Michigan Blueberry, Lemon & Thyme Muffins
Blueberry season just began in Michigan, and I was all ready to head out to a local farm to pick my own blueberries when I saw local blueberries being sold in the grocery store for less than a dollar a pint. It just doesn’t make sense to pick your own when you can buy them at that price so I bought eight pints and packed them away in my freezer for future recipes.
My granddaughter Sarah just went through surgery so is not able to take part in her usual summer sports camp. Since she is always asking if she can come and cook with me, I decided to pick out a few recipes and spend a morning cooking with Sarah to keep her busy. I am not the neatest cook, but with Sarah helping out my kitchen was trashed entirely!
After we got everything cleaned up though, we thoroughly enjoyed feasting on the dishes we made. Sarah chose a farro salad with roasted cauliflower, and I added a delicious panini made with a chicken salad flavored with pesto. For dessert, Sarah used some of the local blueberries that I had on hand to make these tasty muffins.
The muffins are chock full of juicy blueberries, and subtly flavored with thyme and lemon. The addition of polenta creates an interesting texture to these muffins, and the flavor of thyme is enhanced with a drizzle of a light thyme glaze. This recipe makes twelve good sized muffins that will keep for up to four days in the refrigerator is well wrapped.
Buon Appetito!
Deborah Mele
Michigan Blueberry, Lemon & Thyme Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 Cup Unsalted Butter, Softened
- 1 1/2 Cups Light Brown Sugar
- 2 Large Eggs @ Room Temperature
- 1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- Zest of 1 Large Lemon, Finely Chopped
- 1 Tablespoon Lemon Juice
- 1 2/3 Cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 Cup Medium Grind Cornmeal
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 Teaspoon Salt
- 1 Cup Buttermilk
- 1/2 Teaspoon Finely Chopped Fresh Thyme
- 1 1/2 Cups Fresh or Frozen Blueberries
Glaze:
- 1/4 Cup Sugar
- 1/4 Cup Water
- 4 Sprigs Fresh Thyme
- 1 1/4Cups Powdered Sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and line a muffin tin with paper cups.
- In a medium sized bowl, using an electric hand mixer, beat the butter and brown sugar at medium speed until blended.
- Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each.
- Add the vanilla extract and lemon zest and juice and blend.
- In another bowl stir together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder and soda, salt, and chopped thyme.
- With the mixer on low, add half the flour mixture and buttermilk and blend.
- Add remaining flour and buttermilk and mix just until mixed.
- Fold in the blueberries.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared cups and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until a bamboo skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- While the muffins are baking, heat the sugar, water and thyme in a small pot over medium high heat until boiling.
- Cool completely, then remove the thyme.
- To make the glaze, whisk together the thyme syrup with the powdered sugar until smooth, then use a fork to drizzle the tops of the cooled muffins.
Hello Deborah… Haven’t been to your Webiste for awhile. Trying to lose a few pounds and make food less of a hobby!! 🙂 The site looks like it’s all new for 2018. Surprised to see the Michigan Blueberry Muffin recipe and to find out that you’re a fellow Michigander!! Surprised we haven’t seen you on local TV before. Enjoyed reading what you said about dining ” Italian Style”. So true and descriptive of most Italian families I know. No rushing a meal with friends to then watch TV. When I entertain I like to say “the meal is the entertainment”. Some people haven’t had the pleasure before. Multiple courses and lots of time eating, drinking and talking at the table.