Classic Buttermilk Cornbread

This recipe take style cues from both Southern cornbread (baking in a hot, greased skillet), and Northern-style recipes (added flour and sugar). Since traditional cornbread can be dry, making a cornmeal mush and adding a little sour cream to the buttermilk go a long way toward a moist, tender crumb.Leftover cornbread makes a flavorful and versatile base for stuffing. Use our Recipe Maker to create your own stuffing, flavored with anything from mushrooms and pine nuts to dried cranberries and sausage.
For more holiday-worthy sides visit The Guide to Thanksgiving Dinner.

• 9 oz. (1-3/4 cups) medium-grind stone-ground yellow cornmeal, such as Bob’s Red Mill
• 2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces

Position a rack in the center of the oven and put a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch heavy-duty square or round metal baking pan (not nonstick) on the rack. Heat the oven to 425°F.


In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil over high heat. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the cornmeal and the boiling water. Stir to blend—the mixture should become a thick mush.


In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1-1/4 cups cornmeal with the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to blend.


Add the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs to the cornmeal mush and whisk to blend.


When the oven and pan are fully heated (after about 20 minutes), add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just blended. Do not overmix.


Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the butter pieces, tilting the pan to swirl the butter around until it’s melted and the pan is well coated. (The butter may brown; that’s fine.) Immediately pour the melted butter over the mixed batter and stir to combine—a half-dozen strokes with a wooden spoon should be plenty. Scrape into the hot pan.


Bake until the cornbread pulls away from the sides of the pan and is golden on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Immediately turn the bread out onto a rack. Cool for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Buttermilk Cornbread for Stuffing

• 4-3/4 oz. (1 cup) fine to medium cornmeal
• 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup (5-1/2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk

Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch square pan. Heat the oven to 350°F. Sift the dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to just moisten the dry ingredients; don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the edges are light brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before crumbling.

Buttermilk Cornbread

Store-bought bread is fine for making most kinds of bread stuffing, but for cornbread stuffing, I think it’s best to make your own. This cornbread, adapted from a recipe by Fine Cooking contributing editor Pam Anderson, is noteworthy because it doesn’t call for any wheat flour, so it’s bursting with corn flavor. Use it to make cornbread stuffing or serve it warm, slathered with butter and honey or maple syrup.

• 1-1/2 cups yellow cornmeal, preferably stone-ground
• 1 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/4 tsp. baking soda
• 1-1/4 cups buttermilk
• 1 large egg
• 1 large egg yolk
• 2 Tbs. unsalted butter or rendered bacon fat, cut into two pieces

Position a rack in the center of the oven and place a 10- to 11-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch-square metal baking pan on the rack. Heat the oven to 450ºF.

Bring a small kettle of water to a boil. While the water comes to a boil, put 1/2 cup of the cornmeal in a medium mixing bowl. In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1 cup cornmeal with the sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda.

Pour 1/2 cup of the boiling water into the 1/2 cup of cornmeal and stir until the cornmeal becomes a thick mush. Whisk the buttermilk into the mush until smooth, then whisk in the egg and egg yolk.

When the oven and pan are fully heated, stir the dry ingredients into the buttermilk mixture. Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the butter or bacon fat, carefully swirling it around the pan until it’s melted and has coated the pan—it’s fine if the butter browns. Immediately pour the excess butter or fat into the batter, stir to combine, then scrape the batter into the skillet or pan.

Bake until the cornbread has pulled away from the sides of the pan and is golden on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Immediately turn the cornbread out onto a cooling rack. Cool for 5 to 10 minutes before serving, or cool completely if using for stuffing.

Vegan Vanilla-Mixed Berry Muffins

We have a rule at Flour Bakery that if something is labeled “vegan” it has to be just as delicious to those who are not concerned about the label as to those who are. We created this muffin to satisfy our growing number of customers who have converted to veganism, and it has as many non-vegan fans as vegan ones. In fact, most people don’t believe us when we tell them that it’s vegan. To the nonbelievers the proof is in the recipe. In developing this muffin recipe, we realized that many vegan pastries make up for their lack of dairy and eggs by being super sweet and extra oily. We held back on the sugar and oil to create a scrumptious fluffy muffin that people of all dietary preferences will enjoy.

• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. vegetable oil, such as canola
• 1-1/3 cups plain soy milk
• 2 Tbs. distilled white or cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or generously oil and flour them.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. of the sugar and stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, soy milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the well. Stir with a rubber spatula until well mixed. Add the raspberries and blueberries and mix until the fruit is evenly distributed.

Spoon an equal amount of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 Tbs. sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins are pale gold and the tops spring back when pressed gently in the middle. Let cool in the tin on a wire rack before popping them out. The muffins taste best on the day they are baked, but any uneaten muffins can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. For the best results, refresh them in a 300°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Carrot-Spice Bread

If you like carrot cake you'll love this sweet, tender quickbread, which is loaded with grated carrots, dried currants, and warm spices like cinnamon and cardamom.

For the bread

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 3/4 tsp. ground ginger
• 1/2 tsp. ground cardamom
• 3/4 cup dried currants
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1-1/2 Tbs. fresh orange zest
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely grated carrots, squeezed dry
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

For the glaze

• 4 oz. (1 cup) confectioners’ sugar, sifted if lumpy
• 4 tsp. cream; more as needed

Make the bread

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and then flour the bottom and sides of a 6-cup (8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch or 9 x 5-inch) loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, ginger, and cardamom. Whisk until well blended. Stir in the dried currants.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, orange zest, and vanilla. Add the carrots and whisk until blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Invert the bread and remove the pan, turn the bread right side up, and let cool completely.

Glaze the bread

In a small bowl, stir the confectioners’ sugar and the cream until smooth, adding more cream, 1 tsp. at a time, until the glaze is just pourable. Drizzle the bread with the glaze and let it set for 30 minutes. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Classic Crumb Cake

Melting all the butter at once and reserving half helps streamline things.

• 12 oz. (1-1/2 cups) unsalted butter; more for the pan

For the crumb topping:

• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
• Pinch table salt
• 12 oz. (2-2/3 cups) all-purpose flour

For the cake:

• 9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg
• 3/4 cup milk
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 Tbs. confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Make the topping:

Position a rack in the middle of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. In a large saucepan, melt all the butter; remove from the heat. Pour 1/2 cup into a measuring cup and reserve for mixing the cake batter. Add the sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt to the remaining butter in the saucepan. Stir with a fork, pressing when needed, until there are no lumps of sugar. Add the flour and stir gently until well blended and crumbly. Set aside.

Make the cake:

Lightly butter a 9x13-inch baking pan. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, milk, reserved 1/2 cup melted butter, and vanilla until combined. Pour the liquids over the dry ingredients and gently stir until just blended. Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Break up the crumb mixture with your fingers and sprinkle it evenly and generously over the cake batter. Bake until the top is lightly browned, the cake springs back when lightly pressed in the center, and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack and dust with the confectioners’ sugar. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Classic Buttermilk Cornbread

This recipe take style cues from both Southern cornbread (baking in a hot, greased skillet), and Northern-style recipes (added flour and sugar). Since traditional cornbread can be dry, making a cornmeal mush and adding a little sour cream to the buttermilk go a long way toward a moist, tender crumb.Leftover cornbread makes a flavorful and versatile base for stuffing. Use our Recipe Maker to create your own stuffing, flavored with anything from mushrooms and pine nuts to dried cranberries and sausage.
For more holiday-worthy sides visit The Guide to Thanksgiving Dinner.

• 9 oz. (1-3/4 cups) medium-grind stone-ground yellow cornmeal, such as Bob’s Red Mill
• 2-1/4 oz. (1/2 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1/4 cup sour cream
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, cut into a few pieces

Position a rack in the center of the oven and put a 9- to 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a 9-inch heavy-duty square or round metal baking pan (not nonstick) on the rack. Heat the oven to 425°F.


In a small saucepan, bring 1/2 cup water to a boil over high heat. In a large bowl, combine 1/2 cup of the cornmeal and the boiling water. Stir to blend—the mixture should become a thick mush.


In a medium bowl, whisk the remaining 1-1/4 cups cornmeal with the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and baking soda to blend.


Add the buttermilk, sour cream, and eggs to the cornmeal mush and whisk to blend.


When the oven and pan are fully heated (after about 20 minutes), add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix with a wooden spoon until just blended. Do not overmix.


Remove the hot pan from the oven and add the butter pieces, tilting the pan to swirl the butter around until it’s melted and the pan is well coated. (The butter may brown; that’s fine.) Immediately pour the melted butter over the mixed batter and stir to combine—a half-dozen strokes with a wooden spoon should be plenty. Scrape into the hot pan.


Bake until the cornbread pulls away from the sides of the pan and is golden on top, 18 to 20 minutes. Immediately turn the bread out onto a rack. Cool for 5 minutes. Serve hot.

Banana-Walnut Muffins

Instead of the usual dense "banana-bread" texture, these muffins have a light and tender crumb, with slices of ripe banana, chunks of walnuts, and a sweet cinnamon glaze.Create your own customized muffin recipe with the Recipe Maker.

For the muffins:

• 1 lb. (3-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 oz. (10 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups thinly sliced bananas
• 3/4 cup walnut pieces, toasted
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract

For the glaze:

• 12-1/2 oz. (3 cups) confectioners' sugar
• 1/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

Make the muffins

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil (or spray with cooking spray) the top of a standard 12-cup muffin tin (cups should be 2-3/4 inches across and about 1 inch deep) and line with paper or foil baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, milk, crème fraîche or sour cream, eggs, and egg yolk until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are mostly moistened (the batter will be lumpy)--there should still be quite a few streaks of dry flour.

Sprinkle the bananas, walnut pieces, and vanilla extract onto the batter, and fold them in until just combined. (The batter will be lumpy; don’t try to smooth it out.) Do not overmix.

Use an ice cream scoop if you have one with a “sweeper” in it; otherwise, use two spoons to spoon the batter into the muffin cups, distributing all of the batter evenly. The batter should mound higher than the rim of the cups by about 3/4 inch. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and spring back lightly when you press the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. (The muffin tops will probably meld together.) Let the tin cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

Glaze the muffins

Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add the cinnamon and 6 Tbs. of water and whisk until smooth. The glaze should be thin enough that it will drip off a spoon; if it’s more like a spreadable icing, thin it with more water, 1 Tbs. at a time.

When the muffins have cooled down but are still slightly warm, use a table knife to separate the tops, and then invert the pan and pop out the muffins. Put the muffins on a rack over foil to catch any glaze that drips off. Dab the glaze on the muffins with a pastry brush, or spoon the glaze on and let it drip over the sides. It should leave a smooth, somewhat translucent coating. You may not need all of the glaze. Wait 20 to 30 minutes for the glaze to set; it won’t dry completely.

Cinnamon-Rhubarb Muffins

These muffins are best when freshly baked, but they’re still good the second day. Just reheat them in a 350°F oven for 3 to 4 minutes to refresh them.

For the muffins:

• 9 oz. (2 cups) all-purpose flour
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 2-1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup sour cream
• 4 oz. (8 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups 1/4-inch-diced rhubarb (7-1/4 oz.)

For the topping:

• 3 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 400°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil baking cups.

Make the muffin batter: In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt and whisk to blend.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the sour cream, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla until smooth. Lightly stir the sour cream mixture into the dry ingredients with a spatula until the batter just comes together; do not overmix. Gently stir in the diced rhubarb. The batter will be thick.

Divide the batter among the muffin cups, using the back of a spoon or a small spatula to settle the batter into the cups. The batter should mound a bit higher than the tops of the cups.

Make the topping: In a small bowl, combine the sugar and cinnamon and mix well. Sprinkle a generous 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon-sugar mixture over each muffin.

Bake the muffins until they’re golden brown, spring back most of the way when gently pressed, and a pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Transfer to a rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 to 10 minutes. Carefully lift the muffins out of the pan—if necessary, loosen them with the tip of a paring knife—and let them cool somewhat. Serve warm.

Buttermilk Cornbread for Stuffing

• 4-3/4 oz. (1 cup) fine to medium cornmeal
• 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 1/4 tsp. salt
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup (5-1/2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted
• 1 cup buttermilk

Lightly grease an 8- or 9-inch square pan. Heat the oven to 350°F. Sift the dry ingredients into a medium bowl. Add the remaining ingredients and stir to just moisten the dry ingredients; don’t overmix. Pour the batter into the pan. Bake until the edges are light brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 20 to 30 minutes. Let cool for at least 5 minutes before crumbling.

Olive Oil Pumpkin Bread

Olive oil not only adds an incredible depth of flavor, but used in place of butter or shortening, it makes quick breads better for you by supplying healthy fat and antioxidants. Pumpkin seeds are an optional topping here, but they add a nice crunch.Read Baking with Olive Oil to learn how you can swap in olive oil for melted butter or vegetable oil in many muffin and quick bread recipes.

• Cooking spray
• 3-1/4 oz. (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour
• 3 oz. (2/3 cup) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
• 1/2 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1/3 cup olive oil
• 1/3 cup honey
• 2 Tbs. unsalted pumpkin seeds (also called pepitas; optional)

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Spray a 9x5-inch loaf pan with cooking spray.

In a medium bowl, whisk both flours, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt. In a large bowl, whisk the eggs, pumpkin, sugar, oil, and honey until well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir with a large spoon just until evenly incorporated.

Spoon the batter into the prepared pan and smooth the top. Tap the pan on the counter a few times to settle the batter. Sprinkle the top with the pumpkin seeds (if using), pressing them down lightly. Bake until the top is browned and a wooden skewer inserted in the center comes out clean, 40 to 45 minutes. (If the bread begins to brown too much before it’s fully baked, lay a piece of aluminum foil on top.) Cool in the pan for 15 minutes and then transfer the bread to a rack to cool completely before slicing.

Pineapple-Coconut Muffins

Flaked coconut and fresh pineapple give these muffins a taste of the tropics.To create your own customized muffin recipe, use the Recipe Maker.

For the muffins:

• 1 lb. (3-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
• 4 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• 1/2 tsp. table salt
• 1-1/3 cups granulated sugar
• 5 oz. (10 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 cup whole milk, at room temperature
• 1 cup crème fraîche or sour cream, at room temperature
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 large egg yolk, at room temperature
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely chopped fresh pineapple (or substitute canned pineapple, drained very well, and patted dry)
• 3/4 cup dried, sweetened, shredded or flaked coconut

For the glaze:

• 12-1/2 oz. (3 cups) confectioners' sugar
• 6 Tbs. pineapple juice, more as needed

Make the muffins

Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Lightly oil (or spray with cooking spray) the top of a standard 12-cup muffin tin (cups should be 2-3/4 inches across and about 1 inch deep) and line with paper or foil baking cups.

In a large mixing bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt; mix well. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, butter, milk, crème fraîche or sour cream, eggs, and egg yolk until well combined.

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold gently with a rubber spatula just until the dry ingredients are mostly moistened (the batter will be lumpy). There should still be quite a few streaks of dry flour.

Sprinkle the pineapple and coconut onto the batter, and fold them in until just combined. (The batter will be lumpy; don’t try to smooth it out.) Do not overmix.

Use an ice cream scoop if you have one with a “sweeper” in it; otherwise, use two spoons to spoon the batter into the muffin cups, distributing all of the batter evenly. The batter should mound higher than the rim of the cups by about 3/4 inch. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and spring back lightly when you press the middle, 30 to 35 minutes. (The muffin tops will probably meld together.) Let the tin cool on a rack for 15 to 20 minutes.

Glaze the muffins

Put the confectioners’ sugar in a small mixing bowl. Add the pineapple juice and whisk until smooth. The glaze should be thin enough that it will drip off a spoon; if it’s more like a spreadable icing, thin it with more pineapple juice, 1 Tbs. at a time.

When the muffins have cooled down but are still slightly warm, use a table knife to separate the tops, and then invert the pan and pop out the muffins. Put the muffins on a rack over foil to catch any glaze that drips off. Dab the glaze on the muffins with a pastry brush, or spoon the glaze on and let it drip over the sides. It should leave a smooth, somewhat translucent coating. You may not need all of the glaze. Wait 20 to 30 minutes for the glaze to set; it won’t dry completely.

Vegan Vanilla-Mixed Berry Muffins

We have a rule at Flour Bakery that if something is labeled “vegan” it has to be just as delicious to those who are not concerned about the label as to those who are. We created this muffin to satisfy our growing number of customers who have converted to veganism, and it has as many non-vegan fans as vegan ones. In fact, most people don’t believe us when we tell them that it’s vegan. To the nonbelievers the proof is in the recipe. In developing this muffin recipe, we realized that many vegan pastries make up for their lack of dairy and eggs by being super sweet and extra oily. We held back on the sugar and oil to create a scrumptious fluffy muffin that people of all dietary preferences will enjoy.

• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. vegetable oil, such as canola
• 1-1/3 cups plain soy milk
• 2 Tbs. distilled white or cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or generously oil and flour them.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. of the sugar and stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, soy milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the well. Stir with a rubber spatula until well mixed. Add the raspberries and blueberries and mix until the fruit is evenly distributed.

Spoon an equal amount of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 Tbs. sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins are pale gold and the tops spring back when pressed gently in the middle. Let cool in the tin on a wire rack before popping them out. The muffins taste best on the day they are baked, but any uneaten muffins can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. For the best results, refresh them in a 300°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Gluten-Free Corn Muffins

Serve these golden muffins with a hot bowl of chili or with pork or chicken. For those with a sweet tooth, increase the sugar to 2⁄3 cup and serve as a healthful snack.

• Unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray, for the pan
• 1 cup Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour
• 1 cup yellow cornmeal
• 1⁄4 cup granulated sugar
• 2 tsp. baking powder
• 3⁄4 tsp. xanthan gum
• 1⁄2 tsp. baking soda
• 1⁄2 tsp. table salt
• 2 large eggs
• 1⁄2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted, or vegetable oil
• 1 cup buttermilk

Heat the oven to 375°F. Grease a 12-cup muffin pan with unsalted butter or nonstick cooking spray.

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, cornmeal, sugar, baking powder, xanthan gum, baking soda, and salt until well combined. Make a well in the center and set aside.

In a medium bowl, using a wire whisk, lightly beat the eggs. Gradually whisk in the butter until well blended, then whisk in the buttermilk.

Pour the liquid mixture into the well in the flour mixture and stir until combined. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling each cup until nearly full and mounding the batter in the center to the top of the cups, or slightly above.

Bake until golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the center comes out clean, 16 to 18 minutes. Immediately remove the muffins from the pan, transfer to a wire rack, and cool the muffins on their sides. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature.

Zucchini-Pistachio Bread

This tasty quick bread is the perfect destination for late-summer zucchini. Pistachios are the perfect flavor pairing here, and a dusting of confectioners’ sugar adds a bit of sweetness to every bite.

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 2/3 cup chopped toasted pistachios
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1-1/2 cups coarsely grated zucchini, squeezed dry
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Confectioners’ sugar for dusting

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and then flour the bottom and sides of a 6-cup (8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch or 9 x 5-inch) loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon. Whisk until well blended. Stir in the pistachios.

In a medium bowl, combine the milk, eggs, and vanilla. Add the zucchini and whisk until blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Bake, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Invert the bread and remove the pan, turn the bread right side up, and let cool completely. Dust with confectioners’ sugar.  Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Blueberry-Ginger Bread

Pungent ginger adds a spicy twist to this tender quickbread, which tastes like a big blueberry muffin. It's the perfect breakfast treat when blueberries are at their summer peak.

• 1 Tbs. unsalted butter, softened
• 9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour, plus more for the pan
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 Tbs. baking powder
• 3/4 tsp. table salt
• 1-1/4 cups fresh blueberries
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 2 large eggs, at room temperature
• 2 Tbs. finely grated fresh ginger
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• Sanding sugar for topping

Position a rack in the lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Butter and then flour the bottom and sides of a 6-cup (8-1/2 x 4-1/2-inch or 9 x 5-inch) loaf pan, tapping out any excess flour.

In a large bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisk until well blended. Stir in the blueberries.

In a medium bowl, combine the buttermilk, eggs, ginger, and vanilla. Whisk until blended. Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients. Add the melted butter. Using a silicone spatula, gently fold until blended.

Scrape the batter into the prepared pan and spread evenly.

Sprinkle the sanding sugar evenly over the batter.

Bake, rotating halfway through, until the top is golden and a wooden skewer or toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 50 to 55 minutes.

Let cool in the pan on a rack for 30 minutes. Invert the bread and remove the pan, turn the bread right side up, and let cool completely. Store, covered, at room temperature for up to 2 days.

Cream Cheese & Wild Blueberry Pound Cake

This cake makes a wonderful breakfast bread, as well as a dessert or tea cake. It's moist texture makes slicing easy. Most grocery stores carry frozen wild blueberries now. Don’t let them thaw or the juices will streak the batter.

• 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (I like Philadelphia brand)
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, slightly soft (70°F)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 cup wild blueberries

Heat the oven to 325°F. Spray a loaf pan that’s about 8 x 5 x 3 inches with a nonstick coating.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. With an electric mixer (I use the paddle attachment on my stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter until very pale and little tails have formed. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat well until slightly fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until blended before adding the next. With the mixer on low, add the flour, vanilla, and lemon zest, and mix until almost incorporated but not quite. Switch from the mixer to a stiff rubber spatula and mix just until the batter is well blended and smooth, taking care to scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides. Gently fold in the berries.

Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it when inserted in the center, 60 to 65 minutes if using fresh berries, 75 to 90 minutes if using frozen. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes and then invert the pan and lightly tap it to release the cake. Cool completely on a rack before serving.

Overnight Banana Sticky Buns with Pecans

Ripe bananas make this dough moist and fragrant and infuse the caramel-pecan sauce with rich flavor. Preparing the dough and the filling the night before means the buns just need to rise and bake in the morning.

For the dough

• 1 lb. (3-1/2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour; more as needed
• 1 1/4-oz. package fast-rising (instant) yeast
• 1/2 cup very warm milk or water (about 125°F)
• 3/4 cup mashed very ripe banana (about 1 large)
• 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) unsalted butter, melted; more for the bowl
• 2 Tbs. granulated sugar
• 1 large egg, lightly beaten
• 1-1/4 tsp. table salt

For the filling

• 1-1/2 oz. (3 Tbs.) unsalted butter, softened
• 1/2 cup finely chopped toasted pecans
• 1/3 cup packed light brown sugar
• 1-3/4 tsp. ground cinnamon

For the caramel-pecan sauce

• 1 oz. (2 Tbs.) cold unsalted butter; more softened for the pan
• 1-1/2 cups granulated sugar
• 1 large ripe banana, coarsely chopped into 1/2- to 1-inch pieces
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• Generous pinch table sal
• 1 cup pecan halves

Make the dough

In a medium bowl, combine 4-1/2 oz. (1 cup) of the flour with the yeast. Stir in the warm milk or water until combined. Cover the bowl and let sit in a warm spot in the kitchen for 30 minutes. Stir the banana, melted butter, sugar, egg, and salt into the yeast mixture until well combined. Stir in all but 1 oz. (1/4 cup) of the remaining flour to make a stiff, shaggy dough. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface.


Knead, folding the dough over onto itself. If the dough sticks, use a dough scraper to pick up the sticky bits and sprinkle a small amount of the remaining flour onto the surface. Continue to knead until the dough becomes smooth and easy to handle, 5 to 10 minutes. Put the dough in a lightly buttered medium bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and let rise in a warm place until doubled, 40 to 50 minutes.

Fill the rolls

Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and shape into a rectangle. Roll out into a 16x11-inch rectangle. With an offset spatula, spread the softened butter evenly over the dough to within 1/8 inch of the edge. Combine the chopped pecans, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a small bowl; sprinkle the mixture evenly over the butter.


Roll up the dough lengthwise, starting from a long edge, and pinch the seam to seal. Turn the log so that it’s seam side down. Trim off and discard 1/2 inch from each end; then cut the log into twelve 1-1/4-inch pieces. Cover with plastic wrap.

Make the caramel-pecan sauce

Generously butter a 12-cup standard muffin pan.


In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine the sugar and 1/4 cup warm water and stir until the sugar dissolves, 2 to 3 minutes. Bring the syrup to a boil and cook, without stirring, until it begins to caramelize. Gently swirl the pan to help the syrup brown evenly. Once the syrup has turned an amber color, remove the pan from the heat and carefully stir in the banana and cold butter. Stir in the heavy cream, returning the pan to low heat if the mixture doesn’t smooth out immediately. Add the vanilla and salt and stir until smooth. Strain the sauce, discarding the banana. Let the caramel cool until just warm, about 15 minutes. Drizzle about 1-1/2 Tbs. of caramel into each muffin cup, reserving the extra sauce at room temperature. Sprinkle the pecans evenly among the cups.


Place the dough slices over the sauce and nuts, cut sides down. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate overnight.

Bake the sticky buns

Remove the pan from the refrigerator and let the dough rise in a warm spot until doubled, 1 to 1-1/2 hours.


Position racks in the center and lower third of the oven and heat the oven to 350°F. Put the muffin pan on the center rack and set a foil-lined baking sheet on the rack below to catch any overflowing syrup. Bake until the tops and edges of the buns are browned, 20 to 22 minutes.


Immediately invert the pan onto a rimmed baking sheet, replace any pecans that fell off, and let cool for 10 minutes. Reheat the reserved caramel sauce and serve the buns drizzled with the sauce.

Vegan Vanilla-Mixed Berry Muffins

We have a rule at Flour Bakery that if something is labeled “vegan” it has to be just as delicious to those who are not concerned about the label as to those who are. We created this muffin to satisfy our growing number of customers who have converted to veganism, and it has as many non-vegan fans as vegan ones. In fact, most people don’t believe us when we tell them that it’s vegan. To the nonbelievers the proof is in the recipe. In developing this muffin recipe, we realized that many vegan pastries make up for their lack of dairy and eggs by being super sweet and extra oily. We held back on the sugar and oil to create a scrumptious fluffy muffin that people of all dietary preferences will enjoy.

• 2-2/3 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 tsp. baking soda
• 1 tsp. kosher salt
• 1 cup granulated sugar
• 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. vegetable oil, such as canola
• 1-1/3 cups plain soy milk
• 2 Tbs. distilled white or cider vinegar
• 1 Tbs. vanilla extract
• 1 cup fresh or frozen raspberries
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries

Preheat the oven to 350°F, and place a rack in the center of the oven. Line the cups of a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or generously oil and flour them.

In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking soda, salt, and 3/4 cup plus 2 Tbs. of the sugar and stir until well mixed. In a separate bowl, whisk together the oil, soy milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract. Make a well in the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the middle of the well. Stir with a rubber spatula until well mixed. Add the raspberries and blueberries and mix until the fruit is evenly distributed.

Spoon an equal amount of batter into each prepared muffin cup. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining 2 Tbs. sugar.

Bake for 25 to 30 minutes, or until the muffins are pale gold and the tops spring back when pressed gently in the middle. Let cool in the tin on a wire rack before popping them out. The muffins taste best on the day they are baked, but any uneaten muffins can be stored in a covered container at room temperature for 2 or 3 days. For the best results, refresh them in a 300°F oven for 4 to 5 minutes.

Cream Cheese & Wild Blueberry Pound Cake

This cake makes a wonderful breakfast bread, as well as a dessert or tea cake. It's moist texture makes slicing easy. Most grocery stores carry frozen wild blueberries now. Don’t let them thaw or the juices will streak the batter.

• 6-3/4 oz. (1-1/2 cups) all-purpose unbleached flour
• 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. salt
• 3 oz. cream cheese, at room temperature (I like Philadelphia brand)
• 4 oz. (1/2 cup) unsalted butter, slightly soft (70°F)
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• 4 large eggs, at room temperature
• 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
• 1 tsp. grated lemon zest
• 1 cup wild blueberries

Heat the oven to 325°F. Spray a loaf pan that’s about 8 x 5 x 3 inches with a nonstick coating.

Whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt until well blended. With an electric mixer (I use the paddle attachment on my stand mixer), beat the cream cheese and butter until very pale and little tails have formed. Sprinkle in the sugar and beat well until slightly fluffy. Scrape the sides of the bowl well. Add the eggs one at a time, beating until blended before adding the next. With the mixer on low, add the flour, vanilla, and lemon zest, and mix until almost incorporated but not quite. Switch from the mixer to a stiff rubber spatula and mix just until the batter is well blended and smooth, taking care to scrape the bowl’s bottom and sides. Gently fold in the berries.

Scrape the batter into the loaf pan and bake in the middle of the oven until the cake is golden brown and a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs clinging to it when inserted in the center, 60 to 65 minutes if using fresh berries, 75 to 90 minutes if using frozen. Let the cake cool for about 15 minutes and then invert the pan and lightly tap it to release the cake. Cool completely on a rack before serving.