Spice Muffin Recipe (Easy & Incredibly Moist)

There’s nothing quite like the comforting aroma of warm spices filling your kitchen on a cool morning. This easy Spice Muffin Recipe is the only one you’ll ever need. It creates incredibly moist, fluffy muffins with a tender crumb and a perfectly balanced flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Forget bland, dry muffins; this recipe guarantees a delightful treat that’s perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even a simple dessert. Whether you’re an experienced baker or just starting, you’ll find this recipe straightforward and rewarding.

What Makes This Spice Muffin Recipe Special?

Many spice muffin recipes can be either too dense or too dry. This recipe, however, has been tested and perfected to achieve the ideal texture. The secret lies in using buttermilk and oil, a combination that ensures a supremely moist crumb that stays fresh for days. We also use a carefully selected blend of spices that provides warmth and depth without overwhelming the palate. Plus, a simple tip helps you get those beautiful, high-domed tops you see in bakeries!

Key Ingredients for Perfect Spice Muffins

This recipe uses simple pantry staples to create something truly special. Here’s what you’ll need:

• All-Purpose Flour: Provides the structure for our muffins.
• Granulated & Brown Sugar: A mix of white and brown sugar offers the best flavor and moisture. Light or dark brown sugar both work well.
• Baking Powder & Baking Soda: These leavening agents work together to give the muffins a beautiful lift.
• The Spice Blend: The heart of our recipe! We use a classic combination of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, and a hint of cloves for a warm, aromatic flavor.
• Buttermilk: The acidity in buttermilk tenderizes the gluten, resulting in a softer, more delicate crumb.
• Vegetable Oil: Using oil instead of butter makes for a wonderfully moist muffin that doesn’t dry out.
• Eggs: Act as a binder and provide richness.
• Vanilla Extract: Enhances all the other flavors in the recipe.

How to Make The Best Spice Muffins: Step-by-Step

Making these muffins is as easy as mixing wet and dry ingredients. Follow these simple steps for perfect results every time.

1. Prepare Your Muffin Tin

First, preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup standard muffin tin with paper liners or grease it well with butter or non-stick spray. The initial high heat is key to getting a good rise on the muffins.

2. Mix The Dry Ingredients

In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. Whisking ensures that all the spices and leavening agents are evenly distributed.

3. Mix The Wet Ingredients

In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until everything is well combined.

4. Combine and Bake

Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients. Gently fold them together with a spatula until just combined. Be careful not to overmix! A few lumps in the batter are perfectly fine. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups. For a sweet, crunchy topping, you can sprinkle a little coarse sugar over the batter.

Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for another 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. The initial blast of high heat helps create those coveted bakery-style domes!

5. Cool and Enjoy

Let the muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They are delicious warm, perhaps with a pat of butter or a drizzle of our delicious cranberry honey butter (coming soon).

Tips for Success

• Do Not Overmix: This is the most important rule of muffin making. Mix the batter until the flour is just moistened to ensure a tender crumb.
• Room Temperature Ingredients: For a smoother, more uniform batter, use room temperature eggs and buttermilk.
• Fill Muffin Cups Properly: Fill each muffin cup about three-quarters full. This gives the muffins enough space to rise without spilling over.

Variations and Fun Add-Ins

This Spice Muffin Recipe is a fantastic base for customization. Here are a few ideas:

• Nuts: Add about 3/4 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts to the batter for a delightful crunch.
• Fruit: Fold in 1 cup of finely diced apples or shredded carrots for extra moisture and flavor.
• Glaze: Once cooled, drizzle the muffins with a simple glaze made from powdered sugar, a splash of milk, and a dash of vanilla.

For those who love fall baking, these flavors are a perfect companion to other seasonal treats, like a classic pumpkin roll. And if you’re looking for another fantastic breakfast idea, why not try our homemade chocolate granola?

How to Store Homemade Muffins

Store your spice muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. To keep them from getting soggy, place a paper towel in the bottom of the container to absorb any excess moisture. They will stay fresh for up to 4 days. You can also freeze the muffins for up to 3 months.

FAQs About This Spice Muffin Recipe

The Perfect Anytime Treat

This simple yet delicious Spice Muffin Recipe is a keeper. It’s the perfect way to welcome the cozy feeling of autumn or to simply enjoy a wonderfully aromatic and moist treat any time of year. We hope you love making and sharing these muffins as much as we do. If you try this recipe, please leave a comment below and share your creation on Pinterest!

Spice Muffin Recipe

Spice Muffin Recipe (Easy & Incredibly Moist)

This easy Spice Muffin Recipe creates incredibly moist, fluffy muffins with a tender crumb and a perfectly balanced flavor of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. A delightful and simple treat for breakfast or a snack!

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 23 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Servings: 12 muffins

Course: Breakfast, Dessert, Snack

Cuisine: American

Calories: 230

Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients

  

• 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
• 1/2 cup Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 cup Packed Brown Sugar Light or dark
• 2 tsp Baking Powder
• 1/2 tsp Baking Soda
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1 1/2 tsp Ground Cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp Ground Nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp Ground Cloves
• 1 cup Buttermilk at room temperature
• 1/2 cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Large Eggs at room temperature
• 1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Equipment

• 1 12-cup muffin tin
• 2 Mixing Bowls
• 1 Wire cooling rack

Instructions

 

1. Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves.
3. In a separate medium bowl, whisk the buttermilk, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract until combined.
4. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix.
5. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
6. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue to bake for 15-18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
7. Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

For a crunchy topping, sprinkle coarse sugar on top of the batter before baking.
Store muffins in an airtight container with a paper towel for up to 4 days.