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Sometimes the best recipes are the simplest ones, and this basic muffin recipe proves it. Think of it as your starting point for any muffin flavor you can dream up. With just a few pantry staples and a straightforward method, you’ll have tender, fluffy muffins ready in about 30 minutes.
Keep them plain for a quick snack, or stir in fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, whatever you have on hand. Once you’ve got this base recipe down, the variations are endless
Why You Will Love This Basic Muffin Recipe
Think beyond the expected basic muffin recipes like blueberry and banana. These muffins crave adventure! Fold in juicy berries, tangy citrus zest, or warm spices like cinnamon and nutmeg.
Swap out some of the flour for cocoa powder and unleash your inner chocoholic. Craving savory? Sprinkle in chopped herbs and cheese, or toss in caramelized onions and roasted peppers. The options are as limitless as your imagination.
You’ll love the variety this basic muffin recipe gives you, as well as:
- Tender and Moist: These muffins bake up soft, with a perfectly tender crumb that practically melts in your mouth. Enjoy them plain or with a swipe of butter or jam.
- Versatile: This basic muffin recipe is a chameleon, adapting to any flavor you desire. From classic blueberry to decadent double chocolate, from spiced pumpkin to savory zucchini, the possibilities are endless.
- Perfect for any occasion: Enjoy these muffins as a quick breakfast, a satisfying snack, or a delightful dessert. They’re also great for packing lunches, potlucks, or gifting to your loved ones.
If you love this recipe, try our strawberry white chocolate muffins or sourdough banana muffins.
Muffin Variations
Use this basic muffin mix to make muffins with any flavor combination you can dream up.. Your family will be just as delighted with Pepperoni Pizza muffins as they will be with Cinnamon Streusel Muffins!
- Cranberry Orange Muffins: Stir in the zest of one orange and ½ teaspoon of orange oil or extract to the wet ingredients. Fold in dried cranberries to turn the basic muffin recipe into a Christmas morning treat.
- Double Chocolate Muffins: Whisk ⅔ cup of cocoa powder into the dry ingredients. Fold in chopped chocolate or mini chips.
- Lemon Poppyseed: Toss in 3 to 4 tablespoons of poppyseeds to the flour mixture. Combine the zest of one lemon and ½ teaspoon of lemon oil or lemon extract to the wet mixture.
- Savory Breakfast Muffins: Combine 1/4 cup diced cooked sausage, bacon, or even pepperoni with 2 tablespoons diced green onion and chopped bell pepper, and 1/4 cup grated cheddar cheese. Fold in lightly and fill the muffin cups. If you want to add a little heat, stir in a diced jalapeño.
- Carrot Raisin: Add 1-½ teaspoons cinnamon to the dry mixture. Fold in 1-½ cups of shredded carrots, and 1/4 cup of raisins.
After trying these variations, if you’re looking for another tried and true favorite, don’t miss out on the best banana blueberry muffins. They combine the sweetness of bananas with the burst of flavor from fresh blueberries, making them a crowd-pleaser!
Serving Suggestions
Slather your muffins with butter and jam, drizzle them with honey or maple syrup, or dust them with powdered sugar for a delicate touch.
Enjoy them warm from the oven, pack them for on-the-go goodness, or freeze them for a later muffin fix.
Recipe Tips
Use room-temperature ingredients. This helps the batter mix evenly for a consistent texture.
Don’t overmix. Stir until just combined. Overmixing makes muffins dense and tough.
Prep your pan. Grease the muffin tin well or use paper liners to prevent sticking.
Adjust mix-ins to taste. Add more or less depending on your preference.
Get creative. Try fun additions like pistachios, diced dried apricots, grated zucchini, or carrot.
Measure flour correctly. Spoon and level your flour instead of scooping to avoid dense muffins.
Fill the cups evenly. Use a scoop to portion batter so all muffins bake at the same rate.
Check for doneness early. Muffins can dry out quickly; start testing a few minutes before the recipe time is up.
Cool briefly, then remove. Let muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a rack. This prevents soggy bottoms.
For tall, bakery-style muffins. Bake at a higher temperature for the first few minutes (like 425°F), then reduce for the remainder.
Storage. Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.
Master Muffin Recipe
With this master muffin recipe in your back pocket, you’ve got a reliable go-to for quick breakfasts, snacks, or a base to build countless variations. Simple, versatile, and always satisfying, these muffins are a recipe worth coming back to again and again.
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Basic Muffin Recipe
From the tangy zest of Cranberry Orange to the the refreshing twist of Lemon Poppyseed, your options are limitless.
These muffins are freezer friendly and perfect for any occasion.
If you make this recipe, please leave a star rating and comment.
Ingredients
Dry Mixture
- 2 cups all purpose flour, 240 grams (or 212 grams pastry flour)
- 2 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
Wet Mixture
- 1 cup granulated sugar, 200 grams
- ¾ cup sour cream , or plain yogurt, 170 grams
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil, 66 grams
- 4 tablespoons butter, melted, 57 grams
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar, optional for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper cups and grease the papers.
- In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk to blend the ingredients together and remove lumps.
- In a larger mixing bowl, combine the sugar, yogurt (or sour cream), oil, eggs, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture. Use a wide rubber spatula to gently fold the ingredients until just combined. Don’t over mix. The batter will be thick and it should look a bit lumpy but there should not be any dry flour.
- Use an ice cream scooper or a large spoon to fill the muffin cups to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar, if desired.
- Bake the muffins for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes then transfer them to a cooling rack.
Notes
Suggestions for Variations:
Cranberry Orange: Add the zest of one orange and ½ teaspoon of orange oil or extract to the wet ingredients. Fold in 1-¼ cups of dried cranberries. Chocolate Chip Muffins: Add one teaspoon cinnamon to the flour mixture. Fold 1-¼ cups of mini chocolate chips into the batter. Double Chocolate Muffins: Whisk ⅔ cup of cocoa powder into the dry ingredients. Fold in 1-¼ cups of mini chocolate chips. Lemon Poppyseed: Add 3 to 4 tablespoons of poppyseeds to the flour mixture. Add the zest of one lemon and ½ teaspoon of lemon oil or lemon extract to the wet mixture. Any Berry Muffins: Add the zest of a lemon or orange to the wet mixture. Fold in 2 cups of fresh or frozen berries. Blueberries, raspberries, and huckleberries can be added whole. If the berries are much larger than that, chop them into smaller pieces. Spiced Nuts and Seeds: Whisk 2 teaspoons cinnamon, ½ teaspoon nutmeg, and ¼ teaspoon allspice into the flour mixture. Fold ½ cup toasted, chopped pecans and ½ cup toasted sunflower seeds into the batter. Carrot Muffins: Add 1-½ teaspoons cinnamon to the dry mixture. Fold in 1-½ cups of shredded carrots. Zucchini Muffins: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and ½ teaspoon cardamom to the dry mixture. Fold in 1-½ cups of shredded zucchini. If the zucchini has a lot of liquid, drain the liquid first. Sweet Potato: Add 2 teaspoons cinnamon, and ½ teaspoon nutmeg to the flour mixture. Replace ½ cup of the granulated sugar with brown sugar (½ cup of each). Reduce the yogurt to ½ cup and add ¾ cup of cooked, mashed sweet potato to the wet mixture. Buttermilk muffins: Swap the yogurt our sour cream for buttermilk (Bulgarian style is my favorite). The mixture will be thinner but makes equally tender muffins. You can make homemade "buttermilk" by stirring a tablespoon of vinegar into a cup of whole milk. Whole Wheat: Replace half or all of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat pastry flour. Increase the yogurt to 1 cup. Let the batter sit for at least 4 hours and up to 8 hours to hydrate prior to baking. Make sure you use double acting baking powder if you let the batter sit.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
We have a child in the family who has an allergy to eggs. Could this recipe be made with banana or thick apple sauce in place of eggs?
Great question! You can try using ¼ cup of mashed banana or thick applesauce per egg. Both are common substitutes, but just a heads-up: they will change the flavor and the texture won’t be quite the same.
Another option is a flaxseed replacement using 1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, then let it sit for 5–10 minutes to gel. It won’t alter the flavor like fruit-based substitutes, which is a plus. That said, in my experience, while flax eggs do work, they don’t create the same texture as a real egg, and the muffins tend to be more crumbly and dry out a little faster.
I have heard good things about Bob’s Red Mill egg replacer. I have not tried it, but it sounds like it could be a better alternative if you have it available.