Let me start by telling you this: this is the third batch of these muffins that I’ve made in three weeks–that’s the sort of muffins we’re dealing with today. They’re the kind of muffin that’s good not only in the warm, comforting morning treat way, but also the I-don’t-have-to-feel-remorseful-all-day-over-what-I-ate-for-breakfast kind of way. And, to be completely honest, I wouldn’t be surprised if I whip up another batch as soon as this one is gone.
In other words, I’m pretty smitten with these muffins. They’re hearty and full of oats, sweetened with a touch of brown sugar and lots of strawberries. Yogurt keeps them moist and chopped pecans add a touch of crunch. Also, they hold up ridiculously well so if you hide them from your kids/husband/girlfriend/counter-surfing dog, the batch you make on Monday will carry you all through a whole week’s worth of breakfasts.
These muffins play off a recipe I found in my King Arthur Flour Baking Companion Cookbook (which I adore!). The original recipe calls for soaking oatmeal in buttermilk overnight–I’ve been using yogurt instead since I normally have it on hand. The yogurt tenderizes the oats so you’ll get all the of the good, oaty, nutty flavor but your muffins will be moist and tender, not dry and chewy. Just stir the oats and yogurt together, pop the bowl in the fridge, and go to bed. You’ll sleep well knowing muffins are in your near future.
In the morning, mix the oat-yogurt mixture with an egg, brown sugar, a little melted butter, baking soda, powder, and salt. Stir in flour, fruit, and nuts. I’m into the strawberry and pecan combo though I imagine in a few months, I’ll be subbing out slices of fresh peach with coconut and, a few months beyond that, maybe dried apricots and ginger.
Spoon the batter into a muffin tin and bake while you have that all important first cup of coffee.
Bake until the tops are golden. Muffins like these need no further adornment. No drippy glazes, not even a pat of butter–just grab your coffee, get in there, and gobble. And then make plans to bake another batch next week.
These wholesome muffins keep very well. Make a batch on Monday and you’ve breakfast covered for days!
In a small bowl, combine the oats and yogurt. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
Preheat the oven to 425°. Grease (**see notes) a stardard 12-cup muffin tin.
In a large bowl, stir together the yogurt and oat mixture with the sugar, melted butter, egg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Add the flour and stir until mostly combined. Gently fold in the sliced berries and pecans and stir until they are evenly incorporated and there aren’t any large pockets of flour remaining.
Divide the muffin batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake until the tops are golden and a tester inserted in the middle comes out clean, 20-22 minutes. Allow the muffins to cool at least 5 minutes before serving. Leftover muffins keep well for 5 days at room temperature.
*If using Greek yogurt, you’ll want to thin it with a little milk otherwise the batter will be too thick.
**Although you'll notice I used muffin papers, I wouldn't recommend it. I thought it might be "cuter" for the pictures (yes, that sounds crazy to me, too), but unless you let the muffins cool completely, they tend to stick a bit. Greasing the muffin tin is definitely the way to go.
These look amazing. And I love breakfast breads that don’t make me feel guilty. Usually when I make a batch of pumpkin bread or the like, I reserve half and do yogurt in lieu of oil/butter, little sugar, and dump in the nuts and dried fruits. Going to have to give these a try soon!
These look so delicious ! Can’t wait to make them . I will be going out tomorrow to get some plain yogurt-I have everthing else. Will let you know how they turn out. Have fun with your Mom in Chicago.
Thanks, Laura and I hope you like/d them!
Made these last night and my husband loved them! Mine are softer in appearance and texture because I left the oatmeal and yogurt in the fridge for almost 2 days. DH loves them like this but will try it overnight next time because I would like some of the strawberries to not become mashed like yours. Also my dough was more liquefied. But love these! DH wants them with coconut and pineapple now…idk what will happen 🙂 Thank you!
This sounds great. Two questions for you, (1)If using buttermilk, are the proportions the same, and (2) what would I have to do to adapt this recipe to a sheetcake as opposed to muffings?