The Super Simple Baking Tricks That Make The Fluffiest Muffin Tops

Making muffins from scratch is one of the most relaxing and satisfying desserts to bake. They come together quickly, use simple ingredients, and are super customizable. Whether you like yours fruity, chocolatey, or nutty, there's a muffin recipe out there for any craving. But sometimes, things can go sideways, like when your muffins coming out dense (stop overmixing the batter), or worse, completely flat. Achieving tall muffin tops might seem like a mystery, but Megan Weimer, baker and recipe developer behind Dollop of Dough shared some simple tricks to get the fluffiest domes possible.

"I let the muffin batter rest for at least 30 minutes while the oven preheats (this gives the leaveners a head start) and bake at a high initial temperature (like 425 degrees Fahrenheit) for 5 minutes. The high heat gives the muffins a burst of steam to help them rise quickly and form classic domed tops." After that initial boost, Weimer suggests lowering the temperature to around 350 degrees Fahrenheit so that you don't burn your muffins.

While it might seem like the most efficient method, filling up every muffin cup with batter is a mistake that'll cost you your muffin tops. "Leaving space between muffins allows for better air circulation and heat distribution. Each muffin bakes more evenly and has room to rise upward instead of spreading outward."

If you've got a little more time, letting the batter rest for one hour or chilling it until the next day will allow the flour to soak up the other muffin ingredients, thickening the mixture up significantly and allowing it to hold its shape better once baked. This rest period also activates the leavening ingredients further, giving you a much higher dome. While you're likely already spraying your muffin cups, chances are, you're not spraying the top of the pan as well. Doing so allows your muffin domes to spill over slightly and rise, without getting stuck around the edges of the pan.

When filling up the muffin cups, be generous. If you're after the tallest muffin top possible, fill them right to the top. You can even add an extra spoonful on top of each muffin cup to really get a bakery-style dome. For your muffins to lift properly, it's also crucial to use the freshest leaveners – this isn't a time to test out a 1-year-old tin of baking powder. With these simple tricks, you'll be making bakery-style muffins with sky-high, fluffy tops in no time.