I realized I've been overmixing my muffin batter for years...

It hit me last Saturday when I was making my usual blueberry muffins and my neighbor Sandy stopped by. She asked why my muffins came out dense and kind of tough. I said that's just how they are. She looked at me funny and told me to stop mixing until the flour disappears. I tried it on the next batch and they were so light and fluffy I couldn't believe it. For 8 years I thought you had to beat it smooth. Has anyone else had a basic technique they did wrong forever?

3 comments

3 Comments

paulperez16d ago

@taylor174 you are spot on with the rubbery pancakes thing. I did the same exact thing for like 3 years after college. I used to beat the batter smooth because thats what I thought you were supposed to do. Then my sister came over and showed me her method where you just fold it a few times and leave lumps. I felt like an idiot but it worked so much better. Now I cringe when I see people overmixing anything. It's amazing how one tiny change makes everything way better.

taylor1742mo ago

Tbh I did the same thing with pancake batter for years until my kid asked why they tasted like rubber.

caseyclark2mo ago

@taylor174 I know exactly what you mean with that rubbery pancake texture. I had a similar problem for years until I started letting the batter rest for about 10 minutes before cooking. Just mix it up lightly, leave it on the counter, and the gluten relaxes. It makes them way fluffier and not tough at all.