Easy Homemade Muffins (Customizable Base Recipe)
These soft, fluffy, and moist muffins are easy to make and perfect for breakfast or a snack. This base recipe can be customized with your favorite mix-ins like blueberries, chocolate chips, nuts, or spices!
Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Bake Time: 18-22 minutes
Total Time: 30-35 minutes
Oven Temperature: 375°F (190°C)
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients:
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100g) brown sugar (for extra moisture and flavor)
Wet Ingredients:
- ½ cup (120ml) vegetable oil or melted butter
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¾ cup (180ml) buttermilk (or milk + 1 teaspoon vinegar)
Optional Mix-Ins (Choose One or More):
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
- ¾ cup chocolate chips
- ½ cup chopped nuts (walnuts, pecans)
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (for a warm flavor)
Topping (Optional):
- 2 tablespoons coarse sugar for a crunchy top
Instructions
Step 1: Preheat & Prepare the Pan
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease with cooking spray.
📌 Tip: Preheating the oven ensures a good rise!
Step 2: Mix the Dry Ingredients
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and both sugars.
- If using spices (like cinnamon), add them here.
📌 Tip: Sifting the flour makes muffins lighter and fluffier.
Step 3: Mix the Wet Ingredients
- In a separate bowl, whisk together oil (or melted butter), eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk until smooth.
📌 Tip: Use room-temperature eggs for better mixing and fluffier muffins.
Step 4: Combine Wet & Dry Ingredients
- Gently fold the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients using a spatula.
- Mix just until combined—do not overmix! The batter will be slightly lumpy, and that’s okay.
- Fold in blueberries, chocolate chips, or nuts if using.
📌 Tip: Overmixing makes muffins dense instead of fluffy.
Step 5: Fill & Bake
- Divide the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Sprinkle with coarse sugar on top for a bakery-style crunch (optional).
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
📌 Tip: Start checking at 18 minutes to prevent overbaking.
Step 6: Cool & Serve
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Enjoy warm or at room temperature!
Flavor Variations
- Banana Muffins: Replace buttermilk with 1 cup mashed ripe bananas.
- Lemon Poppy Seed: Add 1 tablespoon lemon zest and 1 tablespoon poppy seeds.
- Cranberry Orange: Use 1 cup fresh cranberries and 1 tablespoon orange zest.
- Cinnamon Sugar Swirl: Mix 2 tablespoons brown sugar and 1 teaspoon cinnamon, then swirl into the batter.
Storage & Freezing
- Room Temperature: Store in an airtight container for 3 days.
- Refrigerate: Keeps fresh for 1 week in the fridge.
- Freeze: Wrap individually in plastic wrap and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature.
Final Thoughts
These Homemade Muffins are soft, fluffy, and easy to customize. Whether you love chocolate chips, fruit, or nuts, this recipe is the perfect base for any flavor combination. Enjoy
