Makes 12 muffins
There's something about a warm muffin flecked with blueberry and perfumed with lavender that tastes like a slow morning on the farm. These muffins are tender, lightly floral, and swirled with our own Blueberry Lavender Sauce. They come together in one bowl, bake up in minutes, and disappear even faster. Make a batch for brunch, tuck a few into a lunchbox, or set them out with coffee.
No Blueberry Lavender Sauce on hand? No problem. Any blueberry jam, preserves, or a berry or lavender jelly makes a lovely swirl. If you're using a thick jam or preserves, warm it slightly first so it swirls easily through the batter. Lavender jelly will give you an extra-floral muffin, so you may want to go light on the ground lavender in the batter.
Bloom the lavender in the sugar. Rub your ground lavender into the sugar with your fingertips for a few seconds. This releases the oils and spreads the flavor evenly.
Combine gently. Pour wet into dry and stir just until no dry streaks remain. Lumpy is good, and overmixing makes tough muffins.
Bake 16 to 20 minutes, until springy and a pick comes out clean (aim for the batter part, not a sauce pocket). Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack. If making mini muffins, reduce time to 10 - 12 minutes.
A quick heads-up on the swirl: because the sauce is loose and sugary, it can sink or make a slightly gummy pocket if you use too much. Keep it to small spoonfuls, and swirl rather than dumping a puddle in the center. A thin marble bakes best.
No Blueberry Lavender Sauce on hand? No problem. Any blueberry jam, preserves, or a berry or lavender jelly makes a lovely swirl. If you're using a thick jam or preserves, warm it slightly first so it swirls easily through the batter. Lavender jelly will give you an extra-floral muffin, so you may want to go light on the ground lavender in the batter.