Chocolate Orange Muffins. An oh so easy recipe you can make in minutes! (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to high muffins? ›

The idea here is to start the muffins in a very hot oven for just a short amount of time. This activates the baking powder and allows the muffins to shoot up in height quickly. We then turn the heat down and continue to cook for longer. This is done to avoid over-browning and overbaking.

Rest the Muffin Batter

The first, most hands-off way to make your muffins pop (literally) is to let the batter rest. Make the batter, cover the bowl with plastic wrap, and let the batter rest at room temperature for about 1 hour. If you're short on time, just 30 minutes can make a difference.

When you overmix the batter, it crushes the air bubbles and ruins the fluffy texture. → Follow this tip: To ensure a batch of light, fluffy muffins, mix the dry ingredients with the wet ingredients until just barely combined, and no more dry flour is visible.

The number one rule for successful muffins is: Don't over-mix the batter. Use a rubber spatula to quickly fold (gently stir) the liquid ingredients into the dry ones. A few streaks of flour still showing is okay, especially if you plan to add in extra ingredients like fruits and nuts.

If there isn't enough egg, your batter or dough may not be able to hold its structure or could end up overly dry or dense. On the other hand, if there is too much egg, your baked goods could lose their shape due to excess liquid, or have a rubbery (or even overly cakey) texture depending on the recipe.

At the bakery, we'd mix up muffin batter and refrigerate it overnight for the early shift to bake the next morning. That resting period is what makes muffins from your favorite coffee shop look and taste better than anything that's come out of your oven.

Depending on what ingredients you're using, the batter will range from runny (like thin cake batter) to very thick (like drop-cookie dough). As a general rule, the thinner the batter, the lighter the muffins will be when baked. But don't be afraid to bake thick, gloppy batter.

While the flour absorbs the moist ingredients in the batter, the starches have a greater opportunity to expand. As a result, the batter develops a thicker, more viscous consistency. Refrigerating muffins batter also helps to improve their flavor and make them more fluffy.

Overmixing is exactly what it sounds like: the process by which a dough or batter gets mixed too much, typically yielding dense, tough, or deflated baked goods. Overmixed doughs and batters may have an unappealing look or feel, which remain just as unappealing when they're baked.

As you whisk butter and sugar into a sublime amalgamation, you set the stage for the following outcomes: 1. Improved Texture: Creaming creates a light and tender crumb by incorporating air, which helps leaven your baked goods naturally during the baking process.

How do you make high domed muffins? ›

But if you want super domed muffins with seriously tall tops, rest the batter for an hour! This will allow the flour to hydrate and absorb the liquids in the batter more fully, leading to taller domes.

Overmixing is a common problem with muffins. First combine dry ingredients, mixing well. Then combine liquid ingredients, mixing well. Finally combine dry and wet ingredients, by hand, using only 15 to 20 light strokes.

There's no question that the standard oven temperature of 350°F gets the job done for baking up muffins and quick breads. But you don't want baked goods that just “get the job done.” No, you deserve better — and for that, you need two temperatures.

Start the oven on high

Bake your muffins at 400°F for the first 5 minutes, then drop the temperature to the more standard 350°F for the remainder of the bake time. This method sparks the leavening agents (especially baking powder) in the batter to react quicker, creating that gorgeously risen top.

Fresh baking powder and baking soda are crucial for providing the necessary lift to the muffins. Baking powder and baking soda lose their effectiveness over time. Make sure your leavening agents are fresh to ensure proper rising.