing should have consistency of thick syrup.

Let loaves cool in pans 10 minutes; remove onto cooling racks set over baking sheet. with fork or skewer, poke deep holes in tops of loaves. Drizzle with icing to coat top, seep into holes, and run down sides.

Variations... 
Lemon-Blueberry Bread: Substitute blueberries and lemon juice for cranberries & orange juice. Straight lemon juice is pretty strong, but ½ C apple juice and C lemon juice works fine.
Cherry-Almond Bread: Substitute cherries for the cranberry, and add ½ C chopped or slivered almonds. Substitute apple juice for orange, and almond extract for vanilla. Use cherry liqueur or almond extract in the icing.
Apple-Cinnamon Bread: Substitute peeled, diced apple for cranberries. Use apple juice instead of orange, and brown sugar instead of white. Add 1 tsp cinnamon to the batter and the icing. Use maple extract instead of orange juice/liqueur in icing.
Or...come up with your own favorite!

Gingerbread Blackberry Muffins

Ingredients:
3 C flour
2½ Tbls baking powder
1 Tbls ground ginger
2 tsp cinnamon
¾ tsp cloves
1 tsp nutmeg
½ tsp allspice
1 C butter, softened
1 C brown sugar
1 C dark molasses
4 eggs
1 C buttermilk
1¼ C blackberries*

* or substitute blueberries, cranberries, even raspberries

Directions:
Preheat oven to 350°. Grease or spray muffin pans, or use paper liners. Combine flour, baking powder and spices. In separate bowl, cream butter and brown sugar. Add molasses, eggs (one at a time), and buttermilk. Using an electric mixer is optional, but it makes a lighter, fluffier batter. Add flour mixture all at once and stir until just combined. Layer batter with berries in muffin cups until ¾ full. Bake 20-25 minutes.

Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan (if not using paper liners). I topped mine with raw/turbinado sugar, but that's definitely not necessary.

Makes about 30 muffins. I often just make a half recipe.

Apple-Zucchini Bread with Cranberries

Ingredients
1 C grated zucchini
1 C peeled, cored, grated green apple
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup oil
3 eggs
1 tsp vanilla extract
3 C flour
¼ tsp salt
1½ tsp baking powder
1½ tsp baking soda
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp ground nutmeg
1 C dried cranberries (or use nuts)

Directions
Preheat oven to 375° F.
Line 2 loaf pans with parchment paper and coat lightly with nonstick spray.*

Combine zucchini, apple, brown sugar, oil, eggs and vanilla extract in a large bowl and stir to combine.
Add 3 cups flour, salt, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and nutmeg; mix well. Gently stir in dried cranberries and vanilla.

Divide batter between loaf pans. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the middle of each loaf comes out clean (50 minutes to 1 hour). Remove bread from pans; cool on wire rack.

* Or use cupcake liners in muffin tins; reduce baking time to about 30-40 min.

Delicious as is, but for a special treat, frost it lightly with cream cheese frosting or drizzle with a vanilla bean glaze.

Streusel Crumble Topping

MHS: This recipe was part of the Culinary Arts course (Spring 2012)

INGREDIENTS:

½ C flour

½ C rolled oats

¼ C sugar

¼ C brown sugar

1-2 teaspoon cinnamon

½ C butter, roughly diced

DIRECTIONS:

Blend flour, oats, sugars and cinnamon until evenly mixed. Add butter chunks and blend with a fork until mixture resembles course crumbs.

Spread evenly over top of unbaked pies, streusel bars, fruit crisps, coffee cakes, etc.

Bake as directed in pie, cookie or crisp recipe.

Cinnamon-Sugar Muffin Puffs

MHS: Introduction to Foods and Nutrition*

Ingredients:

Muffin batter:

1 egg

¾ C milk

½ C vegetable oil

2 C all purpose flour

1/3 C sugar

1 T baking powder

1 tsp salt

Topping:

½ C butter, melted

½ C sugar

1 tsp cinnamon

Directions:
Heat oven to 400°.

Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups (use shortening or coat with non-stick cooking spray).

Gently mix or sift dry ingredients in a medium bowl until well combined. In a separate bowl, beat egg. Add milk and oil to egg, and stir to mix.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour egg mixture into well; mix just until flour is moistened (batter will be lumpy).

Fill muffin cups about ¾ full. Bake until golden brown, about 20 minutes. Immediately remove from pan.

While still very warm, dip muffin tops in ½ C melted butter; then roll tops in mixed sugar and cinnamon.

* This recipe is one used in the introductory culinary course I teach.

(Grains: quick breads)

Ginger Pear Muffins

2/3 C mild-flavor molasses
1/4 C butter, melted
1/4 C brown sugar
1 egg
1½ C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp ginger
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
½ C boiling water
2 small pears
4+ oz dark chocolate
raw sugar (optional)

Preheat oven to 350°.
Coat 12 muffin cups with non-stick cooking spray or line with cupcake papers.


Wash pears and pat dry. Cut into 6 wedges each, removing core. Break chocolate into small pieces.

Whisk together molasses, butter, brown sugar and egg. Add flour and spices all at once; stir until combined. Whisk in boiling water. Pour equal amounts into 12 muffin cups. Place 1 pear wedge in each muffin, pressing lightly.

Bake 18 minutes or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Add chocolate pieces to muffin tops; cool in pan on rack 10 minutes. Use a table knife to smooth melted chocolate. Sprinkle with raw sugar. Remove from muffin pan and cool completely.

Pumpkin Bread

1 8-oz pkg cream cheese
¼ C butter
1½ C brown sugar
4 eggs
1 16-oz can pumpkin
3½ C flour
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
2 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp cloves
½ tsp ginger
¼ tsp nutmeg

Heat oven to 350°.

Cream butter, cream cheese and sugar until smooth. Add eggs individually, mixing well after each one. Blend in pumpkin.

Add combined dry ingredients, mixing just until thoroughly moistened. Pour batter into 2 greased 9x5" loaf pans. Bake 1 hour and 10 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. (Reduce baking time for smaller loaf pans or muffins. Muffins = about 30-40 minutes.)

Cool 10 minutes before removing from pans.

Optional: For softer/moister crusts, baste the tops with butter while still warm.

Muffins

This is a very basic recipe...which gives you LOTS of options! Depending on what kind of flour you use, what kind of sweetener, what kind(s) of fruit and/or nuts you add, spices...

...bran flour and molasses with raisins
...wheat flour and honey with diced apple & cinnamon
...white flour and corn syrup with black berries (pictured!)
...endless combinations!

1 egg
1/4 C oil
1/3 C honey, molasses or corn syrup
1 C milk
2 C flour (white, wheat, bran...)
2 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
1 C fruit, nuts, etc.
spice(s) - optional as desired

Preheat oven to 400*.

Combine egg, oil, honey/molasses/syrup and milk. Add dry ingredients, all at once; don't overwork the batter. (You can add a little extra milk if needed, some flours are more 'absorbent' than others, molasses is thicker than some honeys; it should be like a pancake or slightly thick cake batter.) Gently fold in fruit, nuts or raisins. Pour or spoon into muffin tins. Bake 20-25 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in muffin tins before transferring to a cooling rack.

Makes 12 muffins.

If you really want to get creative, sprinkle on a little raw sugar or a crumble topping just before baking: mix some brown sugar and cinnamon with a little butter and oats; OR add a thin flavored glaze once they've cooled: blueberry muffins with a powdered sugar and lemon glaze, cranberry muffins with orange glaze, or a maple glaze over a spiced, nutty muffin...

Banana Bread (w/ chocolate chips)

1 C shortening
1 C sugar
3 eggs
3 bananas, mashed
2 1/2 C flour
1 tsp soda
1/2 tsp salt
1 tsp vanilla
1 C nuts (optional)

Cream sugar, shortening and eggs. Add mashed bananas. Add--all at once--flour, soda and salt; mix thoroughly. Stir in vanilla (& nuts, if desired).

Pour batter into greased loaf pans, or muffin tins. Bake at 350°, 45 minutes (loaf pans) or 25 minutes (muffins). Makes 2 loaves or about 18 muffins.

Forget the nuts (I'm allergic anyway), throw in 1 C of chocolate chips and turn this into a dessert. :)

Corn Bread

2/3 C butter
1/2 C sugar
4 eggs
1 16 oz can creamed corn
1/2 C grated cheddar cheese
1/2 C grated jack cheese
1 C flour
1 C corn meal
4 tsp baking powder





Cream butter and sugar; beat in eggs. Stir in corn and cheeses. Gently combine remaining dry ingredients. Pour batter into a greased 9x13" baking pan or dish, or into muffin tins (greased, or use paper liners). Bake at 350°; 30 minutes for 9x13" pan, about 20 minutes for corn muffins.



Serve with honey butter.