Lemon Raspberry Muffins

Welcome, Spring! Here we are, in the middle of Spring and we are ringing it in with these absolutely perfect lemon raspberry muffins. Muffins are the first type of baked good I learned how to make, and since then I’ve branched out to make several different varieties such as Orange Chai Spiced, Lemon Poppyseed, and of course, Blueberry. You can say I’m a bit muffin obsessed. Making this version with lemon and raspberry made me very happy for berry season.

Spring is known for budding flowers, change in weather, dewey grass, and of course berries! We are huge berry consumers in this house and we swear by Driscoll’s. We find that Driscoll’s berries are very consistent with their product, and we love all types! Blackberries and raspberries are my favorite, while my son loves blueberries and husband a devout to strawberries. It was a no brainer to use chopped raspberries in muffins, with the addition of fresh squeezed lemon juice and zest, this muffin made my entire home smell beautiful. I cannot wait for you to try making these lemon raspberry muffins.

Berry Tips and Tricks:

• Wash your berries: It is important to wash most fruit (here’s why) especially berries. The way berries are harvested yields a lot of dirt and pesticides, so it is necessary to wash them thoroughly before eating. Also, washing with a vinegar spray will actually keep them fresh for longer periods of time.
• Store them: We love our Rubbermaid FreshWorks containers because they circulate air from the fridge into the vents on the containers. Plus, the storage of these containers are pretty large, so 2-3 clam shells of raspberries will fit perfectly in one small square container.
• Leftover berries? Make a compote: Sometimes, we have several leftover blueberries or really soft and overripe raspberries. Often times, I just throw into a smoothie, but another fun thing to make is a berry compote! A compote is a fancy way of saying “fruit preserve.” To make this, throw the berries into a small pot, add 1/4 cup of sugar and turn the heat onto medium. Macerate the fruit with the sugar and let the berries to render down into a sauce or preserve. You can put this on ANYTHING: pancakes, waffles, oatmeal, yogurt, etc.

For this lemon raspberry muffin, I used traditional all purpose flour, milk, a little oil, and a few other traditional ingredients such as eggs, baking soda and powder, salt, and of course the zest from the lemon, juice, and freshly chopped raspberries. Give this recipe a try, I promise you won’t be disappointed!