A great muffin should be soft and moist, with a golden domed top and a few crisp edges. These kismis and walnut muffins are exactly that: tender, lightly spiced, and loaded with plump raisins and toasty walnuts in every bite.
There’s no mixer, no creaming, and no fuss. You stir the batter in one bowl and it’s in the oven in about 15 minutes. Yogurt keeps the crumb soft for days, and a short blast of high heat at the start gives you that tall bakery dome.
Make them for a grab-and-go breakfast, a lunchbox treat, or an afternoon snack with tea. They also make the house smell wonderful, which is reason enough.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Soft and moist for days. Yogurt and oil keep the crumb tender long after baking.
- One bowl, no mixer. You only need a whisk and a spatula.
- Tall, bakery-style domes. A hot start does the work.
- Plenty of texture. Juicy kismis and crunchy walnuts in every bite.
- Great for meal prep. They freeze beautifully, so you can have a muffin ready whenever you want one.
Ingredient Notes
All-purpose flour. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off. Scooping directly from the bag packs in too much and gives dry, heavy muffins.
Light brown sugar. It adds moisture and a gentle caramel flavour. White sugar works if that’s what you have, though the muffins will be slightly less moist.
Plain yogurt. Full-fat gives the best crumb. Buttermilk or sour cream are good substitutes. Avoid very thin or flavoured yogurts.
Neutral oil. Oil keeps muffins softer than butter does, especially the next day. Melted butter adds flavour but a slightly firmer crumb.
Kismis (raisins). Dark or golden both work. Soak them in warm water for 10 minutes and drain well. Sultanas, currants, or chopped dates are good swaps.
Walnuts. Toast them for 5 to 8 minutes in the oven for a deeper, nuttier flavour. Pecans or almonds work too.
Baking powder and baking soda. Both are needed. The soda reacts with the yogurt for lift and browning. Check the dates, because old leaveners lead to flat muffins.
The amounts used in this guide, for 12 muffins: 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) light brown sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 2 eggs, 1 cup (240 g) plain yogurt, 1/3 cup (80 ml) neutral oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla, 3/4 cup (75 g) chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup (75 g) kismis, plus 2 tablespoons of coarse sugar for the tops.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Heat the oven and prep the kismis
Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Soak the kismis in warm water for 10 minutes, then drain them well and pat them dry. Dry raisins can pull moisture out of the batter, while wet ones make it soggy, so a quick soak and a thorough drain is the best of both.
Mix the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Break up any lumps of brown sugar with your fingers. Whisking is enough to distribute the leaveners evenly, and it saves you from sifting.
Mix the wet ingredients
In a separate bowl or large jug, whisk the eggs, yogurt, oil, and vanilla until smooth. The mixture should look glossy and evenly combined, with no streaks of yogurt. Use eggs and yogurt at room temperature if you can, because cold ingredients make the oil seize into little clumps.
Combine, but barely
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and fold with a spatula just until you see no more dry flour. The batter will be thick and lumpy, and that’s what you want. This is the step where most muffins go wrong. Overmixing builds gluten, which makes muffins tough, rubbery, and tunnelled with long holes. Fold the kismis and most of the walnuts in with the last few strokes, so you don’t overwork the batter.
Fill, top, and bake
Divide the batter evenly among the cups, filling each one nearly to the top. A full cup is what gives you a big dome. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining walnuts and the coarse sugar for a crunchy, glittery crust. Bake at 220°C (425°F) for 5 minutes. The batter will spring up quickly. Without opening the oven, lower the temperature to 180°C (350°F) and bake for 14 to 16 more minutes. The muffins are done when the tops are deep golden, they spring back when pressed lightly, and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs. The kitchen will smell like cinnamon and toasted nuts.
Cool
Let the muffins sit in the tin for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack. Leaving them in the tin too long traps steam and makes the bottoms soggy.
Pro Tips
- Start hot, finish gentler. The initial 5 minutes at 220°C sets the rise and creates the dome. Lowering the heat lets the centres cook without burning the tops.
- Rest the batter for 10 minutes. If you have the time, let it sit before filling. The flour hydrates, and you get a taller, more even rise.
- Toss the add-ins in a spoonful of flour. This keeps the kismis and walnuts from sinking to the bottom.
- Use an ice cream scoop. A large scoop portions the batter quickly and evenly, so the muffins bake at the same rate.
The single biggest difference between a bakery muffin and a dense one is how you mix. Stir until the flour just disappears and stop. A lumpy batter makes a tender muffin.
Storage & Reheating
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. Lay a paper towel on the bottom and another on top to absorb moisture and keep the tops from getting sticky. For longer storage, refrigerate for up to 5 days.
To freeze, wrap each muffin individually and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for an hour, or microwave for 30 to 40 seconds from frozen.
To refresh a day-old muffin, warm it in a 160°C (325°F) oven for 5 to 8 minutes, or microwave for 10 to 15 seconds.
Variations & Substitutions
- Apple cinnamon: replace half the kismis with 1/2 cup of finely diced apple.
- Orange zest: add the zest of one orange to the wet ingredients for a bright, citrusy note.
- Wholemeal: replace up to 1/2 cup of the flour with whole wheat flour for a heartier muffin.
- Different nuts: swap the walnuts for pecans, almonds, or pistachios.
- Dairy-free: use a plain, unsweetened dairy-free yogurt, such as coconut or soy.
- Banana: replace 1/2 cup of the yogurt with 1/2 cup of mashed ripe banana.
- Streusel top: mix 2 tablespoons of flour, 2 tablespoons of brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon of cold butter into crumbs and sprinkle over the batter before baking.
FAQ
Why are my muffins dense or tough?
They were most likely overmixed. Stop folding as soon as the dry flour disappears. Measuring too much flour can also make them heavy.
Why didn’t my muffins dome?
Check that your baking powder and baking soda are fresh, and make sure the oven is fully preheated. Filling the cups nearly to the top and starting at a higher temperature also helps.
Why did my kismis and walnuts sink?
The batter was probably too thin, or the add-ins were heavy and not coated. Toss them in a little flour before folding, and make sure the batter is thick.
Can I use butter instead of oil?
Yes. Use the same amount of melted butter and let it cool slightly. The flavour will be richer, but the muffins won’t stay quite as soft the next day.
Can I make these ahead?
You can mix the dry and wet ingredients separately the night before, keeping the wet mixture in the fridge. Combine them just before baking. Baked muffins also freeze very well.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve warm with butter and a drizzle of honey.
- Pair with a cup of tea, coffee, or milky chai.
- Spread with cream cheese for a richer treat.
- Add a bowl of yogurt and fresh fruit for a full breakfast.
- Pack in a lunchbox with an apple or some berries.
- Split and toast leftovers for a quick snack.
Soft Kismis & Walnut Muffins
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Prepare
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners. Spread the walnuts on a baking sheet and toast for 5 to 6 minutes, until fragrant, then cool and chop. Toasting deepens their flavor and keeps them crunchy in the muffins.
- Stir together the coarse sugar, cinnamon, and finely chopped walnuts for the topping and set aside.
- Make the Batter
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the brown sugar, granulated sugar, and eggs until smooth. Whisk in the buttermilk, oil, melted butter, and vanilla until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. A few small lumps and streaks of flour are fine. Overmixing makes muffins tough and dense.
- Fold in the drained kismis and the chopped toasted walnuts. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the flour hydrates and the muffins turn out tender with higher domes.
- Bake
- Divide the batter among the 12 liners, filling each to the top for tall, bakery-style domes. Sprinkle the crunchy topping evenly over the muffins.
- Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) without opening the door and bake for 15 to 17 minutes more, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The initial blast of high heat gives the muffins a quick rise.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.
Notes
Do not overmix: Stir only until the flour disappears. Lumpy batter makes tender muffins.
Soaking the kismis: Soaking keeps them plump and prevents them from pulling moisture from the batter.
Buttermilk substitute: Stir 1 tablespoon of lemon juice or white vinegar into 1 cup (240 ml) of milk and let it stand for 5 minutes.
Nut-free: Leave out the walnuts and use pumpkin seeds or an extra 1/4 cup (38 g) of kismis.
Add-ins: Swap walnuts for pecans, or add a teaspoon of orange zest for brightness.
Storage: Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight or warm in a 300°F (150°C) oven for 8 to 10 minutes. Nutrition (per muffin) Calories 285 kcal Carbohydrates 41 g Protein 5 g Fat 12 g Saturated fat 2 g Cholesterol 35 mg Sodium 260 mg Potassium 210 mg Fiber 2 g Sugar 24 g
