New Jersey's Official State Muffin Is A Sweet Classic

Every state has certain official foods, and learning what they are is the tastiest way to get to know the ingredients that the state is known for growing and the preferred flavors of the locals. For example, Oklahoma has a controversial state meal with barbecued pork, sausage with biscuits and gravy, chicken-fried steak, and a whole bunch of sides; and there's an entire history behind how pecan pie became the official state pie of Texas. Accordingly, New Jersey has an official muffin that makes a sweet statement about a crop very important to the state: the blueberry muffin. 

The blueberry muffin became New Jersey's baked pride and joy in an official capacity in 2024. Its journey to this distinguished title followed the familiar way that foods get named state symbols: Students learn about regional dishes in school, see the ties to where they live, get in touch with their local representatives, and start an often years-long process involving tastings and lobbying until the food finally wins the nod. In New Jersey's case, an 11-year-old student named Delize Patterson contacted state representative Carol Murphy eight years ago about having a state muffin in general. They held a competition considering different muffins and blueberry won out, so the lobbying process began, taking until 2024 to finally crown the blueberry muffin by law.

If New Jersey is going to have a state muffin, it's hard to imagine it being anything other than the blueberry treat. The United States produces the most blueberries in the world by a landslide, and New Jersey is one of the top-growing states. In fact, the commercial blueberry was born in New Jersey. Elizabeth White and Frederick Covile first domesticated it in Brown Mills, New Jersey in the early 20th century. Not too long after, people started putting them into fluffy muffins — while it's hard to trace the exact origin story, historians think the first blueberry muffin popped out of the oven in 1916. 

According to the State of New Jersey's Department of Agriculture, the state produces about 50 million pounds of blueberries each year, accounting for about $90 million and making those berries a vital component of the state's agricultural economy. Plus, blueberries are a healthy superfood packed with vitamins and antioxidants, and, quite simply, are delicious, bringing bright tartness to a sweet baked good. Any state would be lucky to have the blueberry muffin as its official pick, but New Jersey's blueberry ties make it the best home for the breakfasty delight. To celebrate this relatively recent state food pick, head to a New Jersey bakery for a taste of the real thing, or, if you're not nearby, learn how to make the juiciest blueberry muffins at home.