Easy Quick Bread & Muffin Recipes (One Bowl, No Yeast)
Quick breads rise with baking powder instead of yeast — no kneading, no rising, no waiting. Muffins, banana bread, pumpkin bread and cornbread all come from one easy method: whisk dry, whisk wet, stir together just until combined, and bake. The single most important rule is don’t overmix. Here are the best easy quick bread and muffin recipes, plus the trick for tall, bakery-style domes.
The Quick Version
- No yeast, no kneading, no rising — baking powder does the work.
- Don’t overmix — stir just until the flour disappears; lumps are fine.
- High-heat start (425°F) for the first 5 minutes gives tall domed muffins.
- One bowl method works for muffins and loaves alike.
Muffins & quick breads everyone loves
- Bakery-style blueberry muffins — tall domes, bursting berries.
- Easy banana muffins — the fastest way to use ripe bananas.
- Banana bread (no mixer) — the one-bowl classic.
- Easy pumpkin bread — moist and spiced for fall.
- Easy zucchini bread — sneaky-moist and tender.
- Homemade cornbread — sweet, moist and ready in 30 minutes.
The muffin method, step by step
- Whisk all the dry ingredients in one bowl.
- Whisk all the wet ingredients in another.
- Pour wet into dry and stir just until combined — stop while it’s still lumpy.
- Fold in add-ins, fill the cups, and bake hot-then-moderate.
Foolproof tip: toss berries or chips in a teaspoon of the flour before folding them in — it keeps them from sinking to the bottom.
Frequently asked questions
What’s the difference between quick bread and regular bread?
Quick breads rise with baking powder or soda, not yeast — so no kneading, no rising, no waiting. Muffins, banana bread and cornbread are all quick breads.
Why are my muffins flat?
Oven too cool at the start or cups underfilled. Start at 425°F for 5 minutes, then drop to 350°F, and fill the cups nearly full.
Why are my muffins tough?
Overmixing. Stir just until the flour disappears — lumps are fine. Overmixing builds gluten and causes tunnels.
Master Bakery-Style Muffins
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat oven to 425F (220C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin. Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder and salt.
- In another bowl whisk the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla, then pour into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined – lumps are fine. Fold in your add-ins.
- Divide among the cups, filling them nearly full for tall tops.
- Bake at 425F for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350F (175C) and bake 13-16 more minutes. The initial blast of heat gives high, domed tops.
Keep baking
Browse all our beginner recipes, or for a sweeter bake try our easy cakes and cookies.
