Blueberry-Lemon Streusel Muffins
Plus, my favorite piece of cookware lately, how I recommend getting out of your chicken-and-salmon-on-repeat rut and an olive oil I'm obsessed with
4/27 Update: Well, it finally happened. I doubled the recipe to yield more muffin goodness for you, and the recipe should call for 2 eggs, not one. Thank you to reader Krissy for pointing it out! Nothing else in the recipe is changed.
I just got home from a morning not working out at my gym. Let me explain: about a month ago, I took my 100th class at my local Pure Barre studio in Oakland. When the owners found out what I do for work, they invited me to host a pop-up for class attendees.
As much as I love the work I do behind a screen, I need to balance it out with real-life events, too — like teaching my cooking classes, serving on the leadership team for The Proof Collective, and cooking private dinners.
I got to work planning my (free) pop-up: there would be granola, of course, my favorite post-workout snack, with Greek or Icelandic yogurt and whatever fruit’s kicking around in the fridge (yet another granola recipe coming soon!) I also wanted to make a handheld treat that could (a) be made the day before, (b) travel well, and (c) not require refrigeration.
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I’d been meaning to riff on Roxana Jullapat’s Spelt Blueberry Muffins — a recipe I made with raspberries a few years ago and still can’t stop thinking about.
I love spelt: it’s a type of wheat that’s higher in nutrients and lower in gluten than regular white flour, with a nutty flavor that adds real depth. This recipe works well with spelt flour, a 1:1 gluten-free substitute, or all-purpose flour — which is what I used for the Pure Barre event.
The Muffins ended up being just the ticket, and the perfect post-workout bite for a Saturday morning. It was fun to chat about meal planning, my love for the Le Creuset Braiser, the everyday struggles of figuring out what to eat and how I recommend jazzing up chicken and salmon (Oaktown Spice Shop will get anyone out of the deepest cooking ruts).
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Coming Up:
Join me for my next cooking class at The Civic Kitchen on Friday, May 16th: Springtime Steakhouse! We’ll be making:
Caramelized Spring Onion Dip
Seared Ribeye Steaks with Rosemary
Spring Salsa Verde
Garlicky Stuffed Mushrooms
Smoked Prosicutto-Wrapped Asparagus Bundles
Little Gem Wedge Salad with Tahini Ranch
Potato Fennel Gratin
Creamed Spring Greens
Panna Cotta with Balsamic Strawberries
Blueberry-Lemon Streusel Muffins
Makes about 16 standard-size muffins or 50 mini muffins
Recipe adapted and shared with permission from Mother Grains by Roxana Jullapat. If you love baking, I highly recommend this cookbook, following Roxana and visiting her LA bakery Friends & Family.
4/27 Update: I updated the recipe to call for 2 eggs, not one. Thanks for reader and friend Krissy for pointing this out!
Ingredients:
For the streusel:
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons packed dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
Pinch salt
1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) cold unsalted butter, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
For the muffins:
3 cups all-purpose flour (see note)
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1 1/3 cup packed dark brown sugar
2/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil (see note)
2 large eggs
2/3 cup buttermilk or plain yogurt (see note)
Zest of 2 small lemons
1 cup frozen wild blueberries (see note)
Directions:
Heat oven to 350F. Line muffin cups with liners and lightly spritz with nonstick spray. Alternately, you can bake muffins directly in muffin pan, coating the pan well with nonstick spray.
For the streusel, in a medium bowl, combine flour, sugars, cinnamon and salt. Add butter and using a fork or your hands, quickly work the butter into the dry ingredients until it forms pea-size pieces. Chill in freezer while you prep the batter.
For the muffins, in a large bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt. In another bowl, whisk brown sugar, olive oil, eggs, buttermilk and lemon zest. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and using a rubber spatula, fold until just combined. Avoid over mixing (which can result in tough muffins). Gently fold in blueberries.
Working in batches if needed, fill muffin cups with batter about 3/4 full. Try using a small cooking scoop for this. Top with a sprinkle of streusel. Bake for about 25 minutes, rotating the pan halfway through baking until muffins are lightly browned and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for a few minutes before transferring to a rack to cool.
Storage: Store at room temperature, covered, for about 3 days. You can also freeze in an airtight-container or resealable bag for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature before eating. Whether you eat right away or freeze, you can also rewarm muffins at 350F for about 5-10 minutes.
Notes and Substitutions:
Flour: The original recipe calls for whole grain spelt flour, which adds a bump of nutrients and a bit more nuttiness. You can also use gluten-free 1:1 all-purpose flour. I love this one from King Arthur.
Cinnamon: Swap in or add ground cardamom and/or a few gratings of fresh nutmeg.
Olive oil: I recommend a mild, delicate olive oil for baking, like this one from Enzo (use code ONCOOKING10 to get 10% off on enzostable.com!)
Buttermilk: If you don’t have buttermilk, add 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar or white vinegar to 2/3 cup milk (any type). You can also use thin yogurt, and I find most folks have Greek yogurt in their fridge vs. the thinner European variety. If you’re going Greek, thin it out with a bit of water or milk to equal 2/3 cup.
Lemon Zest: Try orange or lime zest instead. Or omit the lemon and add a teaspoon of vanilla extract.
Blueberries: I love tiny frozen wild blueberries, especially in a mini muffin, for the best ratio of batter to muffin. Feel free to substitute fresh blueberries, or fresh or frozen raspberries or blackberries. Strawberries contain more water content, and may effect the texture of the muffins, so I would not recommend them for this recipe.
