Adult Grade: A+
Kid Grade: A+
Blueberry Muffins
From Betty Crocker's Cookbook: Bridal Edition
These are wonderful, classic blueberry muffins that go over well with kids and adults alike. They are dessert-like; I tend to make them for guests as directed because they’re so delicious that way that it’s hard to mess with the genius of the original recipe. I have had more than one friend ask for the recipe!
This last time, since I was making them for a regular family dinner, I doubled the recipe (I like to freeze extras for a quick heat-up on busy nights and mornings), and used 2 cups all-purpose flour and 2 cups of whole-wheat/white flour blend (from Hodgson Mill). Adding the more fibrous whole wheat blend did change the flavor to a more hearty muffin, but it didn’t make the muffins tough and no one else in my family seemed to notice or care because they were so busy enjoying them. I have yet to try healthier modifications like using egg whites in place of eggs and applesauce in place of the oil in this recipe. I do use canola oil and skim milk. And you can’t beat fresh blueberries!
The streusel topping really gives the muffins a great finishing touch. I do use Land O Lakes Light Butter sticks for this part and you can’t tell any difference from regular butter. I always use a pastry cutter to form the crumbles – don’t overdo it or you’ll end up with everything totally blended and no yummy buttery chunks. I do think you get well over the 1 T streusel per muffin – I have sometimes used the leftovers for other recipes; other times I just pile it all on!
When baking, I have found it helpful to use paper muffin liners, and to bake on the second rack from the top. I start with 10 minutes on the timer, then rotate the pan so the side that was toward the side of the oven faces the middle (when making two pans). Then I do the remaining baking in 5 minute segments, then two minutes until the tops are lightly browned and a knife comes out clean. I use a plastic knife to go around the edges of the baking cups to loosen the muffins without scratching the pan. Personally, I find that aluminum pans still do the best job at not overbrowning the bottoms. My stoneware muffin “pan” from Pampered Chef also does a good job but it tends to increase the baking time.
Fresh muffins are the best. For reheating, put a muffin on a microwave-safe plate and cover with a wet paper towel (without dyes). Then heat for 20 seconds or so. This will keep the muffin moist while warming. Enjoy!
Get the newer Betty Crocker Cookbook (Bridal Edition) (Betty Crocker Books)