Best Oatmeal Muffins Recipe (2024)

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As someone who only has coffee when she wakes up, these (together with the blueberry oatmeal muffins and the raisin bran muffins) were a great addition to my mornings, as I'm always looking for easy, delicious, and not sugar-laden ways to grab a bite.

A slightly sweet homemade muffin with oats is all of that.

They remind me of old-fashioned soft scones, the ones my great-grandmother made.

These oaty muffins have a wonderful chew and moisture thanks to soaked oats, a step that makes this a solid recipe the whole family will love.

Step-by-step VIDEO

Ingredient list

They are so simple that you probably have all of them at home right now.

• Buttermilk: use regular buttermilk.What if you can't find buttermilk? You can buy buttermilk powder and prepare it as you need to. Or make homemade buttermilk (it's VERY easy; see Notes in the recipe card for details).
• Oats: I use old-fashioned rolled oats (traditional oats) because they have more texture and hold their shape more, adding great texture to these homemade muffins. But you can use instant or quick-cooking oats, which will most likely produce a more even-textured muffin. But both work, it's not like you won't get good results by using the instant kind.
• Vegetable oil: use whatever type you like. I use sunflower oil (which I always have) or coconut oil if I want a healthier muffin recipe. Canola oil also works well. Even a light olive oil can be used if you're a little more daring with your flavors and are used to using it for baked goods.
• Sugar: both granulated white and brown sugar work well. The latter will give these oatmeal muffins a more golden hue, add a slight caramel undertone, and the result tends to be a more moist muffin than regular sugar.
• Egg: fresh, large.
• All-purpose flour.
• Salt.
• Baking powder and baking soda: ensure they're not expired as they help the muffins rise in the oven.

See the recipe card towards the end of this post for quantities. You can check the Ingredients page for more details and the brands we use.

Variations & substitutions

• Buttermilk substitute: use milk or unsweetened almond milk.
• Flour: use part white whole wheat flour or whole wheat flour (very finely ground). The texture will not be as soft, especially with the latter.
• Light brown sugar: substitute for all or part of the white sugar for a caramel undertone.
• Crunchy top: sprinkle a little sugar on each muffin before popping them into the oven, adding some crunchiness to the top.
• Flavor variations: adding spices or citrus will instantly change the flavor of these muffins. Pumpkin pie spice, apple pie spice, ground cinnamon, or orange zest are a great addition.

What is the difference between oats and oatmeal?

The technical explanation is that oats are the unprocessed grain itself, and oatmeal is the grain milled and turned into coarse flour.
The everyday answer is that the preparation from mixing oats with a liquid is also called oatmeal, porridge, or prepared oatmeal. In this recipe, we use buttermilk to make the oatmeal mixture, and the baked muffins turn out fluffier and moister.

What is the difference between quick oats and old-fashioned (traditional) oats?

Quick-cooking oats are simply small pieces of oats meant to be cooked faster. Traditional or old-fashioned ones require a process where they are flattened but maintain their shape. For this recipe, traditional oats work better because they absorb liquid well while holding their shape. But don't be discouraged from making them because you only have instant oats.

Is porridge the same as oats?

While oats are used to make porridge, they're not the same. Porridge can be made from other ingredients though the most common is probably oats, that's why they are used interchangeably. But don't buy a box of porridge for this recipe as it may contain other ingredients besides oats.

Preparing the oatmeal

It's as easy as mixing oats with the buttermilk in a bowl and letting it stand for a few minutes.

During this time, the grain will absorb some of the liquid, and the muffins will have a creamier texture but rustic at the same time since the oats will be chewier but not mushy.

How to make oat muffins

I love this recipe because it's the old-fashioned way of making muffins which is easy, and fast, and there's no need for fancy equipment or gadgets, except for a mixing bowl, a spatula, and a muffin pan.

Add sugar to the oatmeal mixture and mix until combined.

Add the egg and stir to combine well. There's no need to beat.

Add the oil and mix until you have a shiny, well-integrated mixture.

Add the dry ingredients to the oatmeal mixture or vice versa. Combine until no dry spots remain, but don't overmix!

Vintage Kitchen tip: combine the muffin batter with a wire whisk, a spoon, or a spatula. There is no need for electric beaters; they will overbeat the mixture, so they're discouraged from using them in this recipe.

Preparing the muffin pan

As shown in the image below, you can use paper liners or nothing.

The difference is that only the muffin tops will be crusty with the paper cups because the bottom and sides will touch the paper. They're easier to transport if that is the case.

If you butter the muffin tin and don't use the muffin liners, it will have more surface baking against the metal, resulting in a crust on the sides and bottom, not just on top.

Baking

Preheated oven: this is necessary so the muffins rise well. If you forgot to turn it on and the battle is already in the muffin pan, leave it at room temperature while the oven reaches the desired temperature.

When are they done? Use the baking time as a guide and test for doneness by inserting a cake tester or toothpick in the center. It should turn out clean with no wet crumbs attached.

Kitchen notes

• Organization:read the recipe first and ensure you have ingredients at the correct temperature, equipment, and enough workspace. This will make the process so much easier.
• Baking time:consider that all ovens and pans are different, even if they look similar. The baking time in my recipes is as accurate as it can be, but it might take you more or less time. You can use a thermometer(like the OXO oven thermometer) to check that your oven is at the right temperature. I recommend you keep track of how your oven works and what tiny details you might need to adjust.
• Stir, don't beat: the oat mixture only needs to be combined until moistened. Don't use an electric mixer for this recipe. Excessive mixing will make them tougher.
• Muffin pan: don't fill them more than ¾ of their capacity, no matter what size you use. This is important so they don't overflow in the oven.
• Smaller muffins: simply use a pan for mini muffins. The baking time will be much less, so take that into account, and the yield will be double or slightly more depending on the size of the pan or pans.

Keywords: oatmeal muffins