Best oatmeal muffins! These maple brown sugar oatmeal muffins are a healthy, hearty, delicious portable breakfast recipe.
Oatmeal muffins may not sound super exciting. But these are no ordinary oatmeal muffins. These are maple brown sugar oatmeal muffins. And they are awesome!
The muffins are sweet and are just hearty enough to be filling without being heavy. They make a great on-the-go breakfast, and I even like them for an easy dessert.
Ingredient notes and substitutions
- Oats: I haven’t tried using quick oats in this recipe, but I’ve heard from people who have successfully used quick oats to make the muffins.
- Milk: Anything from skim to whole milk will work. Non-dairy milks such as almond milk will also work.
- Oil: Any neutral oil such as canola oil will work.
- Brown sugar: If you prefer muffins that aren’t as sweet, reduce the brown sugar to 1/3-1/2 cup.
- Salt: Or use 1/4 teaspoon of table salt instead of kosher salt.
- Add-ins: I’ve heard from numerous people who have put their own spin on the muffins by adding ingredients like chopped nuts or raisins.
How to make oatmeal muffins
Here you’ll find step-by-step photos showing how to make the recipe. The full recipe is given below.
Step 1: Begin by mixing the oats and milk together in a large bowl.
Step 2: Add in the maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, and eggs until combined.
Step 3: Stir in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until just incorporated. Don’t overmix or the muffins will be tough.
Step 4: Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins. The batter will be on the thin/wet side.
Step 5: You can top the muffin batter with sparkling or raw sugar, if you prefer. Bake until the muffins are golden brown and the muffins spring back when lightly touched.
How to freeze
The muffins freeze really well. To freeze the muffins, bake as-directed.
Let the muffins cool to room temperature. Place the cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container, and freeze. The muffins will keep for up to 3 months.
Storage
The muffins will keep for 3-4 days when stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
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Maple Brown Sugar Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups old-fashioned rolled oats
- 1 cup milk¹
- 1/2 cup pure maple syrup
- 1/3 cup oil²
- 2/3 cup light brown sugar³ packed
- 2 large eggs lightly beaten
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt⁴
- Sparkling or raw sugar optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Combine the oats and milk in a large bowl.
- Add the maple syrup, oil, brown sugar, and eggs. Mix until combined.
- Stir in the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt just until combined. The batter will be wet.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin tins.
- Sprinkle sugar over batter, if using.
- Bake for 18-25 minutes, or until the muffins spring back when lightly pressed.
- Let the muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes.
- Remove to wire rack to finish cooling.
Video
Notes
- Milk: Anything from skim to whole milk will work. Non-dairy milks such as almond milk will also work.
- Oil: Any neutral oil such as canola oil will work.
- Brown sugar: If you prefer muffins that aren’t as sweet, reduce the brown sugar to 1/3-1/2 cup.
- Salt: Or 1/4 teaspoon table salt.
- Nutrition values are estimates.
Nutrition
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Originally published 1/2/2019.
Reader Interactions
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Comments & Reviews
Serina says
Best oatmeal muffin recipe yet!
Kate says
Thank you so much!
Patricia says
Easy to make and delicious results
Kate says
Thank you!
gord forsythe says
i added raisins yummy!
Kate says
Thanks! Glad that you liked them! =)
Deborah Cota says
Just curious, do you think I could sub applesauce for the oil? I’m on WW and look for every cut I can make.
Kate says
Hi! Totally get it! I’ve done WW, and I tried to make every point count. Here are some tricks that I use: I’ve found that subbing plain, nonfat Greek yogurt for half of the oil in cake and muffin recipes works out better than applesauce. I find that it gives the baked goods better texture without getting any gumminess the way that applesauce can. Also, I’ve heard from numerous people who have reduced the brown sugar. If you’re ok with a less sweet muffin, that’s another way you can cut. Hope that helps!
Ed says
thanks for the recipe. I have tried it a few times and have had the greatest success today. With maple syrup being very expensive, I have used honey (much less than asked for) and it seems to work out. I have also substituted apple sauce for most of the oil to reduce some calories, but of course increases sugar. Anyway, love the recipe.
Kate says
You are so welcome! Thank you for sharing your notes!
Andrea says
Just took out of the oven and they look and taste fantastic! I reduced the brown sugar to 1/3 cup like previous comments and still plenty sweet. I added blueberries to my batch and a tsp cinnamon. Yum yum! Will definitely make again! Thanks for great recipe
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad that you liked them. =)
Bryan Player says
I can’t say that I was skeptical and suprised at the results, I had high expectations for these. To make them a shade healthier I used white whole wheat flour. The tins were full when I put them in the oven and I half expected them to run over and make a mess but they rose modestly. The hardest thing about these perfect looking muffins was abiding by the cooling time before eating.
Wow is about all I can say. These are incredible, like a good oatmeal cooking transformed into a muffin. The only tweek to the recipe was letting the oats steep in the milk for about 15 minutes .
Kate says
I’m so glad that you liked them and that they worked out well for you! Thank you for taking the time to comment and to share your tips. =)
Linda says
Hello,
I am alone, so van I freeze half the batter?
Kate says
Hi! I haven’t frozen the batter, but I regularly bake and freeze the muffins. I bake the muffins and let them cool to room temperature, and then I place them in a resealable freezer bag. To reheat: I warm them from frozen in the microwave. Hope that helps!
Cheryl says
Hi I have to say I am not a good baker at all, however these muffins are absolutely wonderful, taste amazing, followed the recipe exactly! Thank you for the recipe?
Kate says
Thank you so much! =) I really believe that anyone can be a baker, so if you ever wants tips or help, please feel free to ask!
Momcat says
I can’t believe that I have not commented on these wonderful muffins considering that I have made them more than twenty times! They are easy, delicious and as others have noted very, very adaptable. The only changes that I have ever made was to reduce the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and sprinkle with maple sugar on top..Canadian…eh! In our area maple products are readily available locally and a friend actually substitutes maple sugar for the brown sugar but increases the oil slightly to make up for the missing moisture. But I love that if maple isn’t your ‘jam’ you can sub with honey or as another friend did, just omit it really didn’t change the muffin that much. Thank you again for sharing this awesome recipe! Stay safe, stay healthy…stay home and bake!
Kate says
I’m jealous that you can easily get maple products! Real maple syrup is one of my fave things, but it’s so expensive here, and there is no maple sugar to be found. I’m so glad that you’ve enjoyed the muffins!! =) I appreciate the notes. It’s so helpful to hear about the things that have worked for other people. Thank you! I hope you stay safe and healthy, too!
Jessica Sousa says
Could I add bananas to this recipe?
Kate says
I haven’t, but you could try! If I was going to try it, I would start by subbing 1 banana for 1 egg. Good luck! =)
Amber says
Did you end up trying banana in this? I was thinking of doing the same
Katie says
I had some left over mixture so I griddled it like a pancake it’s amazing
It makes great muffins and pancakes
Kate says
Great tip! I hadn’t tried that. Thank you for sharing! =)
Sarah Carder Pierson says
The best! Added chopped pecans and they were delicious.
Kate says
Thank you! Chopped pecans are a great addition!
Hetal says
I have made many different kinds of muffins over the years, and I have to say that these were outstanding. I reduced the sugar, added walnuts, some coconut and raspberry jam in the middle as previously suggested. YUM! This will be a family favorite recipe! Thank you
Kate says
Thank you so much!! And thanks for sharing your notes about the changes you made. That’s always helpful! =)
Trish says
Hi! I cut the sugar and maple syrup in half and added raspberry jam in the middle – and used quick oats – absolutely delish!!
Kate says
Hi! The addition of raspberry jam sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing that tip. =)
Vera says
Could honey be used in place of the maple syrup?
Kate says
I haven’t tried that sub in this recipe, but honey will usually make a great substitute for maple syrup.
Michelle says
Will all-natural cane sugar work in this recipe in place of brown sugar?
Kate says
I haven’t tried using all natural cane sugar, but the cane sugar that I’ve used has been more granular and isn’t as soft as brown sugar. Since the brown sugar provides both sweetness and moisture in the muffins, you may find that you need to make other adjustments.
michal says
wanted to know is there a way to increase amount of molasses or maple or honey and not use sugar at all?
Kate says
Hi! I’m sure that you could, but that will probably require other changes to the recipe.
Alyssa says
These literally are the most amazing oatmeal muffins! It’s such a versatile and forgiving recipe- I’ve made them twice already!
Kate says
Thank you so much! I’m so happy to hear that you’re enjoying the muffins. =)
Susan says
I used large flake oats, cut back the brown sugar to 1/3 cup and they were totally delicious! Nice easy recipe.
Kate says
Thanks! I’m glad you liked it! =)
Anna Warren says
Just a question! I came across your recipe but I have quick oats – will those work?
Kate says
Quick oats may work. They tend to be softer in baked goods, but they *may* work in this recipe.
Jodie Meyn says
I used quick oats and they worked great! I made the pancake too and that was super fun! My kids loved it.
Kate says
Thank you! That’s so good to know! =) I appreciate you sharing those tips.