Blueberry Corn Muffins

A close up of the crowns of corn muffins studded with juicy blueberries.

These blueberry corn muffins are made with all-purpose flour and cornmeal, are flavored with vanilla and lemon zest, and are amply studded with juicy blueberries and fresh corn kernels. Not too sweet, these are the perfect muffins to spread with butter and honey or jam. If you don't want or need 12 muffins, the amounts for a half-batch are in the Notes section at the end of the recipe.

Course Breakfast

Cuisine American

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 22

Resting the Batter 10

Total Time 37

Servings muffins

Calories 258kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

Dry Ingredients

6 oz all-purpose flour 170 grams or a scant 1 1/2 cups
5 oz fine cornmeal white or yellow, 142 grams or a scant 1 1/4 cups
1 Tablespoon baking powder 12 grams or 3 teaspoons
¼ teaspoon baking soda 1.5 grams

Wet Ingredients

5 oz granulated sugar 142 grams or a scant 3/4 cup
zest of 2 lemons
4 oz butter melted and cooled to warm, 113 grams, 1 stick, or 8 Tablespoons
2 oz neutral vegetable oil 57 grams or about 1/4 cup
8.5 oz buttermilk room temperature, 241 grams or 1 cup and 1 Tablespoon
2 eggs room temperature
8 grams salt
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Mix-Ins

6 oz blueberries plus a couple of handfuls for pressing into the tops of the muffins before baking. Fresh preferred, but frozen will work as well, 170 grams or 1 slightly generous cup
6 oz sweet corn white or yellow, 170 grams or 1 cup

Instructions

Place a rack in the bottom third of the oven and heat to 450F/232C. If you have a pizza stone, place it on the rack. Lightly grease a standard muffin tin--the cavities and the "top"--with oil or pan spray.

For the Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, thoroughly whisk together the flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and baking soda. Set aside.

For the Wet Ingredients

Add the sugar and lemon zest to a medium bowl and rub the zest into the sugar with your fingertips until the sugar gets a bit clumpy and is pale yellow.
Melt the butter and whisk it into the sugar along with the oil.
Whisk in the buttermilk, eggs, salt, and vanilla.

For the Mix-Ins

Shuck and remove the silk from a large ear of sweet corn. Cut the ear in half through the middle, and use a chef's knife to shave off the corn kernels. Cutting the ear in half keeps the kernels from bouncing all over the world when cutting. (See NOTES, below)
Wash and gently dry the blueberries.

Making the Batter

Put the corn and blueberries in the bowl with the dry ingredients.
Whisk the wet ingredients together one more time and pour them into the bowl of dry ingredients.
Fold the batter together gently but thoroughly until evenly combined and no loose flour/cornmeal remains.
Let the batter sit for 10 minutes.

Panning and Baking

Using a scoop or 1/2 cup measure, fill the muffin tins all the way to the top. During the rest time, the batter will thicken and have lots of little bubbles in it. Fill the cavities gently so you don't deflate your batter. You should have just enough batter to completely fill each cavity.
Press 4-6 blueberries on top of each muffin, and slide into the oven.
Bake for 10 minutes.
Reduce the heat to 375F/190C, rotate the pan 180°, and bake an additional 10-12 minutes, until the muffins are golden brown on top, nicely risen, and read at least 195F/90C on an instant-read thermometer.
Remove the muffins from the oven. Let rest for 15 minutes, and then use a small icing spatula or similar to gently lever out each muffin, placing them on a cooling rack to cool to warm. Enjoy warm or toasted with butter and jam or honey. Allow extras to cool completely and eat within a couple of days. For longer storage, store in the freezer in zip-top freezer bags for up to 3 months. Grab as needed and thaw at room temp or in the microwave.

Notes

Half-Batch (6 muffins)

3 oz all-purpose flour (85 grams)
2.5 oz fine cornmeal (71 grams)
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder (6 grams)
1/8 teaspoon baking soda (>1 gram)
2.5 oz granulated sugar (71 grams)
zest of 1 lemon
2 oz melted butter (57 grams)
1 oz neutral vegetable oil (28 grams)
4.25 oz buttermilk (120 grams)
1 egg
4 grams salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
3 oz EACH blueberries and sweet corn kernels (85 grams)

Instructions are the same as for a full batch.

Note on the Amount of Corn

You may get 6 oz of kernels from one large, plump ear of corn. If you don't get quite enough, you can either shrug and carry on, or you can cut additional from another ear and use the extra for another purpose.

Storing

Muffins are best on the day they're made, but they'll reheat beautifully when stored, covered, at room temp for a couple of days. For longer storage, freeze in zip-top freezer bags, pressing out as much air as possible before sealing. Grab as desired and thaw at room temperature or in the microwave.

Nutrition