That is my final muffin recipe—beginning with a thick and creamy muffin batter, your selection of additives, and two topping choices. Customise it along with your favourite mix-ins and taste mixtures for countless prospects like blueberry muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, and apple cinnamon muffins.
I initially printed this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photographs, a video tutorial, useful success suggestions, and extra flavors.

That is my staple muffin recipe, to which I fold in a wide range of additions and flavors. I’ve relied on it since 2014 after I developed and initially printed my greatest blueberry muffins. I used to be so happy with the style and texture that I stored experimenting with new flavors—and over time, I’ve realized the chances are literally countless.
In reality, I really like this mix-and-match final muffin recipe a lot that I’m together with it in my new cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101! (Together with an exclusive-to-the-book birthday cake taste.)
Can one muffin batter actually make infinite muffin flavors? We haven’t reached the restrict but…
Why This Ought to Be Your Go-To Muffin Recipe, Too:
- Batter produces mushy, fluffy, tall bakery-style muffins
- Endlessly customizable for infinite muffin varieties
- Contains baking directions for all sizes of muffins—makes 12 commonplace muffins, 6 jumbo muffins, or 36–40 mini muffins
- Make the crumb topping or just sprinkle coarse sugar on prime for a glittery crunch
One reader, Karen, commented: “These had been the perfect muffins I’ve ever made. No extra store-bought! I can hardly wait to strive a brand new batch each week. That is going to be enjoyable! ★★★★★“
One other reader, Stacey, commented: “Made these tonight in a jumbo muffin tin, and added chocolate chips. Very tender muffin, however nonetheless an ideal base for extra substantial mix-ins like chocolate. Domed fantastically! Will likely be making these a LOT going ahead! ★★★★★“

Listed below are 10 of my muffin recipes that I’ve printed utilizing this base muffin batter:
- Cranberry Cardamom Spice Muffins
- Blackberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Peach Muffins
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins (pictured)
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (pictured)
- Blueberry Muffins (pictured)
- Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins (pictured)
- Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Crumb Cake Muffins
At the moment I’m additionally sharing White Chocolate Raspberry and Chocolate Chip Crumb. Particulars for making every are within the recipe Notes beneath!
Substances for the Muffin Batter
- Flour: Keep on with all-purpose flour. The flour offers the muffins construction and retains the batter good and thick so the add-ins (chocolate chips, berries, nuts, and so on.) keep suspended.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: For optimum rise, we’re utilizing each leaveners right here.
- Salt, Cinnamon, & Vanilla Extract: The flavour enhancers. The cinnamon is optionally available—go away it out if it doesn’t work effectively with the opposite flavors. For instance, I take advantage of it after I make apple or chocolate chip muffins, however skip it after I make lemon muffins.
- Butter: We’re creaming the butter to make these fluffy, springy muffins, so make sure that to make use of correct room-temperature butter right here.
- Sugar: A mixture of granulated sugar and brown sugar sweetens these muffins.
- Eggs: Eggs add moisture and richness, and bind every thing collectively.
- Bitter Cream: Bitter cream helps maintain the muffins tender, mushy, and additional moist. If wanted, you need to use plain Greek yogurt as a substitute.
- Milk: Milk lightens up the crumb. I often use complete milk, however you need to use low-fat or nondairy milk for those who want.

Count on a creamy, thick batter:

Fold in your additions, comparable to apples, chocolate chips, nuts, berries, and so on. If making one thing like lemon poppy seed muffins, add the lemon zest and juice while you add the milk, and blend the poppy seeds in with the dry substances. I’ve these particulars within the recipe Notes beneath.
That is the chocolate chip muffin batter:


Muffin Topping Choices
Earlier than baking, resolve if you wish to prime the muffins. Listed below are my 2 suggestions:
- Coarse Sugar: Easy, but bakery-style lovely! Coarse sugar offers the muffins a glittery crunch.
- Crumb Topping: A traditional selection, my brown sugar cinnamon crumb topping works with a wide range of muffin flavors. I’ve the recipe for you beneath. If desired, you need to use one other crumb-like topping comparable to the simple brown sugar pecan streusel I take advantage of on this blueberry muffins model or this lemon crumb topping I take advantage of on my lemon blueberry muffins.
Right here I’m topping the chocolate chip muffin selection with the crumb topping:


The Trick to Tall Muffin Tops
I’ve been utilizing this muffin trick for years and SWEAR by it. Practically all the muffin recipes you see on my web site and in my cookbooks additionally use it.
Ensure your muffin batter is thick (this one is). Fill your muffin cups/liners with the batter all the best way to the highest. Bake the muffins for simply 5 minutes at a excessive temperature. Cut back the temperature for the remaining bake time. This burst of scorching air lifts the muffins straight up, making a stable dome. The remainder of the time at a decrease baking temperature cooks the middle of the muffin.
Non-compulsory Ending Touches
If you’d like much more methods to jazz up your muffins, strive ending them with a topping:


Even Extra Muffin Flavors
- Cinnamon Pecan Muffins: final muffin batter + 3/4 cup (100g) chopped pecans + 3/4 cup (135g) cinnamon chips. Add the crumb topping.
- White Chocolate Nectarine: final muffin batter + 1 and 1/4 cups (about 230g) peeled finely chopped nectarine + 1/2 cup (90g) white chocolate chips. Add the crumb topping or strive the pecan streusel topping from the blueberry muffins.
- Pear Spice Muffins: final muffin batter + 1 and 1/4 cups (about 230g) peeled finely chopped pear + 1/4 teaspoon every floor nutmeg and allspice
- Banana Nut Muffins: final muffin batter + 3/4 cup (170g) mashed banana + miss bitter cream + 1 cup (130g) chopped walnuts.
- Ginger Peach Muffins: final muffin batter + 1 and 1/4 cups (about 230g) peeled finely chopped peaches + 2 Tablespoons freshly grated ginger. Add the crumb topping or strive the pecan streusel topping from the blueberry muffins.
- Pineapple Coconut Muffins: final muffin batter + 1 cup (100g) sweetened shredded coconut + 1 cup (225g) finely chopped pineapple (contemporary or canned, drained)
- Cranberry Apple Muffins: final muffin batter + 1 cup (about 120g) peeled chopped apple + 1 cup (120g) contemporary or frozen cranberries (don’t thaw).
P.S. On the lookout for a chocolate muffin base? Use the batter from these double chocolate muffins.
PrintDescription
Use this base muffin recipe to make any taste of muffin you may dream up! They’re straightforward, scrumptious, and freezer pleasant. See Notes part beneath the recipe for my 5 favourite taste variations, plus baking directions for jumbo and mini muffins.
Non-compulsory Crumb Topping
Muffin Batter
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. Put aside.
- Make the crumb topping, if utilizing: In a medium bowl, combine the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and cinnamon. Stir within the melted butter. Utilizing a fork, gently work within the flour simply sufficient to mix. Don’t overmix; the combination ought to have giant crumbles. Set topping apart or refrigerate till prepared to make use of.
- Make the muffins: In a big bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if utilizing) collectively. Put aside.
- In a big bowl utilizing a handheld or stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment, beat the butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on excessive velocity till clean and creamy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the perimeters and backside of the bowl as wanted. Add the bitter cream, eggs, and vanilla. Beat on medium velocity for 1 minute, then flip as much as excessive velocity till the combination is mixed. Scrape down the perimeters and backside of the bowl as wanted.
- Pour the dry substances into the moist substances and beat on low velocity till nearly mixed. Add the milk and proceed to beat on low velocity till mixed. Fold in your chosen add-ins. (See flavors/particulars within the Notes beneath.) The batter must be thick.
- Spoon the batter into the ready muffin cups, filling all of them the best way to the highest. Sprinkle the tops with coarse sugar or spoon on the crumb topping and flippantly press the crumbles so that they keep on with the batter.
- Bake the muffins for five minutes at 425°F (218°C); then, retaining the muffins within the oven, scale back the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an extra 15–18 minutes or till a toothpick inserted within the heart comes out clear. The overall time these muffins take within the oven is about 22–23 minutes, give or take. Permit the muffins to chill for 10 minutes within the muffin pan set on a cooling rack, then switch the muffins from the pan to the rack to chill fully.
- Retailer muffins coated tightly at room temperature for as much as 5 days, or within the fridge for as much as 1 week.
Notes
- White Chocolate Raspberry Muffins: Omit the optionally available cinnamon. Fold 1 cup (125g) raspberries + 3/4 cup (135g) white chocolate chips into the batter as instructed in step 4. Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar earlier than baking as instructed in step 6.
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins: Hold the optionally available cinnamon within the base recipe, and add one other 1/2 teaspoon with the dry substances in step 2. Fold 1 and 1/2 cups (180g) peeled chopped apples into the batter as instructed in step 4. Sprinkle muffins with crumb topping earlier than baking as instructed in step 6.
- Blueberry Muffins: Combine the optionally available 1/2 teaspoon floor cinnamon with the dry substances in step 2. Fold 1 and 1/2 cups (210g) contemporary or frozen blueberries into the batter as instructed in step 4. (If utilizing frozen berries, don’t thaw.) Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar or crumb topping earlier than baking as instructed in step 6.
- Chocolate Chip Muffins: Combine the optionally available 1/2 teaspoon floor cinnamon with the dry substances in step 2. Fold 1 and 1/2 cups (270g) semi-sweet chocolate chips into the batter as instructed in step 4. Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar or crumb topping earlier than baking as instructed in step 6.
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins: Omit the optionally available cinnamon. Combine 2 Tablespoons poppy seeds with the dry substances in step 2. Add 1 and 1/2 Tablespoons contemporary lemon zest and three Tablespoons (45ml) contemporary lemon juice while you add the milk. Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar earlier than baking as instructed in step 6. If desired, prime cooled muffins with lemon icing.
- Freezing Directions: Place muffins in an hermetic freezer container or bag and freeze for as much as 3 months. Thaw in a single day within the fridge, then convey to room temperature, or heat up within the microwave if desired.
- Particular Instruments (affiliate hyperlinks): 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Electrical Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Coarse Glowing Sugar | Cooling Rack
- Jumbo Muffins: 425°F for five minutes, then scale back to 350°F for 22–25 minutes for a complete of 27–30. Makes about 6.
- Mini Muffins: 350°F for 12–14 minutes (no preliminary increased oven temperature). Makes about 36–40.
- Chocolate Muffins: For those who’re in search of a chocolate base muffin recipe, use this recipe for double chocolate muffins.
Share Your Muffin Masterpiece!
I really like listening to from readers who’ve used this muffin recipe to make up their very own varieties. Listed below are just a few:
- Meg’s model: “At the moment this grasp muffin recipe goes to make us some tropical muffins with mango and coconut milk. I assume these will likely be a significant hit as common, your recipes all the time are on this home. ★★★★★“
- Helen’s model: “After trying on the web for awhile I couldn’t discover an almond poppy seed muffin recipe to my liking!… So I made a decision to make use of your grasp muffin recipe, they usually turned out superb!!! I omitted the cinnamon, added a teaspoon of vanilla and almond extract, and three tablespoons of poppy seeds and topped it with sanding sugar… Oh my they had been heaven! ★★★★★“
- Jackie‘s model: “Simply made these with pear and spices. Got here out so good, fluffy, crispy. Love this recipe! Will certainly use it once more. I did add about 3/4 cup walnuts as I actually like nuts in muffins. ★★★★★“
- Lorri‘s model: “Excellent is all I can say! This fundamental recipe will likely be my go-to fundamental muffin recipe going ahead! I made blueberry orange and stored the cinnamon in! ★★★★★“
- Lana‘s model: “You’ve achieved it once more! Wow! I baked a white chocolate nectarine model with contemporary nectarines tonight! Improbable! I’m excited to strive different variations because the seasons change. ★★★★★“
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