Blueberry Muffins

Fresh blueberries, streusel topping, and a hint of lemon complete these muffins. The perfect companion to a morning cup of coffee, an in between meal snack, or a dessert. These little vegan gems have you covered.

It goes without saying that blueberries are the star of the show. Let us discuss the qualities to look for when selecting blueberries next.

Tips for selecting fresh blueberries

When selecting blueberries at the store, look for the following characteristics:

• Blue color: Choose blueberries that are completely blue with no tinge of red.
• Plumpness: Select blueberries that are plump and firm. Avoid berries that are soft or wrinkled.
• No dents or mold: Check for any signs of mold or dents on the berries. If you notice any, it’s best to choose a different batch.
• No purple-splotched stained bottom: If the blueberries are in a paper punnet, check the bottom for any purple stains. If it is stained, the berries are likely too ripe.
• Freshness: Fresh blueberries are available in most major grocery stores in the produce section. If you’re unsure about the freshness, ask the store staff for guidance.

Overview

To start things off add the fresh or frozen blueberries to a medium bowl with the two tablespoons of reserved flour. Mix until well combined. The flour will help the blueberries keep from sinking to the bottom of the batter when added to the cupcake pan.

In a separate bowl add the streusel ingredients. It helps to set the vegan butter out on the counter for a couple minutes to help it soften before attempting to mix with the brown sugar, flour, and cinnamon.

Store the streusel topping in the refrigerator until ready to add to the top of the muffins. This will help the chunks of vegan butter retain some of their shape.

The goal isn’t to have the butter completely melted. That would more than likely result in a brown sugar paste. Which would undoubtedly be delicious but may not function in the way we intend for this recipe.

Dry Ingredients

In a large mixing bowl add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In selecting the bowl for this step keep in mind that we will add the wet ingredients to this bowl after they are combined.

Give the dry ingredients a quick whisk to ensure that everything is combined well. Then set this bowl off to the side for now.

Wet Ingredients

In a medium bowl combine the apple sauce and sugar. Use a silicone spatula to mix until fully combined and there are no more sugar crystals visible.

Then add the oat milk, oil, and lemon juice. Fold the mixture until everything is mixed together well.

Muffin Batter

The time has come to combine the ingredients and create the muffin batter. Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Using a silicone spatula fold the batter until everything is fully incorporated.

Add the blueberry and flour mixture to the batter. Fold the blueberries into the batter. Next we can turn our attention to filling the cupcake liners.

Filling the cupcake liners

For the liners themselves there are two options that come to mind:

Paper liners – these save the day if you are at a potluck or gathering. They are portable and cost effective. Arguably the classic tried and true medium of cupcake and muffin delivery. I prefer these unbleached compostable ones on Amazon.

Silicone liners – great for intimate gatherings with friends and family. These are washable and reusable. I opted for these for this recipe and they can be seen in the images below. Amazon Basics even makes some that you can checkout here.

After selecting and lining the cupcake pan with your liner of choice it is time to fill them. For this step I like to use a two inch ice cream scoop to fill the liners. It makes scooping and placing the batter easier than trying to fill with a spoon or other utensil. We can also go ahead and preheat the oven to 350ºF.

Fill the batter to the top of the liner. If you have some leftover blueberries you can also add a few to the tops of the muffins at this step.

Once they are all filled with the muffin batter we can pull the streusel out of the refrigerator. Use a spoon to evenly spread a thin layer over the tops of the muffin batter.

Baking Notes

Bake these beauties on the center rack when the oven comes up to 350ºF. Set a timer for 25 – 30 minutes. While they are baking I like to take the opportunity to clean any dishes used.

When the time is almost up use a tooth pick to stick in the center of several of the muffins. Pull the muffins from the oven when the tooth pick comes out clean. Add time and repeat the process until the tooth pick does pull out clean.

This recipe will yield a dozen light and fluffy blueberry muffins. Minus a few slightly warm ones that were eaten fresh from the oven.

Storage

Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack after they are pulled from the oven. Once they have cooled sufficiently they can be placed in a large container or plastic bag. They should keep for up to five days before the freshness starts to taper off. To add longevity store in the refrigerator or freeze them.

If you liked this recipe be sure to check out our other recipes below:

• Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins with Walnuts
• Pumpkin Bread with Chocolate Chips and Walnuts
• Lemon Coffee Cake
• Double Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Peanut Butter Cup Cheesecake