Muffins are an incredibly easy quick bread to make, and when I say quick, I mean quick! It is possible to put together and bake a batch of scrumptious muffins in 35 minutes. And the varieties are endless with your imagination as your only limit. You start out with a very basic recipe and then add enhancements. When unexpected guests drop in, warm muffins fresh from the oven, with a good cup of coffee are the go-to refreshments for me.
Basic Muffins Recipe
PrintMuffin Basics or your Basic Muffin?
A versatile muffin recipe that with the addition of a few ingredients can give you a variety of muffins.
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 12 1x
- Category: Baked Good
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
- 2 c. flour
- 1 c. sugar (to cut calories replace ½ of the sugar with an artificial sweetener)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- 1 egg
- ¾ c. milk
- ¼ c. + 2 Tbsp. oil
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- 1 – 1 ½ c. “enhancing” ingredients
Instructions
- Put dry ingredients in a large bowl and mix thoroughly.
- In a small separate bowl, mix the wet ingredients by first beating the egg, and then add oil, vanilla, and milk.Dependent on the moistness of the “enhancing ingredients” you may want to adjust the amount of milk by reducing it a little. If I am using applesauce, crushed pineapple, pumpkin or squash puree etc. I reduce the amount of milk, and if I use dried fruit like raisins, dried cranberries, and such I add a couple of tbsp. more.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients. Like all quick breads, do not over mix.
- I use an ice cream scoop to fill greased tins. Instead of greasing you can use “cupcake liners”.
- You can sprinkle the tops with sugar or make a crumble topping and put 1 ½ tsp. on each of the muffins (recipe below).
- Bake at 375 degrees for 25 minutes.
- Test for doneness by inserting a toothpick. If it comes out clean, they’re done.
Helpful Hint –To save time, I keep a batch of the dry ingredients all mixed in a sealed container in the cupboard so all I have to do is add the wet ingredients. To mix a batch in the proportions above I take 3 cups of the mix to the wet ingredients, add whatever enhancements I want.
Variations on a theme – More Muffin Recipes
Apple spice Muffins – Add 1 apple, peeled and chopped along with ½ tsp. cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg.
Banana Nut - add 1c. mashed bananas and ½ c. chopped walnuts.
Blueberry – 1 cup of blueberries, fresh or frozen. Dust the blueberries in flour to keep them from sinking to the bottom of the batter.
Cherry Nut - add 1c. chopped cherries and ½ c. chopped walnuts.
Chocolate Chip Muffins - add 1 c. chocolate chips and ½ c. walnuts.
Chocolaty Chocolate Chip Muffins - add ¼ c. cocoa powder, and ½ c. chocolate chips.
Cranberry Orange Muffins - add 1 c. chopped fresh cranberries, ½ c. nuts, 1 teas. Fresh orange zest ( you can use dried cranberries and dried orange rind spice, just increase the moist ingredients)
Date Nut Muffins - add 1 cup of finely chopped dates and ½ cup of chopped walnuts. Increase the milk by 1 tbsp. because of the dryness of the dates.
Pumpkin Cranberry Spice Muffins - add 1 c. canned pumpkin, ½ cranberries (fresh or dried), ½ tsp. pumpkin pie spices, ½ c. walnuts. Remember to reduce milk by ½ cup.
White Chocolate Macadamia Muffins - add 1 c. of white chocolate chunks and ½ c. of chopped macadamia nuts.
Crumb Topping
¼ c. flour
½ c. light-brown sugar
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
1 stick butter, melted
Mix flour, cinnamon and sugar together. Let butter cool a little after melting , and then combine it with the dry ingredients. Sprinkle 1 ½ tsp. on the top of each muffin before baking.
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Diane Williams says
I love this post! Full of great ideas. I will pin this and use it! Thank you for joining us at the #PureBlogLove Link Party. I really hope you will link up with us again next Thursday night at 8 p.m. EST at http://www.homemadefoodjunkie.com. I'm excited to see what you bring to our next party!
J @ A Hot Southern Mess says
Oh the cranberry orange variation sounds amazing! Thanks for sharing this! 🙂
Gina says
Thank you so much for sharing this basic recipe! I've been searching for a good one! Dropping in from Someday Crafts: Whatever Goes Wednesday! Pinning this so I can use it whenever I make muffins!
Karren Haller says
Oh goodness, you have an array of recipes for any taste bud. Thanks for sharing on the Oh My Heartsie Girl ww this week.
I hope you enjoy your day.
Karren~
Sheryl T says
Glad you enjoyed the recipe. I tend to the basic ones that I can embellish with what ever I have on hand. Necessity is the mother of invention as they say!
Maria says
What a great idea to have a base recipe and then have so many different variations!! Thanks so much for sharing this!!!
Sheryl T says
I do that with so many recipes, especially quick breads. Having a basic recipe for a food and then just adding what you have on hand in the pantry to change it up can save you from having to make a panicked last minute run to the market. Whether its muffins, pancakes, soup, there is always similarities in a group of recipes that are basic and from there it's what you add that makes it individual. Experiment! Making cooking an adventure and don't be afraid. Yes, there will be disasters but I have learned as much from those as I have from the successes.
Kim @ the Baking ChocolaTess says
Love all these variations of muffins! Visiting from Inspire Me Monday! 🙂
Paula says
Thanks for sharing at SAturday Dishes http://www.callmepmc.com/2013/03/saturday-dishes-brunch-recipes-call-me-pmc.html Pinned! ~ Paula
Savannah says
Thanks for linking up to HammockTracks. I'll be pinning this. Please link back to Saturday Dishes.
Tash @ The Velvet Moon Baker says
What a fab post! I'd love for to come over and link this up at my link party 😀
http://thevelvetmoonbaker.blogspot.ie/2013/03/sweet-and-savoury-sunday-link-party-1.html
John Worthington says
Nice blog, I found lots of information on your site. I'm going to add your blog to my favorite sites.
Photojackie says
I'll be posting an entry about these tnioght. I used the almond milk she suggested, but didn't have pumpkin pie spice, so I used 1/2 tsp of nutmeg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon, and 1/2 tsp of allspice. Soooo good. Yours photographed so much better than mine. Haha. I'm so glad you found these!
Paula says
Thanks for this recipe! I have made it about 4 times now (banana/berry) and it has worked perfectly.
I am a new follower - come by and visit me at Home In Douglas!
Susie Earning-My-Cape says
Congrats! Your awesome muffins are featured at my Super Link Party! COme check it out & grab your button! 🙂
http://earning-my-cape.blogspot.com/2012/09/super-link-party-20.html
Susie Earning-My-Cape says
Let me know if you have a blog button, and I will feature it on my sidebar for the week. 🙂
Sheryl T says
Thank you! I feel honored that you chose me!
Jody says
Sheryl, Thanks so much for sharing these wonderful recipes on Simple & Sweet Fridays. Who doesn't love muffins? They look delicious!
Jody
Susie Earning-My-Cape says
Mmmm! I LOVE muffins and I love to bake! This is great!
Thanks for sharing with my Super Link Party! 🙂
Create With Joy says
I LOVE muffins!
Congrats - you've been featured this week at Inspire Me Monday at
Create With Joy
http://create-with-joy.com
Sheryl T says
Thnak you for the honor!
Kayla A. says
What a great post!! I planned on making muffins today already, looks like I'll be giving some of these a try soon! =]
Sheryl T says
Glad you enjoyed it! Muffins are quick and easy! Hope you have great success with the recipes!
Rosey says
These do look really delicious. I'll grab the coffee... 🙂
Sheryl T says
Sounds like a plan!
Miz Helen says
Hi Sheryl,
Your Muffins look delicious, they sure would be good with my coffee in the morning. Hope you have a great weekend and thank you so much for sharing with Full Plate Thursday.
Come Back Soon!
Miz Helen
Nancy says
Love a good multipurpose recipe where you can add your own favorite ingredient. Thank you so much for sharing this with us at Rural Thursdays. xo
Sheryl T says
Thanks Nancy. I always appreciate your and enjoy linking up with your Blog Hop!encouragement
Becca says
Oooh, definitely have to save this post for later! Muffins are one of my favorite desserts. Thanks for sharing. 🙂
Pam Fields says
I love the idea of having a base muffin mix all ready to go and just add what you want. They all sound wonderful. I have pinned for future baking. I saw your link on Time Travel Thursday.
Sheryl T says
You will find that as you get used to the mix you will come up with your own unique variations. That's the beauty of this approach.
Danielle says
This is the perfect morning for some muffins...perhaps the apple spice ones to welcome fall.
Sheryl T says
There is nothing like that apple pie spice aroma in the house on a fall morning! It makes everyday seem like a holiday!
Lisa @ Two Bears Farm says
These look wonderful! We often make muffins for breakfast.
Sheryl T says
Muffins are a go-to breakfast item for me and I think that a lot of people who don't bake do not realize how fool-proof and easy they are to make.
Carol says
Mouth watering post ~ great photos, recipes ~ thanks ^_^ ~ (A Creative Harbor)
Laurie @ Pride in Photos says
The chocolate ones....has made my stomach jump☺
Laurie
Sheryl T says
Aaaah! Another who swoons over chocolate! We are of like minds.
Buttons says
This sounds delicious but I must admit the bottom Chocolate one pushed me right over the edge. I need to make that one now 🙂 B
Sheryl T says
Hope you are enjoying them right now! 🙂
Selma, Ala., Daily Photo says
What a treasure! I'm gonna mix up those dry ingredients and get ready to make muffins.
Sheryl T says
It makes the whole process a lot quicker and is so much cheaper than buying the mixes. And by adding fresh moist ingredients, they come out so much moister than a commercial mix that you add some water to.
Tai says
Hi there! I found you on the blog hop and I'm now a new follower. I'd love a follow back at http://www.sugarplumandlollipops.blogspot.com and on Pinterest. I follow all of my Pinterest followers 🙂
Jeannie says
Love your blog, the photos are fantastic! Following back 🙂
Sheryl T says
Glad you enjoyed them!
Christine says
Either way... they all look YUMMY!!!
Thanks so much for sharing this at The DIY Dreamer.. From Dream To Reality!
veronica lee says
Mmmmm! Yummy!
Hi! Stopping by from MBC. Love your blog!
Have a nice day!
Carrie @ My Favorite Finds says
I love making muffins. These look wonderful! Thanks for sharing at Must Try Monday.
Jo says
I love easy...and these look amazing...I could eat blueberry muffins everyday.
i'm visiting from BoogieBaord Cottage.
Sheryl T says
Blueberry muffins are my favorite also. I'd have to give banana the #2 spot.. Making them is so quick and easy even a beginning cook can have great success.
Sheryl T says
I love your adaptation of my Muffin Recipe! It's great to give gluten free alternatives so everyone can enjoy all that muffin goodness!