Vanilla Muffins

Soft vanilla muffins are richly flavored with vanilla bean paste for a fresh, bright flavor. They’re great for breakfast, brunch, a dessert, or a sweet snack.

You might also enjoy snickerdoodle muffins, oatmeal raisin muffins, Oreo muffins, or pistachio muffins.

Why You’ll Love It

So easy to make: You don’t have to be a professional baker to make bakery quality muffins. You simply have to weigh and measure your ingredients, combine them and bake the muffins to perfection.
Really delicious: Vanilla bean paste is a game-changer in baked goods, offering a rich, fresh flavor in every wonderful bite.
Perfectly moist inside: The addition of sour cream not only adds a subtle tang but also ensures the muffins stay beautifully moist and don’t dry out.

Easy Vanilla Muffins Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

Flour: The main ingredient in most muffin recipes.
Vanilla bean paste: To add the perfect amount of flavor to this delicious muffin recipe.
Sour cream: Adds a nice tang and helps keep them muffins moist.
Granulated sugar: To sweeten the muffins and, optionally, to add a crunchy topping.
Salt: A pinch of salt balances out the sweet flavors.
Baking powder and baking soda: Without these your muffins would be flat hard disks!

How to Make Vanilla Muffins

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Combine the ingredients: Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in one mixing bowl and the butter and granulated sugar in another. Add the eggs, the sour cream and the vanilla paste to the butter mixture.
Finish making the batter: Now combine the dry mixture with the wet mixture, alternating with the milk.
Fill a muffin pan: Divide the batter between paper liners in a muffin pan and, if you want, sprinkle more sugar on top.
Bake the muffin recipe: Bake the vanilla muffins and let them cool completely before serving.

Substitutions and Variations

Gluten-free option: If you want a gluten-free version, use gluten-free flour (this one never lets me down!)
Vanilla Greek yogurt: Use this instead of sour cream if that’s what you have.
Add-ins: Mix nuts or mini chocolate chips into the muffin batter.
Toppings: Drizzle hot fudge or caramel syrup on top before serving. Or use vanilla sugar (this one is my fave!) instead of coarse sugar grains.

Serving Suggestions

Breakfast: Enjoy this vanilla muffin recipe for breakfast, perhaps paired with breakfast lasagna or breakfast sliders.
Desserts: Enjoy the muffins with homemade ice cream.
Drinks: This Italian cream soda or a mint julep slushie would pair well with a vanilla muffin.

How to Store Vanilla Muffins

Store: Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and eat within 3 or 4 days.
Freeze: The key to successfully freezing these is getting as much moisture out beforehand, which means they must be completely cool before freezing. Put them in a Ziploc bag and squeeze out the excess air. They should be good for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Thaw overnight at room temperature or microwave from frozen for about 30 seconds on a paper towel lined plate.