famous blueberry muffins

Muffins aren't exactly one of my favorite breakfast items - but they are pretty great. They are perfectly utilitarian for  multiple flavor combinations, travel eating, and can skew from "healthy" to "not at all healthy" in a hot second.

I'll admit that I tend to lean towards bagels (or even cinnamon buns) before I grab a muffin - but they do have a place in my heart without a doubt. Almost a sentimental fondness from Martha's Vineyard breakfasts at Mrs. Miller's Muffins to splitting the grilled blueberry muffin at Metropolis in Boston's South End. Muffins feel slightly indulgent to me. Probably because I insist on eating them warm and slathered in butter. 


So - when I came upon this recipe for the Jordan Marsh blueberry muffins I felt inclined to give them a shot. I don't think I ever had the original ones but it felt like something that would pull enough at my sentimental heart strings. There was recently a news segment interviewing the original baker which provided a few tips on how to get closer to his iteration of the muffins. After watching, I came away with the a few key points that would maximize my chances of achieving "Jordan Marsh" muffins.

Here are a few notes:

  • BLUEBERRIES // It is not currently blueberry season ... and they were not on sale this week. I used a combination of fresh blueberries (for the smashing part) and frozen wild blueberries for the rest. I'm partial to the wild blueberries because I like how small they are but didn't want to break the bank with fresh blueberries. I spent $5 versus $16.
  • FLOUR // From watching the interview, I learned the flour mixture is actually a combination of pasty flour and bread flour. Interesting. I didn't have any pasty flour... but I used a 40/60 mixture of bread and regular flour.
  • SUGAR // The other take away from the interview? Don't mess around when it comes to topping with sugar. The muffin is already not healthy don't hold back at this point. In the video, they literally used a fistfull of sugar to top the muffins. Just use your judgement and don't be light about it. You won't regret it. 
  • BATCH SIZE// The recipe here only makes 6 muffins - especially when you follow the baker's guidelines to overfill the muffin cups. I think you could hold back a touch here... but if you need more than 6-7 muffins. Double the batch. 

These blueberry babes got some rave reviews from my taste testers. I split the batch between my kitchen and my parents. My dad loves muffins - and he said they were delicious. I also lured my favorite yoga teacher over to eat them while talking about her website. Despite coming prepared with a "detox tea", she happily noshed on a muffin. So - these gems will please all types of people. 

Here's how it goes:

(Step 1) On low speed, cream butter with sugar until fluffy. Add eggs one at a time and mix until blended. 

(Step 2) Sift dry ingredients; add to eggs-and-butter mixture, alternating with milk. 

(Step 3) Mash 1/2 cup of berries and stir into mixture by hand. I used the bottom of a coffee cup to try and contain the mess. It worked.

(Step 4) Add the rest of the berries whole and stir by hand. Grease muffin tins well with butter; grease the top surface of the pans as well. 

(Step 5) Pile mixture high in each muffin cup, and sprinkle the sugar over tops. Bake at 375 degrees for 30 minutes.
Shopping List
1/2 cup butter
2 cups flour (blend of bread and regular)
1 cup sugar
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup fresh blueberries for mashing
2 cups frozen wild blueberries
1/4 cup sugar (for tops)
1 teaspoon vanilla

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