Blackberry Muffins With Oatmeal

This post may contain affiliate links. Please see my full disclosure for details.

Hi Bold Bakers!

WHY YOU’LL LOVE THIS RECIPE: Comforting Blackberry Muffins are just the satisfying, flavor-packed boost you need in the morning or any time of the day. Start them now, and you’ll be enjoying a warm muffin in less than an hour!

• Prep doesn’t get much easier: Mix the wet ingredients, then the dry, combine, and add the berries. Done!
• Hearty: These are stick-to-your-ribs muffins.
• My secret ingredient: Cooked oatmeal, completely elevates the flavor and texture. This is a great way to use leftover oatmeal. If you don’t have it,  just whip up a quick batch in the microwave.
• Super-moist: The cooked oatmeal, honey, and berries keep these muffins from drying out.
• Choose your fruit: Change up the berries, or use a cup of another cut-up fruit!

One of the best things about this recipe—besides the incredible flavor—is that it puts leftover oatmeal to good use. Instead of letting it go to waste, you can turn it into moist, hearty muffins packed with delicious texture. For the best results, use oatmeal made with old-fashioned rolled oats (not steel-cut or quick oats). If your oatmeal has been chilling in the fridge, warm it slightly to loosen it up so it blends smoothly with the other wet ingredients.

Because I grew up in Ireland on baked goods made with oats, I admit I’m partial to them. But everyone loves what oats bring to recipes. Whether it’s their slightly sweet, nutty flavor, crispiness, robust chewy texture, or moisture, you’ll adore Oat Pancakes, Flourless Irish Oatbread Recipe, Traditional Irish Oat Flapjacks, and 3-Ingredient Banana Oat Cookies.

Table of Contents

• What are Blackberry Muffins?
• Tools You Need
• Key Ingredients and Why
• How to Make Blueberry Muffins
• Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips
• Make Ahead and Storage Instructions
• FAQs
• More Muffin Recipes

What are Blackberry Muffins?

• Blackberry Muffins are moist oatmeal muffins with subtle sweetness and a soft texture. Perfect for breakfast, snacks, or dessert, and they freeze well.
  • Moist & Soft: Oatmeal creates a tender texture.
  • Sweet & Juicy: Blackberries add natural sweetness and juiciness.
  • Versatile: Enjoy for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.
  • Freezable: Ideal for making ahead and freezing.
• Leftover cooked oatmeal was traditionally used in recipes primarily for practical reasons. Respecting the waste-not-want-not rule in cooking was a must when food was hard to come by. In places like Ireland, where oats were widely available, it meant you could use a lesser amount of a more expensive ingredient, like wheat flour.  Now we use oats not just because they’re economical, but because they add lovely texture and unique delicious flavor to baked goods!

Tools You Need

• Mixing bowls
• Measuring spoons
• Measuring cups
• Glass measuring jug
• Kitchen scale (optional)
• 12-cup muffin tin
• Whisk
• Silicone spatula
• Wire rack

Key Ingredients and Why

Cooked oatmeal

• Cooked oatmeal helps hold the batter together and gives these homemade muffins a hearty, delightfully chewy texture.
• In these blackberry muffins, oatmeal provides a nutty, subtly sweet note.
• Because cooked oatmeal contains water, it makes these blackberry oatmeal muffins delectably moist and keeps them from getting dry.
• Substitutes: If you don’t use the oatmeal, you won’t get the same hearty texture, but you can use an equal amount of applesauce or Greek yogurt instead.

Whole milk

• Whole milk adds moisture and contributes to the tender crumb of these blackberry oatmeal muffins.
• The milk-fat content in whole milk (around 3.5%-4%) gives the muffins rich flavor and moisture.
• Substitute:
  • Whole milk gives the most richness, but you can use an equal amount of low-fat milk.
  • Alternatively, you can use full-fat plant-based dairy-free milk, such as coconut milk, almond milk, oat milk, or cashew milk.

Honey

• Honey adds sweetness and its own unique floral note to the blackberry oatmeal muffins. It enhances the blackberries beautifully.
• Additionally, since honey is hygroscopic, it attracts and holds moisture.
• Substitute: You can substitute the same amount of maple syrup instead of the honey.

Butter

• Butter inhibits gluten formation by coating the flour. This gives the muffins tenderness.
• Importantly, butter gives these creamy, rich flavor.
• Substitute:
  • You can use an equal amount of applesauce or plain Greek yogurt instead of the butter.
  • You can also use vegetable oil or melted vegetable oil instead of butter.
    • Since vegetable oil is 100% fat, you use less. In this recipe, use 3/4 cup (177ml/6oz) of oil + one tablespoon (6.5 fl oz/190 ml).

Egg

• Eggs emulsify the ingredients, helping blend all of the ingredients together into one cohesive mixture.
• It’s always best to use room-temperature eggs because they blend better than eggs right from the fridge. Here are some quick tips to get your eggs to room temperature so they will blend smoothly and efficiently.
• Substitute:
  • Mashed banana, a flax egg, or a chia egg can be substituted for a regular egg.
  • For more suggestions and information, check out our guide, 12 Best Egg Substitutes for Baking Recipes and How to Use Them.

All-purpose flour

• All-purpose flour has 9-11% protein content, which is the perfect amount to give the muffins structure while still having a pleasing light and tender texture.
• Substitutes:
  • Instead of the all-purpose flour, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking mix like my Easy Almond Flour Baking Mix or gluten-free flour.
  • You can also substitute up to half of the AP flour with whole wheat flour.

Baking powder

• Baking powder gets activated immediately when mixed with wet ingredients. This is why it’s important to bake the muffins right after the batter is mixed.
• Baking powder contains the dry acid “cream of tartar,” so it can get activated with any liquid that doesn’t have to be acidic to leaven baked goods.

Salt

• Salt adds depth to the muffins’ flavor and balances the sweetness.

Blackberries

• Blackberries add sweetness, textural interest, and visual appeal to these muffins.
• The juiciness of the berries also helps make and keep the muffins moist.
• Either fresh blackberries or frozen blackberries are fine in this recipe.
• Substitutes: Use an equal amount of chopped apple, or another berry, like strawberries.

How to Make Blueberry Muffins

Prepare to bake

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C) and butter 9 cups of a 12-cup muffin tin. Set aside.

Make the muffin batter

2. Combine oatmeal and wet ingredients: In a medium bowl, mix the oatmeal, milk, honey, butter and egg.
3. Mix the dry ingredients: In a separate small bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt, then mix into the wet ingredients until just combined.

4. Finish the batter: Fold in the blackberries, then divide evenly among the muffin cups, filling all the way to the top.

Bake and serve the muffins

5. Bake until golden: Bake for 20-25 minutes, until golden on top and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

6. Cool completely: Let cool in the tin for 10 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Enjoy: Serve warm or at room temperature.

 

Gemma’s Pro Chef Tips

• Quick oatmeal: If you don’t have cooked oatmeal, ⅔ cup old fashioned oats (2.8 oz/80 g) cooked with 1 cup (8 fl oz/240 ml) water with yield you about 1 cup (3 oz/85 g) of cooked oatmeal.
• Warm before using: If you are using cold leftover oatmeal from the refrigerator, rewarm it with a splash of water or milk to loosen it before you begin this recipe.
• Use old-fashioned oatmeal: We don’t recommend using instant oats for this recipe as they won’t give you the same great texture as old-fashioned oats.
• Quick ways to add fiber: To boost the fiber in these muffins, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of chia seeds or flaxseeds.
• Make it mini: You can divide this recipe into 12 smaller muffins instead of 9 larger ones. Use a mini muffin pan and bake for only about 12 to 15 minutes or until firm on top.
• Berry tip: You can use fresh or frozen blackberries here.

Make Ahead and Storage Instructions

• Make ahead tips:
  • You can make the batter up to four hours before baking. Cover and store in the fridge.
  • Note that making the batter ahead may yield muffins that don’t rise as well as those baked right after the batter is mixed.
• How to store leftovers:
  • Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. This is the best way to keep them soft.
  • If you put them in the fridge, warm them in the oven or microwave before serving.
  • Reheat for a few seconds in the microwave before serving if desired.
  • For more extended storage, freeze the muffins for up to three months.
  • Let them cool completely, wrap them individually, and place them in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container.
  • Thaw in the fridge overnight and reheat in a low oven or the microwave.

FAQs

More Muffin Recipes

• Best Ever Blueberry Muffins
• George’s Healthy Breakfast Muffins
• Cinnamon Roll Muffins
• Moist Applesauce Muffins
• Healthy Bran Muffins

Try These Recipes!

French Toast Croissant Casserole

Chocolate Hot Cross Buns Recipe

Healthy Granola Recipe (No Refined Sugar)

Healthy Almond Flour Muffins Recipe with Applesauce