MuffinsAmericanEasy

Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins

Name: Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins
Prep time: 19 min
Cook time: 22 min
Total time: 41 min
Yield: 12 servings
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 cup (245 g) plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat), at room temperature; 1 cup (250 g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature; 2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature; ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed; ¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil (canola or avocado); 1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract; 1½ cups (180 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled; 2 tsp (8 g) baking powder; ½ tsp (3 g) baking soda; 1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon; ½ tsp (3 g) fine salt; 2 tbsp (18 g) old-fashioned rolled oats; 1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado sugar (or more light brown sugar)

From the MyKitchenBank Kitchen

Tender, lightly spiced whole wheat muffins made with rolled oats soaked in yogurt and applesauce. They stay moist for days, are only moderately sweet, and have a crunchy oat-sugar top.

Prep: 19 min
Cook: 22 min
Wait: 25 min
Total: 1 hr 6 min
Makes: 12 standard muffins

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Ingredients

12 servings

For the muffins
1 cup (90 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 cup (245 g) plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat), at room temperature
1 cup (250 g) unsweetened applesauce, at room temperature
2 whole (100 g) large eggs, at room temperature
½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar, packed
¼ cup (60 ml) neutral oil (canola or avocado)
1 tsp (5 ml) pure vanilla extract
1½ cups (180 g) whole wheat flour, spooned into the cup and leveled
2 tsp (8 g) baking powder
½ tsp (3 g) baking soda
1½ tsp (4 g) ground cinnamon
½ tsp (3 g) fine salt
For the topping
2 tbsp (18 g) old-fashioned rolled oats
1 tbsp (12 g) turbinado sugar (or more light brown sugar)

Equipment (9)

12-cup standard muffin pan (about ⅓-cup / 80 ml per cup)
12 paper liners or neutral oil spray
Large mixing bowl (3-quart / 3 L)
Medium mixing bowl (2-quart / 2 L)
Whisk
Rubber spatula
Measuring cups and spoons or a kitchen scale
Ice cream scoop or large spoon (about ¼ cup / 60 ml)
Wire cooling rack

Steps

Before you start

Take the eggs and yogurt out of the fridge about 30 minutes ahead so the batter mixes evenly and doesn't turn clumpy.
Use unsweetened applesauce. Sweetened sauce will make the muffins too sweet and slightly gummy.
Use old-fashioned rolled oats, not instant or steel-cut. Instant oats turn mushy and steel-cut oats stay hard.
Plan for a 15-minute soak for the oats in the batter. It is part of the timing and is what makes the muffins tender.

1
Preheat and prep panOven 375°F / 190°C
- Position an oven rack in the center and heat the oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease each cup well with oil spray.
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Ready when: Oven reaches 375°F (190°C) and all 12 cups are lined or greased.
Tip: Grease the top of the pan around the cups too, since the muffins will crown over the edges.
2
Whisk the wet ingredients
- In the large bowl, whisk the eggs, brown sugar, and oil for about 1 minute.
- Add the yogurt, applesauce, and vanilla, and whisk until smooth and evenly combined.
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Ready when: No streaks of egg or yogurt remain, and the mixture looks uniform and slightly thick.
Tip: Cold eggs or yogurt can make the oil clump. Room-temperature ingredients blend smoothly.
3
Soak the oats
- Stir the 1 cup (90 g) of rolled oats into the wet mixture.
- Let it stand at room temperature for 15 minutes while you mix the dry ingredients.
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Ready when: The mixture looks thicker and the oats appear plump rather than dry.
Tip: Do not skip the soak. Un-soaked oats stay firm and pull moisture from the crumb.
4
Mix the dry ingredients
- In the medium bowl, whisk together the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt for 30 seconds until the cinnamon is evenly distributed and there are no lumps of baking soda.
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Ready when: The flour mixture is a uniform tan color with no pale or dark streaks.
5
Fold batter together
- Add the dry mixture to the soaked oat mixture.
- Fold with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom of the bowl, just until no dry flour remains, about 15 to 20 strokes.
- The batter will be thick and scoopable.
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Ready when: No dry flour pockets remain; a few small lumps are fine.
Tip: Overmixing develops gluten in the whole wheat flour and leads to tough, dense muffins.
6
Fill pan and add topping
- Mix the topping oats and turbinado sugar in a small pinch-able pile.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 cups, about ¼ cup (60 ml) each, filling them about ¾ full.
- Sprinkle the oat-sugar mixture evenly over the tops.
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Ready when: All cups are filled to the same level and each has a light coating of topping.
Tip: Use a scoop for even muffins so they bake at the same rate.
7
Bake the muffinsOven 375°F / 190°C
- Bake on the center rack at 375°F (190°C) for 20 to 22 minutes, rotating the pan front to back after 12 minutes if your oven bakes unevenly.
- The muffins are done when the tops are golden brown and spring back when lightly pressed, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
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Ready when: Golden tops that spring back, and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few dry crumbs.
Tip: Avoid opening the oven in the first 12 minutes so the muffin tops rise properly.
8
Cool and serve
- Let the muffins cool in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes, then lift them out onto the rack.
- Let them cool for another 5 minutes before eating, since they are fragile when very hot.
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Ready when: Muffins release easily from the pan and feel warm, not piping hot.
Tip: Leaving muffins in the hot pan for longer than 10 minutes traps steam and makes the bottoms soggy.

Good to know

Tips

Spoon flour into the measuring cup and level it, or weigh it. Scooping packs in extra flour and makes the muffins dry.
For bakery-style domed tops, fill the cups to the rim and bake at 425°F (220°C) for the first 5 minutes, then lower to 375°F (190°C) for about 15 minutes more.
Add ¾ cup (100 g) of raisins, chopped walnuts, or diced peeled apple when you fold the batter for extra texture.
Check for doneness at 20 minutes. Whole wheat muffins dry out quickly if left in too long.

Make ahead

"Soak the oats in the wet mixture, cover, and refrigerate overnight (up to 12 hours). Whisk the dry ingredients separately. In the morning, fold them together, fill the pan, and bake, adding 1 to 2 minutes if the batter is cold. You can also bake the muffins a day ahead and store them as directed below."

Storage & reheating

"Room temperature: airtight container for up to 2 days. Refrigerator: up to 5 days. Freezer: wrap individually and freeze in a zip-top bag for up to 3 months. Reheat from frozen in a 350°F (175°C) oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or microwave a thawed muffin for 15 to 20 seconds."

Substitutions

plain yogurt (whole milk or low-fat) → Sour cream or buttermilk. Use the same amount. Buttermilk makes a slightly thinner batter, so the muffins may be a bit flatter.
neutral oil (canola or avocado) → Melted unsalted butter or melted coconut oil. Use the same amount and let it cool slightly before whisking it in. Butter adds a richer flavor.
light brown sugar → Maple syrup. Use ⅓ cup (80 ml) and expect a slightly softer, more moist muffin.
whole wheat flour → All-purpose flour. Use 1½ cups (190 g) for a lighter, softer muffin. White whole wheat flour also works one to one.