Blackberry Streusel Muffins

While shopping at my local warehouse store, I happened upon a large container (20 oz) of fantastic looking blackberries for only 4.29. And in the Midwest in the middle of April that is a great price and they were in perfect shape. So I bought them on the spot not really knowing what I would make with them. At first I thought a peach and blackberry pie but my week was busy and I didn’t have time to make pie. So while reading one of my many cookbooks I found this recipe only it called for blueberries or raspberries. So blackberries in my mind would be a fine substitute. I will tell you that these muffins were really good, however the streusel was out of this world I could eat it uncooked by the gallon. These had a nice lightness to them and the lemon zest added a great balance with the sweetness of the berries. I will be making these again especially with spring coming I think just about any berry would work in these.

Blackberry Streusel Muffins

1 ¾ cup AP flour
½ teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon baking soda
2/3 cup of unsalted butter slightly firm
2 teaspoons lemon zest
¾ cup sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla
½ cup of buttermilk
1 ½ cups of blackberries, washed and well dried
Small Recipe of Streusel - see recipe below

Preheat the oven to 375. Prepare a regular size muffin tin with 12 paper liners. In a large bowl mix the flour, baking powder, salt and baking soda until combined. In the bowl of an electric mixer beat the butter and lemon zest, on medium speed until smooth and light in color. About a minute. Add in the sugar and mix once that is combined add the egg and vanilla. Once combined scrape down the bowl. Reduce the speed to low and add in flour and buttermilk in an alternating patter. Starting with 1/3 of the flour then ½ of the buttermilk, so that you have 3 additions of flour and 2 of the buttermilk, ending with the flour. Mix until just combined. I added the last flour mixture and let it mix a few times then finished mixing by hand.

Put half scoops of batter in the bottom of the liners. I used a tablespoon cookie scoop but basically fill the liners between 1/3 and ½ way up the liner. Place 4-6 blackberries on top of the batter, then place a dollop batter on top. It is ok to have the berries showing. Place a handful of streusel on top and pat it down with your hand. Bake for 25-30 minutes until the streusel is starting to brown and then cool on a rack completely.

Small Recipe of Streusel

6-7 tablespoons of butter
1 cup AP flour
½ cup sugar
½ teaspoon of cinnamon
¼ teaspoon of baking powder
¼ teaspoon of salt

Melt butter in a sauce pan and let cool to room temperature. Mix flour, sugar, cinnamon, baking powder and salt together, add in the cooled butter and stir with a fork until blended. When it starts to form crumbs, squeeze it with your hands to form larger lumps and then break them apart. Let sit for 10 -15 minutes before using.

Adapted from Zach’s Blueberry Buttermilk Muffins with Streusel Topping by Carole Walter in Great Coffee Cakes, Sticky Buns, Muffins and More

These were entered in Snack Shots #3 Muffins. Check it out here.