The Best Basic Muffin Recipe (& Tips For Baking Perfect Muffins!)

This really is the best basic muffin recipe – tried, tested and loved by everyone! Mix and match with your favourite add-ins for the perfect treat. 

Whenever I need to bake something in a hurry, I make muffins. Every. Single. Time. Why? Well when you use the best basic muffin recipe you’ll see just how quick, easy and delicious they are. Oh and they’re always a crowd-pleaser too. Everyone loves a soft and fluffy muffin!

The best basic muffin recipe involves only 5 simple ingredients:

• self raising flour
• caster sugar
• oil
• egg
• milk

That’s it!!! Told you it was basic! Then it’s just a matter of popping in your favourite add-ins… and kicking back with a cuppa and a muffin and thinking how fab you are to create such deliciousness.

Here’s a few of my favourite muffin add-ins:

• raspberry and white chocolate
• blueberry
• apple and cinnamon
• chocolate chips
• chopped dates and pecans
• strawberries and coconut
• mixed berries and dark chocolate chips

Whatever you choose to add to your basic muffin mix – know that it will be totally delicious.

The best basic muffin recipe is super simple (like SO easy!), but there are a few things you can do to make sure your muffins turn out perfect (every single time).

And so here’s my top tips for baking the perfect muffins:

• The most important thing of all is to make sure that you don’t over-mix the ingredients! Over-mixed muffins will be dense and tough.. yuck! Gently mix the ingredients together until just combined (a few lumps are fine) and then carefully fold through your add-ins.
• Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix the wet ingredients in another bowl. This means that when you pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, you’ll only have to gently mix them together.
• For delicious crunchy topped muffins, sprinkle a little raw sugar over the top just before baking. Yum!
• Use muffin cases – you wont have to worry about washing up (plus they look pretty!).
• Fill your muffin cases 2/3 full – this will give you perfect muffins without them spilling all over your baking tray.
• Allow your muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.
• Muffins are best eaten on the day that they’ve been cooked, however, you can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.
• Freeze muffins in airtight sealable plastic bags or wrap in plastic wrap and place into an airtight container.
• Frozen muffins are perfect for lunch boxes – they’ll be defrosted by recess time!

And here it is… my fool-proof, super easy, best basic muffin recipe!!

The Best Basic Muffin Recipe

Our go-to basic muffin recipe is tried, tested and loved by everyone! Mix and match with your favourite fillings for perfect muffins every single time!

5 from 6 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Snacks

Cuisine: Muffins

Keyword: Basic Muffin Recipe

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

Servings: 12 serves

Calories: 156kcal

Author: Lucy - Bake Play Smile

Ingredients

• 265 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
• 170 g (3/4 cup) caster sugar
• 1 egg
• 50 g (1/4 cup) vegetable oil
• 240 g (1 cup) milk

Instructions

Conventional Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 if using fan-forced).
• Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
• Sift the self raising flour into a large bowl.
• Add the sugar and stir together.
• Create a well in the centre of the dry mixture.
• In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg, oil and milk.
• Pour the liquid into the well and very gently fold the mixture together (the batter should be slightly lumpy - do not over-mix).
• Gently fold through any add-ins.
• Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (fill 2/3 to the top).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden.
• Allow to cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Thermomix Method

• Preheat oven to 200 degrees celsius (180 if using fan-forced). Line a 12 hole muffin tin with muffin cases.
• Place the self raising flour into the TM bowl and sift by pressing Turbo 5 times.
• Add the remaining ingredients and mix on Speed 5 for 5 seconds. Scrape down the sides of the bowl and repeat for a further 5 seconds (the batter should be lumpy).
• Use the spatula to gently fold through any add-ins.
• Spoon the mixture into the muffin cases (fill 2/3 to the top).
• Bake for 20-25 minutes or until lightly golden. Allow to cool in the baking tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

RECIPE NOTES & TIPS

Self-raising flour – otherwise known as self-rising flour. If you don’t have self-raising flour, you can make your own by adding 2 tsp baking powder to 1 cup plain flour. 

Caster sugar – otherwise known as superfine sugar. 

Oil – I use vegetable oil for my muffins. You can also use coconut oil however the texture will be different. Avoid olive oil as the flavour is over-powering.

Milk – full fat/full cream is best.

Don’t Over-Mix The Ingredients - The most important thing of all is to make sure that you don’t over-mix the ingredients! Over-mixed muffins will be dense and tough.. yuck! Gently mix the ingredients together until just combined (a few lumps are fine) and then carefully fold through your add-ins.

Seperate The Wet & Dry Ingredients - Mix the dry ingredients together in a bowl and mix the wet ingredients in another bowl.This means that when you pour the liquid into the dry ingredients, you’ll only have to gently mix them together.

Crunchy Topped Muffins (optional) - For delicious crunchy topped muffins, sprinkle a little raw sugar over the top just before baking. Yum!

Muffin Cases - Use muffin cases and you wont have to worry about washing up.

Place Rice Into The Base Of The Tray - In order to avoid your paper muffin cases becoming soggy and oily, place a small amount of uncooked rice in the bottom of each muffin hole in the tray. Discard after cooking the muffins.

Don’t Over-Fill The Muffin Holes - Fill your muffin cases 2/3 full – this will give you perfect muffins without them spilling all over your baking tray.

Cooling The Muffins - Allow your muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin tin before moving them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Storing Muffins - Muffins are best eaten on the day that they’ve been cooked, however, you can store them in an airtight container for 2-3 days.

Freezing Muffins - Freeze muffins in airtight sealable plastic bags or wrap in plastic wrap and place into an airtight container. Frozen muffins are perfect for lunch boxes – they’ll be defrosted by recess time!

Nutrition

Calories: 156kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 2g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 16mg | Sodium: 14mg | Potassium: 54mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 15g | Vitamin A: 50IU | Calcium: 28mg | Iron: 0.3mg

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