Are they cupcakes or muffins? These Oatmeal Raisin Muffins taste just like cookies, but they aren't topped with frosting, so I'm calling them muffins and giving you full permission to eat them for breakfast!
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(This recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Muffins was originally published in June 2008, but was updated with new photos and content in 2020).
I'm no fool. I know a cupcake when I see a cupcake. And though Martha Stewart tried calling these cupcakes, I didn't believe her for a second. They're clearly muffins and I'm calling them as such.
You're probably thinking, "Boo! Muffins are not as fun as cupcakes!" But here's where you're wrong. Because, you see, if it's called a muffin, that means you can eat it for breakfast. And nobody can tell you otherwise.
These oatmeal raisin cookie muffins are still packed with sweetness and probably qualify for dessert, but I'm labeling them as muffins and eating them for breakfast simply because they don't have frosting. That's fair, right?
I mean, at least you're not over here eating a cookie for breakfast... Just a cookie in disguise. These muffins are perfect for busy mornings and even have some healthy whole grain ingredients in them!
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
I'm a huge lover of oatmeal raisin cookies, so when I saw my favorite cookies in muffin form, I was all about adapting them for myself.
These are easy muffins to make and involve all kinds of good stuff... Some healthy (oats and oat bran!) and some not so healthy (coconut and sugar!). But life is all about balance, right?
If you love oatmeal raisin cookies aside from those pesky little raisins, no worries! You can definitely leave those out. Perhaps add chocolate chips instead?
🗒 Ingredients
The ingredient list for these oatmeal raisin muffins might seem a bit extensive, but most of the ingredients are quite simple. And many are pantry items that once you purchase, you can use in all kinds of ways!
Here's everything you need for the muffins (please be sure to see the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe directions):
- Old-fashioned oats
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Oat bran
- Ground cinnamon
- Unsalted butter
- Granulated sugar
- Light brown sugar
- Large eggs
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream
- Raisins
- Sweetened coconut: I like to use flaked coconut
🍪 How to make oatmeal raisin muffins
These are pretty standard muffins, but with a couple fun and super delicious twists.
Start by preheating the oven to 375 degrees and lining three muffin tins with paper liners (with just 6 papers in the third muffin pan). If you only have one tin, you can bake one batch at a time).
In a large mixing bowl, whisk together 2 cups oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oat bran, and cinnamon.
In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar on medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Reduce the mixer speed to low and slowly add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
Gently mix in the sour cream and fold in the raisins.
Put about 2 ¾ cups of the batter into a separate bowl and stir in the rest of the oats and the coconut.
This batter is going to be used for the muffin tops (See! More evidence of these being muffins!).
Now we're ready to fill the muffin tins. First spoon about 2 ½ Tbsp of the plain (coconut-free) batter into each cupcake paper. Then top it with about 1 ½ Tbsp of the batter with extra oats and coconut.
Bake muffins for about 18-20 minutes until the tops are turning golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Cool for a few minutes in the tins before removing to wire racks to cool completely.
And they're ready to be devoured. These oatmeal raisin muffins are super moist and are packed with sweetness and fun crunchy tops. But they can also be called a fairly healthy breakfast thanks to the oats and oat bran.
If you love oatmeal raisin cookies, you will go crazy over these. I know I did! But that brings me to a very important question...
❓ Can I leave the raisins out?
Yes, of course you can! But then you have to call them oatmeal cookie muffins instead 🙂 I know a lot of people think raisins ruin desserts... I personally love nice plump raisins, but if you leave them out, these muffins will still be perfectly delicious!
Of course, you can also try substituting them with chocolate chips if chocolate is more your thing.
🧁 Can I add frosting?
Again, yes! I almost added some and called these cupcakes, but I really wanted to eat them for breakfast and felt like frosting may be one step too far.
If I did frost them, it would be with a simple glaze made from confectioners' sugar, vanilla, and milk, kind of like what you'd see on frosted oatmeal cookies!
However, a thicker buttercream frosting would also be delicious.
Without the frosting, if anybody sees you eating these oatmeal raisin muffins for breakfast, you'll simply look like you're eating a muffin made with oats. Super healthy, right? Muhaha.
But if you offer them a bite, then they'll immediately detect all the coconut and sugary sweetness and wonder if then suspect you may actually be eating a cupcake for breakfast.
But you know what? Who cares. I will eat oatmeal raisin cookie muffins for breakfast and I will do so proudly.
If you live in a household with a picky eater, this is the best way to get them to eat breakfast on a busy weekday morning... But of course, they also make a great anytime snack and are way better than anything you can buy in the grocery store.
⏲️ How to store leftovers
If you have leftover oatmeal raisin muffins, you can easily store them in an airtight container at room temperature for about 4 days. I recommend adding a paper towel to the container to help absorb moisture.
You can also freeze these muffins in a large resealable freezer bag for up to 3 months.
🎉 Variations on recipe
If you love this oatmeal raisin muffins recipe, but want to make it your own, there's lots you can do! Here are some recommendations:
- If you want to make these muffins even more nutritious, you can use whole wheat flour. I recommend using a 50/50 mix of all-purpose and whole wheat.
- You can feel free to replace one or more of the eggs in the recipe with a mashed banana. But don't forget, this will give your muffins a banana flavor!
- You can also replace one or more eggs with unsweetened applesauce. Use about ¼ cup applesauce per egg.
- If you want to mix things up, you can add in all kinds of dried fruit instead of just raisins.
- Or you can add chocolate chips, nuts, additional coconut, or any other add-ins your heart desires!
- Add more spices like ground nutmeg, ginger, pumpkin pie spice, or extra cinnamon.
- Serve the muffins with a little peanut butter or almond butter slathered on top.
🥰 More muffin recipes
If you love the idea of muffins for breakfast every day, be sure to check out some of my other fabulous muffin recipes! Some of them offer lots of nutrition and some of them can totally double as dessert:
- Pear Muffins
- Muffins with Pancake Mix
- Raspberry Dark Chocolate Muffins
- Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins
- Carrot Raisin Muffins
- Tuscan Lemon Muffins
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Muffins
- Sweet Potato Muffins
- Raspberry, Mango, and Ginger Muffins
- Fresh Corn Muffins with Basil
- Blueberry Muffins for Dogs
- Chocolate Chip Muffins (from Cake Whiz)
Whatever you call these and whenever you eat them, I do know that you'll love them. And really, that's all that matters.
Do you love oatmeal raisin cookies as much as me?
📖 Recipe
Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 ¾ cups old-fashioned oats, divided
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp salt
- ⅔ cup oat bran
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ cups (3 sticks) unsalted butter, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 1 cup packed light brown sugar
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup sour cream
- 1 ½ cups raisins
- 1 cup sweetened coconut (I like flaked)
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 375 degrees and line three muffin tins with papers (you'll only need 6 papers in the third tin). If you only have one tin, you can bake these in two batches.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 2 cups oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, oat bran, and cinnamon.
- In the bowl of a stand mixer or in a large bowl with a hand mixer, beat together butter, granulated sugar, and brown sugar at medium-high speed until light and fluffy, 2-3 minutes.
- Mix in eggs one at a time, followed by vanilla. Reduce mixer speed to low and slowly add in flour mixture until it’s just combined, taking care not to over-mix.
- Gently mix in the sour cream and fold in the raisins.
- Put about 2 ¾ cups of the batter into a separate bowl and stir in the rest of the oats and the coconut. This batter is going to be used for the muffin tops.
- Spoon about 2 ½ Tbsp of the plain (coconut-free) batter into the bottom of muffin papers. Top with about 1 ½ Tbsp of the topping batter with extra oats and coconut.
- Bake muffins for about 18-20 minutes until the tops are turning golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Let cool in tins for a couple minutes before moving to wire racks to cool completely.
Notes
- Recipe from Martha Stewart
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Sara says
these were soooooo good! loved them 🙂
Paula says
I like the idea of being able to eat them for breakfast, may have to give them a go.
SunFresh says
WOW...I'm slowly but surely falling in love with this blog...and I don't even cook! (but I EAT!)