Plain Muffins Recipes

EASY PLAIN BASIC MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400°F.
• Combine the flour, baking powder and salt.
• Unwrap the butter and heat it in the microwave, in a microwave-safe bowl, for about a minute, until it's thoroughly melted. Set it aside at room temperature to cool, but don't let it solidify again.
• Beat the eggs in a separate bowl and then add the sugar, milk and vanilla to the eggs.
• Thoroughly grease and flour a muffin pan (or use paper muffin liners).
• Pour a tiny bit of the melted butter into the egg-vanilla-milk mixture and stir it inches Repeat 3-4 more times, adding a slightly larger amount of the liquid butter each time until it is all incorporated.
• IMPORTANT: Don't add hot melted butter to the egg mixture as the heat from the butter would cook the egg, and that's not what you want to do!
• Add the liquid ingredients to the dry ones and mix no more than ten seconds. The batter should be visibly lumpy, and you may see pockets of dry flour. That's OK! It's extremely important not to overmix the batter, or the resulting muffins will be too hard.
• Gently pour the batter into the prepared muffin pan and bake immediately.
• My TIP's: The dry and wet ingredients, respectively, can be mixed in advance, but as soon as the wet and dry ingredients have been combined with each other, the liquid will activate the baking powder and the batter must be baked right away.
• Bake 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
• Note: The muffin was extremly thick and too sweet for me and my friends (15/16 year olds) The first time I made it it was too sweet and too thick. The second time I made them today, and I added 1/10 less sugar and 1/10 more milk and mixed much less. I also added a little splash more of vanilla. Some added apple chunks and 1 tablespoons cinnamon and they were delicious!
• Streusel Topping.
• Prep Time:5 minutes Total Time:5 minutes.
• Ingredients:.
• ½ cup all-purpose flour.
• ¼ cup brown sugar, packed.
• ½ stick unsalted butter.
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon.
• Preparation:.
• Combine all the ingredients in a food processor and pulse until crumbly. Alternately, you can mash the ingredients together in a bowl using a fork, or just smoosh everything together with your fingers.
• "FABULOUS TOPPER FOR ANY MUFFIN-I love it on banana, apple, lemon -- possiblities are endless. Enjoy!".

BASIC MUFFINS: SIMPLE AND EASY

Steps:

• Thoroughly grease and flour a 12-cup muffin pan (or use paper muffin liners).
• Ensure that the melted butter is warm, but not hot. Pour a tiny bit of the butter into the egg-vanilla-milk mixture and stir it in. Repeat a few more times, adding a slightly larger amount of the liquid butter each time until it's all incorporated.
• Let the batter rest for 10 to 15 minutes, to allow the glutens in the flour to relax, and some of those pockets of dry flour to dissolve.
• Serve and enjoy.

BASIC MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375°F. Butter muffin pans. Mix the flour, baking powder, salt, and sugar in a large bowl. Add the egg, milk, and butter, stirring only enough to dampen the flour; the batter should not be smooth. Spoon into the muffin pans, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Bake for about 20 to 25 minutes each.
• Blueberry Muffins.
• Use 1/2 cup sugar. Reserve 1/4 cup of the flour, sprinkle it over 1 cup blueberries, and stir them into the batter last.
• Pecan Muffins.
• Use 1/4 cup sugar. Add 1/2 cup chopped pecans to the batter. After filling the cups, sprinkle with sugar, cinnamon, and more chopped nuts.
• Whole-Wheat Muffins.
• Use 3/4 cup whole-wheat flour and 1 cup white flour.
• Date or Raisin Muffins.
• Add 1/2 cup chopped pitted dates or 1/3 cup raisins to the batter.
• Bacon Muffins.
• Add 3 strips bacon, fried crisp and crumbled, to the batter.

PLAIN MUFFINS

Steps:

• In a large bowl combine the oil, egg, milk, sugar and salt. Mix it very well with a fork or wire whisk. Measure in the baking powder and flour. Mix again until all of the dough particles are moistened. Do not over mix. The whole thing should take about 20 to 30 strokes. Spoon the batter into a dozen well oiled muffin cups. Bake at 400F for aout 20 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool slightly before removing from the pan.
• Cereal Muffins: After preparing the above recipe using 1/4 cup of sugar, add 1 cup of cooked cereal. You may add oatmeal, or grits, or rice, or farina, or whatever you have leftover. This makes about 18 muffins.
• Whole Wheat Muffins: Use half or all whole wheat flour instead of the white flour called for. Use 1/3 cup brown sugar for the sweetener.
• Rye Muffins: Replace 1/2 cup of white flour with rye flour. Add 1 teaspoon caraway seeds to the batter. Use 1/4 cup of brown sugar for the sweetener.
• Cornmeal Muffins: Replace 1 cup of white flur with cornmeal. Use 1/3 cup of white sugar for the sweetener.

BEST EVER MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees F (205 degrees C).
• Stir together the flour, baking powder, salt and sugar in a large bowl. Make a well in the center. In a small bowl or 2 cup measuring cup, beat egg with a fork. Stir in milk and oil. Pour all at once into the well in the flour mixture. Mix quickly and lightly with a fork until moistened, but do not beat. The batter will be lumpy. Pour the batter into paper lined muffin pan cups.
• Variations: Blueberry Muffins: Add 1 cup fresh blueberries. Raisin Muffins: Add 1 cup finely chopped raisins. Date Muffins: Add 1 cup finely chopped dates. Cheese Muffins: Fold in 1 cup grated sharp yellow cheese. Bacon Muffins: Fold 1/4 cup crisp cooked bacon, broken into bits.
• Bake for 25 minutes, or until golden.

BETTER-THAN-BASIC MUFFINS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees, with rack in lower third. Butter and flour a standard 12-cup muffin pan, tapping out excess. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, whisk together butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla; set aside. In a large bowl, whisk together dry ingredients; make a well in the center. Add egg mixture to well. With a rubber spatula, gently stir ingredients just until batter is moistened (do not overmix; a few lumps are fine). Add mix-ins, if desired.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups, filling each about two-thirds full; sprinkle with sanding sugar, if desired. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center of a muffin comes out clean, 15 to 20 minutes. Loosen muffins, and tip them on their sides to cool in pan. Serve warm or at room temperature (muffins are best the day they are made).

BASIC MUFFIN RECIPE

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Line 2 muffin trays with paper muffin cases. In a large bowl beat 2 medium eggs lightly with a handheld electric mixer for 1 min.
• Add 125ml vegetable oil and 250ml semi-skimmed milk and beat until just combined then add 250g golden caster sugar and whisk until you have a smooth batter.
• Sift in 400g self-raising flour and 1 tsp salt (or 400g plain flour and 3 tsp baking powder if using) then mix until just smooth. Be careful not to over-mix the batter as this will make the muffins tough.
• Stir in 100g chocolate chips or dried fruit if using.
• Fill muffin cases two-thirds full and bake for 20-25 mins, until risen, firm to the touch and a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean. If the trays will not fit on 1 shelf, swap the shelves around after 15 mins of cooking.
• Leave the muffins in the tin to cool for a few mins and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

ALL-STAR MUFFIN MIX

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk first 6 ingredients until well blended. Store in airtight containers in a cool, dry place or in the freezer up to 6 months. Yield: 4 batches (11 cups mix)., To prepare plain muffins: Preheat oven to 400°. Whisk together egg, milk and melted butter. Add 2-3/4 cups muffin mix, stirring just until moistened. Fill paper-lined muffin cups three-fourths full. Bake until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18-21 minutes. Cool 5 minutes before removing from pan to a wire rack. Serve warm. , For Blueberry Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, folding 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries into prepared batter. , For Rhubarb-Orange Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, adding 1/3 cup orange marmalade to egg mixture and folding 3/4 cup diced fresh or frozen rhubarb into prepared batter., For Banana Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, adding 1 cup mashed ripe bananas to egg mixture. , For Cranberry-Pecan Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1 cup chopped fresh or frozen cranberries, 1/2 cup chopped pecans and 3 tablespoons sugar with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture. , For Apricot-Cherry Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1/2 cup each chopped dried apricots and dried cherries with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture. , For Cappuccino Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1 cup miniature semisweet chocolate chips and 2 teaspoons instant coffee granules with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture. , For Carrot-Raisin Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 3/4 cup shredded carrots and 1/3 cup golden raisins with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture. , For Apple-Cheese Muffins: Prepare muffins as directed, tossing 1/2 cup each shredded peeled apple and shredded Colby-Monterey Jack cheese with muffin mix before adding to egg mixture.