By Marian Burros
Updated Nov. 13, 2023
- Total Time
- 40 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes' cooling
- Prep Time
- 10 minutes
- Cook Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- 5(16,492)
- Notes
- Read community notes
In 1985, The Times published a recipe for the blueberry muffins served at the Ritz-Carlton hotel in Boston, which Marian Burros, who adapted the recipe, judged among her favorite muffins in the city. A few years later, a reader wrote Marian to say that the best blueberry muffins in Boston were in fact from the now-closed Jordan Marsh department store. Marian tracked down and adapted that recipe so you can judge for yourself. But the origins of the Jordan Marsh recipe were unclear until 2023, when Mara Richmond of Burlington, Vt., wrote The Times to say that the developer of the recipe was her father, Arnold Gitlin, then the executive food consultant for Allied Stores, which owned Jordan Marsh at the time. His recipe, Richmond said, was an adaptation from one in Esther Howland’s 1847 cookbook, “The New England Economical Housekeeper, and Family Receipt Book.” Everything old is new again. This version has a lot more sugar and butter and fewer eggs than the Ritz-Carlton muffins. It also calls for mashing a half cup of berries and adding them to the batter. This produces a very moist muffin, one that will stay fresh longer.
Featured in: DE GUSTIBUS; THE BATTLE OVER BLUEBERRY MUFFINS
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Ingredients
Yield:12 muffins
- 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
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (12 servings)
260 calories; 9 grams fat; 5 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 3 grams monounsaturated fat; 1 gram polyunsaturated fat; 42 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 25 grams sugars; 4 grams protein; 174 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
1
Preheat the oven to 375.
Step
2
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.
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out of 5
16,492
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Cooking Notes
John Frank
Toss the berries in flour before adding, to keep them from sinking to the base of the muffin.
Deborah
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.
Heidi
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.
Lucas
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.
marianne
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.
Joe Schlabotnik
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."
Diane Strauss
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...
Roni Jordan
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!
cindy
I reduce sugar in everything by half, never miss it + fruit is sweet
nancy
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.
Barak
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.
Lisa W
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.
Chuckersnut
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.
Amy
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.
cheryl
Substitute Buttermilk for the regular milk for moist flavorful muffins
sara
1,25 cups sugar is okay. Even with super fine sugar. 30 minutes in G8 oven
JKP
When using frozen blueberries is there a way to keep them from turning the entire batch purple?
Meems
After the first time following as written, I now omit the vanilla. Vanilla is for cupcakes, not muffins.
jan
these were good but not amazing, kind of bland. If I made these again I’d add more sugar on the top, add more berries, add more salt, and more cinnamon into the batter (which I did by another commenters suggestion). I’d throw an extra tsp of vanilla too.
jakerulz!
It is crunchy, soft and delicious. Try making them!!!
sam A
These are excellent. Add minced candied ginger and 1/4tsp ground ginger. Use buttermilk instead of milk. Used 3 tbsp aquafaba because only had 1 egg and it worked beautifully.
Mamie
Delicious BUT a beast to get out of the muffin pan, despite thoroughly buttering the wells and top of the pan. Use cupcake liners!
soup
Cook only 20-25” at 350. Toss blueberries in flour before
Chris
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.
Sandy
The best Blueberry Muffins!
Joan Zofnass
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.
polly
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.
Lindsey Ladouceur, Abita Springs, LA
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.
Prudy
I have made these multiple times. I often add some lemon zest. Great muffins
N. Cunningham
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?
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