Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins
Updated Nov. 13, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes' cooling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Notes
- Read community notes
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Ingredients
- ½cup softened butter
- 1¼cups sugar
- 2eggs
- 1teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2cups flour
- ½teaspoon salt
- 2teaspoons baking powder
- ½cup milk
- 2cups blueberries, washed, drained and picked over
- 3teaspoons sugar
Preparation
- Step 1
Preheat the oven to 375.
- Step 2
Cream the butter and sugar until light.
- Step 3
Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.
- Step 4
Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.
- Step 5
Crush ½ cup blueberries with a fork, and mix into the batter. Fold in the remaining whole berries.
- Step 6
Line a 12 cup standard muffin tin with cupcake liners, and fill with batter. Sprinkle the 3 teaspoons sugar over the tops of the muffins, and bake at 375 degrees for about 30-35 minutes.
- Step 7
Remove muffins from tin and cool at least 30 minutes. Store, uncovered, or the muffins will be too moist the second day, if they last that long.
Private Notes
Cooking Notes
Toss the berries in flour before adding, to keep them from sinking to the base of the muffin.
The original John Pupek recipe, which I have used for years, calls for 1 cup of sugar, 1/4 tsp.salt, and he includes 1 tsp. vanilla as well. I don't know why the recipe above makes the salt optional. Salt is used in cooking as a flavor enhancer, and if it is left out of baked goods, the final product will not taste right.
I would recommend adding a teaspoon of cinnamon and, MOST important, a tablespoon of lemon zest (thanks to Mark Bittman). Also I would use much less sugar -- I find that half a cup is enough, or three-quarters tops.
I made a half batch (~8 muffins) and they were gone within six hours. I live alone. Despite my substitution of GF flour and a few mistakes, these are hands down the best blueberry muffins I've ever made.
I make these regularly at the inn where I am the cook. Some adjustments that really work (some echo others here): european butter, buttermilk instead of milk, reduce sugar to taste, add one teaspoon vanilla, (sometimes i add lemon zest), wild maine frozen blueberries instead of fresh, and sprinkle with brown or turbinado sugar before baking. Foolproof recipe.
From Sam Sifton on the site newsletter: to help keep your blueberries from sinking to the bottom, "John Pupek, [Jordon Marsh's] head baker, long retired, told WCVB's Maria Stephanos to toss the berries in flour before adding them to the batter. The coating helps suspend them better during cooking so you don't get as much sinkage."
To create muffins that rival the originals, cover the tops with a full teaspoon or more of sugar before baking. This produces the crispy tops that some of us remember from Jordan's. You can watch the original baker in this video: http://www.wcvb.com/news/legendary-boston-baker-shares-recipe-techniques...
How bizarre to see this today since I just used the original Jordan Marsh recipe to make 4 jumbo-sized mega muffins yesterday. The differences? No liners used, muffin tins buttered inside and on the perimiter of the wells, 1/2 cup more blueberries; 1/4 cup less sugar in the batter. For mega-muffins, baked at 350 for 40 minutes. They're outstanding!
I reduce sugar in everything by half, never miss it + fruit is sweet
take the flour to toss the blueberries from the 2 cups so as not to add extra flour to the recipe and leaden the final product.
re "optional" salt, i think it's because many home bakers use salted butter and therefore, the extra salt isn't necessary.
I almost wept with joy when a friend walked into my house and said, "I baked blueberry muffins--the Jordan Marsh recipe." I grew up with those, and even though she cut back on the sugar and didn't sprinkle sugar on the top, they were incredible (and she promised to follow the recipe exactly the next time!). I don't know what this nonsense about Ritz-Carlton muffins is all about. Never heard of those. Tea at the Ritz. Muffins from Jordan Marsh. Everyone knows that.
i made this recipe twice. once as written (with wild organic blueberries) and the second time i omitted the vanilla and added grated lemon peel from a medium lemon. the addition of lemon peel brought the recipe to life. it is so simple to make and this has become my go to blueberry recipe.
Cooking at 8,000 feet required the following mods: 1tsp baking powder, 3/4 cup milk, 3 additional tbsp flour, oven at 400F, reduced time to 25 minutes.
Like most others I made these and love the way they turned out! I also decreased the sugar to one cup, but may go to 3/4 cup next time. Unfortunately I didn't read the notes about making sure the unmashed berries be bone dry and coating them in flour, but they still turned out OK. One note I want to include for anyone who isn't a seasoned baker (because I just learned this in the last couple of years) is that in order to get the butter and sugar "light" you really need to beat it for 10 minutes.
Substitute Buttermilk for the regular milk for moist flavorful muffins
I’ve never baked anything in my life and somehow I just made these. They turned out great! You have to sort of scoop the batter out (we used an ice cream scoop). Also I used a hand mixer for the first step.
The best Blueberry Muffins!
have made these for at least 30+ years and am always complimented on them and must make a at least a dozen a week. I bake at 350 degrees for 35 minutes . And I must admit to using 4 cups of blueberries. I too use just a cup of sugar, but do top all the muffins with lots of sugar. Also do not use salt and never seemed to make a difference.
Substitute buttermilk, add a t. Vanilla, reduce sugar to taste (1/2 to 3/4 C. max), add lemon zest, top with turbinado sugar before baking.
With this recipe, it’s not necessary to toss the berries in flour. The creamy butter/sugar/egg mixture keeps the berries put. One less messy step. If you put 1/2 cup blueberries in your mixer with the wet mixture for a few seconds, you can it will mash them. Another less messy step. If you spoon your vanilla into your milk, another less step. I reduced sugar to 1 cup and put turbinado sugar over the top. They’re perfect.
I have made these multiple times. I often add some lemon zest. Great muffins
way too much sugar for diabetics but stevia or commonly stevia/erythritol mixture works well and with the berries and vanilla you'll unlikely get any aftertaste from it. real sugar sprinkled on top though for firmer top isn't too much, though. I haven't made these yet. I live along and will wait till so I can give two neighbours four each given I don't, even without real sugar, see myself eating a dozen in one day. One question: if left uncovered, how long do they remain enjoyably edible?
I use this recipe all the time for my blueberry muffins…with one addition: The zest from one lemon.
I have been making these for years, and they are delicious. You can cut the amount of sugar to one cup and lose no flavor and feel a bit better about your sugar intake.
They are delicious! We decided there was no need to add that extra sugar on top.
I am sure these are fine muffins but nothing will ever beat the Blueberry Muffins from Moosewood. Ever!
I use orange juice instead of milk. Yes, mix the blueberries with a little flour before mixing into the dough.
I always cut the sugar amounts and sprinkle less than a teaspoon on top. Frozen blueberries from Kroger are big, juicy and organic. I don’t agree this is THE best recipe but it’s good!
Such a great recipe! Made with tart blueberries and it was perfect. Just made it with sweet blueberries and it's too sweet. Reduce sugar with sweeter berries. Try lemon zest next time? This recipe can make 18 smaller muffins--cook 20-25 mins.
Half cup sugar, tablespoon lemon zest
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