Stonewall Jackson Inn’s Blueberry Muffins

This recipe is taken from the Virginia Bed & Breakfast Cookbook published by the Bed and Breakfast Association of Virginia.

“This great muffin recipe was created for the Stonewall Jackson Inn by my best friend and next-door neighbor, Mary. Her secret lies in mashing part of the blueberries then blending them in the batter and sprinkling the tops with sugared nutmeg before baking. They are easy to make, and they keep well. There is no more lovely fragrance at the Inn than these heavenly muffins baking in the morning. Be prepared for everyone eating two of these delicious muffin treats.” –Innkeeper

1/2 cup (one stick) butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar, less if the berries are sweetly ripe

2 large eggs

1 tsp vanilla extract

1 tsp baking powder

1/4 tsp salt

2 cups fresh blueberries, divided

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 cup milk

1 Tbsp sugar mixed with 1/2 tsp of ground nutmeg

Preheat oven to 375° F. Grease a 16-cup muffin pan or use foil baking cups. In a medium-sized bowl, beat butter until creamy, then beat in the sugar until pale and fluffy; beat in the eggs (one at a time), then the vanilla, baking powder and salt. Mash 1/2 cup of the berries with a fork and blend them into the batter.

Fold in half of the flour with a spatula, then half the milk, then the other half of the flour, then the rest of the milk, then the 1 1/2 cups of whole berries. Scoop the batter into muffin cups and sprinkle with the sugar/nutmeg mixture. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes until golden brown. Cool muffins on wire rack for 30 minutes before removing from pan. Watch the admiration and delight on the faces of your family and friends when they take the first bite!

Recipe by Stonewall Jackson Inn, Harrisonburg, VA