Blueberry Muffin : Small Recipe

Preheat and prepare tin

Preheat oven to 400°F (205°C). Line a standard 6-cup muffin tin (small muffins) with paper liners or lightly grease each cup. If you prefer slightly taller small muffins, lightly spray the inside of the liners with nonstick spray.

Measure ingredients and gather equipment: medium bowl, large bowl, whisk, rubber spatula, spoon, and measuring cups/spoons.

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1.25 cups all-purpose flour, 0.5 cup granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, and 0.25 tsp fine sea salt until evenly combined.

In a separate large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients: 0.5 cup whole milk, 1 large egg, 3 tbsp melted unsalted butter, and 0.5 tsp vanilla extract until smooth and slightly frothy.

Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients. Pour the wet mixture into the well. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the mixture together until just combined — a few streaks of flour remaining are okay. Do not overmix; overmixing will make dense muffins.

Gently fold in 0.75 cup blueberries and 0.5 tbsp lemon zest (if using) into the batter, taking care not to crush the berries. If using frozen berries, fold them in straight from the freezer to minimize color bleed.

Divide the batter evenly among the 6 prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Smooth the tops slightly with the back of a spoon. Sprinkle each muffin with a pinch of coarse/turbinado sugar (about 1 tbsp total across all muffins) for a crunchy top.

Bake in the preheated 400°F (205°C) oven for 14–17 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out with a few moist crumbs but no wet batter. Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color if your oven has hot spots.

Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool another 10–15 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Reheat gently before serving if desired.