These wholesome oatmeal muffins are good for breakfasts and snacks! Deliciously cozy with numerous heat spices, smooth oats fill each chunk. A particular ingredient and mixing trick yield an extremely tender and moist texture, with nearly no further effort. Really — this muffin recipe is kind of simple to make!
One spring weekend throughout highschool, my dad dropped me off at a good friend’s home. Between our busy schedules and the way she lived a number of cities away, we hardly ever noticed one another, so we took benefit of that sunny Saturday and deliberate a complete day of enjoyable.
Round midday, we walked two miles alongside the bike paths and trails in her neighborhood that ultimately led to a cute downtown space. She prompt one of many smaller native eating places, and the hostess instantly seated us exterior at a small desk for 2.
I opened the menu and began scanning the assorted choices. My good friend identified her favorites, together with a cranberry and apple spinach salad and one other of goat cheese and blended greens, whereas a waiter set down two frosty glasses of ice water and a petite wicker basket within the middle of the desk.
After we thanked him, my good friend pulled again the linen serviette to disclose two varieties of heat, freshly baked bread: an ethereal white sourdough and a heartier complete wheat. Entire oats garnished the tops of the latter, and as we totally loved snacking on each superbly smooth varieties whereas ready for our entrées, I made a psychological be aware to strive adorning my subsequent batch of muffins the identical approach.
The next weekend, again in my very own kitchen, I pulled out a set of blending bowls and set to work. After dolloping the batter into our well-worn muffin tins, I sprinkled a tiny pinch of oats on high of every one. I smiled down on the pale flakes, slid the pans into the oven, and set a timer.
When it beeped, I slipped my hand into an oven mitt and positioned the tray on high of the range. Impatient, I leaned in opposition to the granite countertop and stared at their superbly tall domed tops, lazy curls of steam rising from the tip of every, silently keen them to chill sooner. Lastly, after what felt like an eternity, I gently picked up the primary one to maneuver it to a wire rack…
And the entire oats fell off — each final flake.
The identical factor occurred once more… And once more… And once more. Irrespective of how gingerly I touched them, the toasted and barely crunchy oats popped proper off and scattered all around the flooring. Not a single one remained on the muffins.
By the point all twelve sat on the cooling rack, I couldn’t assist however snort… And I additionally realized a invaluable lesson.
Oats do significantly better inside of muffins!
In order that’s the best way I made these final wholesome oatmeal muffins! I folded the oats into the batter, relatively than sprinkling them on high, and I completely liked the best way they turned out.
Extremely smooth, deliciously cozy, candy and spiced and delicious… They all the time appear to vanish shortly — as a result of they’re good for breakfast, mid-morning espresso breaks, and even afternoon snacks!
QUICK OVERVIEW – THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY OATMEAL MUFFINS
Problem: Primarily simple, together with for a lot of newbie bakers.
Style: A number of heat spices shine in opposition to a comfy backdrop of oats.
Texture: Very tender and moist, with smooth oats in each chunk.
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY OATMEAL MUFFINS
Let’s discuss what you’ll must make these final wholesome oatmeal muffins! Many of those components are baking staples, so there’s probability you have already got nearly the whole lot you want.
Oats. No surprises right here! To make these wholesome oatmeal muffins, you’ll use instantaneous oats. They’re additionally referred to as “fast cooking” or “one minute” oats — they usually’re not those that are available particular person packets with flavors like maple brown sugar or apple cinnamon!
Similar to conventional old style rolled oats, instantaneous oats solely embody one ingredient: oats. Nonetheless, they’ve one key distinction. Whereas old style rolled oats are giant and thick, instantaneous oats are a lot thinner and smaller. This dimension distinction means they soften sooner, so utilizing instantaneous oats offers your muffins the most effective smooth and tender texture!
Tip: In the event you’d prefer to make your final wholesome oatmeal muffins gluten-free, then use licensed gluten-free instantaneous oats. They work completely!
Flour. I examined a number of varieties of flour. Common complete wheat flour and white complete wheat flour have been my two favorites! They each have the identical well being advantages, like further fiber and micronutrients, and produce the identical moist and fluffy texture.
But I observed that they yielded barely totally different flavors. Common complete wheat flour supplied a delicate nuttiness, which added to the muffins’ coziness, however it additionally muted a little bit of the spices’ taste. (We’ll get to what these spices are in a minute!) With its milder style, white complete wheat flour utterly pale into the background, so the flavour of the oats and heat spices really shone.
So for those who’re an enormous spice fan (like I’m!), use white complete wheat flour! In the event you’re not too choosy and primarily need cozy-tasting muffins, go together with common complete wheat flour (it’s often simpler to search out!) — or simply attain for whichever of the 2 flours at present sitting in your pantry stash.
Tip: In the event you’d prefer to make your final wholesome oatmeal muffins gluten-free, then see the Notes part of the recipe. I’ve shared my high gluten-free suggestions there!
Spices. That’s proper — plural! You’ll add cinnamon, nutmeg, and ginger to those wholesome oatmeal muffins. Cinnamon provides that acquainted comforting taste you understand and love, whereas nutmeg offers richness and ginger yields an additional cozy background heat.
I performed round with the quantities of every of those spices. With out every other mix-ins (like carrots, zucchini, or apples — like I’ve carried out in totally different variations!) to distract from or complement their taste, I discovered I craved extra spices in these muffins. After a number of rounds of testing, I landed on a ratio that yielded the right heat, cozy, and comforting taste!
Tip: I extremely suggest utilizing Saigon cinnamon! It has a barely richer, sweeter, and stronger taste than common cinnamon. It’s principally the one type I exploit in my baking now, and I purchase it on-line right here. (It’s actually reasonably priced!)
Unsalted butter. Solely a small quantity! Many muffin recipes name for ¼ to ½ cup of butter or oil (if no more!), however you solely want ½ tablespoon for this recipe. That helps hold your final wholesome oatmeal muffins low calorie and low fats! However I promise they’re simply as moist and smooth as different muffins. We’ll cowl why that’s momentarily!
Tip: You may simply substitute any neutral-tasting oil for the butter. Coconut, canola, and lots extra — so be happy to make use of no matter you’re most comfy with!
Egg whites. These bind collectively the components, they usually additionally contribute to your oatmeal muffins’ construction. The whites include nearly all of the protein in eggs, and that protein helps your muffins rise within the oven and likewise helps stop them from collapsing whereas cooling.
Greek yogurt. Considered one of my favourite components in wholesome baking! I’ve used it to make nearly the whole lot conceivable: muffins, scones, pancakes, waffles, muffins, cupcakes, brownies… Even frosting and whipped cream!
On this recipe, Greek yogurt provides the identical moisture to the batter as further butter or oil — however for a fraction of the energy. It’s additionally stuffed with protein, so it offers your wholesome oatmeal muffins a protein enhance too!
Milk. Nearly any sort will work, so be happy to make use of no matter you have already got in your fridge! I usually use unsweetened almond milk, unsweetened cashew milk, and fat-free milk probably the most.
Sweetener. To sweeten these final wholesome oatmeal muffins, I turned to a different one in all my favourite components: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, no-calorie sweetener that incorporates nothing refined or synthetic (aka it’s clear consuming pleasant!). It’s additionally extremely concentrated, so a bit goes a good distance. You solely want 1 ½ teaspoons to sweeten your whole batch of muffins!
Tip: Many stevia manufacturers and merchandise have totally different sweetness ranges, so that they’re not essentially 1-for-1 substitutes for one another. For the most effective outcomes, I extremely suggest utilizing the identical one which I do! I purchase it on-line right here as a result of that’s the most effective value I’ve discovered. It’s not a “one-time use” ingredient both — you should utilize it to make all of these different recipes of mine too!
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY OATMEAL MUFFINS
Now that you simply’ve gathered your components, let’s cowl tips on how to make the most effective wholesome oatmeal muffins! Like I promised earlier, this recipe is pretty easy and simple. Nonetheless, I’ve some tricks to share with you to make sure your muffins end up completely!
Measure appropriately. I do know, I do know… I sound like a damaged file and say this all the time — however it’s extremely essential! So sure, I’m going to repeat myself but once more.
Be sure you measure every of the components correctly, particularly the oats and flour! Use this methodology or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I personal!) An excessive amount of of both one will dry out your muffins, notably the oats. They act like little sponges and take in numerous moisture from the batter!
Nonetheless, for liquid components (those given in mL), skip the dimensions and use common measuring cups as an alternative. Nearly each liquid ingredient has a distinct density, which implies that all of them have totally different weights per quantity. So except you’re keen to search for every one’s density and do the mathematics to transform from mL to grams… Common measuring cups are a lot sooner — and extra correct!
Combine by hand. That’s proper! Put away your stand mixer and hand-held mixer. They have a tendency to overmix low-fat batters, like this one. Overmixing results in rubbery, gummy, dense, or robust textures. Not good… However for those who make your batter by hand, your wholesome oatmeal muffins ought to end up completely smooth and tender!
So use a whisk the place explicitly instructed and a fork for the whole lot else. Yup, that’s proper — a fork! Not a spatula or picket spoon. I do know it sounds unusual, however there’s a cause behind this logic…
Spatulas and picket spoons have flat, broad surfaces. A fork has empty area between its tines. These empty areas let components cross by and blend collectively extra effectively, which additionally helps guard in opposition to overmixing, so a fork helps yield a softer and moister texture. I exploit this fork trick on a regular basis — and it really works like a attraction!
Soak the oats. I already constructed this into Step 2 of the recipe, however I wish to cowl why! In your first bowl, you’ll combine the oats with the Greek yogurt and among the milk. By doing so, the oats begin absorbing moisture forward of time, so they start to melt earlier than you even pop your muffins into the oven. That helps create a fair higher moist and tender muffin texture!
Trace: It’s the identical approach my in a single day oats recipes work! Mixing the oats with yogurt and refrigerating them in a single day yields the identical smooth texture as for those who had cooked them the extra conventional approach within the microwave or on the range.
Tip: Be sure you let the oats sit in that yogurt-and-milk bathtub for a minimum of 10 minutes. So long as you soak them first, earlier than measuring any of the opposite components or mixing them collectively, they need to have sufficient time to start plumping up and softening!
Prep the liners. Low-fat batters, like this one, have a tendency to stay to muffin liners like superglue. (Belief me… I spent an embarrassing period of time prying one batch out with an offset spatula and toothpicks!)
So earlier than dolloping the batter into your muffin cups or muffin liners, generously coat them with nonstick cooking spray. This little trick means the muffins ought to pop proper out of the pan or, for those who’re utilizing liners, they need to peel away fairly simply, similar to with conventional muffin recipes.
Bake. It’s time! Slide your pan into the oven, set a timer, and wait… Impatiently, for those who’re something like me. (The additional cozy aroma wafting all through the home doesn’t precisely assist!) The muffins ought to rise properly within the oven, with superbly tall domed tops, they usually’re carried out baking when the facilities really feel agency or a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out with a number of crumbs hooked up.
Then all that’s left to do is eat — the most effective half!
THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY OATMEAL MUFFINS – FLAVOR VARIATIONS
Consider this wholesome oatmeal muffins recipe as a improbable clean canvas. With a number of tweaks and mix-ins, you possibly can simply customise them to fit your tastes and fulfill your cravings! I’ve included a few of my favourite taste variations under. (I extremely suggest beginning with the carrot one… These muffins style like carrot cake!)
FAQS ABOUT THE ULTIMATE HEALTHY OATMEAL MUFFINS
Are these oatmeal muffins sugar-free, low calorie, low fats, gluten-free, or clear consuming?
They positive are! As written, these wholesome oatmeal muffins are clear consuming, sugar-free, low fats, and low calorie (in comparison with conventional recipes!). I’ve additionally shared my high suggestions for making them gluten-free within the Notes part of the recipe.
Can I exploit old style rolled oats?
Form of! Measure the identical quantity of old style rolled oats, however pulse them in a blender or meals processor first, till they’re ⅛ to ¼ of their authentic dimension. This makes them nearer in dimension to instantaneous oats, so your muffins ought to have an analogous smooth and moist texture.
What a couple of totally different flour?
Yup! White complete wheat flour and common complete wheat flour are my two favorites, however complete wheat pastry flour and all-purpose flour additionally work. (See the Notes part for my gluten-free suggestions!)
Can I exploit complete eggs?
Sure once more! Use two giant eggs, and cut back the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added quantity from the yolks.
I don’t like stevia. Can I substitute one thing else?
Completely! I perceive it’s an ingredient that doesn’t essentially work for everybody, so I’ve included a number of totally different sweetener choices within the Notes part of the recipe. Verify there — and bear in mind you’ll want to vary the quantity of milk to compensate for this modification too!
How a couple of totally different sort of milk?
You wager! Nearly any sort will work, so be happy to make use of no matter you have already got in your fridge.
I like a robust spice taste. Can I add extra?
You sound similar to me! You may completely bump up the spices, for those who’d favor. Keep in mind, cinnamon = coziness, nutmeg = richness, ginger = heat. Cinnamon is usually the simplest one to tweak, so strive beginning there. (In the event you aren’t utilizing it already, I additionally extremely suggest Saigon cinnamon — it has a stronger taste!)
My muffins turned out gummy or dry. Why is that?
There are a number of frequent culprits. First, ensure you’re measuring the components appropriately. An excessive amount of flour or too many oats will shortly dry out your muffins and may make them crumbly. (And don’t use a kitchen scale for any components given in mL!) Second, gently combine by hand. No stand mixers or hand-held mixers! Third, don’t overbake these muffins. That can even make them dry!
(See the “Methods to Make the Finest Wholesome Oatmeal Muffins” part above for extra particulars about every of those!)
What’s the easiest way to retailer these wholesome oatmeal muffins? And the way lengthy do they final?
Retailer any leftover muffins in an hermetic container within the fridge. They need to hold for a minimum of 4 days, if not longer! These oatmeal muffins additionally freeze rather well. (I usually suggest eradicating any paper liners earlier than freezing. They don’t all the time peel away as simply after thawing.)
Time for breakfast! And if you make your individual, would you thoughts leaving a remark and ranking the recipe? (You can even snap an image and share it with me on Fb!) I’d love to listen to what you consider these final wholesome oatmeal muffins!
The Final Wholesome Oatmeal Muffins
These wholesome oatmeal muffins are good for breakfasts and snacks! They’re easy to make and deliciously cozy with numerous heat spices and smooth oats in each chunk. Greek yogurt and “soaking” the oats (in Step 2!) yield an extremely tender and moist texture, with nearly no further effort! Leftovers will hold for a minimum of 4 days if saved in an hermetic container within the fridge.
Directions
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Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If utilizing liners, then line 12 muffin cups with liners and coat them with cooking spray.)
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In a medium bowl, stir collectively the oats, Greek yogurt, and ¼ cup of milk. In a separate bowl, whisk collectively the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a 3rd bowl, whisk collectively the butter, egg whites, vanilla, and stevia. Add within the oat combination, stirring till no giant lumps stay. Stir in ½ cup of milk. Alternate between including the flour combination and remaining ½ cup of milk, starting and ending with the flour combination, and stirring simply till integrated. (For finest outcomes, add the flour combination in 3 equal components.)
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Divide the batter between the ready muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 26-29 minutes or till the highest feels agency to the contact and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clear or with a number of dry crumbs hooked up. Cool within the pan for five minutes earlier than transferring to a wire rack to chill utterly.
Notes
IMPORTANT MIXING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: Do not use a stand mixer or hand-held mixer to make the batter. It will lead to rubbery, gummy, dense, or robust muffins. Use a whisk the place instructed, and use a fork for the whole lot else.
IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For a stronger spice taste, enhance the cinnamon by a further ¼ to ½ teaspoon and/or the ginger by a further ¼ teaspoon. (See the FAQ part in my weblog publish above the recipe for extra particulars!)
For sweeter muffins, enhance the liquid stevia by a further ¼ to ½ teaspoon.
OATS NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: Instantaneous oats are additionally referred to as “fast cooking” or “one-minute” oats. They’re smaller and thinner than conventional old style rolled oats, so that they soften sooner (which supplies these muffins their moist and fluffy texture!). They solely embody one ingredient — oats! — similar to old style rolled oats. You will discover instantaneous oats proper subsequent to the normal old style rolled oats on the grocery retailer. (They’re not those within the small flavored packets of oatmeal!)
In a pinch, to make your individual, add ¾ cup (75g) of old style rolled oats to a blender or meals processor, and pulse till they’re ⅛ to ¼ of their authentic dimension.
FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Common complete wheat flour, complete wheat pastry flour, or all-purpose flour could also be substituted instead of the entire wheat flour. (See the “Flour” header within the “Key Elements to Make the Final Wholesome Oatmeal Muffins” part above for more information about which flours I like to recommend!)
SPICE NOTES: I favor Saigon cinnamon (I purchase it on-line right here!) as a result of it tastes stronger, richer, and sweeter than common cinnamon. The nutmeg provides richness, and the ginger creates a beautiful background heat. (See the “Spices” header within the “Key Elements to Make the Final Wholesome Oatmeal Muffins” part in addition to the FAQ part in my weblog publish above the recipe for more information!)
EGG WHITES NOTE + ALTERNATIVE: The muffins require 2 full egg whites. The whites include nearly all of the protein in eggs, and that protein is required to make sure the muffins preserve their form and texture whereas cooling. With out each egg whites, the muffins will collapse whereas cooling and end up a lot denser.
In the event you favor to make use of complete eggs, then use 2 giant eggs AND lower the milk by 1 tablespoon (15mL) to compensate for the added quantity from the yolks.
STEVIA NOTES + ALTERNATIVES: Many stevia manufacturers and merchandise have totally different sweetness ranges, so that they’re not essentially 1-for-1 substitutes for one another. For the most effective outcomes, use the identical liquid stevia that I do. I purchase it on-line right here (← that’s the most effective value I’ve discovered!), and also you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too. (It is one in all my favourite components!)
Nonetheless, for those who strongly favor to omit the liquid stevia from the muffins, substitute ¾ cup (144g) granulated sugar, brown sugar, or coconut sugar AND cut back the milk to ¾ cup + 2 tablespoons (210mL). You may additionally substitute ¾ cup (180mL) pure maple syrup, honey, or agave AND cut back the milk to ½ cup (120mL) as an alternative. The baking time might differ barely with both of these substitutions as properly.
MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk could also be substituted instead of the nonfat milk.
GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use the next: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ½ teaspoons xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob’s Purple Mill) will work as properly, if measured like this.
HOW TO STORE: Retailer the totally cooled muffins in an hermetic container within the fridge. They need to hold for a minimum of 4 days, if not longer.
FREEZING TIPS: Peel off the paper liners earlier than freezing. (It’s more durable to peel them off after thawing or reheating the muffins!) I prefer to thaw particular person muffins within the microwave on 50% energy till they’re warmed all over. They nearly style freshly baked like that!
FLAVOR VARIATIONS: This recipe works as an incredible clean canvas! I’ve shared tips on how to modify it to create different taste variations right here (zucchini, apple, banana, carrot, pumpkin, peach, and extra — however I extremely suggest beginning with the carrot one… it jogs my memory of carrot cake!).
{gluten-free, clear consuming, low fats, decrease sugar}
View Diet Info + Weight Watchers Factors
You may additionally like Amy’s different recipes…
♡ The Final Wholesome Blueberry Muffins
♡ The Final Wholesome Chocolate Muffins
♡ The Final Wholesome Morning Glory Muffins
♡ Wholesome Blueberry Oatmeal Breakfast Fast Bread
♡ Wholesome Apple Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Wholesome Peanut Butter Oatmeal Bars
♡ Wholesome Oatmeal Raisin Snack Cake
♡ …and the remainder of Amy’s wholesome muffin recipes!
