How To Make Perfect Muffins

Muffins follow relatively quick and easy recipes, and make a delicious breakfast, snack, or light lunch. Here are a few tips to ensure a perfect batch of muffins!

1. Start with your ingredients at room temperature. This includes milk, eggs, and butter, even if it is melted.
2. Prepare your pan. I usually go with paper liners, as greasing muffin cups can make the edges tough or overbaked, or cause muffins to stick. if you do grease, use shortening or a proper spray and grease liberally.
3. Whisk all of the dry ingredients together in a large bowl. Make a well in the center.
4. Whisk all of to your wet ingredients together in a separate bowl.
5. Add the wet to the dry and stir until just mixed. Just until all of the ingredients are moistened, other wise the muffins will be tough.
6. If you are adding an ingredients such as chocolate chips, blueberries, raisins or nuts, that were not included with the dry ingredients, gently fold them in, do not stir.
7. Divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling each 2/3 full. I like to user an ice cream scoop to get a perfect, round shape.
8. Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean. Check at minimum baking time and every minute after. Baking times should be adjusted as muffin sizes are adjusted.

Keep in mind: Muffins are quick breads that require a short baking time at a higher temperature, and plenty of baking powder and/or soda to rise. Try to use the ingredients called for in the recipe, as they will yield the best results. To make muffins that are really moist, try recipes that use yogurt, sour cream or applesauce. If the muffins seem a little dry, add a little extra liquid. You can always make unique muffins by filling each cup halfway, then putting a spoonful of any filling you want (jam, chocolate chips, peanut butter, nutella, cream cheese, streusel, etc.) in the center before putting the remaining batter on top.