How to get whole grain muffins to rise perfectly

There’s something so appealing and inviting about a muffin with a gorgeous mountain-top rise! Keep reading for few special tips that bakers won’t share with you on how to get whole grain muffins to rise perfectly.

In this post we’ll cover some helpful suggestions to get a gorgeous muffin top rise on the next batch of muffins you make.

​Making homemade muffins in your own kitchen is sadly a lost art in many homes, cultures and lifestyles. There is something so beautiful about preparing food at home – it is made with love. It is vital to know these skills and overall the food is so much healthier and better tasting then store bought or restaurant food!

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To answer the first question many readers have, can you get muffins to rise nicely with whole grains? Yes you definitely can! And in this post we will cover all you need to know on how to get whole grain muffins to rise perfectly. Make sure you try the easy whole wheat muffin recipe that is at the end of this post! 

One of my favorite things about baking with whole grains is the abundant amount of NATURAL flavor in the product. Yes, what goes in to the baked good like added extracts of vanilla or almond all help, but the taste of fresh whole grain flour is phenomenal compared to a bland slice of white flour bread in the store. And unfortunately a lot of America has become used to that and in fact prefers that bland mild taste.

If you are wondering about a specific recipe you are using and what can be done to improve it; chances are that a little tweaking of the amounts, and applying some of the other helpful tips, will give you all you need to produce that perfect muffin rise! So look at the original recipe you have been using, try applying some of the tips recommended in this article, and see how the results are. If you are looking for a tried a true recipe then I recommend using the one listed in the post here, further down.

Let’s start by looking at some of the major differences between whole grains and conventional all purpose white flour.

Whole wheat flour/ grain naturally contains many vital and important nutrients, vitamins, fibre, bran and minerals that are essential for the human body.

White flour comes from wheat but it is has been processed and genetically altered and has been stripped of most of the fibre content as well as removing most of the vitamins, minerals, wheat bran and germ.

During the refining process of whole wheat into white flour, most of these natural components of the grain are striped and what we are left with is white flour that does not do much benefit anymore to the human body besides being high in carbohydrates and having a milder flavor. 

Wheat flour naturally has a more nutty taste, stronger and denser flavor then white flour because of the bran and fibre content. Those who do not care for these tastes often opt for the white flour option, like at Subway, or in the bread isle at the grocery store. 

Whole what flour is higher in protein then white flour by 13-14%.

Whole grain flours in general like whole wheat and kamut have a lower gluten content then white flour because of the bran and germ in the grain kernel when it is ground. This is another reason we are highly encouraged to grind our own grain fresh! You are for sure getting the whole benefit and all the nutrients that the grain has to offer. 

The high amounts of fibre that are found in unprocessed grains are found to help maintain healthy cholesterol and blood sugar levels as well as prevent type 2 diabetes. (Per Mayo Clinic).

Read more about the health benefits of whole grain flours here.

​Why make whole grain muffins?

Whole grain muffins are a much healthier choice then the regular white flour and white sugar muffins you will find at the grocery store. Making whole grain muffins is a great substitute over white flour muffins due to many of the reasons we just talked about in the previous section.

It is important to choose a flour type for your family that you know they will both eat, and receive nourishment from. Whole grain flours offer many health benefits and over time, sensitive taste buds can become adjusted to the stronger flavors that some whole grains have.

If you are new to baking with whole grains or have sensitive taste buds in the family, then I suggest doing a gradual switch. Use half white flour and half whole grain of choice. Over time you can continue to use this method, while slowly transitioning the ratios until after while you are using mostly whole grain, and a very small percentage of white flour.

When looking at how to get whole grains muffins to rise perfectly, it is important to consider these next three major components:

1. Don’t over mix the batter

Over mixing muffin batter can make for a tough muffin that is smooth across the top (not peaked), a lighter color crust on top, and can create holes (tunnels) in the baked muffin. 

So how should muffin batter get mixed?

One way to achieve gorgeous muffin tops is that, the eggs, oil and liquid should be whisked together briefly until incorporated. (Using room temperature eggs helps to achieve this). Then the dry ingredients should be combined separately in a different bowl and added to the liquid ingredients. The reason for mixing the dry ingredients and liquid ingredients separately is that so when they get mixed together, there’s less that have to be mixed and thus less mixing overall.

Remember, the less mixing of the dry and liquid together, the better the muffin texture will be and will also result in hopefully fluffy muffins.

2. Try using oil instead of butter

There are pros and cons by different bakers as to whether oil or butter is best for muffins.

Overall, muffin recipes usually call for oil. Oil is a complete fat and will distribute evenly into the quick mix of muffin batter. Oil also helps to give a beautiful peaked rise to the muffin as it bakes. A neutral or mild tasting oil is best for baking muffins. I like this coconut oil the best. I purchase it locally in a one gallon jug that will last me a couple months. You can use it for so many things- sautéing, baking, and more.

Benefits of using butter – butter is generally found in cupcake recipes. It is combined with the sugar and beaten to produce a fluffy texture that will result in the cupcakes that we love to eat at birthday parties. Butter adds great taste to the baked good.

If you’re swapping oil or butter out for the other, you may want to adjust your ratios. Butter is not entirely fat like oil is. Butter is 75% fat and 25% whole milk, so if you have a recipe calling for 1/2 cup of butter and need to replace with oil, then you should not put a full 1/2 cup of oil in. It would be too much fat content then.

Note: If you are wanting to replace with the full amount of oil for butter, coconut oil is the recommended closest substitution. 

3. Start the muffins baking with a burst of high heat

Giving the muffins a start to baking with a burst of high heat is said to contribute to a nice mountain top rise. Set your oven temperature to 420 and bake the muffins for 5 minutes. Then reduce the heat to the temperature directed in the recipe and bake for the remainder of the baking time.

F & Q:

What is the difference between a muffin and a cupcake?

A lot of it has to do with the texture and make up. A muffin is generally moist and dense and a cupcake is made with a spongy, fluffy batter. Cupcakes also tend to be sweeter then a muffin.

Muffin ingredients are usually mixed together briefly, just enough to incorporate everything. Cupcake batter on the other hand, generally needs the sugar and butter components to be beaten with an electric mixer to achieve the spongy fluffy texture that cupcakes have. Some cupcake recipes call for egg whites to be beaten till stiff and folded in to the batter at the end to contribute to making a fluffy cupcake.

What does greek yogurt do to muffins?

Some bakers prefer using greek yogurt or sour cream in place of milk in a muffin recipe, claiming that it helps keep the muffins moist longer, that the acidity helps to activate the baking soda for a nicer rise, and the tang adds great taste. Feel free to experiment next time you make muffins, and let me know in the comment section below what the results were!

Can you use olive oil in muffins?

Yes you definitely can, although unless it is a savory muffin, the olive oil taste might compete with the flavor of the muffin since olive oil tends to be stronger.

What oils are best for muffins?

Professional bakers will recommend canola oil or vegetable oil. I prefer a healthier option-coconut oil! 

Should you use paper liners or not for whole grain muffins?

Whole grain muffins tend to stick to paper liners more then white flour muffins do. When I use paper liners I always lightly spray them with cooking spray just to minimize the amount of, or any sticking, that they might do.

Tip: Muffins stick less to the liners after they have completely cooled, or the next day.

How to store whole grain muffins?

Store in an airtight container. For best results, because whole grain muffins will tend to dry out faster, eat right away or within the first day or two. After that refrigerate them to maintain freshness. They can be reheated in the oven or toaster oven on low heat for about 10 minutes to freshen up.

Best add-in’s for muffins?

There’s an endless list of options for adding your favorite additions to muffin batter. Some of the most popular and favorites are:

• chocolate chips
• blueberries
• raisins
• craisins
• raspberries
• nuts

Resources for muffin baking:

• Muffin tin
• Muffins liners
• Mixing bowl
• Spatula
• Hand mixer
• KitchenAid stand mixer
• Coconut oil
• Pyrex large measuring cup
• The Kamut flour I use

So what kind of flours can I use when baking whole grain muffins?

• White whole wheat flour (hard wheat is primarily used for yeast baking as it has a slightly different protein level. Think things like bread, bagels, rolls). 
• Soft wheat flour also known as whole wheat pastry flour (soft wheat is primarily used with baking soda – think muffins, biscuits, cakes).
• Spelt flour
• Kamut flour
• Einkorn flour

Can muffins be baked in mini muffin tins?

Yes, any muffin recipe should be adaptable to make mini muffins. Reduce the baking time by about 5-8 minutes. Also, they will have a tendency to burn easier so keep a close eye on them!

So, in closing, those are my recommendations to you; whether you are just curious about muffins and how to make really nice ones, or if you are troubleshooting a rising problem.

Please let me know in the comments below if you tried this recipe, or any other questions you might have as well as tips and tricks that you know of that were not mentioned in this article. Thank you for reading and happy baking!

Recipes you might like to try!

• Easy Kamut biscuits
• The best Kamut cinnamon rolls
• Kamut pumpkin pie cinnamon rolls
• Kamut pancakes
• Kamut walnut chocolate chip cookies
• Kamut lemon bars
• Kamut blueberry muffins
• Kamut pumpkin bars with cream cheese frosting
• Kamut Pumpkin pie bars

Pin this recipe to try later! And let me know in the comments below how it goes!

Easy recipe for whole grain blueberry muffins

Directions to make muffins:

1. Preheat oven to 420.
2. Whisk the liquid ingredients together. I like to use my large Pyrex measuring cup.
3. In a medium to large mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients
4. Stir the dry ingredients into the liquid briefly just until combined.
5. Fold in the blueberries.
6. Prepare the muffin pan by either greasing the muffin cups or using paper liners (I suggest to lightly grease the paper liners also since whole wheat tends to stick a little to the liners).
7. Using a 1/4 cup measuring cup or a ice cream scooper, fill the muffin tins. The batter can be level (heaped) to the top of the muffin tins. Sprinkle sugar on top if desired.
8. Place in the preheated oven for 5 minutes, then reduce the heat to 350 and bake an additional 8-12 minutes, checking frequently towards the end. You don’t want to overtake because the muffins will harden/dry as they cool.
9. Remove from the pan and place on a cooling rack till they are completely cool. Then transfer to an airtight container.

A little about me!

Hi! I’m Rebecca, wife and mother and I love homemaking and cooking on a daily basis.

Baking healthy desserts and cooking nutritious filled foods is a passion that I have and that is reflected in the recipes I post here!

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