Homemade Basic Muffin Recipe has a soft and tender crumb and is so quick and easy to make. This easy muffin recipe has so many variations that it will quickly become your family favorite muffin too!
Our family favorite muffin recipe always makes our meal feel special. This Basic Muffin is soft and tender and can be flavored according to your tastes so everyone in your family thinks so too. You may want to double it so there are a few left for breakfast tomorrow.
My family has always loved muffins and any time that I thought that I just needed to add something special to a simple meal it always came down to this Basic Muffin Recipe.
The photos featured here are my Lemon Poppy Seed version.
Even after working all day, if I had some soup on the stove I could whip up this Basic Muffin in a jiffy. They took the soup to a whole new level.
These muffins are so versatile. You don’t have to do a thing to them but here are a few variations that I make to these homemade muffins that make people think my recipe box is just full of muffin recipes:
Basic muffin ingredients
The thing we love about this recipe is the uncomplicated ingredients that you probably already have. If you need substitutions, see our “Basic Baking” article for help with techniques, ingredients, and supplies.
- Egg. Grade A large is what we recommend
- Milk. Any variety will do
- Vegetable oil. Or any neutral flavor oil
- Vanilla extract
- Sugar. White granulated sugar. Substitutions work well in the recipe as well.
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Salt
How to make muffins from scratch
- Preheat the oven and line a muffin pan with muffin papers or grease the pan well.
- Combine Egg, Milk, and vegetable oil in a small bowl.
- In a separate bowl combine baking powder, flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Blend only until combined.
- Spoon batter into each muffin paper until 2/3 full and bake.
Tips for the perfect baked muffin
- I mix the wet ingredients together separately from the dry ingredients before combining them. This assures that our ingredients are well mixed which will prevent over-mixing if they’re all combined together. Over-mixed muffins can be tough or rubbery.
- Baking powder can lose its potency. Replace it every 6 months or test it by putting 1/4 cup of boiling water into a bowl and add about 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. If it bubbles, it’s still good.
- Turn the muffin pan in the oven halfway through baking. Even the best ovens can heat inconsistently. Turning them will assure even baking.
- If you feel your batter is to thick to scoop, add a little extra milk. See the video to see how thick my batter is.
- This muffin can be served warm. We remove them from the muffin tin after removing them from the oven and let them cool on a baking rack.
“Made muffins with my 3 year old after finding this recipe and can I just say WOW! Easy to follow, delishious, and even my picky little one ate 2! We made snickerdoodle muffins and they were divine! Thank you for sharing this.”
Brittany
Basic muffin variations
- Lemon Poppy Seed – Exchange vanilla extract for 1 teaspoon of lemon extract and add 1 teaspoon of poppy seeds.
- Snickerdoodle – Add 1 or 2 teaspoons of cinnamon and sprinkle turbinado sugar over the top before baking.
- Lemon Blueberry – Exchange vanilla extract for 1 teaspoon of lemon extract and add 1/2 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries.
- Almond – Exchange vanilla extract for 1 teaspoon of almond extract and top with shaved almonds.
- Morning Glory – Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon, 1/4 cup raisins, and 1/4 cup of walnuts. Sprinkle oats over the top if desired.
- Cinnamon Raisin – Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup raisins.
- Apple Pie – Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/2 cup chopped apples. Sprinkle top with turbinado sugar.
- Chocolate Chip – Add 1/2 cup chocolate chips
As you can see, these homemade muffins have so many options and they bake up so quickly. It makes the perfect recipe to introduce baking to the kiddos too.
In no time at all, they can dig into their works of muffin art! My favorite is just a plain muffin, hot from the oven and drizzled with honey. I’m salivating just thinking about them!
Pin these yummy homemade muffins
More muffin recipes you may enjoy
Whew, We knew we loved a great muffin recipe! That’s not even all of them and my brain has a few more waiting to be created!
You may need
- 12 cup Muffin Pan – I love these muffin pans and have three of them so I can get them all filled and baked at once. They’re great for egg cups too!
- Baking racks – I love these racks because nothing will slip through the grid and they fit inside my jelly roll pan so I don’t need to flip what I’m baking on them.
- Muffin cup liners – Not all muffin cup liners are created equal. We learned that the hard way. Choose a grease-proof, non-stick liner.
If you like this recipe, we would appreciate your comment and a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review!
Homemade Basic Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 egg beaten
- 1/2 cup milk any variety will do
- 1/4 cup vegetable oil
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 1 1/2 cup flour all-purpose
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 °F. Line a muffin pan with muffin papers or grease the pan well.
- Combine Egg, Milk and vegetable oil and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl combine baking powder, flour, sugar, and salt. Whisk to combine. Pour the liquid ingredients into the dry ingredients. Blend only until combined.
- Spoon batter into each muffin paper until 2/3 full. Bake for 16-20 minutes.
- Store in an airtight bag or container.
Video
Notes
- We mix the wet ingredients together and the dry ingredients together before combining them. This assures that our ingredients are well mixed which will prevent over-mixing if they’re all combined together. Over-mixed muffins can be tough or rubbery.
- Baking powder can lose its potency. Replace it every 6 months or test it by putting 1/4 cup of boiling water into a bowl and add about 1/2 teaspoon of baking powder. If it bubbles, it’s still good.
- Turn the muffin pan in the oven half-way through baking. Even the best ovens can heat inconsistently. Turning them will assure even baking.
- This muffin can be served warm. We remove them from the muffin tin after removing them from the oven and let them cool on a baking rack.
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
When I’m not baking muffins, I’m baking bread. Here are a few of our most popular bread recipes.
As you can see, there’s nothing basic about this basic muffin recipe. It’s just waiting to be reinvented in your kitchen!
These quick and easy muffins also make a yummy breakfast treat the next morning, Just store them in an airtight bag or container if you have any leftover!
Can you think of a couple of homemade muffins varieties that you would put on your table? I’d love it if you shared it in the comments below!
Joni
Friday 17th of March 2023
I love this recipe for it’s simplicity and consistent results. I used lemon extract and added a bit of lemon zest and blueberries. My husband, who is very particular thought these were the best muffins I have ever made! (And he is very particular.) Thank You!
Julie Menghini
Friday 17th of March 2023
Thank you so much, Joni! I make these muffins all the time. They're one of our favorites and I'm glad that your husband enjoyed them too!
Fran
Monday 13th of March 2023
Quick & easy recipe! I believe adding in the vanilla is missing from the instructions??
Julie Menghini
Tuesday 14th of March 2023
I'm so glad that you enjoyed this recipe, Fran and thank you so much for pointing out that the vanilla isn't in the instructions! I've had this recipe for ever and no one (including me) has ever caught that!
Chelsea
Tuesday 31st of January 2023
I used this recipe and folded in chocolate chips prior to spooning the batter into muffin tins. The consistency of the batter is more sticky and lumpy than other batters but the issue with this recipe is there is a very strong baking powder taste. Not something I long for in muffins so I will not be using this recipe again. They're definitely edible but they also weren't great. I'd recommend not wasting your time or ingredients on this recipe and find another recipe to use instead.
Julie Menghini
Wednesday 1st of February 2023
I'm sorry it didn't work for you, Chelsea. It's not a lumpy batter but it's definitely thick.
Brenda
Tuesday 31st of January 2023
My mother used to add orange marmalade a teaspoon full in the middle of the muffin batter before baking. She called them surprise muffins,my kids love them too!!
Julie Menghini
Wednesday 1st of February 2023
That's a great tip! I'll have to try it with this muffin recipe Brenda! Thank you!
Jodie S.
Monday 30th of January 2023
I would love to see a strawberry rhubarb muffin and I think the turbinado sugar on top would be perfect. I love baking from scratch and can't wait to try these!
Julie Menghini
Monday 30th of January 2023
Thank you Jodie! I love suggestions like this one. I do have rhubarb muffin https://hostessatheart.com/rhubarb-oat-muffins/ and a strawberry rhubarb bread https://hostessatheart.com/strawberry-rhubarb-bread-strusel-topping/. I hope one of these will work for you until I can get a strawberry rhubarb muffin made? Have an amazing day and thanks again. ~Julie