Standard Muffin Recipe – A plain muffin batter is added to a muffin tin, then you can add your favorite flavors (fruit, nuts, chocolate, etc.) to each muffin. Great for kids and guests because everyone gets to choose the type of muffin they want.
About a year ago, I noticed several recipes trending on Pinterest involving pancake batter and muffin tins. Some people called them puffins, some people called them individual baked pancakes. The general idea was to take pancake batter and pour it into a muffin tin, then top the batter with your favorite flavors (fruits, nuts, chocolate chips, oats, etc.) and bake it. I thought it was a great idea, so I tried it. Unfortunately, I didn’t really like it. The thing about pancake batter is, it’s not very good on its own. That’s probably why most people douse their pancakes in lots of maple syrup. Even when I added syrup to the baked pancakes, or whatever you want to call them, they still weren’t my favorite.
But, I still really liked the idea of being able to use a bunch of different flavors/toppings to add to one standard batter. The batter just needed to taste better. So why not use the muffin tin for it’s actual purpose, making muffins! Muffin batter is lighter and sweeter; and you can still add all of your favorite additional ingredients to it.
This is great for house guests, kids, and picky eaters because everyone can choose their favorite flavor of muffin to make. It’s also a great way to get creative in the kitchen. I tried a lot of different flavor combinations and some of the ones that sounded a little strange ended up being great, like dried cranberry and sweetened coconut.
All you do is follow the standard muffin recipe below, fill a muffin tin with the batter, and top with your favorite muffin flavors/additions. Use a toothpick to push the additional ingredients down into the batter and swirl them around a bit. This way the additional ingredients are spread throughout the muffin and don’t just sit on top of it, as you can see in the blueberry muffin pictured on the right. Then, just bake and cool the muffins like any other muffin recipe. 
The amount of additional ingredients you add is up to you, if you like lots of chocolate chips in your muffins, then add lots of chocolate chips. I ended up using about a tablespoon of each additional ingredient.
I experimented with lots of different flavor additions for this standard muffin recipe. Here are a few that I tried: blueberry (pictured on the right), banana nut, chocolate chip, dried cranberry & sweetened coconut, mango & sweetened coconut, Peanut butter & jelly, and brown sugar & oats.
This brown sugar and oats muffin was another one of my favorites. The brown sugar addition really sweetened it up.
I do have a suggestion for your flavor additions. If you are adding an ingredient that is not very sweet, like blueberries, you may want to roll that ingredient around in a little sugar before you add it to the batter.
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Standard Muffin Recipe
Video
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. salt
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup skim milk, or your preferred milk/milk alternative
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup canola or vegetable oil
- cooking spray
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Place muffin liners in a muffin tin and spray with cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, add the flour, baking powder, and salt. Stir to combine.
- In another bowl, add the sugar, milk, vanilla, egg, and oil. Whisk to combine.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir until just combined; batter should be lumpy. Do not over mix.
- Fill the muffin liners ¾ of the way up.
- Add your favorite muffin flavors/additions (fruit, nuts, chocolate chips, oats, etc.). Take a toothpick and push the additional ingredients down into the batter and swirl them around a little.
- Bake for 20 minutes. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Great
Loved the idea to make a variety. I made three different ones. For my oven, 400 for 20 minutes was too long. I will probably reduce the temperature next time. They came out a little dry.
Great Recipe, I added 2 small mashed bananas, 3/4 cup milk, dash of cinnamon, mini chocolate chips, white chocolate chips and skor pieces. So yummy
Great base recipe, great flavor! I added chopped apple rolled in just a little brown sugar to the batter for my first try, and am very happy with the results!
Adding the blueberries, can I use frozen or does it have to be fresh blueberries?
Frozen works great, they don’t all sink to the bottom like fresh fruit dose, when possible, frozen fruit is my route I take.
I’ve baked these muffins since i was a teenager. It was as go to meal after i moved out of my parents house and those basic ingredients was all that i had to eat. just mix all the dry ingredients together. Then add the wet ingredients, along with anything else. There is really no need to use two bowls. that is just complicating things. And, as for the muffin pan, cooking spray is all you will need. You can substitute whole wheat flour, or mix in bran cereal for a more nutritious muffin. Add peanuts, and a little peanut butter for peanut muffins. Or, add any nuts, seeds, or dried fruit for that healthy hippy muffin.
Beautifully light I made 6 batches for a baby shower and they ate the lot!!
My favorite muffin recipe ❤️❤️
Wonderfully moist muffin! I don’t want a cupcake, but a muffin. Delish, not too sweet – add your own sweetness. My son loves brown sugar cinnamon. So good I shared with friends and due to demand, have to make them two nights in a row!
How much brown sugar
I just made these and they are excellent! High, light, and fluffy. I will try the recipe as-is next time, which will be soon, but just to use up stuff I had, I used 1/4 c. graham flour and 1 3/4 c. whole wheat pastry flour. They came out perfect even with these somewhat heavier flours. I added a very small amount of PB and jelly the tops of some, and a few oatmeal grains to all, and mixed in with a toothpick before baking. Delicious!
i spend so much money on muffin mix. Its what my husband wants every morning. i made these foe him and added cinnamon and brown sugar. they turned out great
I was given the recipe by a colleague over 20 years ago but the only difference is that he used 2 eggs. Would that make them heavier or lighter than yours?
I didn’t use egg, so I had to substitute with more milk and oil and it came out beautiful.
The taste is heavenly.
Thank you for this recipe.
You skipped the egg altogether and they were fine? How much more milk and oil did you add?
You can also use 1/4 cup applesauce to replace each egg. Comes out perfect every time and adds a hint more sweetness.
Delicious!!!
Very heavy muffin. Not at all cakey.
Love this recipe. I make it using King Arthur Measure for Measure gluten free flour, works perfectly every time!
I accidentally used a baking mix and used too much salt and baking powder but other than that theses are amazing!
Have you ever thought of trying orange and fresh ginger? I need a basic recipe but want to add these and also candied ginger. Vera Vera
How much do you add for brown sugar oats?
Delicious and easy. I made 3 batches with blueberries, raspberries and strawberries! Yummy
Very good!
Just made 4 batches including blueberry, cinnamon oat, peanutbutter banana, and raspberry. YUM!