This basic muffin recipe is the one I keep coming back to. Five ingredients, one bowl, and a base that becomes my Double Chocolate Chip Muffins or Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with a few swaps.
Readers have been tweaking it since 2016, so I've added their real variations below.
A Quick Look At The Recipe
🧁 Recipe: The Best Basic Muffin Recipe
⏰ Ready In: 25 minutes
🍽️ Serves: 12 muffins
🔥 Calories: 156 per muffin
🥣 Main Ingredients: self-raising flour, caster sugar, oil, egg and milk
🔧 Method: conventional oven or Thermomix
🎨 Customisable: a blank canvas for whatever mix-ins you love
💛 Why You'll Love It: five pantry staples, one bowl, and muffins that work every single time
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"Turned out perfectly - I've been trying for so long to do the perfect muffin - awesome recipe!"
Sharon Murphy
Sharon isn't the only one. Dawn told me it's the only muffin recipe she uses now, and Lisa (who's been popping by since 2016) said this site is her go-to whenever she feels like getting into the kitchen.
Comments like that are exactly why I keep this recipe as simple as it is, so it works every single time, for everyone.
Jump to:
Why You're Going To Love This Recipe
- Just 5 ingredients - self-raising flour, caster sugar, oil, egg and milk, most of it already in your pantry.
- One bowl, no mixer - mix it by hand in minutes.
- A genuine blank canvas - readers have turned this base into everything from gluten-free to pineapple muffins, see the Reader-Tested Variations below.
- Thermomix or conventional - both full methods are in the recipe card, always have been.
- Reader-approved since 2016 - real families have been making this exact recipe for almost ten years.
Basic Muffin Ingredients
Just 5 simple ingredients, with one note worth knowing:
- Self-raising flour - if you only have plain flour, add baking powder to make your own self-raising flour.
Variations
This is my favourite part of this post. These aren't ideas I've come up with, they're genuine swaps that readers have actually tried and told me about in the comments, some go back years.
- Gluten-free: Jodi swaps in gluten-free plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and says a bit of desiccated coconut keeps the gluten-free version extra moist.
- Buttermilk instead of milk: Lisa asked about this swap and I can confirm, buttermilk makes the muffins even more moist. Lucy in the comments backs this one up too.
- Rhubarb: Judy Scott added rhubarb through the batter and said her muffins came out "so light and fluffy."
- Oreo crumbs: nurizirlyana crushed Oreos through the mixture and called the result "very delicious."
- Banana, blueberry and vanilla: Hayden's combination is 1 mashed ripe banana, a handful of blueberries and a teaspoon of vanilla essence, calling them "the best muffins you've had in your life."
- Pineapple: when Nadia asked how to adapt the base recipe into a pineapple muffin, the tip that worked was 1 cup of well-drained crushed pineapple plus 2-3 tablespoons of the juice for flavour and moisture, with the milk reduced slightly to balance it out, a little cinnamon or coconut on top is a nice finishing touch.
One more worth knowing: Krystle asked whether frozen fruit works instead of fresh, and yes, frozen blueberries or raspberries work great straight from the freezer, no need to thaw them first.
Most Popular Muffin Variations
Our basic muffin recipe can be mixed and matched with any of your favourite add-ins. Here's a few of our most popular muffin variations:
This is such a classic muffin recipe! Add white chocolate chips if you're feeling naughty!
One of my favourite muffin recipes ever... and they're SO simple!
The perfect banana muffin recipe - great for using up leftover bananas!
Oats and apple make a delicious muffin combo.
More Muffin Variation Ideas
- 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.
How To Make Basic Muffins
This is a genuinely simple one-bowl method, no mixer needed. Whisk the dry ingredients together, make a well in the centre, then add the wet ingredients and fold everything together gently until just combined.
A few lumps are totally fine, in fact that's what you want. Spoon the mixture into muffin cases and bake. If you're a Thermomix family, the full Thermomix method (with speeds and times) is right there in the recipe card below too, this post has always given you both.
Recipe Tips
- Don't over-mix the batter, a few lumps are exactly what gives you a light, fluffy muffin.
- Keep your wet and dry ingredients separate until the very end, then combine them quickly.
- Sprinkle a little raw sugar on top before baking for a crunchy, bakery-style top.
- Use paper muffin cases to make cleanup easy and stop the muffins sticking.
- Sprinkle a little uncooked rice in the base of the muffin tray before adding the cases, it stops the bottom of the cases going soggy.
- Don't over-fill the cases, two-thirds full is the sweet spot.
- Cool the muffins in the tin for about 5 minutes before moving them to a wire rack.
- Storage: best eaten the day they're made, but they'll keep in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Store at room temperature, not the fridge, the fridge dries muffins out.
- Freezing: freeze in sealable bags once completely cool. For lunchboxes, pop a frozen muffin straight in during the morning rush, it'll be perfectly defrosted by morning tea.
Basic Muffin FAQs
Yes. Reader Jodi swaps in gluten-free plain flour plus 2 teaspoons of baking powder, and says adding a bit of desiccated coconut keeps the gluten-free version extra moist. I personally haven't tested a gluten-free version myself, but Jodi's confirmed it works well.
Yes, buttermilk will make your muffins even more moist. It's a straight swap for the regular milk in the recipe.
No, store them at room temperature in an airtight container. The fridge dries muffins out. If you want them to last longer, freeze them in a sealable bag instead, that keeps them moist.
Yes, frozen blueberries or raspberries work great straight from the freezer. There's no need to thaw them first.
Yes, pop a frozen muffin straight into the lunchbox in the morning and it'll be perfectly thawed by morning tea, no extra planning needed.
More Muffin Recipes
If you loved this basic muffin recipe, here are a few more muffin favourites worth trying next:
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The Best Basic Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 265 g (2 cups) self-raising flour
- 170 g (¾ cup) caster sugar
- 1 egg
- 50 g (¼ 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 ⅔ 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 ⅔ 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.
Judy Scott says
I added rhubarb they were so light and fluffy. Now I have to make them for a High tea. A friend is having.
Lucy says
Oooh great idea!!!
Jodi says
These. If fins are fantastic with gluten free flour. Thank you for a great recipe!!
Penny Pritchard says
Sounds delicious but I have just been told to go gluten free, do you think they would still work?
Bake Play Smile says
I personally haven't made a gluten-free version of these - but I can't see why they wouldnt work!!
Jodi says
Gluten free plain flour with 2 teaspoons baking powder and they are fantastic! Adding desiccated coconut keeps gluten free extra moist too!
Shona says
Hi just wondering if you store your muffins in the fridge or just the cupboard. This look amazing going to make them go school lunches .
Bake Play Smile says
Hi there! I always store them at room temperature because I find that they go really dry if you put them in the fridge. Otherwise, you can freeze them in sealable plastic bags and they stay really moist (then just pop the bag straight into the lunchbox and it will be defrosted by morning tea!).
Lisa says
Hi, I was just wondering if it would be ok to swap the milk for buttermilk if there was some around that needed to be used! Also, thankyou for such a fantastic website! You are my go-to whenever I need to make something or just feel like getting in the kitchen and doing some baking!
Bake Play Smile says
Hi Lisa, absolutely!!!! Buttermilk will make your muffins even more moist! Thanks for your lovely comment too - you've made my day! xx