Mar 2009

Orange Berry Muffins

Who is Dorie Greenspan and why does everyone bake with her on Tuesdays? It wasn’t until I picked up Baking: From My Home to Yours at the library that I finally understood what these baking bloggers were getting so riled up over. The first Dorie recipe that I tackled were these simple, light, and satisfying Orange Berry Muffins. While the recipe calls for 400 degrees and 22-25 minutes, I’d suggest lowering the temperature to 350-375 because my muffins were overly browned on the bottoms and sides. Other than that minor tweak, this recipe’s good to go.

  • Grated zest and juice of 1 orange
  • About 3/4 cup buttermilk
  • 2 large eggs
  • 3 tablespoons honey
  • 1 stick (8 tablespoons) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
  • 1/3 cup sugar
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup blueberries – fresh, preferably, or frozen (not thawed)
  • Decorating sugar, for topping (optional)

Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter or spray the 12 molds in a regular-size muffin pan or fit the molds with paper muffin cups. Alternatively, use a silicone muffin pan, which needs neither greasing nor paper cups. Place the muffin pan on a baking sheet.

Pour the orange juice into a large glass measuring cup or a bowl and pour in enough buttermilk to make 1 cup. Whisk in the eggs, honey and melted butter.

In a large bowl, rub the sugar and orange zest together with your fingertips until the sugar is moist and the fragrance of orange strong.

Whisk in the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Pour the liquid ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with the whisk or a rubber spatula, gently but quickly stir to blend. Don’t worry about being thorough – the batter will be lumpy and bubbly, and that’s just the way it should be. Stir in the blueberries.

Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups.

Bake for 22 to 25 minutes. If you want to top the muffins with decorating sugar, sprinkle on the sugar after the muffins have baked for 10 minutes. When fully baked, the tops of the muffins will be golden and springy to the touch and a thin knife inserted into the center of the muffins will come out clean. Transfer the pan to a rack and cool for 5 minutes before carefully removing each muffin from its mold.

Makes 12 muffins.

Recipe from Baking: From My Home to Yours by Dorie Greenspan

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7 thoughts on “Orange Berry Muffins

  1. I made these recently and had the exact same problem with them overbrowning! But, I agree that they’re delicious regardless.

  2. Those muffins look fantastic. And your pictures were well done too. I recommend using buttermilk — like this recipe — in just about any muffin recipe. I often substitute it for milk in most muffin recipes I try. I just love the richness and softness that the buttermilk adds.

  3. Hi,
    just wanted to tell you……made the Orange berry Muffins……..with Blueberries 😉
    Quick, Easy, and VERY delicious a very rounded recipe….
    from a Vermont Foodie…..

  4. Gutted my kitchen and the count down is down to 1 week before I can cook again. The recipe and pics look so delish that this is the first thing I’m going to bake once I’m up and running!

  5. I have no problem with the temperature at all. You might want to get an oven thermometer and be sure your oven is calibrated correctly.

    I made these today with Meyer Lemons. Yummy!

  6. Making these today – I love the combination of citrus and fresh berries. Can’t wait to taste them!

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