Incredibly Moist Blueberry Muffins

These are my favorite blueberry muffins, a tried and true American classic recipe. Warm from the oven, they remind me of lazy summer mornings. They're full of blueberries and incredibly moist, with crunchy-cinnamon-sugar-tops. I make them with my vanilla sugar, but regular white sugar is fine too. You can use raspberries instead of blueberries if that’s what you prefer. The recipe is easy to whip up and versatile. Give them a go! I know you’ll love them too!

Incredibly Moist Blueberry Muffin Recipe

Adapted from the April/May 2013 issue of Taste of Home Magazine

Makes 12

Some Notes:

You can use paper liners for these muffins. I prefer to bake them without liners because I like the outside of the muffins, not just the tops, to be golden brown.

The muffins freeze well. Reheat directly from the freezer in the microwave for breakfast or a snack on the go.

I use my all natural vanilla sugar for this recipe. Regular white sugar is fine too.

I also add a dash of cinnamon and sea salt to the tops of the muffins. My favorite cinnamon is Vietnamese cinnamon. Vietnamese cinnamon is rich and sweet with a complex flavor that I adore. Regular cinnamon will work too.    

Fresh or frozen blueberries will work here. I use frozen Wyman brand wild Maine blueberries. No thawing is required.

Ingredients 

1/2 cup unsalted butter softened

1 cup vanilla sugar (recipe below) or regular white sugar

2 large eggs

1/2 cup buttermilk

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

2 cups all purpose flour

2 teaspoons of baking powder

1/4 teaspoon of salt

2 cups frozen blueberries or raspberries

Topping For Each Muffin

Sprinkling of Vanilla Sugar (recipe below) or regular white sugar

Sprinkling of ground cinnamon

Sprinkling of  sea salt (optional)

Instructions 

Preheat the oven to 400

Generously grease a 12 cup muffin tin or use paper liners to line the muffin cups. I use the empty butter wrapper to grease the cups, adding a little extra butter if necessary.

In a large bowl cream the butter and sugar until it looks light and fluffy. Mix in eggs and beat until incorporated. Stir in buttermilk and vanilla.

In another bowl, whisk flour, baking powder and salt.  Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture.  Stir just until everything is combined. The batter will be thick. Fold in the blueberries.

Generously fill the muffin cups with the batter. Sprinkle some vanilla sugar, ground cinnamon and a pinch of sea salt over each muffin. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool 5 minutes. Remove from the pan and serve. Enjoy!

I make real vanilla sugar regularly to use in baked goods, hot chocolate, tea, pancakes, oatmeal and candy making. It’s absolutely delicious in coffee or sprinkled on fresh fruit too. The delicate taste and aroma of real vanilla beans cannot be beat. It smells exotic and familiar at the same time.

Vanilla seems to remind people of simpler times and days gone by. Nostalgia is never a bad thing in this hectic, modern world. Knowing it’s hanging around my kitchen makes me happy.

Vanilla Sugar makes a special holiday gift too. Put it a glass mason jar tied with a colorful bow. Add a label. Viola, instant homemade gift.

Vanilla Sugar Recipe 

Adapted from Jacques Pepin’s book Essential Pepin 

Some Notes

This recipe can be made entirely with raw cane sugar or regular white sugar or a combination of both. I use what I have in my cupboard, most of the time it’s a bit of both. I like the combination of natural cane sugar and white sugar. The cane sugar adds a molasses note.

Ingredients

• 4 cups of natural cane sugar or white sugar or a mix of both. I like Trader Joe’s brand of cane sugar.
• 2-3 vanilla beans. I buy fresh Madagascar Penzeys Vanilla Beans  because they’re high quality, soft and fabulous. You can add more vanilla beans for a stronger flavor and aroma.

Instructions

Take the tip of a knife and split the vanilla beans open lengthwise. Scrape the teeny tiny black seeds from the inside of the vanilla beans. Place the soft seeds and the split beans in a bowl with the sugar. Stir to combine. Store in an airtight container. You can use the sugar at this point or continue on to step two.

Once the beans are dry (this may take a few weeks), take them out of the sugar. Then grind them up in a food processor or spice grinder to a fine powder and place the ground beans back into the sugar. Mix to combine. You don’t have to do this step, but it does add more delicious vanilla flavor to the sugar. Add more sugar and vanilla beans as needed. Keep a steady supply going by following this method.