The Toasting Hack That Will Change The Way You Eat Muffins

Whether you're the type of person who prefers a lighter start to the day or you simply can't handle chopping multiple ingredients to create something like an omelet so early, muffins just might be a staple in your morning routine. After all, you can bake them from scratch or you can buy them from the grocery store or your favorite bakeries and coffee shops, and there's a ton of variety. From fiber-filled bran muffins to fruity blueberry muffins to decadent chocolate variations, you can keep breakfast interesting by switching up your muffin flavors. However, if you've just been eating your muffins cold or adding a thin layer of chilled butter, there's a toasting hack that could be a total game-changer — and it doesn't require a ton of extra effort. The tip comes courtesy of the social media platform TikTok.

As The Kitchn reported, TikTok user AlDenteDiva first shared this hack in 2020, and another user, Christian Paul, shared a TikTok video showcasing the hack in February. While it's not something you can do on the go because you will need a pan and a heat source for this trick, it'll definitely level up your morning muffin. The only other component needed is one that most people have in their pantry: butter. As an added bonus, this hack works with any muffin flavor, although meltable ingredients like chocolate chips may take your muffins into an even more decadent realm.

While appliances like air fryers and toaster ovens make toasting oddly-shaped items a bit easier, you don't need any special appliances for this particular hack. This makes it accessible to breakfast lovers everywhere. As The Kitchn explains, you want to start by slicing your chosen muffin in half and buttering it. The outled sliced the baked good vertically, but you could slice it horizontally if you want to savor the muffin top or bottom individually. Then, simply heat a pan or skillet to medium-low and place the muffins in, buttered-side down.

This hack works because the sliced side will become toasted thanks to the heat the pan gives off and the addition of butter will make it golden brown and add an extra bit of flavor. The simple TikTok clip from Christian Paul racked up over 10,000 likes, with many commenting that it seemed like a brilliant idea. Others shared how they've been doing this for a while and advocated for what a game-changer it was.

If muffins aren't your baked good of choice, don't worry — this hack can easily be applied to other items with a similar cake-like structure such as sliced cake doughnuts, coffee cake pieces, or lemon loaf. For example, Sara Lee Desserts suggests using this same treatment to toast pound cake for a quick and easy dessert.