Buttermilk is a creamy, sour byproduct of the butter churning process. Blueberry buttermilk muffins use this ingredient to add a slight tartness to the muffins, which can be made less sweet for breakfast or with a streusel or sugared topping for dessert. The customizable muffins are most often baked in a muffin pan, though the mix can also be poured into a loaf pan to create a blueberry quick bread.
The standard recipe for blueberry buttermilk muffins begins with the dry ingredients of flour and sugar, and then baking powder, salt, and baking soda are added to help the flour to rise. Wet ingredients include egg, vegetable oil, and the buttermilk. Fresh blueberries and spices such as cinnamon, citrus zest, and vanilla are added last to the batter before baking.
Breakfast blueberry buttermilk muffins are left at the standard recipe so that they aren’t too sweet. This allows the muffins to pair alongside the widest range of breakfast foods, which may contain sweetness of their own. Muffins should be warmed slightly if eaten with butter or jam, while cooled muffins can be eaten without condiments as a mess-free, quick snack.
Dessert-style muffins can be created by simply adding a sweet topping to the blueberry buttermilk muffin batter before baking. Plain sugar can create a light sweetness on the tops of the finished products. A streusel topping can also be made using a combination of flour, butter, and sugar. Spices such as cinnamon or cardamom can be added to the streusel for extra flavor.
The recipe for blueberry buttermilk muffins, whether breakfast or dessert style, is customizable according to personal preference. Additional fruits such as raspberries or strawberries can be included. Spice blends can be experimented with until the perfect combination is reached.
Batter for the blueberry buttermilk muffins is most often cooked in a muffin pan with either six large or twelve smaller wells. The batter is scooped into the wells until they’re three-quarters full, then crowned with topping depending on the recipe. The muffins should then be baked until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean of batter and the tops have lightly browned.
Blueberry buttermilk muffin batter can also be used to create a quick bread with no alterations to the recipe. Batter is poured into a loaf pan and sprinkled with the optional topping. Baking time for quick breads will vary, but a knife inserted into the center should come out clean. Toothpicks are too small to reach the center of most quick breads and won’t offer an accurate test of doneness.