Nothin' Muffins

Preheat the oven to 400°F. Arrange a rack in the center of the oven. Grease each cavity of a muffin pan with cooking spray or butter.

Mix the dry ingredients: Whisk the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and any additional add-ins (if using) in a large bowl.

Whisk wet ingredients and combine: In a small bowl, whisk the milk, oil, and egg until combined. Pour the milk mixture into the bowl with the flour mixture. Use a flexible spatula and mix just until no flour is visible. The batter will be thick and lumpy. Resist the urge to mix until it's perfectly smooth, you'll end up with tough muffins instead of tender ones.

Bake: Fill each muffin cavity halfway (about 2 heaping tablespoons). Bake in the center of the oven until the tops are slightly golden and firm when lightly pressed, about 15 minutes. Cool the muffins in the pan for 5 minutes and then move to a cooling rack. Serve the muffins warm or at room temperature with butter and jam. Store remaining muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.