>Lemon Blueberry Muffins to brighten your winter day

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Blueberry muffins fill the house with such a wonderful scent and remind me of my childhood.  Adding lemon zest to the batter is a bright and modern twist.  Whatever recipe you use, toss the blueberries with a few tablespoons of flour to prevent them from sinking to the bottom.  Always use fresh baking powder and baking soda for optimum baking results.

These muffins have a crunchy top and a light and fluffy center.  They could be sweeter, though.  Next time I will add more sugar, or simply drizzle some honey over them before serving.

Lemon Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients (12 muffins)
2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
3 tblsp flour
1/4 cup sugar
1 1/2 tblsp baking powder
1 1/2 tsp salt
2 large eggs, lightly beaten
3/4 cup sour cream
1/2 cup (1 stick) plus 1 tblsp unsalted butter, melted and cooled
1/3 cup plus 3 tblsp milk
3 tblsp lemon juice
1 1/2 tblsp lemon zest
1 1/2 cup fresh blueberries, washed and drained
3 tsp sugar, for sprinkling

1.  Preheat oven to 400°.  Lightly spray a 12-cup muffin tin with cooking spray.  In a large bowl, sift together 2 1/4 cup flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.  In another medium bowl, whisk together eggs, sour cream, butter, milk, lemon zest and lemon juice.  Using a fork, stir the egg mixture into the flour mixture until just combined.  Do not overmix.  In a small bowl, toss the blueberries with 3 tblsp flour.  Gently fold them into the batter.

2.  Spoon 1/3 cup of batter into the prepared muffin cups.  Sprinkle the extra sugar evenly over the filled muffin cups.  Bake the muffins until the tops are golden brown, 30 to 35 minutes.  Cool five minutes on a wire rack.  Loosen the edges of the muffins and turn them out onto the rack to cool completely.  Store in an airtight container for up to 4 days.