Standard Muffin Recipe - The Wholesome Dish (2024)

FAQs

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

The magic ratio for muffins in 2:2:1:1. This means 2 parts flour to 2 parts liquid to 1 part fat to 1 part eggs. The really important part is remembering to use the same unit of weight for each part!

Many muffin recipes use cooking oil instead of butter. Oil, being a liquid, distributes easily in the quick-mix batter and is readily absorbed into the baked muffin, producing a light non-greasy texture. Vegetable oil is ideal because its mild flavour doesn't compete with the main flavour of the muffin.

Muffins fall into the “quick bread” category and are essentially flavored pancake batter that's baked in muffin tins. The traditional ratio for muffins and quick bread is 2 parts flour, 2 parts liquid, 1 part egg, and 1 part butter. I'm not a fan of muffins baked this way because they are too soft and spongy.

Ideal Muffin Cooking Temperature

That being said, the standard oven temperature for baking desserts like quick breads and muffins is commonly set to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Setting your oven to this temperature will almost always produce a well-cooked muffin recipe.

Bake at 350°F (177°C) the whole time. Standard Size Muffins or Mini Muffins: For standard size muffins baked in a 12-count muffin pan, reduce baking time to about 20 total minutes: 5 initial minutes at 425°F and 15 minutes at 350°F.

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.

What is the most important part of the muffin method? ›

The key is to keep liquid and dry ingredients separate until the end and avoiding overmixing. This way, the flour won't form gluten in the process, which causes muffins to be soft and airy. This baking method prevents tunnels and air pockets from forming in muffins as they develop in the oven.

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.

Good muffins are meant to be pillow-soft, light, and airy. And believe it or not, the way you mix the batter has a big impact on texture. If you have the impulse to keep mixing, and mixing, and mixing, resist it at all costs.

Recently I discovered that if I use sour cream in place of milk in a muffin recipe, I get a super moist, fluffy muffin! The switch is very easy. If a recipe calls for 3/4 cup of milk, I simply use 3/4 cup of sour cream instead. Occasionally, I need to add a bit more sour cream to moisten the muffin batter.

Use a steamer

Steaming is a great way to add moisture to past-their-prime muffins. And according to a TikTok user, you should also be steaming your muffins when you bake them since the hot air and steam allow more time for the centers to rise, resulting in tender and airy muffins.

The best bakery-style crumb muffins start with cake flour

Cake flour is more finely ground and has less protein, which leaves the muffins with a fine, light crumb and soft texture. Using cake flour is an easy way to avoid heavy, dense muffins even if you end up stirring just a bit too much.