A Versatile Basic Muffin Recipe
Let’s say you want lemon poppy seed muffin or snickerdoodle muffin (as seen below) or one dotted with mini chocolate morsels?
This recipe for Everybody’s Favorite Muffin allows you to customize to your heart’s content. Made as is you get a vanilla scented, tender sour cream muffin with an old-fashioned feel. We have provided some ideas for add-ins (such as the Lemon Poppy Seed version below), but feel free to try your own, sticking with low FODMAP choices of course.
As with all muffins we think these are best eaten as freshly as possible.
Low FODMAP Everybody’s Favorite Muffin
In the mood for snickerdoodle or lemon poppy seed? This is your muffin.
Low FODMAP Serving Size Info: Makes 12 muffins; serving size 1 muffin
Ingredients:
- 2 cups (290 g) low FODMAP gluten-free all-purpose flour, such as Bob's Red Mill 1 to 1 Baking Flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder; use gluten-free if following a gluten-free diet
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 6 tablespoons (¾ stick; 85 g) unsalted butter, at room temperature, cut into pieces
- 2/3 cup (135 g) sugar
- 1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 1 cup (227 g) lactose-free sour cream
Preparation:
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Position rack in middle of oven. Preheat oven to 400°F/200° Coat 12 standard sized muffin wells with nonstick spray, or line with fluted paper cups; set aside.
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Whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a small bowl; set aside.
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Beat the butter in a mixing bowl with an electric mixer on high speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes. Gradually add sugar and continue beating until light and fluffy, scraping down bowl once or twice. Beat in vanilla, then beat in eggs, one at a time, allowing the first one to be incorporated before adding the second. Batter should be smooth. Add the flour mixture and the sour cream alternately in 3 batches, ending with flour. Beat just until incorporated and smooth. Batter is ready to scoop into pans or you can vary the flavors as described below. Evenly divide the muffin batter in the prepared pan(s). The batter should come up about three-quarters of the way in the wells.
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Bake for about 14 to 17 minutes or until nicely domed and light golden brown and just until a toothpick inserted in the center shows a few moist crumbs clinging. Cool pan(s) on rack for 5 minutes, then unmold muffins and cool a bit more. Muffins can be served warm or at room temperature and are best if eaten the same day or within 24 hours. They can, however, be placed in a heavy plastic zipper top freezer bag and frozen for up to a month. Defrost at room temperature, or individually wrap in plastic wrap, pop into a lunch bag and they will be defrosted for lunch or a snack.
Notes:
Tips
Here are some of our favorite variations:
- Lemon Poppy Seed: Beat 1 tablespoon poppy seeds, 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice and 1 tablespoon lemon zest into batter instead of the vanilla essence. Bake as directed.
- Snickerdoodle Muffins: Stir together ¼ cup (50 g) sugar, 1¼ teaspoons cinnamon and ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground nutmeg (optional) together in a small bowl. Generously sprinkle over muffin batter after you have filled the muffin cups. Bake as directed.
- Raspberry Almond Muffins: Fold 1 cup (120 g) of fresh raspberries and ¼ cup (22 g) sliced almonds into batter right before scooping into prepared pan(s). Bake as directed.
- Sour Cream Raisin: Fold 2/3 cup (106 g) of raisins into batter right before scooping into pan(s). Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sugar (regular or coarse), if desired (optional). Bake as directed.
- Chocolate Chip Muffins: Fold 2/3 cup (113 g) miniature semisweet chocolate morsels into batter right before scooping into pan(s). Bake as directed.
If You Can Tolerate
- Fructans: If you passed the fructan wheat challenge you can sub in all-purpose unbleached flour for the gluten free flour, in which case the muffins will no longer be gluten free. Also, use the weight measurement and not the volume if you make this substitution for best results.
- Lactose: Feel free to use conventional sour cream in lieu of the lactose-free.
Nutrition
All nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more. For a more detailed explanation, please read our article Understanding The Nutrition Panel Within Our Recipes.
How many calories in each of the “everybody’s favourite muffin”?
Hi Jasmin, we do not provide calorie counts for a few reasons. First of all we try to keep focus on FODMAPs and not weight loss or gain or other dietary issues. Also, depending on the low FODMAP flour that you use, the results will vary, so our muffin might not be the same as the muffin you make at home. Also, for this recipe, obviously the different recipe variations will have different calorie counts as well. We focus on recommending low FODMAP serving sizes and suggest that information is adhered to when following the low FODMAP diet.
any suggestions on how to make it dairy free?
Thanks
Hi Peggy, I have some suggestions with a caveat. You could try using vegetable oil in lieu of the butter and maybe an almond milk yogurt instead of the sour cream. But here is my comment: you will get a muffin but it won’t be this muffin. I can only vouch for the muffin as presented here and tested in our Test Kitchen. Robin and I used to own a bakery and a sour cream-based muffin became the base for most of our muffins as after making hundred and hundreds of muffins we found it gave the most reliable, moist results. Switching out the dairy, which is what provides the moisture and much of the structure for this muffin, will drastically change it. That said, if you are dairy free, I would give it a try. Also, I am not sure whether you have seen this article, but it might be of interest – Lactose, Dairy and the Low FODMAP Diet.
Just made the basic recipe and I LOVE them!!!! They are subtly sweet, and soft & fluffy. This was my first time baking with gluten free flour as I’m more of a cook than a baker, so I was nervous. I can’t wait to try all the variations on this. Thank you!!
EXCELLENT!!!! Nothing like a warm muffin, especially when we know they are LOFO too and won’t upset our tummies!
Hi, can lactose free yogurt replace the sour cream? Will that cause trouble with the results?
You will get a muffin, but not the same muffin, The texture and flavor will change but mostly the texture. The muffin will not be as moist or as good in my opinion.
Would it be ok to substitute maple syrup for the sugar, if so how much do you think you might need? Thanks in advance, they look very yummy ; )
Hi Caroline, the recipes are always Tested as is – from a texture, taste and yield perspective, as well as a FODMAP perspective. Maple syrup will be ok from a FODMAP perspective but I cannot vouch for the rest. I would try 1/2 cup (120 ml).
Hi! I just made the lemon poppyseed variation and they were delicious! I would love to be able add raspberries to them. Would I be able to add one cup of raspberries to the lemon poppyseed variation, like you did in the raspberry almond variation? Would you make any adjustments because of the extra moisture being added?
I would just go for it. They are not as heavy in water content as strawberries, for example.
Was hoping to see recipe for raspberry goat cheese muffins.. could not find🥲
Can u share it with me please?? Ty
Sure here they are!
Hi! I have developed an egg intolerance and also histamine sensitivity. Any suggestions for low FODMAP egg substitution? Would the sour cream suffice?
I would discuss egg substitutions with your Registered Dietitian in terms of what would be appropriate for your dietary needs. As far as whether an egg substitution would work within this recipe, you would have to learn through experience as the recipe has only been developed and tested as presented. Always bear in mind that when you make changes to our low FODMAP recipes that the FODMAP content can also change; you would have to recalculate that to make sure that the recipe remains diet compliant. For instance, if you used a Chia egg replacer or a flax egg replace or you would have to take into consideration the FODMAPs that the new ingredients add to the recipe.