10 Fast Food Muffins, Ranked Worst To Best

At this juncture, it's likely that you already have a favorite drive-thru donut — perhaps from a chain like Tim Hortons or Dunkin'. You may also have a go-to bagel spot or a treasured fast food breakfast sandwich you lean on in a pinch. But what about a favorite fast food muffin?

Muffins are a one-of-a-kind baked good, often lumped with croissants, Danishes, and scones on café and bakery menus. Despite their entire schtick as an icing-free, less-sweet cupcake, muffins have somehow weaseled their way into this breakfast category. And honestly, I wouldn't have it any other way. I'll continue to let it slide because of their grab-and-go nature. Their individual wrappers make them oh-so portable — as long as you don't mind a few crumbs sprinkled here and there. I also can't ignore their versatility. Muffins can range from mini to monstrous, depending on your morning hunger levels, and span many different categories — from fruity and chocolatey to spiced. 

With such a wide range of tastes and sizes, it's difficult to pit one muffin against another. So, in order to rank a collection of several different fast food versions, I stuck to a few core criteria: texture, quality of ingredients, and balance of sweetness — because as a self-proclaimed morningtime item, it's essential that muffins dial it back in this department (at least a little). At the end of the day, some muffins rose above the rest.

10. Jason's Deli gingerbread mini muffins

Jason's Deli trades in one big muffin for four minis instead. And if you're surprised to hear that the soup, salad, and sandwich chain sells baked goods at all, you're not alone.

The muffins actually join desserts like cookies, cake, and brownies on the menu and come in two flavors: cornbread or gingerbread. In a fast food world overrun by blueberry and chocolate chip, these options caught me off guard. But weighing my options (and given the fact that cornbread doesn't fit into the breakfast family by any means), I prepared my tastebuds for an onslaught of sweet spices.

It came as no big shock that each bite-sized gem was like Christmas wrapped up into one sticky dewdrop. The texture and size are not unlike Entenmann's Little Bites — a bit sticky, small, and poppable. But, Jason's rendition makes a hard right turn for the unsavory. Piquant pops of ginger and cloves weigh heavily on the senses and there's simply not enough sugar or molasses to cut through the sharpness of the spice.

I will admit, my aversion to these morsels could have something to do with the fact that I've never been the most zealous gingerbread stan. It could also be that I just don't jive with this seasonal flavor profile in the dead heat of summer. Or it could be that these tiny, made-fresh-daily muffins are simply not on par with the more average-sized Joes found at other eateries.

9. Tim Hortons wild blueberry muffin

Canadians must like their muffins, eh? That's what I've gathered from the fact that the chain doles out not one, not two, but three different muffin flavors — and that's on top of its already teeming selection of hand-dipped donuts. Of course, I committed to giving all three a taste, and the wild blueberry variety ended up as the least impressive of all — edged out by both chocolate chip and strawberry cheesecake.

Before tearing into the blueberry, I will say that Tim Hortons' presentation skills are top-tier. Each muffin is encased in a four-petal flower liner, so opening it up feels like unwrapping a present. The dough didn't cling to the sides, leaving me with a picture-perfect muffin to bite into. As I appreciated this display, I also immediately took note of the muffin's strong aroma — likely a result of the distinctly wild blueberries. Unfortunately though, the flavor didn't live up to the heavenly bouquet.

If you had told me this blueberry muffin had been sitting in a grocery store container for a day or two, I would have believed you. The edges were stiff, as if it hadn't been freshly baked or had been slightly overbaked. Although they were seemingly real, the blueberries carried an artificial flavor and only added to the dryness of the muffin. The overall sweetness was lacking, resulting in more of a parched bread than a muffin. I couldn't help but think the man who lives on Drury Lane would be a bit disappointed.

8. Tim Hortons strawberry cheesecake muffin

It's a strawberry kind of summer at Tim Hortons. The chain has gone off the deep end, featuring the juicy fruit in a slew of new and returning menu items, including its strawberry cheesecake muffin. And let me tell you, my mouth was watering in anticipation of this seasonal offering.

The strawberry cheesecake muffin arrived topped with what looked like a sprinkling of crushed-up Wheaties or maybe even Grape-Nuts. Underneath, it appeared to consist of vanilla and pink strawberry batter swirled together. However, upon first taste, all first impressions — positive or otherwise — began to fall to the wayside as I realized the chain had gravely muffed the fruity flavor. The muffin is pumped with a candy-like strawberry essence, much like what you would find in one of those Russell Stover hard candy bonbons (you know, the kind your grandma always kept stocked in a crystal dish?). This artificial flavor made the first few mouthfuls rough. Thank goodness for the surprise at the muffin's center, which swooped in to save the day.

The cheesecake portion of the equation was hiding smack dab in the middle of the baked good. It's more like a cream cheese frosting than a cheesecake, but it adds some much-needed moisture and richness to the mix. The problem is, there's not enough of it to go around — and without it, the muffin is nothing more than a crumby letdown.

7. Panera Bread chocolate chip muffie

Leave it to the breadbasket that is Panera Bread to invent an entirely new kind of baked good. The chain has, and still does, dabble in the standard muffins we all know and love. But it has also introduced the world to what it has dubbed the "muffie". This clever spinoff still uses muffin dough but completely does away with the dense bottom section of the quick bread, leaving behind just the disc-shaped top portion — what many people argue is the most appealing part. A seasonal pumpkin muffie has been spotted in the past, but right now, just one lone muffie flavor sits on the menu: the classic chocolate chip.

Now, don't let the low ranking of this bakery product fool you. It is undeniably tasty. It's soft, with the perfect amount of chew and semi-sweet chocolate chips. However, I simply don't believe it belongs in this category or that it can be fairly pitted against other true muffins. The muffie is in a bakery breed all its own. In my mind, it lands somewhere between a pancake and a cookie, and not just because of the shape — but the consistency as well. Like a stackable flapjack, it's spongy and rich. But the lightly crisped edges and mini chips bear a strong resemblance to a chocolate cookie.

For these reasons, the muffie is left floundering somewhere between a morning-time delight and a decadent dessert. It's difficult to place, but I know for sure, despite its evident palatability, that it's quite out of place among this myriad of bona fide muffins.

6. Tim Hortons chocolate chip muffin

After Tim Hortons' previous two muffin mishaps, I didn't gaze upon the chocolate chip-speckled mound with much confidence. I figured that swapping out berries for chocolate could only help the matter. Right? I ended up being correct ... for the most part.

This chocolate chip breakfast treat doesn't necessarily have that fresh-baked finesse of a muffin straight from grandma's kitchen or whipped up at a gourmet bakery. But it does offer a taste that's comforting and satisfying enough to keep you coming back for another munch. Part of this has to do with the abundance of chocolatey morsels, which fill every nook and cranny of the baked good from hat to base. The inside is also quite soft, despite a rigid outer shell that mimics that of the Tim Hortons blueberry flop. At times, this particular muffin even reminded me of a cakey donut — a sentiment that may not be too far off given the source.

When all is said and done, what we have here is a middle-of-the-road muffin, nothing more and nothing less. As a bakery product that's made in large batches and handed to you through a drive-thru window, it fulfills its purpose. It's sweet without being cloying, dense without becoming too dry, and, most importantly, available alongside a steaming cup of Tim Hortons original blend coffee for all those times you begin your day in a pinch.

5. Starbucks blueberry streusel muffin

The coffee giant shows off its pastry prowess by baking up not just any blueberry muffins, but blueberry streusel muffins. This makes it sound like each one is sprinkled with fairy dust that elevates it from tasty to delicious. In many cases, that isn't far from the truth. For anyone not well-versed in baked goods, streusel is a mix of flour, butter, and sugar added to the top muffins and cakes for a delicious finish of sweet crunchiness. But sadly, Starbucks' version doesn't quite meet these expectations.

More like a layer of stale graham cracker bits, the streusel crumb top isn't especially crunchy, buttery, or sweet — leaving me to wonder why the chain bothered at all. The rest of the muffin fares better, though it's still nothing to write home about. The blueberries are big and hard to miss, but they're more chewy than juicy, and the flavor is faint, almost undetectable, in some bites. Overall, the experience matches the mediocrity of the chocolate chip muffin from Tim Hortons: a fine offering, but one that's unlikely to become anyone's must-have breakfast order.

Aside from flavor, I also have to mention the comical, mushroom-like shape of this muffin, which seems to defy both physics and gravity. The top part — or muffie portion, if you will — sprawls so far over the sides that it may be larger than the bottom. It's quite the scientific anomaly. So at least it has that going for it, even if it's not the most scrumptious.

4. Dunkin' blueberry muffin

Dunkin' designed its muffins like it had something to prove. These things are absolutely massive and just as heavy as they are large. They remind me of Otis Spunkmeyer's mega muffins that used to be a big hit in school cafeterias. When it comes to any kind of food, bigger doesn't always mean better. So I was leery of this behemoth. But it proved itself to be a fine choice, worthy of another order in the future.

Unlike Starbucks' take, streusel does not make an appearance in Dunkin's blueberry muffin recipe. But the chain doesn't let its crest go bare. Instead, it decorates the entire surface in a crunchy, ice-like crust – a great start to the offering, but also a feature that will have you feeling like Hansel and Gretel, scattering remnants wherever you go. Once I made it through this thick sucrose blanket, I was surprised to find that the inside was baked well and as fresh as could be — moist but not too doughy. Smaller bits of blueberry were spread throughout the batter, allowing the sweet and earthy tones of the fruit to come through in every nibble.

There aren't many faults hiding beyond this muffin's craggy exterior, aside from the fact that I don't think I could eat the entire thing in one sitting — to save myself some stomach space, but also avoid a sugar rush. But there are still a few muffins out there that piqued my taste buds even more.

3. Caribou Coffee blueberry muffin

Despite its small-format locations — which look, to me, like adorable blue guesthouses at the beach — Caribou Coffee churns out so many different drinks and has a stout food menu as well. All-day breakfast is served in the form of sammies, burritos, soufflés, and bakery items, including, you guessed it, muffins.

Caribou's muffin of choice is a blueberry, which it describes as "a moist, tender muffin loaded with whole blueberries; topped with streusel." Sounds like the coffee shop took a page out of Starbucks' playbook with this one. From the outside, the muffin is seemingly unremarkable in terms of its looks, size, color, shape, and light streusel topping. But don't be fooled. This one stands out from the crowd. It is the first muffin I came across that leans toward the light and fluffy side rather than the dense side, and the mouthfeel it provides is delightful. The bottom, hidden underneath the wrapper, even started to taste like a vanilla cupcake, but still with a balanced sweetness. 

I could have eaten this muffin plain — no blueberries and no streusel. But it's these adornments that take it to the next level. Caribou incorporates real, whole berries in its recipe. They're not overly juicy — likely due to the baking process — but provide an authentic and bold flavor. Meanwhile, the crumby fragments on top enhance the experience with their fine texture and subtle hints of sugar and sweet spices. It's near perfection.

2. Dunkin' coffee cake muffin

The Dunkin' coffee cake muffin is everything good about its blueberry sibling, just in a different font. It's just as sizable, if not even bigger, and shares the same tender foundation that lands somewhere between crumbly and melt-in-your-mouth, just as a well-made muffin should. The choice of flavor add-in is the only factor that separates the two, and for me, the cinnamon sugar taste of this coffee cake muffin is far more crave-inducing than the blueberry version.

This muffin does, in fact, lean into its coffee cake identity, complete with a proper streusel-like topping of brown sugar and cinnamon. This flavor ride continues as you dig deeper into the interior, where more pockets of the candied mixture are hiding in plain sight. Balanced with a perfect blend of moist texture and sugary spice, it's reminiscent of a brown sugar cinnamon Pop-Tart or even a nostalgic bowl of Cinnamon Toast Crunch cereal. And I mean that in the best way possible.

Like any proper coffee cake, there's no actual coffee involved — just the expectation that it be enjoyed alongside a cup of the real stuff. Thankfully, that's something Dunkin' happens to specialize in. So, what will it be? An iced option like the Caramel Craze iced signature latte or a cold brew elevated with cold foam? Perhaps something classic like an Americano or a cappuccino? Or, maybe you'll mix things up with something frozen? Honestly, with a muffin this good, you can't go wrong with any of these pairings. 

1. Panera Bread blueberry muffin

Of all the pastries in Panera Bread's repertoire, only one true muffin currently sits on the menu (since we've established the muffie deserves its own category). This muffin in question is not something elaborate like a cranberry orange muffin or apple raisin cobblestone muffin –which, by the way, have both frequented the café at one time or another. No, the current representative in this bakery bracket is the humble blueberry, although there is nothing really humble about this muffin.

On paper, Panera's offering is sneakily similar to Caribou's, featuring blueberries and topped with streusel. The two even share a similar, unassuming look — although Caribou's muffin is a few shades darker. The main difference is texture. Whereas Caribou bakes up a product that is light and featherlike, Panera opts for something more compact and rich. With fresh blueberries taking up plenty of space, the insides burst with flavor, and its dusting of crumbs on top contributes just enough sugar without going overboard.

Even with all these standout features, the true icing on this cake (or muffin, rather) is its buttery edge. Each bite is soaked in it, giving the entire muffin a homemade, fresh-from-the-oven flavor. It feels warm, cozy, and indulgent, but also versatile enough to enjoy during any season — perhaps why it has remained a year-round offering. So, there you have it. It's for all these reasons that a longstanding Panera muffin — a simple yet extremely well-executed blueberry — has stamped its ticket as the best of the best in the fast food world.

Methodology

You can never judge a muffin by its top. Sometimes the most parched, crusty exteriors give way to the richest, most flavorful interiors. So you have to keep an open mind. 

To rank these fast food muffins, I looked at a few key elements. Texture was first. Generally, muffins should be coarser and sturdier than cupcakes, but a few fluffier versions still caught my attention for doing it really well. Next, the flavor had to be fresh and real — think ripe berries or warm spices, not artificial strawberry notes (looking at you, Tim Hortons). Sweetness needed to land right in the Goldilocks zone: not bland, not cloying. And while not 100% essential, embellishments like streusel or sugar crystals often boosted a muffin's standing. Panera's streusel-topped blueberry, for instance, sealed its win with this extra touch of panache.

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