How Oven Temperature Affects Muffins: A Side-by-Side Baking Test
Have you ever wondered how oven temperature affects muffins? I decided to run a simple baking experiment to compare how different baking temperatures influence muffin rise, crumb, and appearance. Here’s what I learned.
Check out my video about this baking experiment:
Muffin Baking Experiment: High vs. Low Oven Temperature
To test how baking temperature affects muffins, I used my vanilla muffin recipe to make two separate batches of batter—one for each baking method—to avoid resting time between batches.
- Low temperature: 180°C (350°F) for 18 minutes
- High then low temperature: 220°C (430°F) for 5 minutes, then 180°C (350°F) for 10 minutes
I weighed all ingredients with a kitchen scale and baked the muffins immediately after mixing—no resting time. This way, the only real difference was oven temperature.
How Oven Temperature Affects Muffin Rise and Shape
At the 5-minute mark, there was already a visible difference:
- Muffins baked at 220°C rose quickly and formed domed tops early on.
- Muffins at 180°C rose more slowly and had flat tops at first.
By the end of baking, all muffins had domed tops, but:
- High-temp muffins developed crevices on top
- Low-temp muffins had smoother tops
Crumb Structure and Texture Comparison
When I cut the muffins open, more differences appeared:
- Muffins baked with the high-temperature start had a more uniform, tight crumb
- Muffins baked at low temperature had a few larger air pockets
Despite those structural differences, there was no noticeable difference in softness or taste between the two batches.
Conclusion: How Oven Temperature Affects Muffins
This test showed that oven temperature affects muffins more in terms of texture and appearance than height or flavor. A hotter oven at the start helped set the muffin structure quickly, leading to a tighter crumb and early doming. A steady lower temperature gave the batter more time to expand, resulting in a more open crumb and smoother surface.
So if you’re experimenting with muffin recipes, adjusting the baking temperature can be a useful tool—especially if you’re aiming for a specific texture or look.
I’d love to hear your thoughts—have you noticed a difference when changing baking temperatures? Drop a comment and let’s talk muffins!
To learn more about how baking temperature affects texture and rise, check out this article on King Arthur Baking about baking science.