Very Blueberry Muffins
TIME/SERVINGS
Total: 40 mins
Active: 10 mins
Makes: 12 muffins
By Aida Mollenkamp
Blueberry muffins may be the most commonplace muffins out there, but this tender, moist version is well beyond ordinary. Packed with berries and finished with a sprinkle of sugar for a crunchy, sweet top, these are as well suited to breakfast as they are to an afternoon snack.
Game plan: The muffins will last up to 3 days when stored at room temperature in an airtight container.
This recipe was featured as part of our Cooking with Summer Ingredients story.
- 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar, plus 2 teaspoons for sprinkling
- 8 tablespoons unsalted butter (1 stick), melted
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries
- Heat the oven to 400°F and arrange a rack in the middle. Place cupcake liners in a 12-well muffin pan; alternatively, butter the muffin wells. Set the pan aside.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl to break up lumps and aerate the mixture; set aside.
- Whisk together 3/4 cup of the sugar, butter, cream, eggs, and vanilla extract in a medium bowl until smooth. Add sugar mixture and blueberries to flour mixture and stir until just evenly mixed (a few lumps will remain), about 30 strokes. (Do not overmix; the batter should be thick, but the ingredients should be evenly incorporated.)
- Fill the muffin wells completely, and then evenly sprinkle the remaining 2 teaspoons sugar over top. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 20 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve.
COMMENTS | ADD YOUR OWN
I made these muffins this weekend. And they were def. moist and yummy, but a tad too salty. I did hesitate a moment before putting in the second teaspoon of salt thinking that it seemed like a lot, and in the end I found it to be a lot, but I must add the caveat that I am pregnant, so that might have impacted my tastebuds a bit, which shouldn't too surprise.
But overall a good success!
miss dottie: did you use table salt or kosher salt? we use diamond kosher salt here in the CHOW kitchen which is measure for measure less salty than table salt.
I did use kosher salt. My sweetie said they tasted just fine. I'm going to blame it on my pregnancy tastebuds.
Hmmm..even the piece of cheddar cheese I had this morning tastes surprisingly salty. I think we found our culprit.
I also found this recipe to be a bit salty. (I did use kosher salt.) Both of my room mates also said they thought they were a bit salty, but that they were good.
This is a fantastic recipe and I plan on substituting the blueberries with other fruit. Very moist and delicious!
I once worked in a place that used Diamond Crystal Kosher salt. We changed owners and he switched to another brand of Kosher salt and all of my sauces suddenly tasted like seawater using the same amounts. The difference was really astonishing.
amazing. amazing. amazing.
fresh blueberries are key.
i didn't have the salt problem others did. Aida, what brand of kosher did you use? does that matter?
Question:
I used to have a great blueberry muffin recipe from the Loaves and Fishes Cookbook (store in Sagaponack NY). I moved and lost the cookbook. Does anyone have it? It made the most unbelievable muffins. I will try this recipe and see how it is.
we use Diamond Kosher salt for all recipes -- savory and sweet -- in the test kitchen, fyi.
Don't use kosher salt for baking the salt crystles are too big!
Use regular table salt
Use kosher salt for soups stews etc not baked goods.
Ick!! Essie
essie, i've worked in professional kitchens for over five years, and went to pastry school before that. I've ALWAYS used kosher salt in my recipes.
These are quite tasty but I'd still definitely cut back on the salt if I made them again. The first thing you taste when you chomp into these is the salt (yes, I used the requested 2 tsp. of kosher salt). I'd think regular table salt would make it even worse since the same volume would contain more salt.
this recipie is sweet yet salty i loved it
I totally cheat and buy Hodgson Mills' whole wheat muffin mix. Before I add the blueberries, I toss them in a little bit of the muffin fix and some cinnamon. They're super easy, they're whole grain, and I just polished off two for breakfast (with peanut butter.)
Very nice recipe. I used one tsp. of regular salt (the idea of two gave me the heebie jeebies) and milk instead of cream (heresy I know but I didn't have any), and baked them in a muffin-top pan.
brendastarlet, I never would have thought of putting p/b on a blueberry muffin, but it was very, very good indeed.
made the recipe and it came out great! made a few changes - lessened the kosher salt to 1 1/4 tsp (like other people, was afraid of too much salt), changed the heavy cream to 8 oz container of plain yogurt (didn't have heavy cream and was afraid it might be too rich), and added some grated lemon rind.
If you use salted butter, then could you leave out the salt? I am in the UK? Is Kosher salt like sea salt? Here we can get delicious French Breton butter with sel de guerande in it. It is amazing. Might try the muffins with that.
These turned out so delicious, but i'll use only 1 tsp Kosher Salt next time. I used 1 1/2 tsp kosher salt and they were still on the salty side. Fantastic recipe though and will now be a staple for my family. Thanks Aida!
I have made these muffins twice, following the recipe exactly both times, using the 2 tsp of salt (Diamond Kosher). They turned out perfectly both times for me. Nobody in my family complained that they were salty.
I made these last night at midnight. Super easy recipe with delicious results EXCEPT for the quantity of salt. I wish I'd read the reviews first, although I did already cut back the kosher salt to 1 1/4 tsp. instead of the requested 2. Still too salty. Thankfully not inedible, but I can't imagine how they'd be with the full 2 tsp. Fascinating how the responses are so varied -- 'goes to show how all of our tastes are so varied, too, I suppose.
Don't use salted butter in stead of salt in baking. This adds far too much salt for sweet dishes. I expect you could get away with it in breadrolls or in savoury short-crust.
I actually made these this morning. With a few changes. First I cut the salt by half. Also, I didn't have any heavy cream. I went searching for sour cream but we were, alas, out. But I did have a container of left over rhubarb mush left over from making the delicious Rhubarb Syrup for cocktails (also on this site). Anyway, I added about 1/4 of the rhubarb mush and about 1/4 cup of milk. The results? FANTASTIC!!!!
I'm going to have to remember the substitution again, cause these muffins turned out GREAT!! And the healthful + is an added bonus.
To clarify, the rhubarb mush was the leftover vegetable matter from sieving the rhubarb syrup.
I sub'd blueberry lemon perserves for the fresh blueberries and cut back on the liquid. Delicious!
I think they sound great, but I’m curious... While I doubt there would be any muffins left after three days in my house, what happens to them after three days that they become no good? I figure that’s just an estimated shelf life, but baked goods like this last longer in my experience?
I was excited to get this recipe in my e-mail. I had 3 cups of blueberries left in the freezer from last summer. I made a batch and a half to take to work and there were no complaints. Everyone thought I had picked the blueberries that morning. My advice, don't skip the sugar sprinkle on top, it balances the sweet/salty flavors. I have pregnant co-worker and she didn't say anything about the salt. Enjoy!
Very good muffins. I used buttermilk instead of heavy cream. If you aren't into the salty/sweet combo, skip the majority of the Kosher salt. I'm a salt addict and I still noticed they were a bit salty.
Very easy recipe and when using fresh blueberries (vs. the tiny frozen wild kind) the muffins will be packed with berries.