Mini Lemon Blueberry Muffins
These right-size muffins have a lovely balance of lemon, almond, and blueberry flavors. While muffins are sometimes cupcakes in disguise, these actually offer wholesome nutrition. Instead of bleached white flour, they’re made with a whole wheat pastry flour, so they count as a source of whole grains while still being light in texture.Vegetarian; Kid-friendly; Great for leftovers
Equipment
- 24-cup mini muffin pan
- mini muffin liners
Ingredients
- 1 2/3 cups whole wheat pastry flour
- 1 tbsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon organic granulated cane sugar divided
- 1 tbsp grated lemon zest
- 1/3 cup avocado oil or sunflower oil
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/2 cup plain 2% fat Greek yogurt or plant-based Greek-style yogurt
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp pure almond extract
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- 2 tbsp white chia seeds optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 24-cup mini muffin pan with mini muffin liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, salt, and chia seeds (if using) in a medium mixing bowl to combine. Set aside.
- Combine 1⁄2 cup of the sugar and the lemon zest in a large mixing bowl. Using a flexible silicone spatula or the back of a large spoon, smash the lemon zest with the sugar to infuse. Add the oil and stir to combine. Then add the lemon juice, Greek yogurt, eggs, and extracts and stir until creamy. Add the dry ingredients and stir until evenly incorporated and smooth. Gently fold in the blueberries. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, completely filling the cups, about 2 tablespoons of batter in each. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 1 tablespoon sugar.
- Bake until the muffins are domed and spring back lightly to the touch, 15 to 18 minutes. (Note: Do not look for brownness.) Let muffins cool in the pan on a rack.
- Store muffins covered at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days, or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- If you can’t find whole wheat pastry flour, try a mixture of flours, such as 1 1⁄3 cups all-purpose flour plus 1⁄3 cup whole wheat flour.
- If you choose to bake with frozen blueberries, you don’t need to thaw them!
Adapted from FROM BURNOUT TO BALANCE copyright © 2022 by Patricia Bannan. Used by permission of Rodale Books, an imprint of Random House, a division of Penguin Random House LLC, New York. All rights reserved. No part of this excerpt may be reproduced or reprinted without permission in writing from the publisher.