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Let yourself be tempted by these irresistibly soft and moist vanilla muffins, topped with a delicious vanilla glaze, perfect for enjoying at breakfast or for a sweet snack during tea time.

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Why you'll love this recipe
Ingredients notes
How to make the Best Vanilla Muffin Recipe
Serving Suggestions
Recipe Tips
Storage and Freeze
Recipe Variations
FAQ - Recipe Questions
More Muffin Recipes
Vanilla muffins

Vanilla muffins are delicious individual little cakes with an incomparable soft texture, and they are infused with a delicious vanilla flavor that makes them irresistible.

The composition of this vanilla muffin recipe is a perfect harmony of simple ingredients, flour, sugar, butter, eggs, and baking powder, delicately flavored with a vanilla bean, all combined to create these moist delights.

Their sweet flavor and fluffy texture make them an irresistible treat, perfect for enjoying at breakfast with a hot beverage, to satisfy a craving for sweetness at any time of the day.

Why you'll love this recipe

Delightful Vanilla Flavor: This recipe infuses the muffins with the exquisite flavor of pure vanilla, creating a fragrant and rich taste that many find irresistible.
Fluffy and Moist Texture: The careful balance of ingredients and techniques in this recipe results in muffins with a wonderfully soft and moist texture, making them a joy to bite into.
Versatile and Easy to Customize: Vanilla muffins are the perfect base muffin recipe for creating a wide range of delightful variations. You can easily customize them by adding chocolate chips, berries, or other favorite ingredients, making them a versatile treat for various occasions and preferences.

More Vanilla recipes? Give these a try, Vanilla bean cupcakes, Vanilla birthday cake, and vanilla macarons.

Ingredients notes

You need these ingredients to make this vanilla muffins recipe

Vanilla muffin batter

Fats: Use a combination of softened unsalted butter and neutral vegetable oil for a moist texture and rich flavor.
Sugar: Opt for extra-fine white granulated sugar for better incorporation into the batter, or experiment with the rich depth of flavor that brown sugar can bring to your muffins.
Vanilla: Use a scraped vanilla bean, vanilla bean paste or pure vanilla extract for an intense flavor.
Milk: Preferably use buttermilk for a softer texture, but you can check the recipe notes for appropriate substitutions like, regular milk, sour cream, or plain yogurt.
Flour: Opt for all-purpose flour or cake flour to achieve the desired consistency in your muffins. Alternatively, you can use whole wheat flour for a more nutritious twist
Leavening agents: Use a mixture of baking powder and baking soda for good rising and a light texture. (or replace the baking soda using only a sachet of baking powder)
Salt: Opt for fine salt for better distribution in the batter.

Vanilla glaze

Powdered sugar: Opt for finely sifted powdered sugar to ensure a silky and lump-free glaze texture.
Water: Carefully control the water quantity to attain your preferred glaze consistency, whether it's thick and creamy or thin and drizzly.
Vanilla: Enhance the glaze's flavor with the richness of pure vanilla extract, adding a delightful depth and aromatic essence to your baked goods.

How to make the Best Vanilla Muffin Recipe

Here are some quick visual instructions. Don't forget that full recipe instructions with exact ingredients can be found in the recipe card below!

Step 1: Place the softened butter (or cooled melted butter), vegetable oil and extra-fine granulated sugar in a large bowl. And beat with a hand whisk or electric mixer for a good 1 minute until smooth.

Step 2: Add the eggs and vanilla seeds or vanilla bean paste and beat again for about 2 minutes to obtain a smooth, white mixture.

Step 3: In a separate bowl, mix and sift together the dry ingredients, flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

Step 4: Add the flour mixture and the buttermilk alternately and in batches in the wet ingredients, mixing gently with a spatula until the mixture is smooth and a little thick and grainy.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and prepare a muffin pan with cupcake liners.
Pour the vanilla muffin batter into the paper liners in the muffin tin, making sure to fill them completely.
Bake the muffins in the middle of the oven for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and continue baking for about 10 more minutes until they are well-risen and golden.
Let the vanilla muffins cool slightly in their molds before removing them and allowing them to cool completely on a wire rack.

Vanilla glaze

Place all icing ingredients, powdered sugar, vanilla seeds (or vanilla extract) and water in a medium bowl.
Mix vigorously with a fork until smooth and fluid.
Brush the vanilla glaze over the cooled muffins and enjoy with a cup of coffee!

Serving Suggestions

Afternoon Tea: Pair vanilla muffins with a traditional afternoon tea, complete with clotted cream, lemon curd, and a selection of teas.
Dessert Delight: Top warm vanilla muffins with a scoop of vanilla ice cream and drizzle with caramel or chocolate sauce for a delectable dessert.
Party Platter: Arrange mini vanilla muffins on a platter for a delightful addition to a party or gathering.
Picnic Snack: Take vanilla muffins on a picnic and enjoy them with fresh fruit, cheese, and your favorite beverages.
Gifts and Favors: Wrap individual muffins in decorative packaging and give them as thoughtful gifts or party favors.
Holiday Treats: Decorate vanilla muffins with festive frosting and sprinkles for a holiday-themed treat.
Muffin Bar: Create a muffin bar at a brunch or gathering, offering various toppings like nut butter, honey, fresh berries, and whipped cream for guests to customize their muffins.

muffin in a wire rack with vanilla glaze

Recipe Tips

Use Ingredients at Room Temperature: For better ingredient incorporation, take the butter, egg, and milk out in advance.
Mix Just Enough: Do not overmix the batter after adding the dry ingredients, just enough to have a homogeneous but slightly grainy batter perfect for getting fluffy muffins.
Fill completely: Fill the muffin cups to achieve a nice dome and get jumbo muffins.
High-Temperature Baking: Start baking at a higher temperature to get muffins with beautiful domes.
Check for Doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center of the muffin; it should come out clean if the muffin is cooked through.
Cool Properly: Let the muffins cool in the mold for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Storage and Freeze

At room temperature: Store your muffins under plastic wrap or in an airtight container for approximately 5 days, or you can also refrigerate them for up to 1 week.

Freezing: When the muffins are completely cooled, place them in freezer storage bags for up to 3 months. Allow them to thaw gently at room temperature before warming them slightly in the oven.

Recipe Variations

Vanilla Chocolate Chip Muffins: Add chocolate chips to the vanilla muffin batter for a touch of indulgence.
Vanilla Raspberry Muffins: Incorporate fresh or frozen raspberries into the vanilla muffin batter for a fruity and tangy flavor.
Vanilla Strawberry Muffins: Use fresh or diced strawberries for vanilla muffins with sweet and fruity accents.
Vanilla Apple Muffins: Add pieces of cooked or raw apples to the vanilla muffin batter for a moist texture and a slightly tart flavor.
Vanilla Nutella Muffins: Include a heart of chocolate hazelnut spread like in these Nutella muffins.
Chocolate Muffins: Transform your vanilla muffins into chocolate muffins by adding unsweetened cocoa powder and chocolate chips to the batter, as in my chocolate muffin recipe.
Blueberry Muffins: Use fresh or frozen blueberries as in my buttermilk blueberry muffin recipe or these blueberry chocolate chip muffins.
Lemon vanilla muffin: Use fresh lemon juice and lemon zest to flavor your vanilla muffin batter and replace water by lemon juice to make the glaze.
Banana muffins: add smashed banana into the batter to make a banana muffin recipe.
Spiced Vanilla Muffins: Elevate your muffins with a pinch of pumpkin pie spice, infusing them with warm and comforting flavors that evoke the cozy feeling of fall.
Add a Lemon Glaze: Like these recipes for lemon muffins with glaze or these lemon poppy seed muffins with glaze.

FAQ - Recipe Questions

What is the most intense vanilla flavor to make these muffins?

The most intense vanilla flavor for making these muffins would be to use vanilla beans by scraping the seeds. Alternatively, you can use vanilla paste or homemade vanilla powder made from used vanilla beans ground into a fine powder. In a pinch, you can also use vanilla extrac or vanilla sugar, but it may yield a slightly milder vanilla flavor.

Can I use this recipe to make vanilla cupcakes?

Yes, you can use this recipe to make vanilla cupcakes. However, you'll want to fill the cupcake liners to about ¾ full to leave room for the cupcakes to rise and have a flat top, making it easier to add frosting or toppings.

Can I use regular milk instead of buttermilk?

Yes, you can use regular milk as a substitute for buttermilk. To make a buttermilk substitute, simply add about 1 tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to 1 cup of regular milk.

Stir the mixture and let it sit for about 5 minutes before using it in the recipe. This will mimic the acidity of buttermilk and work well in most baking recipes.

More Muffin Recipes

I hope you love these vanilla muffins. If you make it, be sure to leave a comment and a rating so I know how you liked it. Happy Baking!

Vanilla muffins

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5 from 1 review

Author: Fadela
Total Time: 25 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins

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Description

Recipe for super-soft and moist vanilla muffins with vanilla sugar icing (for 12 muffins)

Instructions

Muffin Batter

In a large bowl, combine and sift together the dry ingredients: flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In another large bowl, place the vegetable oil, softened butter, and white granulated sugar. Beat with an electric mixer for 2 minutes until you have a smooth mixture.
Add the eggs and the seeds from half of the vanilla bean, and beat for another 2 minutes to incorporate them and achieve a creamy mixture.
Finish by alternately incorporating, using a flexible spatula, the buttermilk and the mixture of dry ingredients in several additions until you have a thick and homogeneous batter.

Baking

Preheat the oven to 220°C (430°F) and prepare a muffin tin with paper liners.
Divide the vanilla muffin batter among the liners, filling them completely.
Bake the vanilla muffins in the middle of the oven for 5 minutes, then lower the oven temperature to 185°C (365°F) and continue baking for about 10 minutes until they are golden brown and cooked through in the center (check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin; it should come out clean).
Let the muffins cool slightly in the tin before removing them and allowing them to cool completely on a cake rack.

Vanilla Sugar Glaze

Place the sifted powdered sugar in a large bowl, add the seeds from half of the vanilla bean, and the water.
Mix vigorously with a fork until you have a homogeneous, smooth, and fluid glaze (if it seems too liquid, add more powdered sugar, and if it's too thick, add a few drops of water).
Brush the tops of the muffins with the glaze, let it dry a bit, and enjoy!