Red, blue, and black? Happy 4th!

Berry muffins sound delicious but they are actually kind of hard to pull off. That's why you don't see them in bakeries too often and when you do bite into one, you may be disappointed. But they are an excellent way to finish off the fruit from the farmer's market or taking care of berries that may not be perfectly ripe or sweet.

Once you get down the basics of muffins you can tailor them to fit what's in the fridge. This morning I've got strawberries, blueberries and blackberries that need using. Red, blue and black... almost 4th of July! The white can come from the flour.

Here's what we did.

First mix the dry ingredients:
2 cups flour (unbleached is best!)
1/2 cup oats (these are optional but a good way to counter mushy berries)
2/3 cup of brown sugar (+ or - sugar based on the sweetness of the fruit)
2 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp salt (optional)
1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

Then mix the wet ingredients:
1/3 cup of melted butter
1 egg
1 tsp vanilla (optional)
1 cup of milk

*Tip - mix the wet ingredients in the melted butter pan in for less mess!

Now pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold and mix with a large spoon until blended.

You know the rule... no over-mixing!

Now add the fruit. Here's the deal. Less is more. You want a total of a cup of berries and you want all of the pieces to be small. Big berries don't bake well! Strawberries are a pain because the white inside is hard and doesn't taste good when baked. So you have to hull them (or cut out the inside) and chop the outsides into small pieces about the size of the blueberries. Also cut the blackberries in half (or even thirds for big berries). A total of a cup of cut berries is perfect. The consistency of the small size goes a long way to makes the berries bearable!


Spoon into the muffin pan (about 2/3 full) and bake for 20 minutes or so in a preheated oven @ 400 degrees. I like to sprinkle maple sugar on the top before baking. Kind of like that fancy sugar at the bakery but better for you! It creates a crunchy sweet topping without any work.


Take out the golden brown muffins and let them cool.  If you can't eat them all they also freeze well, two to a Ziploc bag.


Happy 4th of July!