Easy Blueberry Apple Muffins
These bakery-style muffins are sweet, moist, and very easy to make. They will rise and bake to a golden brown, with bursting blueberries and apple pieces throughout. They are ready in 45 minutes and freeze wonderfully.
Servings 12 regular muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon or more if you want a stronger flavor
- ⅔ cup white granulated sugar
- ⅓ cup light brown sugar
- 2 eggs at room temperature
- ¾ cup milk at room temperature
- ½ cup vegetable oil I use sunflower
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon orange zest or lemon
- ¾ cup blueberries fresh or frozen (unthawed)
- ¾ cup chopped apple
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF (180ºC).
- Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners or butter/spray the pans.
- In a large bowl, mix the dry ingredients: 2 cups all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon, ⅔ cup white granulated sugar and ⅓ cup light brown sugar. Mix to combine.
- In a medium bowl, whisk 2 eggs, ¾ cup milk, ½ cup vegetable oil and ½ teaspoon vanilla extract. Do not beat, but mix well until no streaks of egg whites remain.
- Add 1 teaspoon orange zest.
- Add the wet ingredients at once to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
- Mix until you barely have streaks of flour, but do NOT overmix. It will be lumpy and not completely mixed and that is fine.
- Add ¾ cup blueberries and ¾ cup chopped apple, and mix lightly. Be careful not to mash the berries. Use a rubber spatula.
- Divide evenly among the muffin cups or muffin liners.
- Bake for 25 minutes, until the top is cracked, golden brown, and a cake tester or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Don't overbake.
- Let cool on a wire rack and eat warm or let cool down completely.
- They are best eaten the day they are made, but you can keep them for a day at room temperature covered or wrapped.
- Store leftovers, covered in plastic wrap or in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for a few days or frozen for a month.
Notes
Baking time: keep in mind that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look the same or very similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommending keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
Light mixing: it's important that you don't overmix this muffin batter.
Apple: I use Granny Smith, the green ones, because they're tart and hold their shape very well after baking. But any baking apple can be used. Consider that the muffins will probably be sweeter due to using red apples.
Berries: fresh berries are always my first choice, but these homemade muffins can be made year-round with frozen raspberries. Add them to the batter straight from the freezer; no need to thaw them.
Extra citrus flavor: use a teaspoon or two of orange or lemon juice (depending on which you're using) and add it to the batter with the zest.
