Basic Muffin Recipe
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Basic Muffin Recipe

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Can you use a basic muffin recipe? When my girls were little, we made homemade muffins a lot. I bet you can picture warm muffins sitting on the kitchen countertop and waiting for our little ones to eat one for breakfast with some scrambled eggs.

The things I love about a good muffin recipe are how quickly we can make them and that we can change the ingredients to make a different flavor almost every day of the week. This basic muffin recipe makes a moist and chewy muffin with a little crunch on top.

My friend, JoAnn, told me about coarse sugar, and that day my baking life changed forever! Oh my gosh, how did I not know about that coarse sugar crunch before? One day she delivered some banana muffins with some darling cupcake holders and the muffin tops were sprinkled with that special coarse sugar topping. In case you missed this post, The Best Banana Bread & Muffins They looked like muffins from a restaurant!

Basic Muffin Recipe

Four steps to making really good muffins:

  • Mix the dry ingredients together
  • Mix the wet ingredients together
  • Combine the dry and wet ingredients
  • Bake immediately

Items you May Need in The Kitchen:

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Basic Muffin Recipe

Step One: Gather Ingredients

Gather your ingredients before starting the recipe.

Ingredients

Step Two: Preheat Oven – Combine Ingredients

Preheat your oven to (350°F) = (176°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line the cups with paper liners. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside.

Mix Dry Ingredients

Step Three: Combine Liquids

Now, combine the liquids, milk, eggs, oil, and butter and stir until smooth.

Basic Muffin Recipe

Step Four: Mix Wet & Dry Ingredients

Grab a larger bowl and mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Use a spatula or whisk to mix them ever so softly. Not too much, just enough. Don’t overmix the batter.

Basic Muffin Recipe

Step Five: Scoop Batter Into Cups

Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar, you will love the look and the taste.

Basic Muffin Recipe

Finished Product

Bake for 20 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the muffins on a cooling rack.

Basic Muffin Recipe

Basic Muffin Recipe

5 from 5 votes
Basic Muffin Recipe
Basic Muffin Recipe
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Total Time
35 mins
 
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 Muffins
Author: Linda Loosli
Ingredients
  • 2 cups flour (I use bread flour)
  • 1/2 cup granulated white sugar
  • 2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup milk (room temperature)
  • 2-3 eggs (3 small/medium or 2 large)
  • 1/4 cup oil, I used vegetable oil
  • 1/4 cup butter, melted, and set aside to cool
  • 2-3 tablespoons coarse sugar (to sprinkle on top of the muffins)
Instructions
  1. Preheat your oven to (350°F) = (176°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line the cups with paper liners. Combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Set the bowl aside. Now, combine the liquids, milk, eggs, oil, and butter and stir until smooth. Grab a larger bowl and mix the wet and dry ingredients together. Use a spatula to mix them ever so softly. Not too much, just enough. Do not overmix the batter. Scoop the batter evenly into the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar, you will love the look and the taste. Bake for 20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Cool the muffins on a cooling rack.

How do I store these after I bake them?

You can store these in a plastic bag on the kitchen countertop or in an airtight Tupperware-type container. They’ll stay fresh for 1-2 days. If you want to stretch the time, place them in the refrigerator for up to a week.

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Can I freeze them after baking them?

Wrap them tightly with plastic wrap and place them inside a freezer bag for 2-3 months.

Can I add some nuts to the recipe?

Yes, you can, nuts are one of my favorite things to add to these.

Why are my muffins flat on the top?

This is pretty common if your baking powder is not tightly sealed or it’s past the peak of leavening time. When in doubt, throw it out and buy a new can.

Why are my muffins so dry?

You may have baked them longer than the suggested time of 20 minutes. Each oven tends to heat and cook differently.

Why is the center of my muffin unbaked?

Either the muffin tin was over-filled or the muffins were underbaked. As mentioned above, ovens heat and cook differently.

What is the secret to making moist muffins?

If you use oil and butter, it will make all the difference in your muffins. Also, don’t mix more than 10 -12 times with a spoon. Less mixing is best. Don’t bake longer than 20 minutes or they will dry out, unless your oven tends to require longer baking times based on past experience.

What is the best temperature to bake muffins?

The best temperature is (350°F) = (176°C), you’ll be happy with the results.

What is the best flour for making muffins?

Most professional bakers will suggest using cake flour, (it has a lower protein content, 5-8 percent). I only stock bread flour so that’s what I use with all my bread and pastries, and it works great for me.

Do I need to sift the flour?

Call me lazy, but I never sift anything. They turn out great every time. I think using the bread flour helps.

What can I add to this muffin recipe?

Some suggested add ons are: Grated zest of orange with 1/4 cup chopped dried cranberries, 1/4 cup of blueberries, chopped, 1/4 cup of grated carrots, 1/4 grated zucchini and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, or 1/4 cup mashed banana. Don’t be afraid to change up the recipe.

As mentioned above, nuts are a great addition too. Don’t be afraid to try all sorts of different fruits, particularly berries. I also think putting different toppings makes them very flavorful and fun. Even if you use different kinds of jams it can work out well.

What can I serve with a muffin?

  • Scrambled Eggs
  • Eggs Benedict
  • Quiche
  • Sunny-Side Up Eggs
  • Coffee
  • Tea
  • Hot Chocolate
  • Orange Juice

Final Word

I hope you try making my basic muffin recipe. Let me know if you do, I love to hear from you. What is your favorite thing to add to your homemade muffins? Please keep teaching your kids and grandkids to cook from scratch, we must. May God Bless this world, Linda

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10 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Rating this a 5 star but haven’t tried the recipe yet!! I have tried other recipes but they were pretty much all failures! I have wanted a good recipe and I trust you, Linda!

    Oh and I finally got a Danish whisk!! Should work well on this.

    1. Hi Leanne, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend!! I’m going to make some blueberry ones and post those in a week or two. You know I trust your recipes as well! We both love to cook and bake! Life is so good! Linda

  2. 5 stars
    Linda,

    Jane uses this recipe to make blueberry muffins and OMG they are delicious! We generally use fresh blueberries but have also used frozen ones. The recipe is also good with cranberries.

    1. Hi Ray, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! I want to make some blueberry ones in a week or two. Plus some orange cranberry ones, life is so good with muffins!!! Linda

  3. 5 stars
    I will give this recipe a try. Oh, I tried your recipe for bread for one and it’s wonderful. My husband said it’s a keeper, so that means he really likes it and I’ll make it again soon. Thanks Linda!

    1. Hi Paula, thank you for the 5 stars, my friend! I’m so glad you tried my bread recipe and liked it!!! My goal is to teach people they can make bread, tortillas, sourdough bread, muffins, or biscuits to survive. And love making them! Linda

  4. 5 stars
    Thanks for the recipe Linda. My family loves Blueberry muffins and I always made them with a mix and I have a slew house of blueberries in my freezer I can use that were given to me. So it will be a win win situation here in New Mexico.

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