Conquering Blueberries and Streusel: Zach’s Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping

I have a new favorite cookbook! I just cannot keep out of Carole Walter’s Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More. It has all of my favorite baked goods, and the bundt cake selection is especially impressive. I have been cooking a lot of simple, healthy meals, frequently repeats for us, not really blog-worthy, so you guys are going to get more baked goods, both of them from Ms. Walter’s book. First, for today, her blueberry muffins.

I want to confess something before I rave about these muffins. I have never made streusel-topped blueberry muffins before, even though they are one of my favorites. This is because I have had trouble with streusel sinking in muffins and I usually have trouble with blueberries not sinking and bleeding. Between the 2 issues I have been scared off of blueberry muffins. So take it with a tiny grain of salt when I say these are the best blueberry muffins I have ever had. Even 2 days later they were still fabulous—one of my primary complaints about muffins in general. And the streusel is heavenly on them.

Zach’s Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping

Adapted from Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More, Carole Walter

Ingredients

¾ cup white whole wheat flour (sorry I did not weigh–just spoon it in and level it)

1 cup AP flour (126 g)

½ t baking powder

½ t salt

¼ t baking soda

2/3 cup room temperature unsalted butter (1 1/3 sticks)

2 t lemon zest

¾ cup superfine sugar

1 large egg

1 t vanilla extract

½ cup buttermilk

1 ½ cups fresh blueberries (washed and air dried)

Streusel (see recipe below)

Preheat the oven to 375 F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper.* Be sure to also spray the pan with nonstick spray so the tops don’t stick.

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flours, salt, baking powder and baking soda. Set aside.

Cream the butter in the bowl of a free standing mixer. Add the lemon zest and cream on medium speed until light and creamy, about 1 minute. Add the sugar in a steady stream, then blend in the vanilla and egg. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.

Reduce the mixer speed to low and add the flour mixture alternately with the buttermilk, in 2 portions for the buttermilk and 3 for the flour. Scrape as needed and only mix until blended—do not overmix.

Using a large ice cream scoop, fill the muffin cups 2/3 full. Add a layer of blueberries over the surface of each cup, pressing the blueberries gently into the batter.** Then place a dollop of batter over the blueberries—it is ok if the blueberries show. Take a handful of the streusel topping and crumble it over the berries and batter, completely covering the tops of the muffins. Press gently to adhere.

Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until the streusel topping is golden brown. If your oven bakes unevenly, rotate the pan front to back halfway through.

*Her recipe actually calls for 14 muffin cups, which I found really inconvenient. I distributed equally between 12 cups with just a bit leftover (basically I did not scrape the bowl very much) and was much happier with that. It did mean that I had to readjust the batter a bit as I filled the muffin cups and made sure I would have enough to go around.

**I put about 5-6 large blueberries in each muffin. Next time I would do more, maybe more like 7 or 8. I was nervous about them bleeding and sinking, but I shouldn’t have been—Ms. Walter’s strategy worked really well.

Carole’s Favorite Streusel

Adapted from Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins & More, Carole Walter

6-7 T unsalted butter

1 cup AP flour (126 g)

½ cup sugar

Pinch cinnamon

¼ t baking powder

¼ t salt

Place the butter in a heavy 2 qt saucepan and heat until almost melted.; remove from the heat and cool to tepid.

Whisk together the remaining ingredients. Add them to the butter and stir with a fork until blended and mixture begins to form crumbs. Gently squeeze the mixture with your hand to form large lumps and then break those lumps gently into smaller lumps. Before using, let the streusel stand for 10-15 minutes.