Tony Zentgraf
This recipe for Homemade Blueberry Muffins is easy to make and the muffins freeze well. The recipe can be cut in half if needed. You can pull them from the freezer and thaw at room temperature overnight. Give the kids a breakfast treat as they are running out the door.
History of the Blueberry Muffin
Scandinavian settlers brought the recipe for Bilberry Muffins from their homeland. When they arrived in the New World the Bilberry was not native to the Americas.
They found that the wild blueberry plants that were abundant. As they became accustomed to the new berry they began adding it to their recipes.
The Bilberry is grown vastly throughout Scandinavia but can be found throughout Europe. Many European countries use the Bilberry in similar ways, in liqueurs, jams, desserts, baked foods or even as a crepe filling.
The Bilberry may be similar to a Blueberry but they have a few differences. A blueberry exterior color may be blue but the flesh of a blueberry from America has a yellow/greenish tint. The bottom of a blueberry also has five petals where bilberries do not.
Antioxidant Power
While the blueberry is known for its antioxidant power, fiber content and vitamins. The bilberry has about 4 times the antioxidants than a regular blueberry.
The Bilberry has a darker skin, from dark purple to black. The flesh is darker red to purple and the berries are juicier than the wild American blueberry. The Bilberries do not travel well once picked because of the higher juice content. As a result in Europe most of the year the berry is available frozen.
The Flavor Difference
But what is the flavor difference? A bilberry has a more intense, sweet and tangy fruit flavor compared to the American blueberry which is more bland in comparison.
Growing Blueberries
Although the blueberry muffin started with an Scandinavian bilberry that is a cousin to the wild blueberry, today’s commercial blueberries are grown across the U.S. and Canada with different varieties in different regions.
Although Maine may be known for their wild blueberries, they are not always the largest grower of the blueberry.
13 other states grow blueberries commercially, with Georgia, New Jersey, Oregon, California and North Carolina being some of the largest volume of top commercial blueberry producers.
The U.S. is the largest producers of the blueberry in the world at about 650 million pounds.
Imports vs Exports
About half of what is grown in the U.S. is frozen the other half is sold fresh. Even with this large amount of blueberries grown the U.S., a significant amount of blueberries are imported to supplement the demand throughout the year. With Chile and Peru exporting to the U.S. in the winter months and Mexico in the summer months.
Although the U.S produces and imports a significant amount of blueberries throughout the year, it is also the biggest exporter of blueberries with Canada and South Korea being the largest recipients of the exports.
Pick Your Own!
Wherever you live, source out the local “You Pick” Blueberry Farms to support a local farmer and try the fresh variety grown in your region.
Don’t forget to add some frozen to this Blueberry Muffin recipe!
Enjoy!
Homemade Blueberry Muffins (V)
Print RecipeRecipe Multiplier
- 1 lb Butter softened
- 15 oz Sugar
- 1 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 4 ea Whole Eggs
- 1 lb All Purpose Flour
- 1 lb Cake Flour
- 1 ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- 2 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Soda
- 20 oz Buttermilk
- 3 cups Frozen Blueberries
- 2 tbsp Sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°
- In a mixer with a paddle attachment, cream the room temperature butter and sugar. Scrape down the sides and paddle attachment to ensure butter and sugar get incorporated.
- Add the vanilla extract. Continue to mix to incorporate the vanilla
- Add the eggs one at at time while the mixer is running. Let each egg incorporate into the butter and sugar mix before adding next egg.
- Sift the dry ingredients, flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add about ⅓ of the dry ingredients and mix to incorporate.
- Add about ⅓ of the buttermilk and let incorporate.
- Continue alternating between dry and wet ingredients until all have been added.
- Once all the dry and wet ingredients have been added remove the bowl from the mixer.
- Fold in the blueberries one cup at a time into the batter. The batter will seem thick but it is ok.
- Portion the batter into regular size muffin liners in a muffin pan with a 2 oz scoop.
- Once the batter is added to the pans, sprinkle sugar on top of the muffins.
- Bake the muffins at 400° for 30 minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the muffin pans. This will allow the muffins to carryover bake and cool slowly.
- Once cooled, store in a covered container, package for freezing or immediately Enjoy! These muffins freeze well. Remove from freezer and let thaw at room temperature.
Loving your recipes!!!
Ooo this looks good! I don’t have cake flour but might give it a try with 100% all purpose flour
Yes you can use all purpose flour but the texture may be different.
So many blueberries and not too sweet!
I made these for Easter brunch and they turned out great! I didn’t have cake flour or buttermilk, so I used all all-purpose flour and milk + vinegar. I also forgot to the sugar on top, but they still turned out delicious! They were a big hit at brunch!