Simple Sour Cream Muffins - Three Ways

Sour cream is an ingredient I love to use in baking. It can add a tart flavor and creamy texture to many, different baked goods! If you don't have sour cream on hand, I find greek yogurt is a good substitute too.

During the week day mornings, I'm always running behind schedule and do not have time to make oatmeal or eggs (which I love to do on the weekends).  I'm also one of those people that needs to eat something in the morning or otherwise I feel like lunch can never come soon enough.  Muffins have been my favorite breakfast because they are so portable and they freeze really well! Yes, you heard right! On the weekends I will make a batch or two of muffins and they will last me a good month.  Rather than paying $2-4 for a muffin every day, I take a muffin out of the freezer and pop it into the microwave for 30-45 seconds when I get to work.  Add a cup of coffee and I'm set until lunch!

Today I'm showcasing how sour cream can be used in a diverse set of muffins: blueberry, pumpkin and corn bread muffins.

Sour Cream and Blueberry Muffins

Ingredients:

- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 2 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 1/2 cups blueberries, fresh or frozen

Recipe:

1) Pre-heat oven to 375. Grease 12 muffin tins or paper baking cups.

2) Mix sugar and butter. Add in vanilla extract, eggs and sour cream.

3) Mix together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, but do not over mix.

4) Fold in blueberries.  Spoon the muffin batter into the 12 muffin tins.

5) Bake at 375 for 18-22 mins. Let cool on a wire rack.

Optional: Add the zest of 1 lemon to make lemon blueberry sour cream muffins.  Add coarse white sparkling sugar for garnish.

Sour Cream and Pumpkin Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1/3 cup brown sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 3/4 cup pure pumpkin purée
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1 egg
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup whole-wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground ginger
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 3 tbsp raw pumpkin seeds

Recipe:

1) Pre-heat oven to 350. Grease 12 muffin tins or paper baking cups.

2) Mix brown sugar and oil. Add in vanilla extract, egg, pumpkin puree and sour cream.

3) Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, ginger and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, but do not over mix.

4) Spoon the muffin batter into the 12 muffin tins. Sprinkle on raw pumpkin seeds.

5) Bake at 350 for 20 mins. Let cool on a wire rack.

Sour Cream and Cornbread Muffins

Ingredients:

- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, room temp
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup milk (I used almond milk as a substitute)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 2/3 cup yellow cornmeal
- 1 1/2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt

Recipe:

1) Pre-heat oven to 425. Grease 12 muffin tins or paper baking cups.

2) Mix sugar and butter. Add in vanilla extract, eggs, milk and sour cream.

3) Mix together the flours, baking powder, baking soda and salt.  Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, but do not over mix.

4) Spoon the muffin batter into the 12 muffin tins.

5) Bake at 425 for 15-17 mins. Let cool on a wire rack.

Finish with some jam or a big pad of butter!