Sugar-Crusted Berry Muffins!

photo "borrowed" from Real Simple magazine

Another muffin recipe, you ask? I know, I know, but I haven't posted THIS specific recipe yet! I often make a big batch of muffins and freeze half, so there's always something tasty available for breakfast at a moment's notice. Today I was in the mood for blueberries and lemon, so there you have it! This is a great recipe from Real Simple magazine (www.realsimple.com) and works with any fresh/frozen berry.



Sugar-Crusted Berry Muffins (adapted from Real Simple magazine)

2 cups all-purpose flour

3/4 cup sugar

2 tsp. baking powder

1/4 tsp. salt

1/2 cup (one stick) unsalted butter, melted

3/4 cup milk

1 large egg

1/2 tsp. vanilla extract

1 1/2 cups fresh berries (raspberries, blueberries, blackberries or a combination of all three!)

Preheat oven to 400.  Line a 12-cup muffin tin with cupcake papers or coat with cooking spray.  In a medium bowl, combine 1 3/4 cups of the flour, 1/2 cup of the sugar, the baking powder and salt.  Add the butter and combine.  In a second bowl, whisk together the milk, egg and vanilla (I also added 2 Tbl. lemon juice).  Gradually add the milk mixture to the flour mixture and stir until just combined; the batter will be lumpy.  Toss the berries with the remaining flour in a bowl.  Gently fold the berries into the batter.  Fill each muffin cup 3/4 full. Sprinkle the batter with the remaining sugar.  Bake for 17-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.  Transfer pan to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes.  Serve warm.



I ate three, while they were still warm - num num!