Plain Muffins

Every cook should know how to make a plain muffin. Once you have this base in your back pocket, you can fold in blueberries, chocolate chips, chopped apples, lemon zest, pecans, or anything else that strikes you, and you’ve got a custom muffin in 30 minutes.

The one rule that matters most: do not overmix. Stir the wet and dry ingredients together just until they come together. The batter should look slightly lumpy. Aggressive mixing develops the gluten in the flour and produces tough, dense, peaked-and-tunneled muffins instead of the tender domed tops you want.

Fill muffin tins only two-thirds full. Overfilling causes the muffins to spread and join together rather than rising into individual domes. The hot 425°F (220°C) oven gives the initial blast that creates the lifted top, and the 15 to 20 minute bake finishes them through.

Pro Tips

• Bring the milk and egg to room temperature; cold liquids slow the leavening reaction and produce shorter muffins.
• Mix the wet ingredients into the dry with as few strokes as possible. Stop when no dry flour streaks remain.
• Use paper liners or grease the tin thoroughly; muffins stick stubbornly to bare metal.
• Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to prevent sweaty bottoms.

Variations

• Fold in 1 cup of blueberries, raspberries, or chopped fruit just before scooping into tins.
• Add 1 teaspoon of cinnamon and ½ cup raisins for a spiced raisin muffin.
• Stir in 1 cup of mini chocolate chips and ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract for a quick chocolate chip muffin.