Cascadia Five-berry Muffins
Foraged muffins made with five wild berries and finished with a cinnamon sugar crust.
Late summer brings a different pace to the forest. The trails soften. The air warms. Berries appear in places you passed all spring without noticing.
Trailing blackberries catch at your pants along the edges of paths. Thimbleberries sit fragile and pale, asking to be handled carefully. Salmonberries glow against damp leaves. Mountain blueberries take longer to reach, tucked into higher ground. Wild strawberries require patience. You crouch longer. You move slower.
None of these berries dominate on their own. Each arrives briefly and in small quantities. Together, they tell a fuller story of the season. Lowlands and uplands. Sun and shade. Early and late summer overlapping for a short window.
These muffins come from that overlap. They are a way of gathering small amounts into something lasting. Baked, the berries soften and settle into one another. The cinnamon sugar crust adds warmth and weight. This is food meant to be shared, packed, and eaten without ceremony.
Instructions
Each berry brings something different. Sweetness, tartness, moisture, structure. This is a practical bake, meant to be eaten outdoors or packed for later.
What You'll Need
Berries
Trailing blackberries
Thimbleberries
Salmonberries
Mountain blueberries
Wild strawberries
(About 1½ to 2 cups total, mixed.)
Dry Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
¾ cup sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
½ cup melted butter or oil
¾ cup milk or buttermilk
2 eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla
Cinnamon Sugar Topping
⅓ cup sugar
1½ teaspoons cinnamon
2 tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
Prepare the berries
Rinse gently and pat dry. Keep softer berries whole where possible.Heat the oven
Preheat to 375°F. Line or grease a muffin tin.Mix dry ingredients
In a large bowl, combine flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.Mix wet ingredients
In a separate bowl, whisk butter or oil, milk, eggs, and vanilla.Combine
Add wet ingredients to dry and stir until just combined. Fold in the berries carefully. The batter should be thick and uneven.Fill the tin
Spoon batter into muffin cups, filling them nearly full.Add topping
Mix cinnamon and sugar. Brush muffin tops with melted butter, then sprinkle generously with cinnamon sugar.Bake
Bake for 20–25 minutes, until the tops are set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean.Cool briefly
Let rest for 5–10 minutes before removing. These hold together better once slightly cooled.
Taste and Qualities
Flavor: Sweet-tart berries with warm spice
Texture: Moist interior, crisp top
Best eaten: Warm, or packed for a long walk
