Try these homemade muffins once and you’ll make them forever! Flaky, soft and buttery, they are an easy and delicious addition to any meal.
These homemade muffins are a perfect complement to almost any meal. Flaky, soft, and buttery, they are delicious alongside a simple bowl of soup or a whole variety of Thanksgiving recipes. We even love them alone with honey butter or jam!
My husband Jack started making these muffins several years ago and they have been a fixture in our rotation ever since.
We keep coming back to them because they are so simple. You only need 7 basic ingredients to make this muffin recipe! If you’re new to baking, don’t worry. You can achieve these pillowy, golden buns!
Jack will be making them for Thanksgiving this year and I hope you will too. These soft rolls are easy and delicious. I think you’ll love them!
Muffin Recipe Ingredients
You only need 7 ingredients to make this recipe:
- All-purpose flour – One of my best tips for making this muffin recipe is Measure your flour carefully. If you have a kitchen scale, weigh it. If you don’t, pour and level the flour instead of scooping it up with the measuring cup. You don’t want to accidentally add too much flour to the dough!
- Yeast – We normally use active dry yeast, but instant yeast will work here too. I still recommend trying it with milk and sugar before mixing the dough.
- Milk – Any type you want! Whole milk adds richness to the dough, giving the muffins an especially soft and fluffy texture. That said, we’ve also had great results with almond milk.
- Sugar – Activates the yeast and gives a touch of sweetness to the rolls.
- melted butter – You will add a little to the dough and spread more on top of the rolls.
- and sea salt – To round out the sweet and salty flavor.
You will also need olive oil to brush. Prevents the dough from sticking to the bowl and baking sheet!
Find the full recipe with measurements below.
Variation
Make the muffins vegan. Use your favorite non-dairy milk and vegan butter. Omit the salt if your vegan butter is salty.
How to make homemade muffins
You can find the full muffin recipe with measurements at the end of this post. For now, here’s a step-by-step overview of how it works:
First, prove the yeast. Combine it with the warm milk and 1 tablespoon of sugar and let it sit for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, the yeast should be foamy. If not, discard the mixture and start again. It is very likely that your yeast is not fresh!
Next, make the dough. Add the foamed yeast mixture, remaining sugar, melted butter, and salt to the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook. Mix on low speed to combine.
Add the flour 1 cup at a time, mixing after each addition. Increase the speed to medium and mix until a cohesive, sticky dough forms around the hook, about 2 minutes. It should separate from the bottom and hit the sides of the container.
Transfer the dough to a floured work surface and knead a few times to form a ball.
Then get up! Place the dough ball in a greased bowl. Cover the container with plastic wrap. Let the dough rise for 1 to 2 hours, or until doubled in size.
After the dough rises, shape the buns. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces and form each into a ball by rolling them on the counter under your cupped hand. Transfer balls to a greased quarter sheet pan or 9×13-inch baking dish. Sprinkle with flour, cover with plastic wrap and let sit for another hour or until puffed.
When the buns are puffed, it’s time to bake! Place on a low rack in a 350°F oven. Bake 20 to 25 minutes or until golden brown. Rotate the pan halfway through baking time so the muffins cook evenly.
Spread hot rolls with butter. Serve immediately!
Tips for making homemade muffins
- Make sure your yeast is not expired. Dead yeast = flat buns. Nobody wants those! Always check the expiration date on your yeast before you start baking. I also recommend testing the yeast, whether you are using active dry or instant. It’s better to take 5 minutes to proof it than end up disappointed after hours of baking.
- Measure your flour accurately. It’s easy to scoop out a cup of flour that’s too tight and inadvertently use more flour than a recipe calls for. Weigh your flour whenever you can. If you don’t have a kitchen scale, use the spoon and level method to measure flour accurately.
- Heat the milk. Yeast loves heat! To help activate it, microwave the milk for about 15 seconds before fermenting the yeast. Whatever you do, don’t use cold milk straight from the refrigerator.
- Let the dough rise in a warm place. Likewise, you’ll get a better rise if you place the dough somewhere warm. We put ours on a sunny window sill! An oven turned off and the light on is also a good option.
Advance options
- Prepare the dough a day in advance. A day in advance, prepare the recipe to the point of shaping the rolls. Place them in the baking dish and cover tightly with aluminum foil or plastic wrap. Instead of letting the muffins rise at room temperature, refrigerate them overnight. The next day let them rest at room temperature for 1 hour before baking according to the recipe.
- Bake and freeze. These homemade muffins freeze perfectly! Store them in a freezer bag or airtight container in the freezer for up to 2 months. Let the frozen muffins thaw for a few hours at room temperature before wrapping them in aluminum foil, warming them in a 350°F oven, and serving. (I also like to thaw one muffin at a time in the microwave as a side dish or quick snack!)
More favorite bread recipes
If you love these homemade bread rolls, try one of these easy bread recipes below:
Homemade rolls
serves 15
These easy homemade rolls are flaky, soft and buttery. They are a delicious addition to any meal! Find advance options in the blog post above.
to cover
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- sea salt
Prevent your screen from going dark
-
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a dough hook, whisk together the milk, yeast, and 1 tablespoon sugar. Let sit for 5 minutes or until yeast is foamy. If the yeast does not foam, discard the mixture and start over with new yeast.
-
Add the remaining sugar, melted butter and salt to the bowl. Mix on low speed to combine, then add 1 cup flour and mix on low speed until almost combined. Add another 1 cup flour and mix on low speed to combine, then repeat with remaining cup flour. Increase the speed to medium and mix for 2 minutes, or until a cohesive, slightly sticky dough forms around the hook. It should hit the sides of the bowl and separate from the bottom.
-
Transfer the dough to a lightly floured surface and knead a few times until it forms a ball. The dough should be slightly sticky, but if it is too sticky to work with, add a little more flour. Grease a large bowl with olive oil and place the dough inside. Cover with plastic wrap and let rest for 1 to 2 hours, or until the dough has doubled in size.
-
Grease a 9×13-inch baking sheet or baking dish with olive oil and set aside. Place the dough on a clean work surface. Divide the dough into 15 equal pieces. Form each piece into a ball by rolling on the counter with your cupped hand. Place each piece on the baking sheet. Sprinkle the top with a very small amount of flour to prevent sticking. Cover with plastic wrap and set aside for 1 hour or until puffed.
-
Preheat the oven to 350°F and move an oven rack to a low position.
-
Bake the muffins for 20 to 25 minutes, or until golden brown, rotating the pan halfway through.
-
Make the topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter and a pinch of salt. Spread hot rolls and serve.
