Quick and Easy Blueberry Muffins
Blueberries are some of the best fruit ever, this recipe will show you how to make easy blueberry muffins.
Other than fresh off the bush there are fewer better ways to enjoy blueberries than in a muffin.
The sweet taste of blueberries combines with the soft sponge cake of the muffin making it a magnificent experience.
Blueberries are awesome little blasts of goodness, with an abundance of vitamin C, antioxidants and fiber.
Known to Native Americans as star berries because at its base is the shape of a five pointed star.
Some Native American beliefs recount how during a giant famine the Great Spirit sent these berries to earth.
This sacred act was done so that his children would not starve to death.
Native to North America the blueberry was soon introduced to the European settlers who began to incorporate them into their food.
The blueberry was used again during the civil war to stave off hunger.
Blueberries were canned and used to feed the Union Army helping to keep them from starving.
Before then the Native Americans used blueberries, their leaves and roots for medicinal purposes.
Blueberries can be eaten for improving circulation, they can also be good laxatives.
It is said that the substances in blueberries are effective at reducing labor pains.
The blueberry bush is also used to make a tonic for use after a miscarrage.
Tea made from the leaves of the blueberry plant is helpful for reducing inflammation, and sore throat.
When the European settlers arrived in the New World they found the native inhabitants were using blueberries all year round.
They dried them, adding them to soups and stews, as well as other foods like something they called Sautauthig.
The Native Americans made Sautauthig as a blueberry cornmeal mush dish that apparently the Europeans really liked.
The Pilgrims added milk, butter, and sugar to this recipe to enhance its flavor, making it less healthy no doubt.
It is said that this was one of the dishes on the menu during the first Thanksgiving dinner.
Today’s blueberry is a far cry from blueberries of the days of the Pilgrims and the first Thanksgiving.
The blueberry we know today has come a long way, due to breeding, creating desirable traits in flavor and size.
Blueberries boiled in milk by the early colonists were used to make grey paint.
And the blue paint in shaker houses was made by mixing blueberry skins, sage blossoms, and indigo in milk.
One of my favorite experiences was picking blueberries in North Carolina where the blueberry bushes get quite big.
The taste of the warm sweet blueberries right off the bush have imprinted in my taste buds forever.
We used to pick bucket loads full, take them home, wash and freeze them.
And really mostly just eat them, then and there.
Why are Blueberry Muffins So Good?
I don’t think you can go wrong with blueberries, whether in a muffin, pancake, or pie, they are always delicious.
Blueberry muffins are good, but they are not necessarily good for you in large numbers.
If you are going to eat a muffin, then blueberry may be better than a double chocolate mocha muffin.
Including fruit in what you eat is always a good idea for a healthier diet, and blueberries are no exception.
When it comes to the flavor of the blueberry, there are very few things out there that can rival the taste.
But what does a blueberry actually taste like that makes it so irresistible to berry lovers?
A ripe blueberry is first and foremost sweet, juicy, with a little bit of acid to it.
The overall experience is one that is very pleasing to the taste buds.
I should clarify and say that a blueberry that has been allowed to ripen on the bush will be sweet.
Blueberries will not continue to ripen after they have been picked, but will not get any sweeter.
Care should be taken when picking, as berries on the same bush can ripen at different times.
You can get a super sweet blueberry, and a super sour one at the same time off the same bush.
As long as you have well draining soil, it is easy to grow your own blueberry bushes for a very satisfying late summer harvest.
A highbush blueberry bush is the one to go for if you are going to start growing your own.
In fact next year I am going to look into the possibility of planting my own blueberry bushes here in Jordan.
I miss good fresh blueberries in the summer and this will be a great way to have a steady supply.
Fresh or Frozen Blueberries?
I will start out by saying that fresh everything is usually best, but blueberries freeze very well.
Don’t shy away from frozen when you must, better a blueberry rather than no blueberry in my book.
Fresh blueberries are a superfood for sure, and will lose some of their nutritional value when frozen.
But not enough to avoid eating frozen ones, especially in baked or cooked products.
When you thaw blueberries they are best used in baking or smoothies as they lose their shape and juicy plumpness.
About 90% of the world blueberry supply is produced in the United States.
A large amount of those blueberries are destined for a freezer near you.
And remember you can always freeze your own blueberries for a later date.
How to Make Blueberry Muffins
Spray and grease a muffin pan with vegetable oil spray, and preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
Mix the dry ingredients of flour, sugar, and baking powder, and set aside.
Baking powder is used in this recipe as the leavening agent.
Baking soda would also most likely work due to having yogurt in the ingredients.
Soda needs an acidic ingredient to begin to create carbon dioxide.
Whereas baking powder has all it needs to carry out its role.
Whisk together milk, yogurt or sour cream, egg and vegetable oil, include vanilla extract if using.
Mix fresh or frozen blueberries into dry ingredients, and add the wet ingredients until light and fluffy.
Most often in baking you will be adding wet ingredients into your dry ingredients and not the other way around.
This is done because the dry ingredients are lighter than the wet ingredients.
If the dry ingredients are poured on top, it is likely they will float and stay on top.
Also mixing it in this manner will ensure that the ingredients are more uniformly mixed in the bowl.
Using a measuring cup or ice cream scoop to measure an even amount of muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups.
An option is to sprinkle granulated sugar over the batter in the muffin tins to add an extra bit of sweetness.
Baking time will vary depending on if you are making full size, or mini muffins.
After baking for 20 minutes or so, a toothpick inserted in the middle of a muffin should come out clean.
Cool muffins for about 10 minutes before turning out on a cooling rack and cooling to room temperature.
You can of course eat warm blueberry muffins but they may be more likely to crumble.
Tips for Making
- Put the fruit into the dry ingredients to coat with flour so the berries won’t sink in the batter.
- Try not to over mix batter for best results.
- Make sure to grease the muffins tins very well or use paper cupcake inserts to keep muffins from sticking.
- Don’t bake at a higher than recommended temperature as this will cause the muffins to be hard on the outside.
- If you are looking for a gluten free alternative to regular blueberry muffins, try making them using almond flour.
- Almond flour is full of fiber and keeps most of its nutrients for a healthier snack.
Easy Blueberry Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- ½ cup Milk
- ½ cup Yogurt
- 1 Egg
- ⅓ cup Vegetable Oil
- 2 cups Flour
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- ½ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400ºF (200ºC).
- Prepare a greased muffin tin.
- Whisk together milk, yogurt, egg and vegetable oil. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl mix the flour, baking powder, and sugar.
- Stir in the blueberries until they are well coated.
- Add the wet mix and stir.
- Scoop batter into the muffin tin and place in the oven for 20 minutes.
- The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.