Techniques
Baking
Tip
Beginner
1 min

Test baked muffins for doneness with a knife (or skewer)

Bake until a knife comes out clean to confirm the muffins are cooked through.

Near the end of baking, insert a knife into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean (no wet batter), the muffins are done; if not, continue baking and re-test.

The short version

  • Check the center, not the edge
  • Keep baking until the knife comes out clean

What you need

  • knifeA skewer/toothpick works too

What goes wrong

Judging doneness only by time

Use the knife/skewer test and bake longer if batter still clings

Why it works

Wet batter clinging to the knife indicates the interior hasn’t set; a clean knife suggests the crumb has set and excess moisture has baked off.

Put it to use

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