This serviceberry recipe is one of my favorites! Serviceberry muffins are light and fluffy with a hint of vanilla and loads of juicy, tangy serviceberries. Serviceberries are also called juneberries or Saskatoon berries. This recipe was made gluten-free, but I included instructions for using all-purpose flour as well.
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These delicious berries are only in season for a short time. The birds love Saskatoon berries, so watch out they might eat them before you get to forage for them. Act fast.
If you follow me on TikTok you know that I have been cooking up a serviceberry storm. From serviceberry jam to my famous serviceberry galette, which is like a rustic pie, I have been keeping busy with these little berries.
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📖Why This Recipe Works
- Serviceberries are best used in the same manner you would use currents or blueberries. Muffins are a great option for using up a pile of berries.
- These muffins are lightly sweet but our secret ingredient, a dab of cornstarch, gives a lovely cakey texture. These are perfect for breakfast or a snack.
🧾Ingredient Notes
You need 2 cups of serviceberries for this recipe. The recipe can be doubled or tripled without modification. You will also need:
- Flour- Either 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum or regular all-purpose flour if not gluten-free.
- Butter- Always use unsalted for baking. You can also use vegan butter to make this recipe dairy-free. I recommend Earth Balance. Be sure to soften your butter first.
- Milk- I used regular whole milk. You can also use dairy-free milk.
- Cornstarch- Adds a fluffy texture to the muffins.
⏲️How to Make Serviceberry Muffins
Before making the muffin batter, preheat your oven to 375 F degrees and line your muffin tin with cupcake liners.
Step 1- Cream & Eggs
Using a stand or hand mixer cream the sugar and softened butter together. At medium to high speed, this will take about two minutes. It is ready when the butter mixture is light and fluffy.
Add the eggs and vanilla, and mix until combined. A low speed works fine for this step.
Step 2- Dry Ingredients
Mix together your flour, cornstarch, salt, and baking powder in a bowl BEFORE adding to the batter. Add ⅓ of the flour and gently mix in. Add ⅓ of the milk and stir.
Repeat the process until all of the ingredients are used up.
Step 3- Berries
Sprinkle your washed and dried berries with 1 to 2 tablespoons of flour. Stir into the batter with a spatula, and be gentle so the berries stay whole.
Step 4-Bake
Fill the muffin tin, about ¾ of the way to the top of the liner. Sprinkle the tops with granulated sugar. I use 3 to 4 tablespoons of added sugar for this.
Bake for 25- 35 minutes. The muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
Remove from the tin and cool for 30 minutes before eating.
👩🏻🍳 Expert Tips
- Your serviceberries should be completely washed and dried before adding the flour.
- Use room-temperature eggs, they incorporate into the softened butter better.
- Only fill every other space in your muffin tin. This creates a more uniform heating environment so you get a domed muffin top appearance.
💭 Lemon Serviceberry Variation
Skip the vanilla, instead add the zest of one lemon and 1 tablespoon of fresh-squeezed lemon juice to the batter. The lemon gives a refreshing tang to the muffins.
🌡️Storing Leftovers
When stored in an airtight container, the muffins will remain at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.
These muffins also freeze super well. I like to freeze all my goodies on a sheet pan first then throw them frozen into a gallon-size freezer bag. This way they don't get smooshed. You can defrost them in the microwave or leave them at room temperature for a couple of hours.
💬Serviceberry Q&A
Not sure what a juneberry is? Let's go over some common questions.
What are serviceberries?
Serviceberries, also referred to as Juneberries or Saskatoon berries are the edible small sweet fruit of the tree by the same name. Common in the Northern US and Canada, these small trees are often used in landscaping. Chances are you or someone you know has one in their yard.
Serviceberries are smaller than a blueberry but bigger than a current. They have a sweet berry flavor with a just slight hint of tartness.
When are serviceberries in season?
Serviceberries ripen in mid to late June in the U.S. But farther north in Canada, they may not be in season until early August. You can pick your own right in the backyard. Act fast they are equally popular with birds.
Serviceberries can be found at some farmer's markets as well. The good news is that serviceberries are easy to freeze so you can enjoy them all year long.
Are serviceberries safe to eat?
Absolutely! Serviceberries should be cleaned like any wild fruit or vegetable.
How do you use serviceberries in recipes?
Serviceberries can be eaten raw but have a slightly grainy texture that goes away with cooking. You can use them in pretty much any capacity that you would use blueberries or blackberries.
A few ideas are pies and galettes, jams, ice cream, muffins, quick bread, or pancakes.
How do you freeze serviceberries?
Spread out on a sheet pan. Freeze solid and then transfer to a Ziploc bag.
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📖 Recipe Card
Serviceberry Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened
- 1 cup granulated sugar plus more for the top
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups flour (regular or gluten-free blend) plus 2 tablespoons for the berries
- 1 Tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ cup milk
- 2 cups serviceberries washed and destemmed
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F degrees. Line a muffin tin with cupcake liners.
- Using an electric mixer on medium speed, cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. About 2 minutes.½ cup unsalted butter, 1 cup granulated sugar
- Add the eggs and vanilla. Mix on low until combined.2 eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Sift together2 cups of flour, cornstarch, salt and baking powder, and add to the creamed mixture alternately with the milk.2 cups flour (regular or gluten-free blend), 1 Tablespoon cornstarch, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ½ cup milk, 2 teaspoons baking powder
- Sprinkle the serviceberries with the remaining 2 tablespoons of flour. Fold into the batter.2 cups flour (regular or gluten-free blend), 2 cups serviceberries
- Fill the lined muffin tin with batter. Sprinkle the 3 teaspoons sugar over the tops of the muffins, and bake for about 30-35 minutes.
- Remove muffins from tin and cool at least 30 minutes.
Video
Notes
- The cornstarch is optional, but it provides a lovely cake-like texture to the muffins.
- I used 1:1 gluten-free flour with xanthan gum for this recipe. If your GF flour doesn't have xanthan gum add ¼ teaspoon.
Cindy Busch says
The muffins turned out great! I shared them with friends. What a great way to use our service berries!