Grandma's Blueberry Muffins

When I was younger, my Grandma Betty’s blueberry muffins were the star of every family gathering. One Easter, I ate 5 of them (all buttered up, natch) in lieu of ham. In her muffins, my grandma always used blueberries from my grandpa's garden, which were tarter than any blueberries I've ever tasted and pinker than any bluebs I've ever seen.

She also used double the amount of blueberries that are typically included in muffins, based on recipes from the likes of NYT and Bon Appetit. I am totally on board with these extra berries because they create gorgeous craters all over the muffins and makes them taste a little fresher.

The batter itself isn't very flavorful, but this just allows the bluebs to shine through. I tested these muffins replacing half the flour with whole wheat, but this just distracted from the blueberries. These muffins are best when they're as light as possible and monumentally stuffed with berries. Add a pat of butter and you're golden.

Let me know what you think of the recipe and don't forget to follow the sustainability tips below!

Time: 30 minutes

Makes: 12 muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

• 1/2 cup granulated or coconut sugar

• 2 teaspoons baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 cup milk of choice

• 1 large egg

• 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

• 1/4 cup neutral oil

• 2 cups fresh or frozen blueberries (tarter = better)

Steps

Preheat oven to 400 F. Sift together all dry ingredients in a large bowl. (Sifting is important because it helps the muffins maintain a light texture and domed top.) In a separate bowl or liquid measuring cup, whisk together all wet ingredients until combined. Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir until almost combined. Fold in the blueberries until equally distributed and no dry flour remains. Distribute batter evenly between 12 greased muffin tins. Place in the oven and turn temperature immediately down to 350 F. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown.

Sustainability tips

• Flours: I like to buy King Arthur brand flour because King Arthur Flour is a B Corp, which means that they're held to a high environmental and social standard. Alternatively, you could seek out a farmer who grows and mills flour locally. Buying locally can help connect you to your local food system and cut back on the miles your food has to travel.

• Sugar: I like to buy coconut sugar because it's easy to find fair trade varieties, but fair trade granulated sugar is another great option here. Read all about it in my sustainable cane sugars post!

• Milk: Since cows contribute a lot to climate change, I like to buy my dairy products from B Corps, which are held to really high environmental and social standards. You could also try out vegan milk options, like almond, cashew or oat milk.

• Blueberries: Your best option here is to grow the blueberries yourself, but any local blueberries are a great option. Also, be sure to make this recipe during the summer because that's when bluebs are in season. This way, your berries won't have to contribute as much to GHG emissions during travel.

• Egg: Local eggs are really easy to find if you look for them. Buying locally means your eggs won't have to travel as far, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and energy use.