Blueberry muffins were one of my first ventures into baking on my own. We all know I grew up baking cookies, chocolate chip banana bread, and cakes with my mom. But when it came to things like blueberry muffins, I was on my own. My mom was/is a chocolate girl at heart, though these days she does love a good blueberry muffin, especially if homemade. When I was in middle school, I used to make the Betty Crocker Wild Blueberry Muffins from a box. Many Fridays after school I’d make these muffins for my younger brother Red. He loved them so much. Looking back this is kind of funny since Red’s not the biggest sweets guy! Maybe he has a soft spot for blueberry muffins? Either way, I always enjoyed baking them. For me, blueberry muffins must be full of juicy blueberries with a heavy hint of vanilla. They should be light, not dense, and very, very soft. Clearly I’m particular, so I really wanted to create my perfect blueberry muffin. And I think I finally did. These are so simple to make, yet so delicious. They have everything a blueberry muffin should have, plus – sweet whipped honey butter. Which really does seal the deal.
The steps
Start with the batter. It’s a mix of butter and coconut for the best flavor and texture. I used honey to sweet each muffin. The honey also adds a little flavor and moisture, and I love that it’s a non-processed sweetener with health benefits. Then the rest is pretty basic. Yogurt, eggs, milk, and plenty of vanilla – plus vanilla bean powder for incredible flavor. For the dry ingredients, I like to use whole wheat pastry flour for a more wholesome muffin that also has a great crumb. I honestly prefer it over all-purpose flour! Then the blueberries. You can use fresh or frozen berries, but if you’re using frozen, make sure to leave them frozen. Do not let them thaw. The real secret here is to use a small amount of high-quality blueberry jam. This gives the muffins an even more intense and delicious burst of blueberry flavor. Trust me, the jam is the element that most blueberry muffins are lacking. Finally, divide the batter between muffin cups and add the brown sugar crunch topping. The topping is just brown sugar mixed with flour, vanilla bean, and butter. It clumps up as it’s mixed, making it easy to sprinkle overtop each muffin. This is not a streusel, but more of a sweet sugar crunch. It’s not heavy, but it makes the muffins incredibly special. As the muffins bake, the berries burst, and the topping begins to caramelize, becoming just the slightest bit crunchy. When the muffins come out of the oven, enjoy them warm with some whipped salted butter. Which is simply salted butter whipped in a mixer with a small touch of honey until light and creamy. It really is perfection when smeared over a warm muffin. Delectable. Hopefully, these homemade muffins will make up for all the processed ones we enjoyed in our younger years. I can whole heartily say, these are a million and one times better. Looking for other yummy bakery items?? Here are my favorites: Baked Blueberry Cinnamon Sugar Doughnuts Chocolate Chunk Chai Banana Muffins Chocolate Chunk Rye Banana Bread Easy Chocolate Cinnamon Crunch Knots Lastly, if you make these Blueberry Vanilla Crunch Muffins, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
