Homemade muffins are a bake sale staple. Though they tend to contain lower levels of sugar and fat than the store-bought stuff, homemade muffins are packed with flavor from jellies, berries, fruits, and nuts.
You might think that you need a stand mixer to make the best muffin batter: at the very least, you'd expect to combine the ingredients in a bowl. While those are the traditional methods, you can actually make muffins in a blender. You can't shape the batter or bake the cakes, of course, but you can make thick, rich muffin mixture that incorporates a whole host of wet and dry ingredients.
I've consulted a wide range of executive chefs and home cooks, who all agree that making your own muffins could save you time and money. Once you learn how to use the best blender for muffin mixing, you'll be able to mix big batches of batter to feed the whole family.
How do you make muffins in a blender?
Even after you've picked out your blender and chosen your ingredients, it can be difficult to know where to start. That's where Chef Robert Smith comes in. As an experienced cook and baker, Robert has made more than a few batches of muffins in his time. He's shared his recipe for success below.
First, 'preheat your oven to the recommended temperature for muffins (usually around 375°F). While you wait, you should grease or line a muffin tin with paper liners. In the blender, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Blend on low speed to mix the dry ingredients well. In a separate bowl, whisk together the milk, melted butter, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.' Mixing in a bowl and a blender means more washing up, but it should create a lighter, airier batter than you'll get from just a blender.
Next, 'slowly pour the wet ingredients into the blender with the dry ingredients. Blend on low speed until the batter is smooth and well mixed. Be careful not to overmix'. Robert reckons around 30 to 60 seconds is the sweet spot. 'If desired, add any optional ingredients, such as chocolate chips or berries, to the blender. Pulse a few time to incorporate them into the batter evenly. Pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup about two thirds of the way to the top.'
All that's left to do is 'bake in the preheated oven for about 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Once baked, remove the muffins from the oven and let them cool in the tin for a few minutes. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely'.
What kind of ingredients should you use?
Whether you're making a nut and berry batter or a chocolate chip mix, most muffin recipes call for a similar combination of wet and dry ingredients, some of which will blend better than others.
Food blogger Lauren Allen follows a golden rule. She knows that 'common muffin ingredients like flour, baking powder, salt, milk, eggs, oil or butter, and sugar should all blend fine'. Lauren recommends pouring each ingredient into your pitcher, taking care not to overload the blender, before beginning to mix on a low or medium speed setting. This way, you can keep control over the consistency of your batter.
If you want to mix a plain and simple batter, you don't need to add anything else. With that said, I always think muffin batter tastes better with a few handfuls of nuts and berries, and maybe a few chocolate chips. Lauren calls these ingredients 'mix-ins', which 'may need occasional stirring to evenly incorporate'. If you like your muffins hearty and healthy, you could wait to add your mix-ins until you've finished blending.
What kind of blender should you use?
Selecting the right kitchenware is one of the first and most important parts of home cooking. Just as you would seek out the right sort of frying pan before you started to sear a steak, you should consider your specific blending needs before you begin to make your muffin mixture.
In order to mix wet and dry ingredients into a rich, thick batter, you need a powerful blender with at least a 500W motor. Any ordinary countertop blender should fit the bill, though it's unlikely that even the best portable blender will be up to the task.
If you want to mix enough batter to bake a batch of muffins, you should steer clear of single-serve blenders and look for something a little larger. A bigger pitcher can accommodate greater quantities of ingredients to make more mixture at once.
You might already have a blender at home that you could use to make muffins. Just in case you don't, I've assembled a few of the best blenders that might take your fancy. Each of these machines is tried and tested by a member of our expert team. You could use them to make rich soups, creamy smoothies, and a whole lot more than just muffins.
This is the best blender money can buy. On its most powerful setting, the Vitamix A3500 is strong enough to blast through fruit seeds, skins, and stems to create a smooth batter.
You can find more detail in our Vitamix A3500 Ascent Series Smart Blender review.
If you want to mix enough batter to make several batches of muffins at the same time, you need the best large blender you can get. Powered by a 1800W motor and equipped with a 68-oz. capacity pitcher, the Breville Super Q means business.
You can find more detail in our Breville Super Q review.
The whole point of making muffins in a blender is to save a little money. You don't need to drop hundreds on a new blender to make tasty muffins. All you need is the best budget blender with an easy-to-use interface and generous pitcher capacity.
You can find more detail in our NutriBullet Smart Touch Blender review.
You might think that you need a machine with an integrated heating element to make the best muffins, but it really isn't necessary. Take a moment to remember what you're asking your machine to do. You don't need a blender that can bake muffins: just one that can make muffin mixture. In this scenario, your blender should be a substitute for the best stand mixer, rather than a fully functional oven.
If you don't have a blender, you might be tempted to try and mix muffin batter in a food processor. Chef Anca Toderic advises against it, arguing that 'a blender is actually better for muffin batters. Food processors often struggle with the density and volume of a muffin batter'. Muffins are made from a mixture of wet and dry ingredients, from melted butter to baking powder, that can clog up a food processor. Since 'blenders are made to mix wet, thick ingredients', Anca believes they're better equipped to mix muffin batter.
What are the pros and cons of making muffins in a blender?
A light and fluffy homemade muffin tastes better than anything you can buy from the store. It might just be better for your body, too. When you make your own muffins in a blender, you can reduce the amount of excess sugars and simple carbs, and pack your batter with protein and fiber, instead.
Making muffins in a blender can save a little time when it comes to clean-up. It's far easier to wash a pitcher, with its straight sides and narrow base, than it is to clean the nooks and crannies of a stand mixer or hand whisk. More significantly, you can save a lot of money when you make your own muffins, especially if you already have a blender. It's a great way to get the most out of your fresh produce.
Making muffins in a blender might be quick and convenient, but it's not always easy. Food blogger Sunita Yousuf ultimately prefers to use her stand mixer, since 'mixers fold the muffin batter to make it airy, creating air pockets to accommodate the ingredients when they rise. In contrast, a blender chops and cuts ingredients into a pulp, leaving a frothy upper layer and no air pockets for the batter to rise. This results in a flat muffin instead of the light, fluffy muffins created by a mixer'.
You might need to bake a few batches before you master the art of mixing muffin batter in a blender. I recommend blending on a slower speed setting to incorporate more air and keep control over the consistency of your batter. You can always blend a thicker mixture to make it smooth, but it's much harder to thicken up a runny batter.
How to make muffins in a blender FAQs
Are homemade muffins healthy?
It depends what you put in them. If you pack your batter with oats and egg- whites for protein, with a dash of flaxseed for fiber, then you could easily make a batch of healthy breakfast muffins. The key to making healthy food at home is reducing the levels of excess sugars and simple carbs and cutting out the additives and preservatives you find in store-bought stuff. As for me, I like to eat everything in moderation. There's nothing like a homemade blueberry muffin with a jammy, juicy filling for an afternoon snack.
Should homemade muffins be refrigerated?
While you can refrigerate homemade muffins, they tend to taste best served fresh at room temperature. Artificial cooling will alter the taste and texture of your muffin. I like to make a breakfast muffin the night before, seal it in an airtight container or zip-lock bag, and enjoy it on the way to work.
What else can I make in a blender?
Many of the best blenders are multifunctional machines that double as juicers and food processors. A good blender can tackle hot, cold, wet and dry ingredients to make all sorts of soups, smoothies, batters and doughs.
Our verdict
Accomplished cooks and starter chefs alike should have no trouble making muffins in a blender. All you need to do is prepare your produce, load your pitcher, and press 'start'. The biggest issue is the risk of overmixing, which you can reduce by blending on a slower speed setting. A good blender might seem expensive upfront, but you'll get a lot of use out of it. Soon, you'll be making delicious muffins that cost you dimes rather than dollars.
