These soft and fluffy Vanilla Muffins are a luxurious treat, perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack. They're beautifully golden on top with a tender crumb inside, Top them with vanilla bean glaze for the ultimate morning treat!
If you love yummy muffin recipes, try my Easy Mini Blueberry Muffins, or my Banana Muffins with Almond Flour!
I love making these Vanilla Muffins as part of an elegant brunch spread that's super easy to whip up or to take as a hostess gift or comforting treat for a new mom! The vanilla bean past just elevates them and the richness of the sour cream makes it feel like you are having a vanilla bean cupcake for breakfast! My boys love leftovers to take to school as a treat in their lunchbox.
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Recipe Highlights
- Quick and easy – this vanilla muffin recipe is ready in under 1 hour. 30 minutes of that is cooling time!
- Made with simple ingredients.
- Perfect texture – fluffy, soft, and moist.
- Delicious plain or with add-ins like berries or chocolate chips or a delicious vanilla bean glaze.
Ingredient Notes
- All-purpose flour: you can also try cake flour or Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Flour for a gluten-free option.
- Granulated sugar: for sweetness.
- Butter: Adds the delicious flavor, and aroma you want in these muffins .
- Eggs: use large eggs.
- Milk: use whole milk for the richest results.
- Vanilla Bean Paste: the star flavor of these muffins — use pure vanilla bean paste or extract. Scraped vanilla beans will be the ultimate!
- Baking powder: provides lift for fluffy muffins.
- Salt: balances the sweetness and enhances flavor.
How to Make Vanilla Muffins
- Step 1: Add wet ingredients and sugar to a large bowl and whisk until smooth.
- Step 2: Next, add the dry ingredients.
- Step 3: Mix until just combined with a silicone spatula.
- Step 4: Scoop batter into a prepared muffin pan.
- Step 5: Bake until tops and edges are slightly golden.
- Step 6: Whisk the glaze ingredients and drizzle over muffins once they have cooled.
Charlotte's Tips for making the best Vanilla Muffins
- Don’t overmix: Mix until just combined for the fluffiest texture.
- Use room temperature ingredients: Helps the batter blend more easily and bake evenly.
- Add toppings: Try sanding sugar on top before baking for a bakery-style muffin.
Recipe Variations
- Stir in 1 cup of blueberries or raspberries
- Add a swirl of cinnamon sugar to the top before baking
- Mix in mini chocolate chips or white chocolate chunks
Recipe Substitutions
- Swap melted butter with neutral oil for a lighter texture
- Use almond or oat milk to make it dairy-free
- Use gluten-free 1:1 flour if needed
Storage Tips
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. To freeze, wrap individually and store in a freezer-safe bag for up to 2 months. Reheat in the microwave for 20–30 seconds to enjoy warm.
Recipe
Vanilla Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup melted butter
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 cup sour cream or full-fat Greek yogurt
- 1 tablespoon vanilla bean paste or 2 teaspoon vanilla extract or seeds from 1 vanilla bean
Optional Vanilla Bean Glaze:
- 1 cup powdered sugar
- 2 tablespoon milk or cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla bean paste or ½ teaspoon vanilla extract + seeds from ½ vanilla bean
- Pinch of salt optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F . Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners or grease the wells well to prevent sticking.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the melted butter with the sugar. Add the eggs, sour cream, and vanilla bean paste, and whisk until the mixture is smooth.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir gently until just combined. Avoid overmixing to keep the muffins tender.
- Spoon the batter evenly into the prepared muffin cups, filling each one nearly to the top.
- Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 13 to 15 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Vanilla Glaze
- In a small bowl, whisk all glaze ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and glossy.
- Drizzle the glaze over the cooled muffins using a spoon or a piping bag.
- Let the glaze set for 10 to 15 minutes before serving or packaging.
Nutrition
I hope you love this Vanilla Muffin Recipe. If you make this recipe, leave a comment and a rating! I'd love to know how you liked it. Enjoy, xoxo!
Natalie says
You had me a vanilla bean glaze! And I love the tips about customizing these with berries or other add-ins! That is such a smart tip when you have a neutral-flavored base. Thanks for sharing. I think my family will love these.