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.
More muffin recipes!
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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
Kate says
Thank you for a fabulous recipe! It made me happy to see that I could use my unsweetened almond milk, I added extra cinnamon as we love it, and also added chopped walnuts and raisins. This is definitely a keeper!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked the muffins!
Renee says
Ok, I’ve never been a muffin fan, but I am now! Love them with scrambled eggs for breakfast and my afternoon cup of coffee. I also cut the sugar to 1/3 and add walnuts and sunflower kernels to boost the protein. Easy to make, freezes great, tastes yummy ; what’s not to love!
Kate says
Thank you!
Lirli38 says
Loved this recipe! I used 1/3 cup brown sugar, subbed applesauce for oil and threw in a grated carrot. Baked 22 min and they were perfect. Thank you!
Kate says
Thank you! And thanks for sharing your subs!
Carolyn says
These muffins are absolutely excellent following Kate’s exact recipe.
I am about to make my 2nd batch and consider this recipe a must to include in our Family Favorites!
Thank you Kate!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m so glad that you liked the muffins!
Linda says
Great muffins, we loved them. Next time I think I will add a few raisins. They freeze well.
Kate says
Thank you!
Barb says
Will quick 1 minute oats work?
Kate says
Hi! I’ve only used old-fashioned oats in this recipe, so I can’t say for certain that will work.
Ms S says
Easy and quick for a tasty muffin only change I made was the addition of 1 tsp maple flavoring- 💛
Kate says
Thanks! Glad you liked them!
Jim says
Perfectly delicious. Great recipe to add your favorite fruit to. We added grated apples and use sour cream instead of milk, YUM!
Kate says
That sounds delicious! Thanks for sharing that!
Alison, Canada says
A very good recipe. Mine were a tiny bit dry because I left them in the oven too long – forgot to set my timer right away. So I cut in half and put a bit of margarine on them.
Normally I always replace half the white flour with raw wheat germ – just didn’t have any on hand today. Even for baking powder biscuits I do that and they are very good.
Kate says
Thank you!
Patricia says
I have used this recipe twice!! I use buttermilk. I made muffins first; then, I added grated carrot (1 carrot) and orange zest and baked in 9 X 13 pan. Baked 20 minutes. Perfect. I forgot the chopped nuts. Next week I will put in nuts and dried cranberries!! Thanks for this recipe!!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you liked them!
Diane says
Great recipee … and in one bowl 👍 very tasty muffins. I put less than half the sugar and it’s perfect. I want to make the recipee again and add cranberries. Should I use frozen or thawed ? Thank you
Kate says
I haven’t tried adding cranberries to this recipe, but I’ve baked with fresh and frozen cranberries. If my cranberries are frozen, I just use them frozen. Hope that helps!
Margaret says
I used almond milk because I’m dairy free, 1/3 cup brown sugar (as suggested) for a less sweet muffin, and added about a cup of chopped frozen cranberries… The muffins rose beautifully and are moist and delicious!! Thank you for sharing this great muffin recipe!
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad you liked them!
Shelley says
These are delicious and one of my favorite healthy muffins. I add 1 tsp. maple extract to bump up the maple flavor and 1/2 cup chopped walnuts. They freeze beautifully and the fact that it’s a one bowl recipe?? Doesn’t get much better!
Barbara says
We’ve been having these muffins every Saturday morning since the start of Covid. They freeze well so one batch lasts the 2 of us for 3 weeks.
Kate says
I’m so glad that you like them! Thank you for taking the time to comment!
Tos says
Just made these a few minutes ago.
Makes a wholesome breakfast. My toddler wasn’t convinced but the grownups are pleased.
I amended the recipe
1. I added 1 heaped spoonful of 2% fat yoghurt cause the milk I had was only 1% (skimmed milk)
2. I significantly reduced the sugar content. 1 cup of maple syrup but only a quarter cup (or less)of brown sugar. It’s sweet with just that so unless you’re having it as a treat, I would suggest you did the same!
Thanks for the recipe
Kate says
Thank you! I’m glad that you enjoyed the muffins!
Kids says
I didn’t follow the recipe as is and ended up by making 2 mistakes: baking at 350° and using a mini-muffin pan. The rolled oats didn’t get soft enough and the final
result was not as good at what it could be. I’ll try this recipe once again and make it right :)
Kate says
I hope it works out well for you next time!
Sam says
Very good recipe. Easy to follow. I added 1/4 tsp allspice and heaping cinnamon, plus 1/2 as much sugar. Flavour is awesome! Mine were likely done in 15 mins – took them out at 18. I think mine could have tolerated a bit more moisture, next time I’ll add 1/4c more liquid.
Kate says
Thank you!
Crystal says
Very good and easy recipe. I made this using whole wheat flour and baked in a loaf. It smelled so good I could hardly wait to cut it!
Kate says
Thank you!
Pat says
These muffins are very tasty. My husband routinely tells me they are his favorite, which means when are you going to make them. Muffins freeze well.
Thanks for a great tasty muffin.
Kate says
Thank you!
Lisa says
I don’t have pure maple syrup on hand. Will the “fake” stuff work instead?
Kate says
Hi! I would guess that it would work, but I haven’t tried it to say for certain.
Nonie says
Great recipe!
I substituted the maple syrup for honey, and used spelt flour. They were ready a bit early, but they came out delicious.
Kate says
Thank you for sharing that!
katie says
Question: When the ingredients say oil, can that be canola oil or vegetable oil?
Kate says
It can! You can use canola, vegetable, or even olive oil.