Follow these tried and true bakery secrets to make High Domed Bakery-style muffins with your favorite from-scratch standard size muffin recipe!
So how many of you have bought a muffin at a bakery and just were in awe of high they rose without really spilling over? They domed so beautifully almost like you were getting twice as much muffin for the price of one. BONUS, right?! One thing to keep in mind, this is for MUFFIN batter, not cupcakes. There’s a huge difference between cupcakes and muffin batters folks.
…and I’m sure you went home, decided to try it by adding more baking soda/powder to your mix and instead of filling them 1/2-3/4″ of the way full, you filled them to the brim.
…and I’m sure about 6 minutes into the baking you started to smell that smell. You know that the smell. The smell of your gorgeous batter overflowing the cupcake pans and onto your oven floor.
… and I’m sure you’ve said one to 672 swear words, damning that bakery for teasing you with their perfectly high domed muffins while you’re left to scrapping burnt batter off of your oven floor.
It’s pretty basic and you’re going to love me FOREVER once I share this bakery secret with you. Actually, since you’re gonna love me forever, wanna help me open my bistro? 🙂
So here goes…
Most from-scratch muffin recipes tell you to do the following:
- Preheat oven to 325-350.
- Fill 1/2-3/4 full
- Bake 15-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean
Right?
Well, stop that! No, you can still make them that way but you won’t get high domed muffins.
Bakery Secrets to High Domed Muffins
There are 2 important steps here
-
Let the batter rest at least an hour or overnight in the fridge (preferred)
Do you know why you should let your muffin batter rest? During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter.
This causes them to swell and gives the batter a thicker, more viscous consistency. Any gluten formed during the mixing of the batter is also getting time to relax, and air bubbles are slowly working their way out.
-
How you bake them temp-wise
By starting them off at such a high temperature is the initial high heat of 425 degrees F causes the batter to have greater oven spring or the rapid rise during the first few minutes of baking.
The higher heat creates a burst of steam that lifts the batter. Makes sense, huh?
Bakery-style High Domed Muffins – how do they do that?
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Ingredients
- Any from-scratch standard size muffin batter – try the Chocolate Chunk Zucchini Muffins!
Instructions
- Always use a From-Scratch muffin recipe, never boxed!
- Never use a mixer to incorporate your dry ingredients to your wet. Use a spatula or spoon. Do not over mix your batter.
- Cover your batter tightly and refrigerate for at least 1 hour (can go overnight as well).
- Preheat your oven to 425F. Yes, I know the recipe calls for 350 but trust me on this. I typically bake my muffins in the upper third of the oven. You see placing the muffins in the upper third of the oven it tends to be hotter and the heat more constant. You can most certainly use the middle rack as well if you want.
- Spray the top of your muffin pan with non-stick spray. Line the pan with cupcake/muffin liners.
- The batter will be THICK. You can gently stir it first. Just try not to deflate it. Fill the muffin papers almost ALL THE WAY TO THE TOP OF THE PAPER. (just leave about a 1/8″ from the top). Yes I know, it’s spilled over before but this works.
- If you have empty cavities in your muffin tin (not enough batter), remove the liner and add 1/2 cup water in each.
- Bake 6-9 minutes at 425. The muffins should be about a 1/4″-1/2″ above the paper. That’s the sign the heat can be turned down.
- Reduce heat to 350 (DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR TO DROP THE TEMP.. sorry for the YELLING.. lol) and bake for 6-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out barely clean (crumbs are OK). *Note: this will depend on your actual recipe.
- Remove from the oven and cool in the pan on a rack for 1-2 minutes.
- Remove the muffins (they will be hot) from the pan and cool on the rack. Do not leave them in the pan to cool completely as the bottoms and sides will become soggy. Leaving them in the pan builds up too much moisture.
Notes
- I do NOT use boxed muffin mixes – ever nor would I recommend using this technique on a boxed mix.
- The reason why this works is the initial high heat of 425 degrees F causes the batter to have greater oven spring or the rapid rise during the first few minutes of baking. The higher heat creates a burst of steam that lifts the batter.
Alyssa Kae says
Been baking homemade muffins for quite some time now. I love the flavor and the texture but i never reallt got the height i liked. I hope this recipe works! Ill try them tomorrow. Btw, you said to start the temp at 425 F. Should i lower it after a few minutes? Or should i cook it in the same temp?
TKWAdmin says
Hi Alyssa!
No you reduce the temp. See steps 9 and 10 below. I have been making muffins this ways for decades and each and every time, regardless of the recipe I start at 425 and when they are about 1/4-1/2″ above the paper I reduce the heat without opening the door to 350.
9. Bake 6-9 minutes at 425. The muffins should be about a 1/4″-1/2″ above the paper. That’s the sign the heat can be turned down.
10. Reduce heat to 350 (DO NOT OPEN THE DOOR TO DROP THE TEMP.. sorry for the YELLING.. lol) and bake for 6-10 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out barely clean (crumbs are OK). *Note: this will depend on your actual recipe.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Rob says
FINALLY! he yells.
I have been reading for years to find out how bakery and Tim Horton’s muffins are so tall, and I just couldn’t find the trick.
As you guessed, I love you.
I will help you with your Bistro.
TKWAdmin says
HAHA You so just made my night Rob, thank you! Yep, it’s a super secret bakery trick I’ve been using for decades. I love me some ‘mile high’ muffins!
And I’d LOVE help with the Bistro! Right now I’d settle for help getting cookbooks published 🙂
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Jen says
I live in a small town and want to find a bakery that makes a good gluten free muffin (good luck huh?). Can’t find anyone. SOOO I thought I’d try to figure it out on my own but couldn’t figure out the FANTASTIC full domed top! I will definitely add this step the next time I make muffins, regular and gluten free 😀 (any suggestions on trying a gluten free muffin???)
TKWAdmin says
Hi Jen!
When making GF muffins, you need a great GF AP flour (http://www.thekitchenwhisperer.net/2012/12/02/make-your-own-gluten-free-all-purpose-flour-mix/) if you want to make your own.
Once you make the muffin batter, let it rest. Give it a 10 to 15 minute rest before baking will allow the starches and xanthan gum to fully hydrate. Also, if you’re adding fruit, chocolate chips, or nuts to your batters, complete the rest before stirring them in, to prevent them from sinking to the bottom during the bake. When the flour and xanthan gum are hydrated, the batter will thicken and be able to suspend any added elements successfully. (see King Arthur’s site for great gluten free baking tips too!).
Plus doing this heat trick should also help with the high domed, even on GF!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Coral Diaz says
I found your website two days ago by pure coincidence. I was searching just how to get bakery style muffins and viola! Your page came up. I sat in front of the oven With my eyes peeled on each and every one of them . Wow…wow…wow…..and YES!!! They are rising high. My recipe was slightly different (blueberry-lime muffins) and they needed to stay in the oven a bit longer than your suggested time. I lokk forward to devouring each and every one as I peruse your website. Love your writing style and love your tips. 🙂
Coral Diaz says
I let the dough in the fridge overnight. First batch I did with dough right out of fridge. Second batch dough was room temp. Both rose well. The one straight from fridge had to bake longer. Taste test to follow!!. 🙂
TKWAdmin says
Let me know what you think!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
TKWAdmin says
Hi Coral and I’m thrilled that you found me! Welcome to the TKW Family! The first time I made muffins like this I, too, kept my face peeled to the oven door for fear they would spill over but they didn’t. They get super high and fluffy.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Farah.F says
Wow, this sounds like the best piece of advice ive read online in sometime. Will definitely be trying it out asap.
Thanks a bunch.
And your writing style is adorable. Glad to have found your blog.
TKWAdmin says
Thank you so much Farah on multiple accounts 🙂 This works and the only way I make my muffins. Definitely give it a try!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Laura says
I can’t even begin to tell you how helpful the tips on baking high-domed muffins has been, from letting the batter sit in the fridge to the oven temps. Brilliant! I’m in the process of opening a small town coffee shop and these tips are invaluable. But I have one problem – I’m only going to have access to a convection oven. Any suggestions on how to convert the temp or time. I’ve read that you can either lower the temp or reduce the cooking time, but I’m not sure how to adapt that to the 2-temps for muffin baking. Any thoughts or experience?
TKWAdmin says
Oh my gosh Laura you are most welcome, thank you! Oh please share with me your info on your small town coffee shop! My email is lori@thekitchenwhisperer.net let’s talk!
You must have been in my brain! Convention to Convection Oven temps and times are coming up in 2 weeks under Tuesday’s Tips 🙂 But I’ll give you a sneak peek ahead of time.
For breads, cakes, and other desserts, the rule of thumb for convection oven conversion is to reduce the temperature by 25°F and keep the time constant.
Does that help?
Best Kitchen Wishes!
JC says
This make perfect sense to me. When I bake a batch of 24 cupcakes, I bake them in two batches…. The first batch always flattens out. The 2nd batch, where the batter has been sitting anxiously awaiting their turn to transform into culinary bliss, have had time for the double action baking powder to deflate from their 1st, part of the double action. I have now gone to waiting an hour before I finish the mix to bake the cakes.
I have never considered the higher heat to start and then lower the heat. I will try it this week. I have a friend that ordered 3 dozen chocolate cupcakes with peanut butter swiss buttercream…. I think I will make them High Hat cupcakes and dip them in my own version of “magic shell”….
TKWAdmin says
Hi JC!
Yeah it’s one of those “AH HA!” moments you get after you read this. It makes sense, now – after having many a pans bake over and end up on my oven floor.
I love making High Hat cupcakes! Yours sound yummy!
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Linda C says
Can’t wait to try this. Would I be able to use the same instructions for cup cakes?
TKWAdmin says
Morning Linda!
Yes, you can use this on cupcakes as well though I’m not sure why one would. I’ve always made it so the cupcakes are flat or just slightly mounded on top. This way you end up with a flatter surface for your frosting to adhere to. But then I suppose if you’re like me and more of a cake lover than a frosting lover it would make sense.
Best Kitchen Wishes!
Elizabeth says
OMG! I never knew how they did that! You’re a freakin’ GENIUS! I was one of those that filled them all the way to the top thinking that’s how they did it. The mess it made in my oven was horrible!
I can’t wait to make muffins! Speaking of which, I can’t wait for you to post the recipe for the chocolate zucchini ones above. They look incredible!!!
TKWAdmin says
Hi Elizabeth!
I, too, was one of those that filled it to the top and then would end up with a giant mess in my oven! The zucchini recipe is posted 🙂
Best Kitchen Wishes!
daniel s says
Regarding domed muffins. Author states to cover batter and place in the refrigerator for an hour. Question: do you let the batter come to room temperature before filling tins or fill the tins with cold batter and put into the oven with cold batter?
TKWAdmin says
Daniel,
You put the cold batter straight in the tin. It doesn’t have to come to room temperature when you’re ready to bake it. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter. This causes them to swell and gives the batter a thicker, more viscous consistency. Any gluten formed during the mixing of the batter is also getting time to relax, and air bubbles are slowly working their way out.
Hope this helps!
Best Kitchen Wishes!