American Blueberry Muffins

Instructions

1. Prepare the oven and muffin tin
   Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
   In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
3. Cream butter and sugar
   In a large bowl, use an electric mixer to beat the butter and granulated sugar until light and fluffy, about 2-3 minutes. Add the eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Stir in the vanilla extract.
4. Combine wet and dry ingredients
   Gradually add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with the milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture. Mix just until incorporated. Be careful not to overmix or your muffins will be tough.
5. Add the blueberries
   Gently fold in the blueberries and lemon zest (if using) with a spatula. The batter will be thick and lumpy, which is exactly what you want for moist, tender muffins.
6. Fill the muffin cups
   Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full. If using, sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar for a sweet, crunchy crust.
7. Bake the muffins
   Bake in the preheated oven for 22-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
8. Cool and serve
   Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm or at room temperature. Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or freeze for longer storage.