I think many people misunderstand what a muffin is...the Otis Spunkmeyer muffins, for instance, are little more than cake disguised in a breakfast-friendly package. These Oatmeal muffins are more like what muffins started out to be. Simple (albeit somewhat bland) additions to a meal. I find that they are perfect in their simplicity, a wonderful base to a dollup of jam. The original recipe I had called for 1/4 to 1/2 cup of honey or molasses instead of sugar and was a nice 'non-jolting' way to begin the day. They are a good base to add fruit or nuts. I like banana with pecans; chopped apple and cinnamon; dates with extra molasses. Tailor them to your tastebuds, but don't mistake them for a cake-like muffin. These are much more substantial, and you won't be hungry in an hour.
I altered most of the ingredients for a healthier alternative, and they always turn out great! I use soy milk instead of regular milk (I use chocolate or vanilla flavoured, then I leave out the sugar in the recipe). I use applesauce instead of vegetable oil. Whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose. And if I use plain soy milk, I use honey instead of the white sugar. Basically this adds soy protein and fiber, while cutting down on calories and fat. A delicious alternative to a store bought granola bar.
I've made this recipe many times now and tried lots of additions - one mashed banana w/ pecans blueberry and grated lemon peel grated apple and cinnamon... etc... all have been good. I've also increased the sugar to 1/3c (and sometimes use brown) and substituted buttermilk for the sweet milk - this recipe is incredibly easy and versatile and has become my new base muffin recipe! Thanks Tony!
I love this recipe. It's very flexible and forgiving. I use applesauce instead of oil, and brown sugar in place of the white. Sometimes I add some snipped fruit (apricots, prunes) or finely chopped apple. I love the texture and they're not too sweet. Great with a cup o' tea in the morning. (they freeze well)
This was a great recipe! I agree with the other reviews - it is kind of simple it would be great with fruit added. I added cinnamon nutmeg and chopped nuts. I also replaced the vegetable oil with applesauce to reduce the fat and calories and used brown sugar instead of white. They still turned out great. The batter seemed a little runny but the muffins turned out great. Much lighter than my usual bran muffin recipes.
I liked this recipe. I have made it twice now. The first time I followed the recipe exactly and had very nice muffins but I agree with some other reviewers that it was a little bland. The second time I altered the recipe beyond recognition still with good results. I wanted a morning glory style muffin using what I had on hand so here is what I did. For the oats and flour I used 1/2 c corn meal 1/2 c wheat flour 1/2 c wheat germ and 1/2 c all purpose flour. Instead of just milk I used 1/2 c pumpkin 1/2 c milk and finally instead of sugar I used pure honey. The result was a golden yummy healthy muffin not too sweet but full of flavor. This recipe is wonderful as a starting point.
What a great muffin recipe! Nice because it is low fat....I added apple sauce in place of the oil. If you do this, you may want to spray your muffin cups with a little cooking spray so the papers don't stick to the muffins. I also added some cinnamon and raisins. I also decreased the baking time by 5 minutes, as recommended by another user. The texture and taste are great!
Thanks for offering this recipe:)
I simply loved this recipe! I doubled it and made 8 huge muffins! Ths recipe is sooo easy and healthy alternative to the butter-sugar bombs out there. This one gives you muffins soft on the inside and crispy on the outside. And it keeps you full for quite some time! Loved it, thank you!
These were excellent! I make a lot of muffins and I am always looking for new recipes. I used the old-fashioned oats and added some craisins to the batter. These had a moist texture. LOts of "add-in" possibilities. Today I'm making them with salted peanuts. Yumyum!
I doubled the recipe and added 2-3 tsp vanilla 2-3 tsp cinnamon and 2 chopped up apples. I used brown sugar instead of white sugar. I'm not sure my kids will eat them becaue they are so bland. I will not make these again.
