How can I get muffins to stop sticking to paper liners?

Q: My husband asked me to make jalapeño cheddar cornbread muffins. I did a test batch with a simple recipe I found online, and they were delicious, but at least one-fourth stuck to the cupcake liners I used. I am thinking of trying again and just spraying the muffin tins this time. Any suggestions?

A: We’ve received multiple variations on this question in recent months in our live weekly chat, where we help you level up your skills in the kitchen. No one wants to miss out on a single bite of a tasty muffin, so let’s try to get to the bottom (see what I did there?) of the problem.

There’s no single answer to why muffins stick to paper liners. The muffins may have been overbaked or underbaked. You could be using a dark-colored tin that sets and dries out the bottom too much. You could be trying to eat the muffin right out of the oven, rather than waiting a few minutes for it to cool and set. The quality of the paper liners could be at play, too. Not all are necessarily nonstick. There could be various factors contributing from the recipe as well - the batter could be very moist or delicate, for example, making sticking or tearing more likely.

As to possible solutions, let’s run through a bunch.

Don’t use paper liners at all. In the interest of less waste and better color on the sides of my muffins, I long ago ditched using the paper cups. Instead, I invested in a fairly reasonably priced metal muffin tin, the Oxo Non-Stick Pro model, and never looked back. In conjunction with a just-in-case light coating of butter or oil in the wells, the tin releases muffins beautifully every time. (I, do, however recommend paper liners for cupcakes, as they tend to be more delicate and higher in sugar, which equals potential disaster if baked in an unlined tin.) Nonstick cooking spray, as suggested in the Whole-Grain Apple Crumb Muffins pictured at top, is another option, though it’s generally not advised for nonstick pans due to the risk of potential gunky buildup, especially on the surfaces not covered by food.

Try silicone instead. Several readers wrote in highly recommending silicone muffin cups or muffin pans. I used silicone muffin pans for years with decent success, but they had the same drawbacks as any other kind of silicone bakeware. They didn’t get baked goods brown enough, they could be awkward to move thanks to their flexible nature and they eventually got to the point of never seeming clean. But if their nonstick nature is paramount to you, they’ll get the job done well enough.

Grease the paper liners. As PJ Hamel says over at King Arthur Baking, greasing the paper is a “better safe than sorry” move. I’d use a mist of nonstick cooking or baking spray. Another option is to make your own liners by cutting squares of (inherently nonstick) parchment paper that you tamp down into the muffin tin.

Ensure the muffins are properly baked. Since under- or overbaking muffins can contribute to them splitting and sticking, check to make sure they’re done before pulling them out of the oven. A tester, such as a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted in the center of a muffin (I usually test one in the middle of the tin), should come out clean. Even better, check the temperature. For quick breads, including muffins, an instant-read thermometer inserted in the center should read 200 to 205 degrees, according to Hamel.

Be patient. As tempting as it is to eat a warm muffin straight out of the oven, waiting can pay off. Let the muffins rest for about five minutes in the tin, just until things are cool enough for you to handle, then pull them out and wait at least another five to 10 minutes before digging in. Baked goods tend to shrink and set a bit as they cool, meaning the muffins may release even better from the paper. And don’t worry, the muffins will still be plenty warm at that point.