Blueberry Lemon Muffins

Michigan blueberries start showing up at farmers markets in early-to-mid July and they’re one of the best things about summer here. These muffins are the kind you make on a Saturday morning when you’ve bought a big flat of blueberries and want to do something with them beyond eating them by the handful. They’re tender, not too sweet, and the lemon zest makes them taste fresh rather than heavy.

Ingredients

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• ¾ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Zest of 1 lemon
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup plain whole-milk yogurt (or sour cream)
• ½ cup (1 stick) butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1½ cups fresh blueberries
• 1 tablespoon flour (for tossing berries)

Optional topping:

• 2 tablespoons sugar mixed with ½ teaspoon lemon zest

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well.

2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and lemon zest.

3. In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs, yogurt, melted butter, and vanilla until smooth.

4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix — a few lumps are fine. Overmixing makes muffins tough.

5. Toss the blueberries with 1 tablespoon of flour (this helps prevent them from sinking to the bottom). Fold gently into the batter.

6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups — they should be about ¾ full. Sprinkle the lemon sugar topping over each muffin if using.

7. Bake for 20–24 minutes until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.

Tips

• Don’t overmix. This is the most important step. Stir only until the dry ingredients disappear — the batter should look slightly lumpy.
• Fresh or frozen. Fresh blueberries are best, but frozen work too — don’t thaw them first, and expect a slightly longer bake time.
• Yogurt substitute. Buttermilk or sour cream work in place of yogurt. All three give the muffins a nice tang and tender crumb.
• Storage. Store at room temperature covered for 2 days, or freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months.

Where to find the ingredients

Michigan blueberries typically arrive at Washtenaw County farmers markets in early July. Look for them from Kapnick Orchards and Wasem Fruit Farm, both of which grow fruit crops through the summer season. Fresh eggs for baking are available year-round at all four Washtenaw County markets from local farm vendors.