Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffin Recipe
Ready for a new twist on a classic recipe? Try our favorite Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffin recipe. Using freeze-dried fruit in baked goods is a great way to bake perfect muffins every time. Freeze-dried fruit adds unparalleled color and flavor to your recipes, and because they are easy to use and store, freeze-dried fruits are virtually prep-free. While it may be true that everyone has their best blueberry muffin recipe, there’s always room for one more. If you are looking to try something new, give Hibernate’s Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffin recipe a try. This one is a classic!
Hibernate is a food storage company that promises the best shelf life and prices in the business. Because freeze-dried fruit is so versatile and easy to use, you will often find yourself heading to the pantry rather than to the fridge for prep-free fruit that is easy to use. Hibernate’s Freeze-Dried Fruit Variety Pack packs a double punch. With great shelf life and nutritional value, you can confidently rely on it during an emergency. But it can also double as a great stand-in for fresh fruit.
Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffins Recipe
Once you try using freeze-dried fruit in baked goods, you may never go back to using fresh fruit. This freeze-dried twist of a classic recipe would be a great addition to your freeze-dried recipe arsenal.
This blueberry muffin recipe is made from scratch. No boxed ingredients here! Not only will this taste homemade, but you also get a better quality product that’s free from preservatives.
Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffin Ingredients
- 2 cups flour (can substitute gluten-free flour)
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 cup butter softened
- 1-1/4 cups sugar
- 2 eggs (large)
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1-1/2 cups freeze-dried blueberries
(Adapted from Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free Blueberry Muffin Recipe)
Freeze-Dried Blueberry Muffin Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F. Grease a muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray, or line with paper baking cups.
- Whisk together flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter and 1 ¼ cups sugar until very light and fluffy, about 10 – 15 minutes. Scraping down the sides of the bowl often. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition.
- Add half the flour mixture and beat until just blended. Beat in buttermilk, then add remaining flour mixture and beat until blended. Gently fold the freeze-dried blueberries into the batter.
- Spoon batter evenly into 12 prepared baking cups. Sprinkle with 2 tsp sugar.
- Place pan in oven and immediately reduce heat to 375° F. Bake for 30 minutes or until muffin tops are golden brown. Cool in pan for 5 minutes. Move to wire rack to cool completely.
What Makes Freeze-Dried Blueberries Special?
Let’s start with the basics. Freeze-dried blueberries undergo a dehydration process in a low-pressure vacuum chamber that removes almost all the water content from the fruit. Yet, during this process, the cellular structure of the fruit remains intact, so you retain close to 98% of the nutritional value of fresh blueberries. If stored in a cool, dry place, freeze-dried blueberries can last up to 30 years. That’s an incredible shelf life! Especially when you know that you don’t have to compromise on nutritional value.
Why use freeze-dried blueberries in a muffin recipe? There are many benefits to using freeze-dried blueberries in baked goods. For starters, you now have access to every fruit, even when it's not in season. Freeze-dried fruits are super-concentrated in flavor and color. They up the ante on your visual presentation while controlling the water content in your baked goods. With fresh fruit, it’s not uncommon to bite into a muffin, only to hit a soggy patch around the fruit where the moisture has leeched into the batter, causing it to not cook evenly. With freeze-dried fruits, this is a problem solved! And because freeze-dried fruits are unmatched in flavor and color, there is no need to add sugar. It’s already incredibly sweet all on its own. You can use it straight from the package for this recipe. No reconstituting is required.
Can You Use Freeze-Dried Blueberries For Regular Blueberries?
The answer is a resounding yes! Of course, there are some dishes where there is simply no substitute for fresh fruit; however, there are many ways to incorporate freeze-dried blueberries into your favorite dishes. Throw them into ice cream or your favorite scone or oatmeal cookie. Grind them up and add them to cake batter or frosting. Stir them into pancakes and smoothies, or crush them and sprinkle them on top of pudding or yogurt.
Freeze-dried blueberries are great for baked goods, a crunchy snack in a pinch, and a sweet garnish on yogurt or pudding. Trust us, you won’t even notice the difference.
Hibernate’s Freeze-Dried Fruit Variety Pack
Hibernate knows that freeze-dried fruit is an essential part of any well-stocked kitchen. Freeze-dried fruit is a healthy alternative when fresh fruit is out of season, costly, or too timely to prep. Give our Freeze-Dried Fruit Variety Pack a try today, and you will wonder how you ever lived without it!