Blueberry Streusel muffins

Muffins are one of those things that I just don’t bake often. At this point in my life, I prefer protein for breakfast and even snacks. My kids though love having some baked good lying around so I try and appease them every once in awhile.

These muffins are everything a bakery style muffin should be. They are so moist, you need to take extra care popping them out of the muffin tin.  You can use liners if you like to make it easier, but usually i just butter and flour the muffin tin well and once cooled enough, they will pop right out.  You don’t need the lemon zest, but a zing of lemon in anything tastes great.

I love a streusel topping on anything, I’ll go as far to say, more than the crust of any pie.  How can something with so few ingredients taste so great?  I even often double streusel recipes and toss it in the freezer so that I can toss it on or in other baked goods.  Ever added it right into the middle of a coffee cake?  Superb.

Don’t defrost the blueberries, they will make streaks in the muffins.  Take them out at the last minute, toss with flour, and straight into the batter they go. Recently, I bought a bag of frozen mixed berries so sometimes i use both blueberries and blackberries; it’s whatever I have on hand!

Enjoy your bakery style muffins!

INGREDIENTS:

STREUSEL:

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1/4 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
• 4 TAB butter, melted

MUFFINS:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 egg
• 1 cup sugar
• 1 teaspoon grated lemon zest
• 4 TAB butter, melted
• 1/2 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla
• 1 TAB baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 cup frozen blueberries

DIRECTIONS:

STREUSEL: Combine flour, sugars, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl and toss.  Add melted butter and combine with a fork until evenly combined.

MUFFINS:  Whisk egg in a large bowl until pale, about 30 seconds.  Add vanilla, sugar, and zest and whisk until thick, about 30 seconds.  Slowly add melted butter and buttermilk and whisk until combined.

Reserve one tablespoon of flour from 2 cups flour in a small bowl.  In a medium bowl, add flour, baking powder, and salt and combine.  Fold into egg mixture until evenly combined.  In a separate bowl, toss frozen blueberries with 1 TAB flour.  Fold into batter until combined.

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.  Grease and flour 12 cup muffin pan.  Divide batter into tin and top with struesel.  Bake until light, golden brown, and toothpick inserted into center comes out with a few dry crumbs, about 20 minutes.  Cool muffins in tins for 15 minutes, then carefully transfer to rack to cool completely.

Makes 12 muffins.