Blueberry Muffins

BLUEBERRY MUFFINS

Makes: 12 large muffins (from a bountiful kitchen)

A favorite treat to make at the Gordon house on the 24th of July. 

Topping

• 2 tbsp sugar
• 2 tsp lemon zest

Muffins

• 2 cups fresh blueberries, divided
• 1 1/4 cups sugar, plus 1 tsp, divided
• 4 tbsp unsalted butter, softened
• 2 eggs
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil or coconut oil
• 3/4 cup buttermilk
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 2 1/2 cups flour
• 2 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp baking soda

Instructions

1. Heat oven to 425°F. Grease or spray a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a small bowl, mix the 2 tbsp sugar and lemon zest. Set aside.
3. In a small saucepan, cook 1 cup blueberries with 1 tsp sugar over medium heat. Mash and cook about 5 minutes, until thick and reduced to about 1/3 to 1/4 cup. Chill while making batter.
4. In a large bowl, mix 1 1/4 cups sugar and butter. Add eggs, oil, buttermilk, and vanilla, and mix until combined.
5. Add flour, baking powder, salt, and baking soda. Mix just until no dry streaks remain. Do not overmix.
6. Fold in the remaining 1 cup blueberries gently.
7. Divide batter evenly into muffin cups, filling them full.
8. Spoon about 1 tsp of the cooked blueberry mixture on top of each muffin.
9. Sprinkle lemon sugar on top.
10. Bake 18 to 20 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
11. Cool in pan 5 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

Notes

• No buttermilk: use 3/4 cup plain yogurt instead or mix lemon juice with milk.
• Frozen blueberries work too; use them frozen, not thawed.
• We’ve added a thicker sugar frosting in the past, but we prefer the simple sugar-and-lemon-zest topping best.
• Ellie always asks to borrow chickens from our friends in Utah while we are there for the summer and keep them in our chicken coop out back so Ellie can go out and collect the fresh eggs. Makes the blueberry muffins extra special.