Ultimate Muffin Recipe (1 Batter + Flavors)

This is my ultimate muffin recipe—starting with a thick and creamy muffin batter, your choice of additions, and two topping options. Customize it with your favorite mix-ins and flavor combinations for endless possibilities like blueberry muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, and apple cinnamon muffins.

I originally published this recipe in 2017 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, helpful success tips, and additional flavors.

This is my staple muffin recipe, to which I fold in a variety of additions and flavors. I’ve relied on it since 2014 when I developed and originally published my best blueberry muffins. I was so pleased with the taste and texture that I kept experimenting with new flavors—and over time, I’ve realized the possibilities are actually endless.

In fact, I love this mix-and-match ultimate muffin recipe so much that I’m including it in my new cookbook, Sally’s Baking 101! (Including an exclusive-to-the-book birthday cake flavor.)

Can one muffin batter truly make infinite muffin flavors? We haven’t reached the limit yet…

Why This Should Be Your Go-To Muffin Recipe, Too:

• Batter produces soft, fluffy, tall bakery-style muffins
• Endlessly customizable for infinite muffin varieties
• Includes baking instructions for all sizes of muffins—makes 12 standard muffins, 6 jumbo muffins, or 36–40 mini muffins
• Make the crumb topping or simply sprinkle coarse sugar on top for a sparkly crunch

One reader, Karen, commented: “These were the best muffins I’ve ever made. No more store-bought! I can hardly wait to try a new batch every week. This is going to be fun! ★★★★★“

Another reader, Stacey, commented: “Made these tonight in a jumbo muffin tin, and added chocolate chips. Very tender muffin, but still a perfect base for more substantial mix-ins like chocolate. Domed beautifully! Will be making these a LOT going forward! ★★★★★“

Here are 10 of my muffin recipes that I’ve published using this base muffin batter:

1. Cranberry Cardamom Spice Muffins
2. Blackberry Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
3. Peach Muffins
4. Apple Cinnamon Muffins (pictured)
5. Lemon Blueberry Muffins
6. Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (pictured)
7. Blueberry Muffins (pictured)
8. Strawberry Cheesecake Muffins (pictured)
9. Cranberry Orange Muffins
10. Crumb Cake Muffins

Today I’m also sharing White Chocolate Raspberry and Chocolate Chip Crumb. Details for making each are in the recipe Notes below!

Ingredients for the Muffin Batter

• Flour: Stick with all-purpose flour. The flour gives the muffins structure and keeps the batter nice and thick so the add-ins (chocolate chips, berries, nuts, etc.) stay suspended.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: For maximum rise, we’re using both leaveners here.
• Salt, Cinnamon, & Vanilla Extract: The flavor enhancers. The cinnamon is optional—leave it out if it doesn’t work well with the other flavors. For example, I use it when I make apple or chocolate chip muffins, but skip it when I make lemon muffins.
• Butter: We’re creaming the butter to make these fluffy, springy muffins, so make sure to use proper room-temperature butter here.
• Sugar: A mix of granulated sugar and brown sugar sweetens these muffins.
• Eggs: Eggs add moisture and richness, and bind everything together.
• Sour Cream: Sour cream helps keep the muffins tender, soft, and extra moist. If needed, you can use plain Greek yogurt instead.
• Milk: Milk lightens up the crumb. I usually use whole milk, but you can use low-fat or nondairy milk if you prefer.

Expect a creamy, thick batter:

Fold in your additions, such as apples, chocolate chips, nuts, berries, etc. If making something like lemon poppy seed muffins, add the lemon zest and juice when you add the milk, and mix the poppy seeds in with the dry ingredients. I have these details in the recipe Notes below.

This is the chocolate chip muffin batter:

Muffin Topping Options

Here I’m topping the chocolate chip muffin variety with the crumb topping:

The Trick to Tall Muffin Tops

I’ve been using this muffin trick for years and SWEAR by it. Nearly all of the muffin recipes you see on my website and in my cookbooks also use it.

Make sure your muffin batter is thick (this one is). Fill your muffin cups/liners with the batter all the way to the top. Bake the muffins for just 5 minutes at a high temperature. Reduce the temperature for the remaining bake time. This burst of hot air lifts the muffins straight up, creating a solid dome. The rest of the time at a lower baking temperature cooks the center of the muffin.

Optional Finishing Touches

P.S. Looking for a chocolate muffin base? Use the batter from these double chocolate muffins.