Oatmeal is one of my standbys for weekday breakfast. Though I’ve got to admit, a bowl of oatmeal in the morning can feel like an obligation. With Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Muffins, I get my oat fix with the joy that baked goods for breakfast bring.
A schmear of butter on a still-warm whole wheat and oatmeal muffin takes it up a notch. And it pleasantly distracts from any question about whether the muffin fulfills my doctor’s advice to eat more oatmeal. Still, whole grain goodness from the whole wheat and oat combo shines through. (Though it could be the brown sugar;)
Not to mention the virtuous feeling that comes from planning ahead for an overnight soak of rolled oats in buttermilk. The payoff is a smooth texture and creamy flavor. The soak is the only hard part of the otherwise easy muffin method.
Mine is adapted from a recipe in the classic The Breakfast Book by Marion Cunningham. It was a title I borrowed on repeat from my public library in the early aughts when I was revisiting whole wheat flour. And I was surprised by how good the “Irish Oatmeal Muffins” were, with no white flour at all.
The original recipe calls for a yield of two dozen small muffins. But I had better results making an even dozen. The larger muffins have a better rise and a more generous heft. But they stay true to my first impression of a surprisingly delicious muffin.
More Please?
- The muffin method, one of the first things taught in kitchen science 101, is a favorite of mine. You know the drill. Assemble the dry ingredients, then the wet, and fold to combine, lumps welcome. It’s also the reason I’ve been unreasonably stressed about over-mixing ever since.
- Cranberry Whole Grain Muffins, also with oats, have a wintry vibe. But if it’s cranberry season, you can’t go wrong.
- Why are oats old fashioned? Check out this list from the Whole Grains Council of the various types of oats. It’s also a good spot to browse recipes for all sorts of whole grains.
- No oats, but Banana Muffins with Crumb Topping are a delight whenever you’ve got over-ripe bananas in your fruit bowl.
Whole Wheat and Oatmeal Muffins
EQUIPMENT
- 1 standard 12 cup muffin tin
Ingredients
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 large eggs
- ¾ cup brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- 1 ¾ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- Stir together oats and buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Grease the muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, beat together the eggs and sugar until smooth. Stir in the buttermilk-oats mixture. Pour in the melted butter and stir well.
- Add the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon on top of the wet ingredients. Stir until just combined.
- Use a ¼ cup scoop to fill each cup of the muffin tin to the top.
- Bake for 20 minutes or until muffins are golden brown and set.
Notes
- While an overnight soak in buttermilk yields more of a moist texture, the recipe works with a quick soak. Stir together the oats and buttermilk first, then continue with the recipe as written.
- Because I don’t go through whole wheat flour as quickly as all-purpose flour, I store it in the freezer per the suggestion on the packaging.
- I use an instant-read food thermometer to check the doneness of baked goods. For muffins, I aim for an internal temperature of 200 degrees F. Especially with a new recipe, I start checking a few minutes early and adjust cook time as needed to achieve the desired internal temperature.
