1. Fresh Blueberry Muffins

2 cups flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
3/4 cup granulated sugar
Pinch of salt
1 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 egg, beaten
1 cup fresh blueberries or frozen, not packed in sugar

Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Make well in the center of the flour mixture and add milk, oil, and egg. Stir only until combined. Stir berries gently into this. Spoon dough into greased muffin pans or pans lined with muffin papers. Sprinkle the top of the dough with sugar. Bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before removing from pan. Serve warm.

2. The Best Blueberry Muffins

The recipe title says it all. These tend to stick a bit in the pan so use foil baking cups.

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, at room temperature
1 cup granulated sugar (the author says to use slightly less if berries are very sweet)
2 large eggs, at room temperature
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries (mash 1/2 cup with fork)
2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup milk

Topping

1 tablespoon granulated sugar mixed with
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg

Description

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Line 12 muffin cups with foil baking cups and butter the top of the muffin tin. With an electric mixer at medium-high speed, beat butter until creamy. Beat in sugar until pale and fluffy. Scrape sides of the bowl. At medium speed, beat in eggs, one at a time. Beat in baking powder, vanilla, and salt.

By hand with a wooden spoon, stir mashed blueberries into the batter (batter may look curdled). With a rubber spatula, fold in half the flour, then half the milk. Add remaining flour and milk, folding in each just until blended. Fold in remaining blueberries.

Scoop batter into muffin cups (cups will be full). Sprinkle with nutmeg sugar. Bake 25 to 30 minutes, until golden brown. Let muffins cool for at least 30 minutes in the pan before removing them. Makes 12 muffins.

3. Squash Muffins

2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
2/3 cup grated yellow squash
1 egg, beaten
3/4 cup milk
2 tablespoons vegetable oil

Description

Combine flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, and squash in a large bowl; make a well in the center of the mixture. Combine egg, milk, and oil; add to dry ingredients, stirring just until moistened. Spoon batter into lightly greased muffin pans, filling two-thirds full. Bake at 350 degrees F for 20 to 25 minutes. Remove muffins from pans immediately. Yields 1 dozen.

4. Carver Brewing Company Raspberry Bran Muffins

Source: Carver Brewing Company, Durango, Colorado - San Diego Union-Tribune

2 1/2 cups wheat bran
1 cup pastry flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1/4 cup packed brown sugar
2 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
1 cup buttermilk
1/2 cup canola oil
1/4 cup blackstrap molasses
1/4 cup honey
4 eggs
1 1/2 cups frozen raspberries

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Butter and flour muffin tins or line with paper liners. In a large mixing bowl, combine wheat bran, pastry flour, whole-wheat flour, brown sugar, and baking soda, tossing with a fork to incorporate air. Set aside.

In a smaller bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, canola oil, molasses, honey, and eggs. Stir wet ingredients into dry ingredients until barely blended. Fold in frozen raspberries. Fill tins about two-thirds full. Bake for 15 minutes, or until muffins spring back when touched. Cool in tins. Makes about 2 dozen muffins.

5. Six-Week Bran Muffins

1 (20 ounce) box raisin or bran flakes
3 scant cups granulated sugar
5 teaspoons baking soda (optional)
5 cups flour
2 teaspoons salt
4 eggs, beaten
3/4 cup vegetable oil
1 cup pecans, chopped (optional)
1 quart buttermilk

Description

Mix raisin bran, sugar, baking soda, flour, and salt in a very large bowl. Add beaten eggs, oil, nuts (if desired), and buttermilk. Mix well. Store in covered container in refrigerator and use as needed.

To use, grease muffin pans. Fill muffin pans two-thirds full. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Bake 15 to 20 minutes. Batter will keep for six weeks in the refrigerator or bake muffins and store in the freezer. Serve with Honey Butter, if desired.

Honey Butter

8 ounces honey
1 cup butter or margarine
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

Mix all ingredients until smooth.

6. Rum-Nut Muffins

1 cup self-rising flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
2 tablespoons rum
1/4 cup chopped pecans
Sifted confectioners

7. Praline-Peach Muffins

Topping

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup chopped pecans
1 tablespoon firm butter or margarine

Mix with a fork until crumbly. Set aside.

Muffins

1/2 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup milk
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 egg
1 2/3 cups all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup chopped fresh, frozen (thawed and drained) or canned (well-drained) peaches
1/2 cup chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease bottoms only of 12 medium muffin cups or line with paper baking cups.

Beat brown sugar, milk, vegetable oil, vanilla extract, and egg in a large bowl. Stir in flour, baking powder, and salt just until moistened. Fold in peaches and pecans. Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (cups will be almost full). Sprinkle with reserved topping mixture. Bake for 18 to 20 minutes or until golden brown. Immediately remove from pan.

8. Mayonnaise Muffins

1 1/4 cups self-rising flour
3 tablespoons mayonnaise
1 cup milk

Mix ingredients in the order given. Spoon into greased muffin tins. Bake at 400 degrees F for 15 to 20 minutes or until lightly browned. These freeze well. Yields 6 to 8 large muffins or 2 dozen small ones.

9. Butterscotch Crumb Muffins

2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour
2 cups (packed) light brown sugar
2/3 cup solid vegetable shortening (such as Crisco), cold and cut into 4 pieces
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 cup buttermilk
2 large eggs, well beaten
1 cup butterscotch baking chips

Description

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Position oven rack in center of the oven. Line muffin tins with papers or grease and flour muffin tins.

In a large bowl, combine flour and brown sugar until no lumps remain. Add shortening and cover with the flour/sugar mixture. Use a pastry blender or your fingertips to gently combine until the mix resembles coarse bread crumbs. (This may also be done in the food processor using a few short pulses of power. Do not let it run or the shortening will melt.) Reserve 1/2 cup of the flour/sugar mixture and set aside to use as the crumb topping.

To the remaining flour/sugar mixture, add baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt. Using a fork, combine well. Add buttermilk and beaten eggs. Using a large spoon, mix briskly until thick and batter take on a sheen. Fold in butterscotch chips.

Fill muffin tins 2/3 full. Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of the reserved crumb topping mixture over the top of each muffin. Gently tamp down topping into the batter. Bake 25 to 30 minutes or until tests were done with a wooden pick. Serve warm or at room temperature.

For mini-muffins: Do not add butterscotch chips to the batter before filling mini-muffin cups. Instead, fill cups 2/3 full, then gently press 3 butterscotch chips into each mini-muffin before adding crumb topping. Bake for about 14 minutes until edges are lightly browned. Yield: about 16 large muffins or 60 mini-muffins