Back to School Blueberry muffins

Even if the weather isn’t cooling down where you are, all moms can feel a shift in the air. The stores smell like crayons and newly sharpened pencils. School is starting up and new routines and rhythms are taking the place of lazy summer days.

One great recipe you can add into your week are muffins. You can double or triple the recipe and freeze them for easy convenience. Or you can use the baking time as a fun way to slow down on Saturday mornings after a week of back-to-school hustle. Including kids in the process is so much fun for them and makes memories that last long beyond the little years. 

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Either way, you can’t argue that these aren’t outrageously good! While there are many great options out there, we adore this recipe by Deb of Smitten Kitchen, aptly named Perfect Blueberry Muffins.

 

The beauty lies in 3 keys to this recipe:

1. The simplicity of ingredients
2. The unfussiness of fresh or frozen blueberries (no need to only make this in summer)
3. The yogurt which gives these an extra boost of moisture and added protein

Ingredients:

• 5 tablespoons (70 grams) unsalted butter, cold is fine
• 1/2 cup (3 1/2 ounces or 100 grams) sugar
• Finely grated zest from 1/2 a lemon 
• 3/4 cup plain unsweetened yogurt or sour cream
• 1 large egg
• 1 1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon fine sea or table salt
• 1 1/2 cups (195 grams) all-purpose flour
• 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups (215 to 255 grams) blueberries, fresh or frozen (no need to defrost) 
• 3 tablespoons turbinado (sugar in the raw) sugar

You can choose to line a muffin tin with 9 paper liners or spray each cup with a nonstick spray. We opted for fancy scalloped liners which immediately elevates these muffins (and would be perfect for a brunch or baby shower). 

You prepare these muffins in the traditional method by combining wet ingredients first then adding in the dry ingredients until incorporated while folding in the blueberries into the batter last (full directions below). Make note that the batter will be thicker than anything you’ve made before, which means you did it correctly! It will be close to the consistency of cookie dough. We have found an ice cream scoop makes the batter easier to distribute in the muffin tin. 

Now, don’t skip the magical part… sprinkle each muffin with 1 teaspoon of the turbinado sugar. While you may be skeptical if this step is necessary, you will see that it produces the perfect crunchy lid (making them seem like bakery quality) and the perfect balance of sweetness.

Directions:

• Heat oven to 375°F. 
• Line or prepare a muffin tin with 9 paper liners or nonstick spray. 
• Melt butter in the bottom of a large bowl and whisk in sugar, zest, yogurt and egg until smooth. 
• Whisk in baking powder, baking soda and salt until fully combined.
• Lightly fold in flour and berries. *Batter will be very thick, like cookie dough. 
• Divide between prepared muffin cups and sprinkle each with 1 teaspoon turbinado sugar. 
• Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the tops are golden and a tester inserted into the center of muffins comes out clean. 
• Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then the rest of the way on a rack.

We hope you love these as much as we do. We are confident you will want to enjoy these treats for breakfast or afternoon snack all year round! If you make these, tag us on social media!