Blueberry Muffins

 

My Best Blueberry Muffins

5 Stars4 Stars3 Stars2 Stars1 Star4.8 from 860 reviews

• Author: Sally McKenney
 
•  Prep Time: 15 minutes
•  Cook Time: 25 minutes
 
•  Total Time: 45 minutes
 
•  Yield: 12 muffins

---

Description

These blueberry muffins are buttery, soft, and moist. For that bakery-style goodness, add an easy cinnamon brown sugar topping. This thick muffin batter combined with my initial high oven temperature trick guarantees tall muffin tops. Prepared with basic ingredients and a couple mixing bowls, you’ll appreciate this easy breakfast recipe.

---

Ingredients

Topping

• 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (67g) chopped walnuts (or pecans)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Muffins

• 1 and 3/4 cups (219g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 cup (8 Tbsp; 113g) unsalted butter, softened to room temperature
• 1/2 cup (100g) granulated sugar
• 1/4 cup (50g) packed light or dark brown sugar
• 1/2 cup (120g) sour cream or plain/vanilla yogurt, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk, at room temperature
• 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) fresh or frozen blueberries

---

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with muffin liners. Set aside.
2. For the topping: In a small bowl, mix all of the topping ingredients together. Set aside.
3. For the muffins: Whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl. Set aside.
4. Using a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar together on medium-high speed until smooth and creamy, about 3 minutes. (Here’s a helpful tutorial if you need guidance on how to cream butter and sugar.) Add the sour cream, eggs, and vanilla extract, and beat on medium speed until combined. Add in the dry ingredients and beat on low speed until almost combined. Add the milk and beat on low speed until combined. Batter is thick and creamy. Fold in the blueberries.
5. Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Spoon brown sugar topping on each, gently pressing it down into the surface so it sticks. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F and then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for 5–10 minutes in the pan set on a cooling rack, then transfer the muffins directly to the rack to continue cooling.
6. Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

https://sallysbakingaddiction.com/blueberry-muffins/#tasty-recipes-67559

Pigeons

 

davidatteoboroughfans

 

What if one of the smartest animals on Earth is the bird most people ignore every day? 🐦

Most people see a pigeon and keep walking.

But the bird pecking at crumbs on the sidewalk has abilities that sound almost unbelievable.

Pigeons can detect Earth’s magnetic field using tiny particles in their bodies, giving them a natural compass that helps them find their way home from hundreds of miles away.

They can also hear low-frequency sounds humans can’t hear and use patterns of polarized light in the sky to navigate—signals completely invisible to us.

And their intelligence?

Scientists have found that pigeons can count, recognize themselves in mirrors, identify patterns, categorize objects, and solve surprisingly complex problems. In some studies, they performed as well as young children on certain tasks.

Their world looks different too.

Humans see three primary colors. Pigeons see four—including ultraviolet light. They can see colors and feather patterns that are completely hidden from human eyes.

They’re also devoted parents.

Both mother and father pigeons produce a special nutrient-rich “crop milk” to feed their chicks, and many pairs stay together for years while raising their young as a team.

Even more remarkably, pigeons can recognize individual human faces and remember who treated them well—and who didn’t.

History proves just how valuable they once were.

Before phones and the internet, pigeons carried messages across vast distances. During World War I, a wounded messenger pigeon named Cher Ami delivered a critical message that helped save 194 soldiers.

Yet despite all this, pigeons are often dismissed as nothing more than city pests.

The truth is very different.

For thousands of years, humans depended on pigeons for communication, companionship, and survival. When technology replaced them, many were simply left behind.

So the next time a pigeon crosses your path, look twice.

You’re not looking at a nuisance.

You’re looking at a living compass, a devoted parent, a skilled communicator, and one of the most underestimated animals on Earth. ❤️🐦

Follow @davidatteoboroughfans for more.