Today on Breakfast Television, I made muffins “5 ways in 5 minutes,” and as promised, this evening I wanted to tell you how it can be done. So, the following is a basic muffin recipe, to which many variations may be applied.
Basic Dry Muffin Mix
1 1/2 cups flour (any type or combination of flours)
1/2 – 1 cup white sugar (depending on desired sweetness)
1 tsp baking soda
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp salt
Now, this mix can be made up ahead of time and stored for use at a later time. The beautiful thing about a basic muffin mix, is that you can add to it and change it in so many ways, just by playing and experimenting with it. This particular mix is so versatile, and rarely have I had it fail no matter what I’ve done to it! The original recipe which is for my “Famous Banana Muffins” (and I do mean famous – just Google Banana Muffin Recipe – I’m your first hit) is the previous mix, along with 3-4 ripe bananas, 1/3 cup melted butter and one egg. On BT today, I took it an extra step by adding in chocolate chips, fresh strawberries and fresh pineapple to make “Banana Split Muffins.” Delish!
The big trick to it all, is making sure that the mixture is moist enough and you’re good to go – so when in doubt, just add a little juice! So, here are some variations on this recipe to get you started!
Carrot Muffins
Dry Muffin Mix + 4 carrots, peeled and shredded, 1/2 cup apple juice, 1 egg, 1/2 tsp cinnamon and 1/3 cup melted butter/margarine. Mix well. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven, 15-20 minutes. Top with cream cheese icing if desired. (icing recipe is on my site if searched)
Applesauce Muffins
Dry Muffin Mix + 1 1/2 cups applesauce, 1 egg, 1/3 cup melted butter/margarine, 1/2 tsp cinnamon. Mix well. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven, 15-20 minutes.
Oatmeal Muffins
Dry Muffin Mix + 1 1/2 cups cooked oatmeal, 1 egg, 1/3 cup melted butter/margarine, 1/2 tsp cinnamon + any desired fruit (berries work well.) Mix well. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven, 15-20 minutes.
Pumpkin Muffins
Dry Muffin Mix + 14 ounces (half of a large can) pure pumpkin, 1 egg, 1/3 cup melted butter/margarine, 1/2 tsp pumpkin pie spice, 1 cup raisins. Mix well. Bake in a preheated 350 degrees F oven, 15-20 minutes.
I hope this helps you with your muffin baking endeavours! If you have any questions, please e-mail me! I love to help solve your baking dilemmas!
great recipes…my family luvs muffins but wondering if I could use ‘splenda’ in place of sugar…I’m diabetic and trying to find recipes that I can make for myself and family
thanks so much and keep up the good work
The Splenda will work just fine Ruth! Thanks for the comment :o) let me know how it goes!
Loved seeing you on BT today and love the recipes, can’t wait to try some of these with my 4 year old grand daughter this summer, she loves helping make things and I know she will love eating these.
Muffins looked delicious yesterday.
Question.
If I wanted to make up the muffin mix ahead of time but in bulk how would I go about measuring for the individual batches.
Thanks,
Liana
Fantastic – I found your Banana recipe a couple of weeks ago and have made 3 batches already. Just made the Applesauce muffins, waiting for them to come out of the oven!
Any chance of a chocolate or lemon version?
I found your banana muffin recipe by accident and I laughed out loud I have been using this same recipe for over 30 years (thank you grandma). The only difference is your method. You don’t cream your butter and sugar. I am a chef by trade (not a baker) so I don’t experiment as much in this area. I found your method much quicker and the results were exactly the same as with my method. I add a squeeze of fresh lemon just to pick up the flavor.
This morning while I was making a batch of the banana muffins I came across 4 small peaches and an apricot that had seen better days. Skins and all I chopped ( with a knife,don’t puree) the peaches and apricot added 1/4 cup sour cream a squeeze of lemon and then added the dry mix. Like the banana muffins I only added 1/2 a cup of sugar, you can bump that up if you like. I also added a teaspoon of ginger to the dry mix. The Sourcream Peach muffins were delightful. Try them and let me know what you think.
Was wondering if I could cut the sugar way down to make this a base for savory muffins as well. I’m thinking goat cheese and tomato.
Now that does sound good!! I say go for it – just let us know what happens!
I have tasted your delishious banana muffins now that i have the basic receipe I can try baking. I’m not the best baker ……
Have you tried zucchini? I was thinking shredded zucchini, cinnamon and maybe a bit of nutmeg.
for zucchini just substitute shredded zucchini for bananas
I am wondering if you have ever made a lemon muffin? I would think maybe adding lemon zest and some juice but I don’t think it would be wet enough.do you have any suggestions? Thanks
Can I omit the applejuice in carrot muffin?
You can, but you need the moisture in there from some sort of juice or milk…
Just wanted to take the time to say your basic muffin recipe is phenomenal! While visiting my daughter’s house in Canada, she made your carrot muffins and your banana muffins. They were the best I have ever eaten and my husband agrees. AWESOME!
Thank you…
How do i make a simple chocolate chip muffin like those easy breezy delicious banana muffin ones? ps i started making the banana muffins two days ago and today’s the third day and it’s my third batch!! SO SO YUMMILICIOUS!!!
I used this basic recipe to make blueberry muffins, butternut squash muffins and yellow squash muffins (has a rich buttery taste). I have lots of food allergies and find this basic recipe to be so accommodating! I use whole wheat flour and cut the sugar considerably, but always come out with a tasty batch!!
On the pumpkin muffins can you add blackberries or bluberries? If they were frozen, can I thaw them and drain off the juice? Thanks!
You could – I am not too sure on that combination though – but if you make them, let us know what you think!! 🙂
When you use the whole whaet flour and less sugar, do you have to change anything else? I am going to try the pumpkin and add drained frozen blackberries. I will also use the whole wheat flour and drop down the keep the sugar amt low. My husband is diabetic. Thanks!
When making your basic dry muffin mix in quanity to have on hand, how much do you measure out to use in muffin recipe? Does this replace the dry ingrediants except for the spices?
Your muffins are amazing! I make them all the time. Any idea what the nutritional facts are for them? Calories, grams of fat, grams of fibre?
Thank you for the wonderful recipes. These are fantastic variations and I think my kids will love all of them. Glad to have found your blog.
Love the banana muffins, have added chocolate chip, berries and the last batch swirled peanut butter into the poured muffins…Delish!!!
Love the banana muffins and have added chocolate chips, berries and the the last batch I swirled peanut butter into the poured muffins…
DELISH!!!!!
To Ruth Kennedy,
You can use Splenda in place of sugar. It is a 1-1 match. If the recipe calls for 1 cup sugar use 1 cup sugar. I cut the sugar back because Splenda is sweeter than sugar. But give it a shot. I have even made jam and jelly with Splenda.
How would you make a blueberry or raisin bran muffin?
I read someone here was going to make muffins with goat cheese and tomato, can you tell me how much goat cheese and tomato you put in and how it turned out?
thanks
I made the oatmeal one today and they turned out really bad. i followed the recipe correct they didnt raise or cook
Hi Cat,
I’m Sufi from Malaysia. Your banana muffin recipe is the best! I’ve tried them the other day and my whole family love them very much! I will make them again for my son’s birthday and maybe mix it with choc chips and lemon zest. Thank you so much for your recipe. 🙂 🙂
Thank you so much! ! ! After years of trying different muffins that have never ever worked I tried making your banana muffins – they were amazing! ! ! My picky 6 year old daughter is devouring them as I type.
I am just wondering though, if the baking soda is really important to your muffin mix? I can always detect the taste of the bicarb soda that is available in Australia (sure it is the same thing as the baking soda in America) so I just wondered if I could leave out or reduce the baking soda at all? Will this ruin the science of these muffins?
I have made your Banana muffins, with variations, till I can do it from memory. My daughter loves them (who wouldn’t with walnuts and dark chocolate chips in them.) I have also substituted applesauce for the butter and egg substitute for the egg. Now my son-in-law would like me to make some blueberry muffins for him. Since your recipe has been so successful for me, I was wondering if you help me on how to modify the recipe when I am adding blueberries?
Cat, Love your recipes
First was your carrot cake OMG! My husband and son request this weekly
Second blueberry muffins incredible!
Third carrot muffins wonderful. This one I kind of winged it, I was in a hurry after making the carrot cake and just added what shredded carrot I had left. Also I had no apple juice, over the years I keep reading that when you have no white wine for cooking recipes you can use apple juice so I figured why not reverse that, so white wine it was and they were wonderful. My question is – You mention 4 carrots for the muffin recipe,approximately how many cups would that be. I now use the food processor to shred a lot of them at one time and I’m not sure how much to use.
Hope to hear from you soon, Sue