How to Make Basic Muffin Recipe

Learn how to make a basic muffin recipe which pleases your taste buds; consider the moistness and texture. The grain in them should be uniform and slightly coarse; the coarseness and sweetness is what sets muffins apart from cupcakes. The baked muffin should be pretty and look very tempting to eat; with a nice rounded top and no cracks.


The main point to learn about being a successful “muffin maker” is to conquer the mixing part. Many people have a tendency to do too much mixing. Muffins are like most other quick breads; they only need to be mixed until dry ingredients are absorbed or are moistened.  This is the biggest problem people have resulting in failure in muffin making. The batter is usually slightly lumpy when spooning into the tins for baking. Over mixing results in tough and rubbery muffins.

If you are learning how to make a basic muffin recipe and you have found your perfect recipe to suit your taste, these can also be baked plain or varied into other recipes. The first recipe is for Ice cream muffins it is very easy and basic. Try different flavors of ice cream; strawberry, blueberry, lemon, peach, etc. for some great muffins. This is a great way to use up any leftover ice cream in your freezer. As if that could be a problem!

If your “taste buds” do prefer a finer cake like texture, use unmelted shortening; cream the shortening gradually adding the sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy. Add unbeaten egg and beat well; then stir in the milk. Stir in the dry ingredients just until moistened, then fill tins and bake.

If you are learning how to make a BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE, you will see it has around seven basic ingredients. The muffin recipes are called basic, plain or even the Sally Lunn Muffin is a basic recipe. I am going to list several. Some might have more sugar for sweetness or have different types of shortening which will make a difference in the texture. Another difference is the baking temperature for each. Try them and see which you like. The directions will be at the end of Muffin Recipe #3. Also look below for ways to take a basic recipe to make “Variations of Muffins”.

 HOW TO MAKE A BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE like this
 ICE CREAM MUFFINS

  • 1 Pint ice cream
  • 2 Cups self rising flour

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Use muffin liners or grease muffin pan.
Melt the ice cream and add the flour. Mix to moisten flour.
Spoon into muffin pan and bake 12 to 15 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE #1

  • 2 Cups flour, not sifted
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 1 Tablespoons baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Beaten egg
  • 1 Cup milk
  • ¼ Cup vegetable oil

Preheat oven to 425F degrees. (COMPLETE DIRECTIONS AFTER BASIC RECIPE #3)

BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE #2

  • ¼ Cup solid shortening
  • ¼ Cup sugar
  • 1 Beaten egg
  • 2 Cups flour
  • 4 Teaspoons baking powder
  • 1/8 Teaspoon salt

Preheat oven to 350F degrees. (COMPLETE DIRECTIONS AFTER BASIC RECIPE #3)

BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE #3 (also called Sally Lunn recipe)

How to Make Basic Muffin RecipeHow to Make Basic Muffin Recipe
  • 2 Cups sifted flour
  • 2 Teaspoons baking powder
  • ½ Teaspoon salt
  • 1 Beaten egg
  • 1 Cup milk
  • ½ Cup soft butter
  • ½ Cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350F degrees.
Instructions for all basic muffin recipes:
Check individual baking temperatures.
Use paper liners or grease muffin pans.
In a large mixing bowl combine flour, sugar, baking powder and salt; make a well in the center of dry ingredients.
Add egg, milk and shortening in the well; mix until dry ingredients are moistened.
Spoon into prepared muffin cups ¾ full; sprinkle tops with streusal topping.
Bake 15 to 20 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Makes 12 to 13 muffins.

Streusel Topping:

  • 2 Tablespoons flour
  • 2 Tablespoons sugar
  • ½ Teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 ½ Teaspoon oil

VARIATIONS OF BASIC MUFFIN RECIPES: (To make muffins with meat or cheese, I like the basic with less sugar)
Bacon: add ½ cup crisp finely chopped bacon to flour mixture before blending
Blueberry: Add 1 cup fresh blueberries or huckleberries to flour before blending; if using frozen (add in still frozen) increase flour by 2 tablespoons.
Cheese: Add ¾ cup grated American cheese to flour; sprinkle paprika on top of muffin.
Cranberry: Add ¾ cup raw cranberries to flour and add another ¼ cup sugar.
Nut: Add ¾ cup coarsely chopped nuts to flour mix.
Orange peel: Add ½ cup finely chopped candied orange peel to dry ingredients before blending.
Raisin, date, prune, fig or apricot: Add fruit to dry ingredients before blending.
Upside down muffins: In bottom of each muffin place ½ teaspoon melted butter, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 1 teaspoon drained pineapple (1 stewed prune or  1 stewed apricot) and 4 to 6 seedless raisins. Cover with batter and bake.

PINEAPPLE MUFFIN RECIPE

The following basic muffin recipe starts with a box of cranberry quick bread mix. The end product is good enough for any special occasion or holiday

  • 1 Box cranberry quick bread mix
  • ¼ Teaspoon nutmeg
  • 8 ½ Ounce crushed pineapple (Save 2 tablespoons of juice and add rest to muffins)
  • ¼ Cup milk
  • 3 Tablespoons melted butter
  • 1 Egg

Glaze:

  • 1 Cup powdered sugar
  • 2 Tablespoons reserved pineapple juice
  • 2 Tablespoons melted butter

Preheat oven to 375F degrees.
Use paper liners or grease muffin pans. Makes 16 muffins.
In a large bowl combine all ingredients for the muffins except the reserved 2 tablespoons pineapple juice.
 Stir by hand until moistened.
Fill prepared muffin cups 2/3 full.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes or until pick comes out clean.

Make Glaze:
In a small bowl combine the powdered sugar and butter. Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons pineapple juice until smooth. Spoon over warm muffins.

OLD BASIC FLOUR MUFFINS

  • 1 Tablespoon lard (Or solid shortening)
  • 1 Spoon (Dessert spoon) softened butter
  • 1 Teaspoon sugar
  • 2 Eggs (Well beaten)
  • 2 Cups sifted flour
  • Pinch salt
  • 1 Teaspoon baking powder
  • Milk

Preheat oven to 425F degrees; grease 1 ½ dozen muffin tins.

Cream together lard, butter and sugar; add eggs and beat well.

Add dry ingredients with enough milk to make a stiff batter.

Put batter in well greased muffin tins; bake for 20 to 25 minutes (Pick comes out clean).