Any Berry Muffins
I don’t have many photos of these, but I’m sure you’ll agree that’s OK – most of you likely know what muffin batter looks like, and these were spur-of-the-moment muffins made to a) utilize the glut of blackberries currently taking over our kitchen, and b) convince some of us to stop spending $3 per so-so muffin at the coffee shop down the road every morning.
A muffin recipe may seem a bit too obvious, but I’m always surprised at how few good ones I come across out there in the wild. Although stir-together muffin batter is as simple as you can get, they can also be tricky – I like a nicely domed top with a crunchy edge and tender crumb, berries evenly dispersed throughout. When I posted this photo, I had half a dozen requests for the formula within five minutes – a good, basic recipe is a good thing to have at this time of year, when berries and juicy stone fruits are at their best and – depending on your surroundings – ripening everywhere. You could flavour these with orange or lemon zest, but when I’m going for a straight-up all-purpose flour muffin, nothing oaty-grainy, I like mine tasting of butter, sugar and vanilla, caramelized by the oven’s heat, and of the berries themselves. I made another batch with blackberries and chopped apricots, and tomorrow I have plans for the last of the cherries in the freezer.
And they’re far more portable – going out to beaches and in boats for the past couple weeks – than jars of jam and blackberry pancakes.
Any Berry Muffins
AuthorJulie
Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, stir or beat together the eggs, sugars, oil or melted butter and vanilla until well-blended. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and stir by hand just until combined; add half the milk in the same manner, and then the rest of the flour/milk/flour. Gently stir in the berries with the last addition of flour.
Divide the batter between 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Makes 1 dozen muffins.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat the oven to 375F.
In a large bowl, stir or beat together the eggs, sugars, oil or melted butter and vanilla until well-blended. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder and salt.
Add about a third of the dry ingredients to the sugar mixture and stir by hand just until combined; add half the milk in the same manner, and then the rest of the flour/milk/flour. Gently stir in the berries with the last addition of flour.
Divide the batter between 12 greased or paper-lined muffin cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden and springy to the touch. Makes 1 dozen muffins.
Great – thanks for posting the recipe! There are millions of blackberries over here in Powell River (where we now live) and I’m super keen to make another batch of yummy muffins. It’s nice to stock up in anticipation of the kids lunches in September.
Yeah, it’s a crazy year for blackberries! I just can’t stop picking them!
This is perfection! Thank You for sharing this tried and true recipe which makes people like me (a transient baker), into a baking super hero!
Yay!! I’m so glad!
Julie
Can you use buttermilk here ??
Sure! You may want to add 1/4 tsp. baking soda as well.
Made these today and they were lovely! And the biggest miracle was that everyone in the family LOVED them!! Which NEVER happens! 🙂 Thanks for a great recipe.
So glad!! Yay!!