bakery-style blackberry swirl streusel muffins
*Insert obligatory Muffin Man joke here to exhibit my unique wit.*
People, I want to reemphasize a point I’m sure I’ve made prior in another recipe diatribe, and that’s how even the smallest action or word you send off or choice you make can rebound into unexpected consequences. I mean this in the positive sense, this time. You really can turn the fate of someone’s day just by a chance meeting and the correct timing of your encounter.
In my neighborhood, J and I see a guy walking a very old Dachshund every so often. This little dude trots along extremely slow on his tiny legs, gray face sniffing around the path – sometimes, its dad leans down and picks it up to allay the fatigue. We’re obsessed with this little pup. We root for it whenever we pass by. Each day we see Old Dachshund, we’re relieved to see it still alive.
I met the owner on a stroke of luck on my Tuesday after-work walk. He stopped to me to ask if the path looped back to the main road and during the very poor directional explanation I inquired about the age of his dog and told him that we’re always so happy to see her around. The guy’s face lit up and he kept repeating how that question made his day in between a fairly prolonged but precious narrative about all of the special things his dog – a lady named Roxie – has experienced in her 15 years of life.
One little observation to make a person glow. That’s what makes life so special. I think I had a little bounce in my stride for the rest of my walk. AND the recipe I developed later turned out pretty dope.
How about that?
Reward an encouraging day of your own with these soft and sweet Bakery-Style Blackberry Swirl Streusel Muffins. Fresh (or frozen) berries, tendrils of jam, and a lemon-infused batter topped with a crunchy cinnamon streusel. The crumb is light and airy and moist. Bake these up for a weekend brunch or a spontaneous afternoon treat.
Paint It Black(berry)
I would dub this a one-bowl recipe, but you probably need a second bowl for the streusel. Either way, no sifting required of the ingredients and both the wet and dry can be combined without any initial separation.
Preheat the oven first to 425. This lends a nice initial rise to the muffins.
For the batter, combine melted coconut oil, honey, yogurt, buttermilk, eggs, vanilla, and lemon zest. Stir in flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until just combined. Do not overmix.
Finish it up by stirring in the blackberries (if using frozen, do not thaw beforehand) and twirling in the jam. Keep some of the jam visible for a pretty ripple effect once the muffins bake.
Crunch Crunch
The streusel is an easy blend of flour, brown sugar, cold butter, and cinnamon. Cut the butter into the batter with forks, a pastry cutter, or your fingers if you don’t mind getting messy, until crumbs no larger than a pea remain.
Divide the batter into lined or well-greased muffin tins. Sprinkle the streusel overtop. Bake at the higher temperature for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat and finish up for 15-20 more minutes until the center is no longer liquidy.
A pat of butter and some extra honey do these muffins well, but you can easily enjoy them as is, or cool them completely and store for consumption a few days later. If you live in Swampland like I do, chances are the streusel will dissolve a bit after a day. The muffins are still quite tasty for a few days, though!
If you don’t like coconut oil, use melted butter or a neutral vegetable oil instead. Think canola, safflower, or the ubiquitous “vegetable oil.” I wouldn’t recommend olive since that’d garner a harsher taste and a potentially odd texture.
Instead of honey, you can certainly switch it out for maple syrup or regular sugar.
Need a good blackberry jam? I really recommend this one (not sponsored) and honestly all of their jams and preserves, but if you’re feeling ambitious and want to find a homemade version, have at it! Maybe I’ll do a homemade roundup one day? We will see.
Tried this recipe out? Leave a comment below with your thoughts, and don’t forget to come say hi on Instagram and show me what you made!
More berry tasty recipes to try:
Raspberry Lemon Cheesecake Streusel Muffins
Bursting Blueberry Lime Cupcakes
blackberry swirl streusel muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup coconut oil, melted
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs, at room temperature
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tbsp lemon zest
- 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 2 cups + 1/4 cup all purpose flour
- 2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1 cup blackberries, fresh or frozen
- 1/3 cup blackberry jam
- 1/2 cup brown sugar
- 3 tbsp butter
- 1 tsp cinnamon powder
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees. Line two 12-cup muffin tins with liners, or grease well with butter.
- In a large bowl, beat together the coconut oil, honey, eggs, vanilla, lemon zest, yogurt, and milk. Add 2 cups of flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt and whisk until just combined. Stir in the berries and the jam, leaving streaks of jam visible in the batter.
- To make the streusel, combine the remaining 1/4 cup of flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the butter until pieces no larger than a pea remain in the batter.
- Divide the muffin batter between the tins, filling each 3/4 of the way to the top. Sprinkle on the streusel. Transfer to the oven and bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake an additional 15-20, rotating the pans once halfway through the second baking time, until a toothpick inserted in the center emerges clean.
- Serve warm with a smear of butter and honey, or let cool and store in a covered container for up to 5 days.
