Basic Muffins Recipe

Plain muffin on a plate with another muffin half served with a pat of butter.

Course: Breakfast, Brunch, Snacks

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 30

Cook Time: 20

Total Time: 30

Servings: muffins

Calories: 291kcal

Author: Dini Kodippili

The best basic muffin recipe ever with many variations! I share two methods to guarantee foolproof results. If you're making one batch - use the creaming method. If you're making multiple batches at once, use the Stella Parks method.

EASY - This recipe is perfect for beginners. Easy to make with endless options for different muffin variations.

Please use weight measurements for accurate, consistent results. US based cup, teaspoon, tablespoon measurements. Common Measurement Conversions.

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Ingredients

Dry ingredients

340 g AP flour 2 ¾ cups (spooned and leveled)
1 tbsp baking powder 3 tsp
½ tsp sea salt
2 tsp ground cinnamon
½ tsp ground nutmeg

Wet ingredients

150 g unsalted butter 10 ½ tbsp (room temperature)
170 g sugar ¾ cup + 1 ½ tbsp
2 large eggs
180 g sour cream ¾ cup (buttermilk, milk, yogurt, or cream can be substituted)
2 tsp vanilla extract

Toppings (optional)

Raw sugar and cinnamon
Extra chocolate chips

Additions (optional)

1 cup mini chocolate chips for chocolate chip muffins
1 cup raisins or dried currants for raisin cinnamon muffins

Instructions

Creaming method (for one batch of muffins)

Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners, OR butter and flour all of the muffin pan wells.
Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Whisk to mix really well.
340 g AP flour, 1 tbsp baking powder, ½ tsp sea salt, 2 tsp ground cinnamon, ½ tsp ground nutmeg
Add any additions if you like, and toss to combine (leave out cinnamon if you don’t like or want the taste of cinnamon). Set aside.
1 cup raisins or dried currants, 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Melt the butter in the microwave or in a saucepan on the stove. Let it cool slightly.
150 g unsalted butter
Add the sugar to the melted, warm butter. Whisk until emulsified. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla, and mix until smooth and well-mixed.
170 g sugar, 2 large eggs, 180 g sour cream, 2 tsp vanilla extract
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
FOLD to mix wet and dry ingredients. Take care not to over-mix, and make sure there are no dry spots (of dry ingredients) in the batter. It’s OK if the batter is lumpy.
Set aside for a few minutes to allow the flour to hydrate (about 2 - 5 minutes).
Divide the batter between the 11 - 12 muffin tin wells (about 4 ½ - 5 tbsp each). I use a cookie scoop to evenly divide the batter.
Sprinkle some raw sugar on top. (If you're making chocolate chip muffins, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top.)
Raw sugar and cinnamon, Extra chocolate chips
Bake in preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until a clean skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool for 5 minutes. Then turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Stella Parks method (for multiple batches of muffins)

Preheat oven to 375°F / 190°C.
Line your muffin pan with cupcake liners, OR butter and flour all of the muffin pan wells.
Place all the dry ingredients in a large bowl. Add the sugar to the bowl as well. Whisk to mix well.
Add the softened room temperature butter to the dry ingredients, and use a hand mixer to cut the butter into the flour. Mix until the flour mix is mealy (looks like coarse sand), and there are no large clumps of butter remaining. See picture in the post for reference.
If you’re only making one flavor of muffins, add the flavor additions to this mealy mix and toss to combine. If you’re making multiple flavors, you'll be adding those flavors later.
Mix the rest of the wet ingredients (excluding butter and sugar) in a bowl.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and fold to combine.
Do NOT over-mix at this stage (as you might be mixing in more additions later). Evenly divide the batter to flavor it.
Add your choice of flavoring to each portion of muffin batter (chocolate chips, fruits etc.).
Using an ice cream scoop, evenly divide the batter between the muffin tin wells (4 ½ - 5 tbsp of batter each).
Bake in preheated oven for about 15 - 20 minutes, or until a clean skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove from the oven and let them cool for 5 minutes. Then turn the muffins out onto a cooling rack.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

Notes

More info on three main methods of making muffins

Recipe tips

Basic muffin recipe variations

Storage tips

Nutrition