Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (2024)

By Marian Burros

Updated Nov. 13, 2023

Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (1)

Total Time
40 minutes, plus at least 30 minutes' cooling
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
30 minutes
Rating
5(16,038)
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
  • cups 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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Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (2)

Preparation

Make the recipe with us

  1. Step

    1

    Preheat the oven to 375.

  2. Step

    2

  3. Step

    3

    Add the eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add vanilla.

    Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (4)
  4. Step

    4

    Sift together the flour, salt and baking powder, and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.

  5. Step

    5

    Crush ½ cup blueberries with a fork, and mix into the batter. Fold in the remaining whole berries.

    Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (5)
  6. 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.

    Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (6)
  7. 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.

Ratings

5

out of 5

16,038

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Private Notes

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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

yl

Crumble con’t:- 2 tbsp brown sugar (25g)- lemon zest (optional)Mix everything in small bowl w fork Press on top of wet batter in muffin cups before baking Also when using frozen strawberries, do not defrost. Toss in flour and fold in just before distributing Batter into cups

Hez B

I can confirm these are the blueberry muffins of your dreams! I took some of the other comments to heart and added less sugar and the zest of one lemon. They are perfectly moist, lots of blueberry flavor and the little sugar on top gives them some pop.

amali

Didn't have milk on hand and used heavy cream. Added some lemon zest and cinnamon, as per reviews. Results were so delicious- the lightest, fluffiest, most delicious blueberry muffins I have ever had. Incredible recipe!

D

3/4 cup sugarZested lemonSqueezed lemon (1/4)1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

St Mark's Girl

We used to take the Red Line from Fields Corner to downtown Boston where we'd buy our plaid school uniforms at Gilchrist's. Got a box of Jordan Marsh muffins to eat on the train home. One time my mother noticed some blood on one of the muffins and we never got them again. Thanks for this recipe. I'm making them today in California.

Popsicle blueberry

If you use frozen blueberries, keep them frozen, so they don’t turn all the muffins a weird color

Sabrina E

This recipe is amazing, so easy to make! A family favorite! I’ve made it at least a dozen times so far

sad muffin man

DON'T USE FROZEN BLUEBERRIES LIKE ME. My muffins came out a creepy shade of blue. Only use frozen blueberries if you want a halloween zombie shade of muffin.

John A

Add some lemon zest and top the muffins with a small sprinkle of large granulated sugar prior to putting in the oven. Makes excellent muffin tops as well.

Toni

I can not recommend enough steeping the 1/2 cup of milk with two bags of Earl Grey tea.

Maggie

Substitued oatly oat milk and miyokos vegan unsalted butter to make these muffins dairy-free--turned out great!

Mary

I reduced the sugar to one cup and used turbinado sugar on top. Delicious!

Mary

Reduced sugar to one cup. Added turbinado sugar on tops. Delicious!

Kathleen

I used 3/4 cup of sugar and just a tad over 1 tsp on top. Also I used some of the flour to coat the blueberries so they’d be less likely to sink.

Clare

So good- best blueberry muffin recipe I’ve made. I used buttermilk because it was all I had on hand and it was fabulous.

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Jordan Marsh’s Blueberry Muffins Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to making moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

Why are my blueberry muffins tough? ›

KEY TIP: Do not over mix the batter, a few lumps is ok! Overmixing = tough muffins.

How to make blueberry muffins without blueberries sinking? ›

Answer: Try tossing your berries with a tablespoon or two of flour before adding them to the batter.

Why did the blueberries sink in my muffins? ›

There are a few reasons: Chunky ingredients are denser and usually heavier than the batter—so down they go. The heavier the ingredient, the more it will sink, until you have a nice bottom crust of blueberries instead of evenly distributed, gooey berry goodness.

What does adding an extra egg do to muffins? ›

Using too few eggs will make your desserts dense, but using too many will make them rubbery. The explanation for this lies in the fact that eggs are made up of protein. As Fine Cooking explains, when the protein in eggs combines with the protein in flour, they produce the overall structure of the baked good.

Is it better to use oil or butter in muffins? ›

Using oil as a substitute for butter in muffins can result in a lighter and more tender crumb, but it may also produce a slightly different flavor, depending on the type of oil used. Applesauce can also be used as a substitute for butter in muffins, as it provides moisture and can help to keep the muffins tender.

Which is better, baking soda or baking powder? ›

The leavening power of baking soda is about three to four times stronger than baking powder. This means that you need a lot less baking soda in your recipes. If a recipe calls for baking soda and you only have baking powder, you need to use the right baking soda to baking powder conversion.

Should I coat blueberries in flour for muffins? ›

Coating the berries with a spoonful of the recipe's dry ingredients prevents sinking. Instead, it helps the berries adhere to the batter, keeping them well distributed throughout the muffin. And if you're using frozen blueberries, the flour will also help minimize how much the berries bleed into the batter.

Do you drain blueberries for muffins? ›

If you don't drain them, you'll end up with blue-colored muffins! Also, draining helps keep excess liquid out of the batter.

Should you smash blueberries for muffins? ›

You can crush them in a bowl with a fork, or even with your hands. This results in the cake having just that palest hue of purple and the whole muffin bursting with blueberry flavor.

What is the blueberry muffin syndrome? ›

'Blueberry muffin syndrome' is the descriptive term used for an infant born with multiple blue/purple marks or nodules in the skin. These are due to the presence of clusters of blood-producing cells in the skin (extramedullary erythropoiesis), or bleeding into the skin (purpura), or spreading cancer (metastases).

Is it better to use fresh or frozen blueberries for muffins? ›

A really big difference for muffins is that if you use frozen blueberries, many, if not most, of the berries will have burst. Even if you strain them (which you will pretty much have to do), you will have purple muffins. Personally, that doesn't bother me at all.

What to add to muffin mix to make it moist? ›

Milk: I like to use buttermilk or whole milk in this recipe because either add wonderful moisture and flavor. You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy, but the lower fat milk you use, the less flavorful and moist your muffins will taste.

Are muffins better with oil or butter? ›

It is possible to replace oil with butter in a muffin recipe as generally most muffin recipes are quite forgiving and you may find that butter gives a better flavour.

What oil is best for moist muffins? ›

Choosing vegetable oil is the best option for baking moist, delicious baked goods. Canola oil, the most common vegetable oil used in baking, doesn't add a strong flavor. It allows your cake's flavor will shine through while still achieving a moist texture.

How to get domed muffins? ›

According to O. Corriher, the way to get a perfectly puffed up dome on your muffins is to increase your oven heat. She says that 400° should do it, no matter what the recipe says. The higher baking temperature means that the the outside edges of the muffin will set while the middle is still liquidy.

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