Oatmeal Cinnamon Chip Muffins

Fluffy, moist, healthy (sort of), and just the right amount of sweetness from the cinnamon chips… that’s what these muffins are all about, baby. And once you slather a pat of butter on each half when still warm from the oven, you’ll have the right amount of salty richness, too.

Other than the cinnamon chips, the key to this recipe is the buttermilk~ it gives it a nice depth and tang. The good news is that buttermilk is low in fat, and with oatmeal as a star player in this recipe, you won’t need to fear the muffin top- and I’m talking about the kind that spills over your jeans, not the literal top of the muffin. (But you knew that.)

Enjoy!

1 cup quick cooking or old-fashioned oats

1 cup buttermilk

1 egg, lightly beaten

1/2 cup brown sugar

1/4 cup vegetable oil

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup whole wheat pastry flour

1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 cup cinnamon chips
1. Preheat oven to 400° and grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl, combine oats and buttermilk and let sit for 30 minutes.
3. In a large bowl, combine both flours, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt, and set aside.
4. In a separate medium bowl, combine egg, brown sugar and oil, then add to oat mixture and stir until well blended. Pour into bowl with flour mixture and stir until just blended. Gently stir in cinnamon chips.
5. Scoop evenly between muffin cups and bake for 15 – 20 minutes (until lightly browned and a cake tested comes out mostly clean of crumbs).
Tips:
- No cinnamon chips? Although it would severely bastardize the name of this muffin, you are welcome to substitute chocolate, butterscotch or peanut butter chips instead of the cinnamon ones, which I really think are worth ordering online. But it’s your call. (You might choose to omit the 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon mixed in with the flour if you’re using chocolate, unless you love that flavor combo- many do. And many don’t.)
- Whole wheat pastry flour is a healthy baker’s BFF. If you don’t have it, you can use half whole wheat flour and half all-purpose. The texture won’t be as light, that’s all.
- Buttermilk substitute: pour regular milk into a measuring cup- just shy of a full cup- and then add a tablespoon or two of vinegar or lemon juice. Allow to sit for 5 minutes (to get clumpy). Voila- butter-ish-milk.
- Quick idea… sprinkle crunchy cinnamon sugar over the top before putting in the oven (2 tablespoons of sugar-in-the-raw/turbinato sugar mixed with 1 teaspoon of cinnamon). Sigh.
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March 31st, 2012 | More Sweets Please | No Comments | Tags: Breads & Muffins, Cinnamon, Oatmeal