Finally, preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C). Line your muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups very well with non-stick spray. Using a spoon or a cookie scoop, divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. They should be filled nearly to the top—this batter doesn’t rise dramatically, so you want a nice, full muffin. Pop the tin into the preheated oven and bake for 20-25 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are a lovely golden brown, and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Let them cool in the pan for about 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack. This rest time is crucial; it lets them set so they don’t fall apart when you try to take them out.
Pro Tips for Best Results
The temperature of your sausage is a silent but critical factor. I learned this the hard way when I got impatient and mixed hot sausage right into the batter. It began to cook the eggs on contact, creating weird, scrambled egg strands and making the batter difficult to pour. Letting the sausage cool for at least 10 minutes ensures your batter stays smooth and bakes up with an even, fluffy texture. This small wait pays off big time in the final product.
For the absolute best texture, avoid overmixing the batter. When you add the Bisquick to the eggs, stir just until the last streaks of dry mix disappear. When you fold in the sausage and cheese, stop as soon as they’re evenly incorporated. Overmixing develops the gluten in the baking mix and can turn your light, tender muffins into something more akin to a heavy biscuit. A few lumps are your friend here.
Don’t shy away from filling the muffin cups. This is a dense, chunky batter, not a light cake batter. It needs that space. Filling each cup nearly to the top (about 3/4 full) gives you a satisfying, substantial muffin with a nice crown. If you underfill them, you’ll end up with sad, flat pucks. I use a large cookie scoop for mess-free, even portioning every single time.
Common Mistakes to Avoid
The most common mistake is not draining and cooling the sausage properly. That residual grease isn’t just unhealthy; it will seep into your batter and make the muffins greasy and heavy. It can also cause them to stick to the paper liners in an unappetizing way. Take the extra minute to drain the cooked sausage well in a colander and then pat it gently with a paper towel. It makes a world of difference in the final texture and taste.(See the next page below to continue…)