CopyKat Tim Hortons Muffins

                     

                          

Alright, bakers, prepare for some serious muffin mastery! We're not just making muffins today, we're building muffin empires. We're talking sky-high, bakery-worthy tops that'll make Tim Hortons weep with envy. Forget those sad, flat excuses for muffins you find in the grocery store. We're going for glory, folks. Glory in the form of golden-brown, perfectly domed, utterly irresistible muffins. So, grab your mixing bowls, because we're about to unleash our inner muffin gods (or goddesses). Just a warning: these tips are so good, you might never buy a store-bought muffin again. You've been warned. Let the muffin madness begin!

There's more to muffin magnificence than just a good recipe. We're talking about achieving bakery-style tops, the kind that make you want to Instagram them before you devour them. Here are a couple of crucial steps:

1. The Great Batter Nap: Let your batter rest for 20-30 minutes. I know, I know, waiting is the worst. Think of it as a spa day for your batter. 20 minutes is my personal limit (I'm a "now" kind of woman, as hard as Nana tried to instill the whole "patience is a virtue" wisdom upon me, unlike this muffin batter, it didn't stick with me ), but if you can manage 30, your muffins will thank you with even taller tops. They'll practically be touching the ceiling. (Okay, maybe not quite that tall, but you get the idea.)

2. The Initial Heat Blast: Start your oven at 425°F. This is like giving your muffins a wake-up call, a jolt of heat that forces them to rise faster than a politician's approval rating. BUT (and this is a big but), don't forget to turn the temperature down to the recipe's suggested temp after 8 minutes. Otherwise, you'll end up with hockey pucks instead of heavenly muffins. Nobody wants hockey puck muffins. Unless you're playing hockey. With muffins. Which sounds kind of fun, actually... but I digress.

3. The Art of the Overflow (Without the Mess): Fill those muffin cups so full they look like they're about to erupt! This is where that batter rest comes in handy. It lets the water molecules get all cozy with the flour, thickening the batter so you can overfill without creating a kitchen disaster. Think of it as the batter's pre-muffin stretch, getting it ready for its big moment.

4. Spacing is Key (Unless You Like Muffin Hugs): This one's a pro tip: Fill every other muffin cup. It's like giving your muffins their own personal space. This allows the heat to circulate like a gossip columnist at a celebrity party, resulting in more even baking and bigger, more glorious muffins. You can skip this step, but your muffins might end up a little… intimate. They might bake into each other and become one giant muffin blob. Which, honestly, doesn't sound that bad... unless you're going for individual muffins, in which case, spacing is your friend.

5. And finally, if you're aiming for that authentic Tim Hortons chocolate chip muffin look (the old Tim Hortons, before they changed everything – you know what I'm talking about), sprinkle some coarse sanding sugar (I found mine at Sobeys, along with suspiciously similar muffin liners... coincidence? I think not!) and extra mini chocolate chips on top. Because more chocolate is always the answer. It's basically a scientific fact.

   Ingredients (Because Math is Hard):

   • 3 1/3 cups all-purpose flour (the kind without the self-raising superpowers)
   • 1 1/4 tbsp baking powder (the stuff that makes muffins do their magic)
   • 1/4 tsp baking soda (its slightly less enthusiastic cousin)
   • 3/4 tsp salt (just a pinch, or your muffins will taste like tears)
   • 1 3/4 cups mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (plus extra for strategically placed "chocolate chip mountains" on top)  
   • 2 large eggs (the yolky kind, not the decorative ones)
   • 1 1/4 cups  granulated sugar (because we're making muffins, not health food)
   • 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted (because everything tastes better with butter)
   • 1/3 cup  canola oil (the butter's wingman)   
   • 2/3 cup  sour cream (the secret ingredient to moistness – don't skip it!)
   • 1 cup  whole milk (or any milk except skim – skim milk is for cereal, not muffins)
   • 1 tbsp vanilla extract (because vanilla makes everything feel fancy)
   • Sanding or coarse sugar (for that extra oomph – and because it looks pretty)

   Instructions (Because We Don't Want Muffin Mayhem):

   1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and most of the mini chocolate chips. Reserve some chocolate chips for later. Think of them as the "special forces" of chocolate chips, ready to be deployed on top of the muffins.

   2. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and sugar until they're BFFs. Then, add the melted butter, oil, sour cream, milk, and vanilla extract. Whisk until everything is happily combined.

   3. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Don't overmix! You're not trying to build a gluten fortress. Just combine until everything is just mixed. It’s okay if there are some streaks of flour.

   4. Let the batter rest for 20 minutes. It's like a mini-spa treatment for your batter. While it's resting, preheat your oven to 425°F.

   5. Line or grease your muffin tins. Fill each tin almost to overflowing. Remember, we rested the batter, so it shouldn't create a batter volcano in your oven. Top with those "special forces" mini chocolate chips and sanding sugar.

   6. Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes, then without opening the oven door (resist the urge!), reduce the temperature to 350°F and bake for another 22-28 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

   7. Let the muffins cool completely before you unleash them from their tins. Then, store them in an airtight container (if they last that long!) and enjoy!

   8. (side note; You can use the basic muffin recipe and add whatever you want with it, instead of choc.chips, I use this recipe but add in frozen fruit, it makes delicious fruit explosion muffins)