Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins

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