Basic Muffin Recipe
This basic muffin recipe uses flour, sugar, milk, butter and eggs to make delicious muffins. It’s a versatile muffin recipe with the option to add mix-ins!

Muffins are a classic baking recipe that is extremely versatile. All you need is a simple base for the batter, then you can add in other ingredients for extra flavor! For example, you can add chocolate chips, nuts, dried fruit, citrus, etc.
Honestly though, these muffins are delicious on their own! They are flavorful and moist as well as light and fluffy. The sprinkle of sugar on top makes the muffins similar to those you’d find in a bakery! Let’s get started with the ingredients…
Muffin ingredients
Muffins require basic ingredients you probably already have in your kitchen: Flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, milk, butter and eggs. If you have vanilla extract, you can also add that to your muffins, but it’s not necessary.

How to make plain muffins from scratch
Once you have ingredients, the steps are quite easy. This recipe follows the muffin method. In other words, whisk dry ingredients in one bowl and wet ingredients in another bowl. Combine the two mixtures to make the muffin batter. Here it is broken down:
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐ F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- Whisk dry ingredients together: Flour, sugar, baking powder and salt in a large bowl and set aside.
- Whisk wet ingredients together: Milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla in a medium bowl.
- Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients. Stir just until combined.
- Scoop muffin batter into prepared muffin tin. I like to use an ice cream scoop for this step (it yields the perfect amount). Sprinkle sugar on top if desired.
- Bake at 400ยฐ F for 16 to 18 minutes. Let cool 5 minutes in pan before transferring muffins to a wire cooling rack.

What can I add to this basic muffin recipe?
The beauty of this recipe is that you can add anything to make them more interesting! Here are my suggestions:
- Easy mix-ins: 1 cup chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit.
- Apple cinnamon muffins: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 cup chopped apples
- Double chocolate chip: Reduce flour to 1 3/4 cups. Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder. Add 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Lemon poppyseed: Reduce milk to 1/2 cup and soak 1 tablespoon poppyseeds in the milk. Add 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice.
- Blueberry muffins: Toss 1 cup frozen blueberries in flour. Stir in to muffin batter gently.
More muffin recipes to try: Orange poppyseed muffins, banana cinnamon muffins, zucchini carrot muffins, apple crumble muffins and cherry muffins.

Storage and freezing tips
How to store muffins: Muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Muffins will last in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. However, homemade muffins are best when eaten the day they are baked!
How to freeze muffins: Once the muffins have cooled, individually wrap them in plastic wrap. Place them in a ziplock bag or airtight container and freeze for up to 3 months. Defrost in the refrigerator before unwrapping and reheating in the oven or serving at room temperature.
How to reheat muffins: To reheat muffins, preheat oven to 300ยฐ F. Place muffins on a baking sheet or back in a muffin tin. Warm muffins in the oven for 12 to 15 minutes or until heated through. Muffins can also be reheated in a toaster oven.

Frequently Asked Questions
Substitute milk with buttermilk. Alternatively, you can also replace 1/4 cup milk with 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt.
Baking powder helps make muffins fluffy. Also, a high oven temperature (400ยฐ F) makes muffins rise more.
I tried this recipe at 350ยฐ, 375ยฐ and 400ยฐ F. The higher temperature resulted in a lighter, fluffier muffin with a crisp muffin top. Here are the different times for each temperature. Atย 350ยฐ F, bake muffins forย 22 to 25 minutes. Atย 375ยฐ F, bake muffins forย 18 to 20 minutes.ย Atย 400ยฐ F, bake muffins forย 15 to 17 minutes.

This basic muffin recipe is all you need to make muffins at home! Below I also included some healthy substitutions if you are lacking any of the ingredients. Feel free to get creative and try the different mix-ins and flavors!
What type of mix-ins would you include or do you prefer plain muffins? Let me see on instagram by tagging @ifyougiveablondeakitchen. Remember to leave a review if you enjoyed this recipe!

Get the Recipe: Basic Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250 g) all purpose flour
- ยฝ cup (100 g) sugar, plus additional 2 Tbs for sprinkling on top (optional)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ยฝ teaspoon salt
- ยพ cup (187 ml) milk, room temperature
- ยฝ cup (1 stick or 113 g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400ยฐ F. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, sugar, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together milk, melted butter, eggs and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients. Stir just until combined. (If you want to add mix-ins, do this step now).
- Scoop batter into prepared muffin tin, dividing batter evenly among the 12 cups (about two-thirds full). Sprinkle additional sugar on top if desired.
- Bake muffins at 400ยฐ F for 15 to 17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with little to no crumbs. Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack. Serve warm.
Notes
- 1 cup chocolate chips, nuts or dried fruit.
- Double chocolate chip: Reduce flour to 1 3/4 cups. Add 1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder and 1 cup chocolate chips.
- Lemon poppyseed: Reduce milk to 1/2 cup. Soak 1 tablespoon poppyseeds in milk. Add 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice (strained) and 1 teaspoon fresh lemon zest.
- Apple cinnamon: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1 cup chopped apple.
- Blueberry muffins: Toss 1 cup frozen blueberries in flour. Stir gently into muffin batter.
18 Comments on “Basic Muffin Recipe”
A basic Muffin recipe is always something you should have in your back pocket, thanks for making it look so easy!! ๐
This is a great resource to have on hand for muffins. I love that I only need to make a few adjustments to make a different type of muffin.
What a great recipe to start with muffin. Thanks for sharing all the tips needrd
I love this basic recipe! It’s so easy to make and I can customize it however I want to. I always like to add some fresh fruits into the batter like blueberries ๐
These muffins turned out perfect! Thank you for the great recipe!
looks so good
Great video but no temperature to bake or how much of each ingredients… very crucial to the process
Hi Vanessa – The measurements, temperature and baking time are in the recipe card.
Hello Haley,
My name is Kathleen. I am a ‘sea level’ Canadian. I have been living in the Swiss Alps (at about 4’000 feet) since 2017. After 4 1/2 years I am still struggling with high altitude baking. Even though 4’000 feet is not that high in the great scheme of all things baking – it still poses the same problems with leavening, moisture and such.
I came across your website yesterday while searching for the perfect lemon muffin recipe. Since you and I are in similar situations (have a passion for baking and trying to adjust sea level recipes to high altitude) you have given me new motivation to keep trying. Thank you! I know there are lots of home bakers out there in similar circumstances but for some reason your website spoke to me more. Maybe it is because I am also a natural blond, lol. Seriously , your website is great.
I do have a question though. In your basic muffin recipe you suggest tweaking it to make Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins. But, the amounts suggested in the Basic Muffin recipe are not the same as in your Lemon muffin recipe or in your Lemon bread recipe. So I am wondering which amounts should I use? I am inclined to think the amounts in the Lemon recipes and not in the Basic Muffin recipe.
Basic Muffin recipe – Lemon Muffin suggestion: 1/2 cup milk, 1 tbsp poppy seeds, 1/4 cup lemon juice, 1 tsp lemon zest.
Lemon Poppy Seed Muffin / Bread Recipe: 1/4 cup milk, 2 tbsp poppy seeds, 2 tbsp lemon juice, 2 tbsp lemon zest.
Thanks for getting back to me and again, it’s great to know you are out there. BTW, my time zone is 8 hours ahead of Denver.
Kathleen
Hi Kathleen – Thank you for the kind message and motivation to keep baking! I suggest trying my lemon poppy seed muffin recipe. The adjustments for this basic muffin recipe will work in a pinch, but the lemon poppy seed muffin/bread recipe are triple tested and have more adjustments for more even better flavor and texture.
These were phenomenal! I made apple cinnamon muffins this morning, and they’re definitely the best homemade muffins I’ve had.
so good!!!
Hello there, I tried the recipe and I loved the outcome but instead of butter I used oil which worked well.
Fun recipe
Lovely recipe. I tried it with apples as one of the recommended variations and it was so good. The sugar on top gives it somewhat of a crust so it was very reminiscent to that warm apple pie experience. Will make again and again! Thank you
Hi Haley! Thank you so much for this recipe! I make it once or twice a month and freeze them, and all i have to do for breakfast every morning is take out a muffin and heat it up for 30 seconds in the microwave ( sometimes i have it with vanilla yogurt so I’m having vanilla and vanilla) ๐ THANK YOU!!!
I whipped these up this morning & they’re great! Used oil & powdered eggs, & added frozen wild blueberries. I’m going to use this recipe as a base for a large batch of “just add milk” (& mix-in’s) muffin mix to have in my pantry for when my 3rd baby arrives next month. I’m hopeful that just cutting the oil & vanilla into the dry mix will all turn out well & it stores as good as the store-bought; I’ll definitely report back with my results in the new year! Thank you so much for the recipe<3
Made these today. Very good recipe! Thank you