Vegan Blueberry Muffins

Makes 12 muffins.

1. Preheat oven to 175°C.
2. Mix wet ingredients: In a 2 cup measuring cup, add the milk, sugar, oil, and vanilla, stir to combine a few times to help soften the large grains of sugar.
3. Mix dry ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, mix together the flour, baking powder and salt.
4. Combine wet & dry: Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix until just combined. Don't overmix, overmixing the batter tends to make the muffins less tender.
5. Add blueberries: Toss in the fresh or frozen blueberries and gently fold them into the batter.
6. Scoop: Fill each muffin-lined hole with batter. For uniformity, fill muffin tin using a 1/4 measuring cup or large ice cream scooper.
7. Topping: Optionally, add a few strategic blueberries on top and sprinkle the top with a little pure cane sugar or raw sugar. The sugar will add a nice crunch to the tops!
8. Bake: Place in the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Let cool a few minutes and enjoy warm or at room temperature.

Storing:

• Counter & Fridge: Once completely cooled, store the muffins with a paper towel underneath and overtop in a container on the counter for up to 3-4 days. The paper towels will soak up moisture and keep them from getting too moist, losing their delicious crunchy top. They are also fine loosely covered for 1-2 days. Or store in the refrigerator for up to a week.
• Freezer: Once completely cooled, wrap muffins individually and store them in a freezer-safe container or baggie for up to 2 months. When ready to eat let thaw to room temperature.

NOTES: *In place of 1 cup almond milk, try adding 1/2 cup orange juice or lemon juice for added flavor, plus 1/2 cup of non-dairy milk. **For oil-free muffins, replace the oil with unsweetened applesauce (muffins may be a bit denser). If using oil, any neutral flavor oil will do. Also, melted vegan butter will work too. ***Smash 1/2 cup of blueberries, adding it to the batter before mixing in the whole blueberries. Final muffin color: If using all-purpose flour, your muffins will come out very blonde. Using a darker flour, such as spelt, whole wheat, or combo, will yield a slightly darker muffin. The muffins in the photo were made using a mix of spelt + all purpose. Recommended equipment: USA Pan Muffin Tin, parchment paper muffin liners, and a 4 tablespoon trigger scooper.

FAQ:

• What types of flour can I use? All flours work well — all-purpose, spelt, white whole wheat, and pastry flour. All-purpose flour yields blonde muffins. It's a very forgiving recipe!
• Can I make this recipe gluten-free? Absolutely! Use any gluten-free flour blend or buckwheat flour, replacing 1-to-1. Don't use coconut flour by itself, as it's tricky for vegan baking.
• Can I make these muffins oil-free? Yes, replace the oil with unsweetened applesauce.
• Can I add additional flavor to the batter? Yes! Use a blood orange or lemon olive oil, or replace the 1 cup non-dairy milk with 1/2 cup lemon or orange juice plus 1/2 cup plant milk.
• Can I freeze blueberry muffins? Yes! Store in the freezer for up to 2 months, individually wrapped. Let come to room temp and warm in a toaster oven before eating if you like.
• Can I make bread out of this muffin recipe? Yes! To turn this into a loaf, lightly grease a 9x5 loaf pan, pour batter into pan, place on center rack, and bake for 50 minutes.