Whole Grain Blueberry Muffins With Orange Streusel
This master recipe for juicy, whole grain berry muffins is both extremely flexible and extremely rewarding. It is sweet but not sugary, packed with whole grains but not dense, and reasonably rich in fiber, protein, complex carbohydrates and healthy fats. The fresh berries and nuts are interchangeable with dried fruit, coconut or sunflower seeds. And the muffins freeze beautifully; they can go from a 300-degree oven to the breakfast table (or the car) in about 20 minutes.
- Total:
- Serves: 18 persons
Ingredients
- 2cups/240 grams all-purpose flour, more as needed
- ⅔cup/75 grams whole wheat flour or wheat germ, preferably toasted
- ⅔cup/92 grams fine-ground yellow cornmeal
- ⅔cup/66 grams rolled oats (not quick-cooking)
- ⅔cup/142 grams packed light brown sugar
- 4teaspoons baking powder
- 1teaspoon baking soda
- 2teaspoons cinnamon
- 2teaspoons nutmeg or allspice (or use additional cinnamon)
- ½teaspoon salt
- 1 ¾cups/414 milliliters buttermilk, more as needed
- 1 ⅓cup/315 milliliters coconut oil, or neutral oil like safflower or canola
- ⅔cup/158 milliliters maple syrup
- 4eggs
- 2cups/198 grams grated carrots or tart apple
- 1 ½cups/255 grams blueberries
- 1cup/113 grams chopped toasted walnuts or pecans (optional)
- ⅓cup/71 grams packed light brown sugar
- ½teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼cup/59 milliliters coconut oil or cold unsalted butter
- ½cup/60 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 ½tablespoons finely grated orange zest
Instructions
Step 1
Make the muffins: In a large bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flours, cornmeal, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.Step 2
In a separate bowl or large measuring cup, mix the wet ingredients: buttermilk, oil, maple syrup and eggs.Step 3
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and gently mix just until blended. Don’t worry about a few lumps or streaks of flour. Stir in the carrots, blueberries and nuts if using. (If you'd like, reserve a handful of blueberries for sprinkling on top of the muffins just before baking.)Step 4
Set batter aside at room temperature for 15 to 30 minutes to allow flours to absorb the liquid. Check batter after 15 minutes by giving it a light stir. It should be thick, not runny (this will help the muffins rise). Thin with a little more buttermilk or thicken by adding 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour. Set aside for 5 minutes more, check and adjust texture again, and repeat until batter is thick and fluffy.Step 5
Heat oven to 425 degrees and place rack in top third of oven. Butter or spray a muffin tin (regular or jumbo), or line the cups with paper liners. Make sure to also butter or spray the top surface of the tin to help the muffins release.Step 6
Make the streusel if using: In a small bowl, mix and pinch all the ingredients together until blended and crumbly. (If using butter, cut into small pieces first.)Step 7
Using an ice-cream scoop or small ladle, divide thick batter among muffin cups, filling almost to the top. Mound the batter slightly in the center of each cup; this will help make a domed muffin top. If you reserved blueberries for topping, press them lightly into the muffins. If you are topping with streusel, use your fingers to divide streusel over batter and press lightly onto the surface.Step 8
Place muffin tin in oven and reduce heat to 400 degrees. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, until a tester inserted into center of muffin comes out moist but clean. Rotate the pan halfway through baking. Cool muffins in pan on rack, then remove from tin.Step 9
Repeat with remaining batter. If there is not enough batter remaining to fill all the cups, fill every other cup with batter. Pour water into the empty cups to protect the pan in the oven.