When I head to the store and have a craving for something sweet I usually linger over the muffins, perfectly lined up in their plastic tins. But then I think, “Not worth the calories.”

When you go to the coffee shop and eat a muffin that has been baked hours ahead there is such a let down between the scrumptious look of them and the actual taste. They are dry, cold and uninviting. But once upon a time, when they were just pulled out of the oven, they were soft and warm and begging to be eaten!

The greatest thing about muffins is they are in the oven before you know it and only one dirty bowl. So make these on a weekend morning instead of popping in your car to the coffee shop.

Bring the delicious store-bought allure of a blueberry muffin with a crunchy, sugary top into your own kitchen. You will thoroughly relish in these calories. When you crack one open, with the steam swirling out, reach for the butter and slap an extra helping on. It’ll be worth it and more.

P.S. Still not convinced? The extra bit of work is worth it when your house smells like the inside of blueberry muffin for the rest of the day.

Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Muffin Recipe

1/2 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

2 cups flour

1/2 cup milk

2 1/2 cups fresh blueberries

1/4 cup sugar for topping

butter for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Grease a standard 12-cup muffin tin or line the tin with papers and grease.
2. Beat butter and sugar together until homogenous in a medium bowl.
3. Add eggs one at a time, scraping down the bowl and mixing well after each egg.
4. Add baking powder, salt and vanilla.
5. Using the creaming method, add the flour and then milk alternatively. Beat gently until combined.
6. Mash 1/2 cup of the blueberries. Add mashed and whole blueberries to batter. Mixing gently until blueberries are just distributed evenly.
7. Spoon the batter, about 1/4 cup in each, into the prepared tin.
8. Sprinkle sugar on top of batter. Use as much as you would like to suit your preference!
9. Bake muffins for 30 min or until a toothpick comes out clean.
10. Use knife or small spatula to loosen muffins from tin. Let cool in tin until cool enough to handle, about 5 min.
11. Remove from muffin tin.
12. Serve. Don’t forget the butter!

Recipe adapted from King Arthur Flour’s Famous Department Store Blueberry Muffins