This kitchen tested muffin batter creates extra large bakery-style muffins with big muffin tops and dense, moist centers. Create plenty of flavors using this as the baseโ1 muffin batter with endless options.
I love light, fluffy, cupcake-style muffins and you can find my base recipe for cakey muffins in this master muffin recipe post. But I (and maybe you!) also enjoy big muffins with a tight crumb, moist and dense center, and a tall crunchy muffin top. I call these “bakery style” and that’s what you’ll find today, my master bakery style muffin recipe.
These Bakery Style Muffins Are:
- Jumbo in size, but you can easily bake in a standard or mini muffin pan
- Sky-high with big muffin tops
- Moist and dense inside
- Topped with crunchy coarse sugar
- Adaptable to many different flavors
And I know you’ll appreciate this as much as I do: there’s no mixer required and the batter comes together in less than 10 minutes.
Behind the Recipe
Feel free to jump to the full written recipe and instructions below. If you’re interested in how and why this recipe works, let me explain. I’ve made a few notable changes from when I first published these bakery style muffins. The recipe, as originally written, produced wonderful muffins but they dried out quickly and tasted overly dense. In the past few years, I’ve worked to improve it by replacing some of the oil with melted butter, some baking powder with baking soda, and adding sour cream for moisture and lightness. (If you’d like the original recipe, see my recipe note.)
A look at the ingredients:
- Flour: We use a lot of flour to keep the batter thick and sturdy, as well as to keep the add-ins (chocolate chips, berries, nuts, etc) elevated.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda: Significant rise requires a lot of leavener. I used to use all baking powder, but I recently began adding a touch of baking soda too. In addition to leavening, a little baking soda helps brown the exterior.
- Cinnamon: I usually use cinnamon in this master muffin mix, but leave it out if it doesn’t fit well with the other flavors. For example, I use it when I make banana or apple muffins but skip it when I make berry muffins. It’s an optional ingredient.
- Vanilla Extract & Salt: Use both for flavor.
- Eggs: Eggs add moisture and bind everything together.
- Sour Cream or Plain Yogurt: Sour cream helps keep the muffins extra moist. If needed, you can use plain yogurt instead.
- Sugar: Use granulated sugar to sweeten these muffins. I used to use some brown sugar and some white granulated sugar, but brown sugar weighed the muffins down. If desired, though, you can always use 1/2 cup (100g) white granulated sugar and 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar.
- Oil & Butter: Oil produces a moist, tender muffin. Combine with melted butter for extra fat, moisture, and a little flavor.
- Milk: Milk adds plenty of moisture and lightens up the crumb. I usually use whole milk or buttermilk.
- Coarse Sprinkling Sugar: I recommend a sprinkle of coarse sugar for crunchy, sparkly muffin tops. I like Sugar in the Raw or you can use white sparkling sugar sprinkles, usually found with the sprinkles in the baking aisle.
Several Bakery Style Muffin Recipes in 1
Let’s talk flavor options. Add-ins and flavors are totally up to you! Pictured above are banana nut muffins and mixed berry muffins. I also use this bakery style muffin recipe for my raspberry chocolate chip muffins, chocolate chip muffins, and jumbo blueberry muffins.
- Banana Nut Muffins (pictured above) – Follow the master recipe below. Increase cinnamon to 1 and 1/2 teaspoons, leave out the melted butter and replace with 1 cup of mashed banana (about 2 large bananas, mashed), increase oil to 1/2 cup (120ml), and use 1 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts as the add-in. In addition to coarse sugar, I like to add a few thin slices of bananas on top of each muffin before baking. *The banana nut muffins become pretty dense after a couple days, but warming in the microwave for 10-15 seconds lightens them up again.
- Mixed Berry Muffins (pictured above) – Follow the master recipe below. Leave out the cinnamon and use 2 cups of mixed berries as the add-in such as any combination of blackberries, raspberries, chopped strawberries, and/or blueberries.
- Jumbo Raspberry Chocolate Chip Muffins (muffin batter pictured above)
- Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Jumbo Blueberry Muffins (pictured below)
- Apple Cinnamon Muffins – Follow the master recipe below. Add 1 extra teaspoon of cinnamon and use 2 cups of diced, peeled apple as the add-in.
Or use any combination of berry, fruit, nut, chocolate chips, etc. As long as the total amount of add-ins is between 1-2 cups, you’re golden! You can also add vanilla icing to the warm muffins right before serving, or replace the coarse sugar with the same crumb topping I use for these apple cinnamon muffins.
- How to add the crumb topping: Fill the muffin cups only about 3/4 full and gently press the topping down into the batter so it sticks. You’ll have enough batter for more muffins since you’re only filling the cups 3/4 full.
4 Success Tips for Jumbo Muffins
- Thick muffin batter: Thick batter helps ensure the muffins lift UP rather than spread OUT. It also creates a denser muffin instead of a light and cake-y cupcake style muffin.
- Use a jumbo muffin pan: I canโt find a link to the exact jumbo muffin pan I use (itโs about 12 years old), but I swear by USA Pan for other bakeware. A jumbo muffin pan holds 8 ounces of batter. These are big muffins!
- Fill the muffin pans to the very top: Since weโre using an initially high oven temperature trick (explained next), itโs imperative to fill the muffin cups to the very top. You can make this recipe as 6 large muffins (shown), 14-15 standard size muffins, or about 40 mini muffins.
- Bake at an initially high oven temperature: Bake the muffins for 5 minutes in a very hot oven. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the oven temperature. This initial high oven temperature quickly lifts up the muffin top. Once the temperature is lowered, the centers of the muffins bake. I do this in all my muffin recipes.
Master Bakery Style Muffin Recipe
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 6 jumbo muffins or 15 standard muffins
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
This kitchen tested muffin batter creates extra large bakery style muffins with big muffin tops and dense, moist centers. Create plenty of flavors using this as the base– 1 muffin batter with endless options.
Ingredients
- 3 cups (375g)ย all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 3 teaspoonsย baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoonย salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon (optional)
- 1/3 cupย (5 Tbsp; 71g) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1/3 cupย (80ml)ย vegetable oil*
- 1 cupย (200g)ย granulated sugar
- 2ย largeย eggs, at room temperature
- 1/3 cupย (80g)ย sour creamย orย yogurt, at room temperature*
- 1 cup (240ml)ย milk, at room temperature*
- 1 teaspoonย pure vanilla extract
- 1–2 cups add-ins (see blog post above for suggestions)
- optional: coarse sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ยฐF (218ยฐC). Generously grease a 6-count jumbo muffin pan with butter or nonstick spray (nonstick spray recommended) or line with muffin liners. Set aside.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon (if using) together in a large bowl. Set aside.
- Whisk the melted butter, oil, sugar, and eggs together until combined. Then whisk in the sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Mixture will be pale yellow. Pour wet ingredients into dry ingredients and fold together with a rubber spatula or wooden spoon until completely combined. Use a whisk to rid any large lumps of flour, if needed. Avoid overmixing. The batter will be thick. Fold in the add-in(s).
- Divide batter between each muffin cup, filling all the way to the top. Sprinkle with coarse sugar (for added crunch, recommended!). Bake at 425ยฐF for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) and continue to bake for 25-30 minutes or until the tops are lightly golden brown and centers are set. Stick a toothpick in the center of a muffin to test for doneness. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
- Allow to cool for 10 minutes in pan before serving.
- Cover leftover muffins and store at room temperature for 5 days or in the refrigerator for 1 week. Muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw in the refrigerator or on the counter.
Notes
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 6-count Jumbo Muffin Pan | Jumbo Muffin Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Coarse Sugar
- Oil: Vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil work best in this recipe.
- Sour Cream/Yogurt: I recommend full fat sour cream or full fat or low fat plain yogurt. I don’t recommend fat-free for either.
- Milk: I like to use buttermilk or whole milk in this recipe because either add wonderful moisture and flavor. You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy, but the lower fat milk you use, the less flavorful and moist your muffins will taste.
- Can I Make These into a Loaf? Definitely! You’ll have too much batter for 1 loaf, so I recommend 2 9×5 inch or 8×4 inch loaves. I’m unsure of the best bake time, but use a toothpick to check for doneness. Bake at 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) the whole time.
- Standard Size Muffins or Mini Muffins:ย For standard size muffins baked in a 12-count muffin pan, reduce baking time to about 20 total minutes: 5 initial minutes at 425ยฐF and 15 minutes at 350ยฐF. Yields 14-15 standard size muffins. For about 40 mini muffins, bake for 11-13 minutes at 350ยฐF the entire time.
- Why is everything at room temperature?ย Allย refrigerated items should beย at room temperature so the batter mixes together easily and evenly.ย Read here for more information on why room temperature ingredients are important.
- Original Recipe: This recipe was updated in 2020 since its original publish date in 2014. The muffins are now moister and softer. If you’d like the original recipe, follow above but make these changes to the ingredient list: increase baking powder to 4 teaspoons, leave out the baking soda, leave out the butter, increase oil to 1/2 cup (120ml), and leave out the sour cream.
Reader Comments and Reviews
Wondering if this would work well with rhubarb
Hi Heather, you could certainly use rhubarb as your add-in. Weโd start with about 1.5 cups of chopped rhubarb. Let us know how they go!
Hi,
Just wondering if I could use whole wheat flour and coconut sugar as healthier alternatives?
Hi Kal, If you search the recipes by ingredient (Whole Wheat Flour Recipes) you will find many options for muffins made with whole wheat flour!
I’ve used this master recipe several times now and had excellent results with every flavor combination I’ve tried. Today’s version was raspberries from the brambles that are invasively taking over my entire back yard, dark chocolate chips and I omitted the cinnamon and added a 1/2 teaspoon of almond extract. Very pleased!
I have baked many of your muffins and they are absolutely delicious!
And yes.. I used a cup of milk and a cup of buttermilk.. and used one and a half cups light brown sugar and half a cup of white granulated sugar!
I have doubled the amount and made a out 44 strawberry muffins.. have yet to taste them mmm but looks yummy already!! Want to send photo.. let’s see
Could I make this batter the night before with double acting baking powder, let it rest overnight, then add the extras (like fruits) and spoon into muffin tins in the morning? Iโm trying to prep a lot for a volunteer breakfast and was hoping I could rest the batter overnight. Please let me know, thanks!
Hi Emily, We donโt recommend it. The leaveners are activated once mixed into the batter, so the long it sits, the less likely the batter will bake up properly. Itโs best to bake them right away. Let us know if you give these muffins a try!
Hi Lexi,
Wanted to follow up on this. I did end up modifying this recipe to substitute additional baking powder for the baking soda, prepped the batter night before, and then scooped and baked the muffins in the morning for breakfast service. I made primarily chocolate chip muffins, since they kids at the breakfast devoured those, and also some blueberry, though I had to adjust the baking time for the blueberry ones because the blueberries were frozen. Over all they were excellent and looked beautiful, people raved about them.
I wish I could share a picture. I also 4xed this recipe and making that much batter in advance made morning baking quick and easy. Thanks for the great recipe! Just wanted to share an update for anyone who may be considering prepping this batter the night before.
I made these muffins for an event a day in advance. I did a lemon strawberry variation, substituting 40ml of the milk with lemon juice, added lemon zest and 1.5 cups of diced strawberries and used sugar in the raw to top them. Both batches came out great the day I baked them. I covered both batches with aluminum foil and left at room temperature and by the next day they sugar on top seamed to have absorbed and they lost their crunchy top. I baked them at 425 for 5 minutes and then 25 minutes at 350 and the toothpick was clean when I tested them. Any tips/ suggestions for why that happened and how to prevent it next time?
Hi Emma, so glad the muffins turned out well! That crunchy sugar topping can soften overnight, especially if the muffins are covered very tightly. Moisture from the fruit and the muffins themselves gets trapped. Next time, try leaving them loosely covered or uncovered for a few hours first before sealing.
I wanted to try this batter and put in fresh strawberries for a breakfast muffin for Easter. Should I maybe lightly flour berries first? Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated, love your recipes.
Hi Paula, tossing the chopped strawberries in flour certainly wouldn’t hurt – hope the muffins are a hit!
This recipe is phenomenal! So far Iโve made chocolate chip and banana nut! Iโm curious what you recommend to do if I wanted to make a coffee cake/cinnamon sugar type of muffin? I have no idea how to tweak this without making them overpoweringly sweet??
Hi Thalia, you may enjoy this recipe for crumb cake muffins instead!
Would it be okay if I used apple sauce instead of yogurt?
Hi Fiona, that should work, but the texture of the muffins may be less fluffy.
If I wanted to add more banana (1ยฝ-2 cups) what would I need to remove from the moist ingredients?
Hi Ms. Max, here’s our banana muffins recipe we would use instead. It’s a favorite!
I love your idea of adding a few thin slices of banana atop the banana nut muffins. Nice touch
can I substitute apple sauce for the oil?
Hi Mrs. Max, using applesauce here instead of oil would yield a dense, gummy muffin. We don’t recommend that swap. Vegetable oil, canola oil, or melted coconut oil work best in this recipe.
I made them with applesauce instead of oil, 1/4c sugar, no butter, 3 bananas, added a touch of clove, and they turned out super fluffy and light.
This is a fabulous recipe but I tweak everything.
I’m looking for a good cappuccino muffin recipes using instant espresso, I’ve been baking trying to find a good, there all good but just doesn’t jump out for me. any idles?
Hi Christina, If you are using instant espresso powder, start by adding about a teaspoon and then adjust for more/less in future batches to reach your desired flavor. You could also try replacing some (not all) of the milk with brewed coffee, but the muffins may lose some moisture that way. Let us know what you decide to try!
Thank you! Looking forward to trying your recipe.
This sounds wonderful. I’m wondering if there is any way to make chocolate muffins with this or pumpkin or banana? Seems like all the other bases are covered!
Hi Kendra! Those recipes are more specific, here’s our pumpkin muffins recipe, banana muffins recipe and chocolate muffins recipe. Happy baking!
These are perfect! I made them orange-cranberry by zesting 2 oranges. I added the zest to the wet mixture, and replaced 2 T of the milk with orange juice, then used about 1.25 c of fresh cranberries. These are not too sweet, with a rich but delicate crumb, perfectly risen muffin tops! Somehow I had too much batter for 6 jumbo muffins, so I used the rest in a small (maybe 4โ?) loaf pan and gifted the loaf to neighbors. This is the second time using this recipe and itโs baked up perfectly each time. Thank you!!
This is my go to muffin recipe. It works every time. I like that the add in section is there to help with variations. Thank you for this great recipe.
perfect banana nut muffins!
I halved the recipe and don’t have a jumbo muffin tin, so I buttered six compartments of my normal muffin pan. (each are 1/3c volume) but I should have done 8!
I got huge muffin tops where the very edges got a little crispy, but i actually liked that. the muffins had the perfect dense but plushy soft inside. the keys here are not overbeating and that initial higher temp bake time. Thanks to Sally I have found my forever keeper muffin recipe! next up, lemon blueberry.
Iโm curious is the technique of higher heat at the beginning and then lowering the temperature is one that could be applied to other muffin recipes that I have โฆ. Would/should it produce a higher dome?
Hi Cheryl, it should! Let us know if you try.
Hi I want to make these for my friend who requested to half the sugar because she thinks muffins are usually too sweet. Would you recommend doing that here? Would I need to change anything else about the recipe?
Hi Hugh, sugar is used for moisture and texture in baked goods as well as taste. You can certainly try reducing the sugar, but the resulting texture will be different than intended.
My husband loves plain vanilla anything. Could I increase the vanilla and not add anything to get a good vanilla muffin? Love your recipes!
Can’t see why not!
How can I make this into orange cranberry? What would I switch out for some orange juice?
Hi Chris! Here’s our cranberry orange muffins recipe.
I love this muffin recipe! I have used it twice, once with apple, raspberries and blueberries, and once with blueberries, banana and passionfruit. Both turned out amazing! I love experimenting with different add-ins. Each time they are so delicious and perfect xox
I love this recipe! I make this recipe every Thursday with different add ins.
I was wondering if The batter can be made 1.5x? As I donโt want to double the recipe
Hi Del, that should work fine, just be cautious to not over or under mix the batter.
I love your recipes and especially the healthy muffin recipes. I’ve tried the banana blueberry and the apple. My husband is diabetic and your healthy muffin recipes are kind to his sugar levels. Do you have a base “healthy” muffin recipe?
Hi Pat, we don’t at this time, but here are all of our healthier sweet recipes if you’re interested in browsing.