Lemon Blueberry Muffins with Sugar Tops

• Lemon sugar topping
• 3 tbsp turbinado sugar, or coarse sugar
• 1 tsp lemon zest
  Swaps for lemon zest

  Instead of citrus zest

  • Another citrus zest: The same amount. A different citrus aroma; any of them brightens a dish.
  • Dried citrus peel: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp fresh zest. Milder and a little bitter.
  • Lemon or orange extract: About ¼ tsp extract for each 1 tsp zest, to taste. Strong citrus flavor, no texture.

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• Muffins
• ¾ cup granulated sugar, 150 g
  Swaps for granulated sugar

  Instead of sugar

  • Less sugar: Up to ¼ less in cookies, muffins and quick breads. Less browning and spread, a drier, more cake-like texture, and bakes go stale sooner.
  • Brown sugar: The same amount, packed. Moister and chewier, with a caramel flavor and darker color.
  • Coconut sugar: The same amount. Darker and caramel-like, a little less sweet; cookies spread slightly less.

  All 4 swaps for sugar

• 1 tbsp lemon zest, from about 2 lemons
  Swaps for lemon zest

  Instead of citrus zest

  • Another citrus zest: The same amount. A different citrus aroma; any of them brightens a dish.
  • Dried citrus peel: 1 tsp dried for each 1 tbsp fresh zest. Milder and a little bitter.
  • Lemon or orange extract: About ¼ tsp extract for each 1 tsp zest, to taste. Strong citrus flavor, no texture.

  More for citrus zest

• 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled (250 g)
  Swaps for all-purpose flour

  Instead of all-purpose flour

  • Gluten-free 1:1 baking flour: The same amount, a blend that includes xanthan gum. A little grittier and more crumbly, browns faster and dries out sooner.
  • Bread flour: The same amount. More gluten: chewier cookies and bread, tougher cakes.
  • Whole wheat flour: Up to half of the flour. Nuttier, darker and denser.

  All 4 swaps for all-purpose flour

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 2 tsp baking powder
  Swaps for baking powder

  Instead of baking powder

  • Baking soda + cream of tartar: ¼ tsp baking soda + ½ tsp cream of tartar for each 1 tsp baking powder. Rises the same if you don't let the batter sit.
  • Baking soda + buttermilk or yogurt: ¼ tsp baking soda for each 1 tsp baking powder, and swap ½ cup of the recipe's milk for buttermilk or thinned yogurt. Good rise with a light tang.
  • Self-rising flour: Use it for the flour and leave out the baking powder and salt. Each cup has about 1½ tsp baking powder and ¼ tsp salt built in, so it only fits recipes close to that ratio.

  More for baking powder

• ¼ tsp baking soda
  Swaps for baking soda

  Instead of baking soda

  • Baking powder: 3 tsp baking powder for each 1 tsp baking soda. It rises, but bakes come out paler and puffier, cookies spread less, and the extra powder can taste a little bitter.

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• ½ tsp kosher salt
  Swaps for kosher salt

  Instead of salt

  • Table salt or fine sea salt: About half as much as Diamond Crystal kosher, about ¾ as much as Morton kosher. The same saltiness when measured this way.
  • Salt by weight: 1 tsp is about 6 grams of table salt, 5 grams of Morton kosher, 3 grams of Diamond Crystal kosher. The most reliable way to swap, especially in baking and brines.

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• ½ cup vegetable oil, 120 ml
  Swaps for vegetable oil

  Instead of vegetable oil

  • Another neutral oil: The same amount. No difference.
  • Melted butter: The same amount. Richer, buttery flavor; cakes are a little less moist and firmer once cool.
  • Light olive oil: The same amount. "Light" olive oil tastes mild.

  All 4 swaps for vegetable oil

• 2 large eggs, room temperature
  Swaps for eggs

  Instead of eggs

  • Flax egg: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Binds well but gives less lift, so bakes are a little denser and flatter, with a mild nutty taste and brown flecks.
  • Chia egg: 1 tbsp chia seeds + 3 tbsp water for each egg. Works like a flax egg: good binding, little lift, slightly denser crumb.
  • Unsweetened applesauce: ¼ cup for each egg. Moister and denser, with a soft, slightly gummy crumb if you swap more than one egg.

  All 5 swaps for eggs

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• ¾ cup plain yogurt, or Greek yogurt (180 g)
  Swaps for plain yogurt

  Instead of yogurt and Greek yogurt

  • Greek yogurt + milk: ⅔ cup Greek yogurt + ⅓ cup milk for each cup of regular. Same texture as regular yogurt, a bit tangier.
  • Sour cream: The same amount. Richer and less tangy.
  • Plant-based yogurt: The same amount, plain and unsweetened. Coconut yogurt is rich but tastes of coconut; soy yogurt is closest in protein.

  More for yogurt and Greek yogurt

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• ¼ cup milk, 60 ml
  Swaps for milk

  Instead of milk

  • Unsweetened soy milk: The same amount. The closest plant milk for baking: its protein helps things brown and set.
  • Unsweetened oat milk: The same amount. Creamy and mild with a hint of sweetness.
  • Unsweetened almond milk: The same amount. Thinner and less rich, so cakes are a little paler and drier.

  All 5 swaps for milk

  Cooking for an allergy? Check every label.

• 2 tbsp lemon juice
  Swaps for lemon juice

  Instead of lemon juice

  • Lime juice: The same amount. A different, more floral aroma; works almost everywhere.
  • Bottled lemon juice: The same amount. More sour and flatter; fine in cooking and baking, less bright in dressings and drinks.
  • White wine vinegar or white vinegar: Half as much. Sharper, with no citrus aroma.

  More for lemon juice

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
  Swaps for vanilla extract

  Instead of vanilla extract

  • Vanilla bean paste: The same amount. Stronger, with visible vanilla seeds.
  • Vanilla bean: The seeds of 1 bean for each 1 tbsp extract. A deeper, floral flavor and visible seeds.
  • Alcohol-free vanilla: The same amount. Made with glycerin; a slightly milder taste.

  All 5 swaps for vanilla extract

• 1 ½ cups blueberries, fresh, or frozen and not thawed (225 g)

Cooking for a crowd? Pans, timing and salt for 12 to 50.

Missing something? Tap Swaps next to an ingredient, or see all substitutions.