How To Make The Best Muffins Ever
Can you use some tips on how to make the best muffins ever? I like to start with the ingredients at room temperature. You don’t need a fancy mixer, just a good-sized bowl and a flexible spatula to slightly combine the ingredients together. The ingredients must be fresh, there is nothing worse than having flour that is rancid or the baking powder won’t let the muffins rise perfectly. Baking powder has a shelf-life of approximately 9-12 months. I know, grandma used to have it for years.
Well, my experience has always been “When in doubt, throw it out!” Baking soda supposedly has an indefinite shelf-life. I tend to differ on that. It’s my belief that baking soda lasts a whole lot longer than baking powder, but you use your own judgment.
I like my baking products to work every time, and they do because I only buy enough white bread flour for 12 months, baking soda for two years, and baking powder for one year. You do what works for you. Maybe it’s where I live, but Southern Utah gets very hot even with air conditioning in the summer. Thank goodness my wheat berries last forever! Once I grind them, I use the freshly ground flour right now, or I freeze the amount I will not use the day of grinding.
Most of my recipes can swap out freshly ground whole wheat flour for white bread flour, just giving you the heads up here.
Best Muffins Ever
Pumpkin Muffins
- 1 egg (slightly beaten with a fork)
- 1/2 cup mashed pumpkin
- 1/4 cup butter
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1-1/2 cups white bread flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
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Preheat oven to (375°F) = (190°C) degrees.
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Combine the dry ingredients with the wet ingredien mixture. Stir as little as possible.
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Spoon the muffin mix into the greased muffin tins. Bake for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Apple Cinnamon Muffins
- 1/3 cup milk
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup oil (I use vegetable)
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 2 apples peeled (cored and diced)
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup butter-chopped or cubed into small pieces
- 1/3 cup flour
- 2 teaspoons cinnamon
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the milk, sugar, oil, cinnamon, baking powder, salt, and egg. Add the flour and fold in the apples. Grease the muffin tin. Sprinkle the topping over the muffins before baking. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Oatmeal Muffins
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- 1 egg
- 1/4 cup oil (I use vegetable oil)
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
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Preheat your oven to 425 degrees. Combine the milk and oats, soak for 15 minutes. Add the dry mixture to the wet mixture. Do not over-mix the batter. Fill the greased muffin tin 3/4 full and bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Sometimes a plain oatmeal muffin just works, need I say more. These are very moist and go with any breakfast.
Banana Muffins
- 4 ripe bananas mashed (I leave a few small chunks of banana)
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1/3 cup oil of choice (I use vegetable)
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups flour
- 1 cup chopped pecans
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Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine the bananas, milk, sugar, and oil. Add the remaining ingredients, then fold in the pecan pieces. Grease the muffin tin and fill 3/4 full. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
- 4 eggs
- 2/3 cup butter softened
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1-1/2 cups sugar
- 3-1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 3 teaspoons cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 15-ounce can pureed pumpkin
- 3 bananas-overripe and mashed
- 12 ounces chocolate chips
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. This recipe can make 2 large loaves or three dozen muffins. Cream all the wet ingredients and then slowly add the dry ingredients. Do not overmix or the bread or the muffins will be tough. Stir in the chocolate chips. Grease the muffin tins or bread pans. Bake the bread for about 50-60 minutes. Bake the muffins for 25-30 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean.
Blueberry Crumb Muffins
- 1/3 cup oil (I use vegetable oil)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup milk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1-1/2 cups flour
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
- 1/4 cup butter sliced into small pieces
- 1/3 cup flour
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1-1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Combine the oil, sugar, egg, milk, salt, baking powder. Slowly add the flour and fold in the blueberries. Sprinkle the topping on the muffins before baking. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown.
The great thing about making the best muffins in the world is that they are so easy to make! Plus, don’t you love the smell of muffins baking in the oven? I know I do. If making bread intimidates you, make muffins, we typically have all the ingredients in our pantry. Life is good if we can grab a bowl and mix up the best muffins ever!
My Favorite Things
Copyright pictures:
Poppyseed Muffins: AdobeStock_190332542 by olepeshkina
Yummy! I’m going to make your Pumpkin Muffins today… well, mine will be Sweet Potato Muffins, since that’s what I have, but I’m sure they will be great. *G*
Have a great day, Linda! Big hugs, Mare
Hi Mare, yummy! Have a great day, Huge hugs! Linda
Thanks for the recipes! Since baking soda lasts longer I make my own baking powder: 1 tsp. baking soda, 2 tsp cream of tartar 1 tsp cornstarch (optional). Use same ratio to make bigger batches. I only make enough for a month. Store bought baking powder contains sodium aluminum sulfate – ugh. Also, when my kids were young I made muffins with a dab of jelly in the middle. They loved the surprise!
Hi Linda, thanks for sharing your recipe for baking powder. Great reminder! I love the dab of jelly in the muffins! LOVE it! Linda
Hi Linda, Can I change out gluten free flour for the regular flour with these recipes? Thanks for sharing, Cathy
Hi Cathy, that’s a very good question. I wish I knew the answer to that, but I do not. Is there anything on your package of gluten-free flour that shows how to swap it out? I have baked with one package of almond flour and found it was way too expensive and the shelf-life is too short for me. I can only bake so many things for just Mark and myself. I wish I had the answer. Darn, Linda
Hi Linda, Thanks for getting back to me, I am going to try one of the recipes with gluten free flour and I will let you know how I make out. Fingers crossed, Thanks, Cathy
These sound yummy. I like to use whole wheat pastry flour because I want high fiber. This flour doesn’t make the baked goods heavy.
Hi Morgan, I love hearing you like to use whole wheat pastry flour! I love homemade baked goods! Linda