Cinnamon-Sugar Dipped Blueberry Muffins

I wanted to bake something for Saturday morning that Jim could grab before he went back to working on his brother’s bathroom, and that I could take to my hairdresser who has been making me look way better than I could on my own for over 7 years now. Seriously, I’ve been with her longer than I’ve been with Jim. Since frozen blueberries were on sale this week, I decided to look for a good muffin recipe. I found this recipe on the blog Stylish Cuisine, and loved the idea of the sour cream and cinnamon-sugar topping. Really, they had me at cinnamon-sugar.

The recipe says it yields 12 muffins, but I was able to make 16 using my silicone baking cups from Crate & Barrel. This was my first time using these. I had registered for them, and then totally forgot I owned any until finding them in back of a cabinet while hunting for my 4.5 inch cheesecake molds. They worked well, didn’t stick at all, and it was nice to be able to add additional muffin cups to the pan without having to bake two batches on two separate muffin tins.

These came together really, really quickly for a freshly baked treat. I have been asked to cut back on the blueberries for next time, which I don’t know if I agree with, but will oblige the husband, as I don’t think it will ruin them. The muffins were absolutely delicious. The tang of the sour cream, balanced out really well with the cinnamon-sugar topping.

 

Scoops of batter ready for the oven. I had to take a picture, since they looked just like little scoops of blueberry ice cream.

Ingredients:

Muffins:

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1 Tbsp Baking Powder
• ½ tsp Salt
• 1 Large Egg
• 1 cup Sugar
• 4 Tbsp Unsalted Butter, melted
• 1 ¼ cups Sour Cream
• 1 ½ cups Blueberries, Fresh or Frozen

Topping:

• ½ cup Sugar
• ½ tsp Cinnamon, Ground
• 4 Tbsp Butter, melted

Directions:

1. If using frozen berries, let thaw in a colander while getting things ready and putting together other ingredients.
2. With rack in middle, preheat oven to 350⁰. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin, or layout silicone baking cups on a cookie sheet, and set aside.
3. Sift the flour, baking powder, and salt into a medium bowl.
4. Whisk the egg in a second medium bowl until well combined and light-colored, about 20 seconds. Add the sugar and whisk vigorously until thick and homogeneous, about 30 seconds. Add the melted butter in 2 or 3 additions, whisking to combine after each addition. Add the sour cream in 2 additions, whisking just to combine.
5. Add the berries to the dry ingredients and gently toss just to combine. Add the sour cream mixture and fold with a rubber spatula until the batter comes together and the berries are evenly distributed, 25 to 30 seconds. Small spots of flour may remain, and the batter will be thick. Do not over mix!
6. Using a large spoon sprayed with nonstick cooking spray to prevent sticking, or a cookie scoop, divide the batter among the greased muffin cups. Bake until the muffins are light golden brown and a toothpick or skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 25 to 30 minutes, rotating the pan from front to back halfway through the baking time. Invert the muffins onto a wire rack, stand the muffins upright, and cool 5 minutes.
7. While the muffins are cooling, mix ½ cup sugar and ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon in a small bowl and melt 4 tablespoons butter. After the baked muffins have cooled 5 minutes, working one at a time, dip the top of each muffin in melted butter and then cinnamon sugar. Set the muffins upright on a wire rack to set for about 5 minutes and serve.

Maple Syrup Blueberry Pancake Muffins

As of late, Saturday mornings in our house mean breakfasts consisting of more than yogurt and granola for Jim and coffee for me. I like to use this as an excuse to try out some of the recipes for yummy baked goods I’ve come across in books, blogs, and, of course, my Google Reader. This probably goes without saying, but Jim has never complained about this one, and seems to now look forward to what I will be whipping up on the weekend. I loved the idea when I saw this recipe on Joy the Baker’s blog, and knew it had the potential to please even the pickiest eater in our house.

These were definitely a winner, and, had the recipe made more than 12 muffins, I would venture a guess that the little man would have gobbled those up as well. I did change the original recipe slightly, as I agreed with Joy when she noted that these would be good with the addition of blueberries, as well as other mix-ins such as chopped banana, nuts, and chocolate chips, but we’ll have to try one of those next time. Oh, and don’t be nervous or concerned about the addition of the brown butter. It gives a subtle flavor and nuttiness that really brings the idea of the pancake portion of the muffin to life. I also have to note, yet again, that the final results of this recipe will depend on the quality of the ingredients you begin with. Skip by the Aunt Jemima bottles and pick-up some delicious pure maple syrup, and don’t even get me started on the differences between artificial vanilla and a high quality vanilla extract. I highly encourage you to make these for your next Saturday morning breakfast, as I don’t think you’ll be disappointed.

Ingredients:

Muffins:

• 7 Tbsp Unsalted Butter
• 1/3 cup Whole Milk
• 1 large Egg
• 1 large Egg Yolk
• 1 Tbsp Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
• 1 ½ cups All-purpose Flour
• ¾ cup Sugar
• 1 ½ Tsp Baking Powder
• ¾ cup Blueberries
• ¾ tsp Salt

Glaze:

• ¾ cup Pure Maple Syrup
• 1 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Tbsp Lemon Juice

Directions:

Muffins:

1. Put a rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line muffin pan with paper or foil liners, or generously coat with nonstick spray.
2. Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Keep an eye on the butter. Melt and cook down the butter until little brown bits appear in the pan. The crackling will subside and butter will begin to brown fairly quickly after that. Keep a close eye. Remove from heat.
3. Whisk milk, egg, yolk, maple syrup, and vanilla until combined. Add the brown butter and stir to combine.
4. Whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a medium bowl. Set aside about ½ cup of the dry mixture.
5. Add milk and butter mixture all at once and stir gently to combine.
6. Toss the blueberries with the reserved dry mixture and fold into the batter.
7. Divide the batter among muffin cups and spread evenly.
8. Bake until golden and crisp and a wooden pick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, about 18-20 minutes.
9. While the muffins are baking make the maple glaze.

Glaze:

1. In a small saucepan (I used the same one I browned the butter in) simmer maple syrup and lemon juice, stirring occasionally, until reduced to a thick (thicker than maple syrup) syrup. This will take about 15 minutes over a low flame.
2. Remove from heat and wait for the muffins to finish baking.

Assembly:

1. When muffins are out of the oven and cool enough to handle, poke a few holes in the muffin top with a toothpick and dip each muffin top in the maple glaze.
2. After dipping all twelve muffins, start with the first muffin you dipped and dip each muffin again.