Muffins: Basic Recipe with Variations
Everyone needs a basic muffin recipe in their arsenal. This recipe is super versatile and can be modified to your liking.
Ingredients
- 2 cups all purpose flour
- ½ cup white sugar (or brown sugar, you can also do 1/4 white and 1/4 brown)
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup milk (you can also use non dairy milk)
- 2 eggs
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract (you can also use almond extract or maple syrup)
- ¼-2 cups mixins of choice
Instructions
- In a large bowl (or a medium bowl if you're daring), mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt.
- In a separate large bowl, add the milk, eggs, olive oil, and vanilla extract (or maple syrup, or other extract of choice). Whisk it together like your life depends on it.
- If you're using any mixins (blueberries, chocolate chips, cinnamon, etc.), add them in now. Add liquids to the liquids, and solids with the solids. EXCEPTION: If you're using instant coffee and/or any kind of zest, add it to the liquids.
- Make a well* in the center of the dry ingredients. Slowly pour the liquid ingredients in there and stir. I like to use a rubber spatula at this step, but the choice is yours. Try not to overmix the batter. Don't worry if there are a few chunks here and there.
- Line a muffin pan with paper baking cups. This recipe makes about 12 muffins. Fill the cups about 3-quarters full.
- Bake at 425°F for 15 minutes (or until a toothpick inserted at the highest peak comes out clean). Once they have cooled, remove them from the pan and lay them on a rack to cool.
Notes
Cook times and calories are approximate. Calories will also vary depending on what you mix in to it.
*Make a Well: Hollow out the center of your dry ingredients so it's almost like you're creating a "pocket" for the wet ingredients to be poured into. If you're still unsure, just YouTube it.
Muffin Variations:
Mixed Berry: Add 1/3 cup strawberries, 1/3 cup raspberries, and 1/3 cup blueberries. Fold in at the end of the mixing process.
Cinnamon White Chocolate: Add 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon and up to 1 cup white chocolate chips.
Strawberry Lime: Add the zest of 2 limes, 1-2 tablespoons fresh lime juice, and 1 cup strawberries (diced).
Banana Nut: Add 1/2 cup pecans and 4 overripe bananas. Mash the bananas and fold them in at the end.
Apple Cinnamon: Add 2 apples (peeled, cored, and chopped) and 1-2 teaspoons cinnamon. Top muffins with additional cinnamon before baking.
Lemon Poppy Seed: Add 1-2 tablespoons poppy seeds, 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, and 1 tablespoon lemon zest.
Cinnamon Raisin: Add 1 teaspoon cinnamon and 1/3 cup raisins.
Mocha Cherry: Add 2 tablespoons instant coffee and up to 1 cup cherries (pitted).
Raspberry White Chocolate: Add 1 cup raspberries and 1/2 cup white chocolate chips.
Visit www.canuckkitchen.com for more info regarding mixins, variations, and other tips and tricks.