Muffin Mix-In Bar

Mix one muffin batter, set out a bar of mix-ins, and let everyone build a muffin that is all their own.

Bake one of these

• 
  Little Helpers

  Vanilla Blueberry Muffins

• 
  Little Helpers

  Dairy-Free Vanilla Muffins

What you need

• A 12-cup muffin pan and paper liners
• Small bowls for the mix-in bar
• Mix-ins like blueberries, chocolate chips, banana slices, raisins and sprinkles
• A butter knife (the blunt kind)
• Paper and a pencil for a pan map

Steps

1. Set up the barWash your hands first and check every ingredient with your grown-up, including every mix-in. Slice a banana with the butter knife and fill the small bowls.
2. Mix the batterYour grown-up turns on the oven to preheat, which means heating it up before the muffins go in. Make the muffin batter, but leave the blueberries out, because they go on the bar. If anyone avoids dairy, use the dairy-free batter. No tasting the raw batter, and wash your hands again after you touch raw egg.
3. Fill the cupsSpoon batter into the liners until each one is about two-thirds full, a little more than half.
4. Choose and stirFirst, draw a pan map with everyone's name on their cups, so nobody loses their muffin. Then each baker picks one or two mix-ins and gently stirs a spoonful into their own cups.
5. Bake and shareYour grown-up bakes the muffins and lifts out the hot pan. When they have cooled, swap bites and vote for the most surprising mix.

Make it yours

• Sprinkle cinnamon sugar on top for a crunchy lid
• Try a two-flavor muffin, like banana and chocolate chip
• Give your muffin a made-up name on the pan map