Simple Muffins
These tender, plain muffins are easy to mix by hand and ready in about 30 minutes. Keep them classic with vanilla, or fold in berries, chocolate chips, or chopped nuts.
Total
30 min
Servings
12 muffins
Level
Easy
A good muffin recipe should be simple, flexible, and forgiving. This one uses basic pantry ingredients and comes together in one bowl for the dry ingredients and one bowl for the wet ingredients.
The trick is not to overmix the batter. Stir just until you no longer see dry flour. A few lumps are fine and help keep the muffins soft instead of tough.
Serve these warm for breakfast, pack them in a lunchbox, or freeze a batch for busy mornings.
01What you'll need
Ingredients
10 items · 12 muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 large eggs
- 3/4 cup milk, at room temperature if possible
- 1/2 cup neutral oil, such as canola or vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- Optional: 1 cup blueberries, chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or diced peeled apple
- Optional topping: 1 tablespoon coarse sugar or granulated sugar
02How to make it
Step-by-step
1. Heat the oven
Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease the cups well with oil or butter.
2. Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt. Whisking spreads the baking powder evenly, which helps the muffins rise.
3. Mix the wet ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until smooth. If the milk is cold, the batter may look a little thick later, but it will still bake well.
4. Combine gently
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Stir with a spatula or wooden spoon just until the flour disappears. Do not beat the batter. It should look slightly lumpy.
5. Add any extras
If using berries, chocolate chips, nuts, or apple, fold them in gently. To fold means to lift the batter from the bottom and turn it over the add-ins, instead of stirring hard.
6. Fill the pan
Divide the batter among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full. Sprinkle the tops with a little sugar if you want a lightly crisp top.
7. Bake the muffins
Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, until the tops are lightly golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. If it has wet batter on it, bake for 2 more minutes and check again.
8. Cool before serving
Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes. Move them to a wire rack to cool a little more. Serve warm or at room temperature.
03From our kitchen
Cook's tips
- Make-ahead: Mix the dry ingredients up to 2 days ahead and keep them covered at room temperature. Add the wet ingredients just before baking for the lightest texture.
- Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Add a paper towel to the container to absorb extra moisture.
- Freezing: Freeze cooled muffins in a freezer bag or airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature, or warm one muffin in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
- Milk swaps: Whole milk, 2% milk, oat milk, and almond milk all work. Richer milk makes a slightly softer muffin.
- Oil swaps: Melted butter can replace the oil, but the muffins will be a bit firmer once cool. If using butter, let it cool slightly before mixing it with the eggs.
- Add-in tip: If using frozen blueberries, add them straight from the freezer. Do not thaw them, or they may turn the batter purple and watery.
Cook's note
This is a base muffin recipe, so the flavor is mild on purpose. For lemon muffins, add 1 tablespoon finely grated lemon zest. For cinnamon muffins, add 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon to the dry ingredients.
04Frequently asked
Questions & answers
Why did my muffins turn out tough?
The batter was probably mixed too much. Once flour meets liquid, gluten starts to form. Gluten gives bread chew, but too much makes muffins tough. Stir only until the dry flour disappears.
Can I make these muffins without paper liners?
Yes. Grease the muffin cups well with oil, softened butter, or nonstick spray. Let the muffins cool for 5 minutes, then loosen the edges with a small knife if needed.
Can I use self-rising flour?
You can, with changes. Use 2 cups self-rising flour and leave out the baking powder and salt. The texture may be slightly different because brands vary.
How do I know when muffins are done?
The tops should spring back lightly when touched, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Wet batter means they need more time.
Can I make mini muffins with this batter?
Yes. Grease or line a mini muffin pan and bake at 375°F for about 9 to 12 minutes. Start checking early because mini muffins bake quickly.
05Keep cooking
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