The Mason Jar Lid Hack That Lets You Say Goodbye To Your Muffin Tin

Muffins are a beloved treat. They come in an array of classic flavors, such as blueberry, banana nut, and chocolate chip, or you can get more experimental with spiced rhubarb and cardamom oat muffins. They are also portable, meaning they are an easy option if you're crunched for time while getting ready in the morning or need a snack for a road trip. The best muffins are moist and fluffy with a light crumb and a slightly caramelized top. The treat is typically baked in tins designed to make six or 12 muffins at a time. But what if you don't have the special baking pan? Luckily, there is a hack that will yield delicious muffins using a sheet pan and a handful of Mason jar lids.

To try the hack, take regular-sized lid bands from canning jars and line them up on a sheet pan with the wider mouth of the band facing down. Then place a muffin liner inside the smaller opening of the band, fill it with muffin batter, and bake as usual. The metal lids are heatproof, so they are safe to go into the oven. Using this trick, you can make an irregular number of muffins without worrying about damaging the pan by leaving one of the muffin cups empty during a bake. You can even make a single tester muffin to try out a new batter or simply prepare the amount you need for your household size.

If you enjoy baking homemade treats, chances are you might have attempted your own canned foods, like a three-ingredient strawberry jam or super-crunchy homemade pickles. Or perhaps you just have some Mason jars laying around that you use for food prep, or as drinking glasses. Now, the lids of the canning jars have another purpose. To get the best results from baking muffins with this hack, there are a few tricks to master. First, pay attention to the size of the lids. Regular bands are the best size as wide-mouth bands are too big to properly support the muffin liner. However, if you have liners of different sizes — like mini muffin liners — you can try them using a smaller canning jar lid. Just make sure the liner fits snug against the edge of metal lid.

Next, make sure you're using thick muffin liners as the thin paper ones are likely to collapse under the weight of the muffin batter. It's best to use a durable foil muffin liner or a thick paper liner. You can also use sustainable silicone liners, although those can be placed directly on the sheet pan without the support of the canning lid. With the Mason jar lid muffin hack, you can easily bake your muffins without the need for a special tray.