Anyone who's been wandering around these parts for a while knows I love making batches of muffins and tucking them into my freezer so I can warm one or more up at a moment's notice. Got someone coming over in the morning? Put a plate of mixed muffins the night before and you'll have quick and easy entertaining when you awake. Have a kid or three who wake up early and are ravenous? Pop a single muffin in the microwave for 30 seconds and disaster is averted. Reasons like this and more are why I'm offering you another fun muffin recipe to fill the gap between Christmas and New Year's. Whether you are looking for quick entertaining ideas (tea and muffins in the afternoon, anyone?) or finding ways to keep the kids fed without losing your mind (let them pick their muffin!), freezing muffins for later buys you so much for so little.
These muffins are quick and easy to make and the addition of both oatmeal and squash or pumpkin puree make them clever ways to deliver nutrition without anyone knowing the wiser. If you don't have dark brown sugar, you can use light brown sugar. I just like the extra molasses and how it gives the muffins a little caramel flavor. I've been known to replace the cinnamon with pie spice as well and it's lovely. You want some baking spices in there to give it a little extra flavor and fill your kitchen with the aroma of baking.
Since I mentioned having a selection of muffins on hand (ideally in the freezer, but the gap between holidays is also an excellent time to get the baking bug), let me send you to some of Seasoned Cooking's best muffin recipes. Pick 3-5 that you love and make sure there are 2-4 of each available on your platter. Then brew some nice coffee and tea, put out some fresh fruit, and congratulate yourself on mastering the art of easy entertaining.
Honeynut Oatmeal Muffins
- 1 ½ cups flour
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 egg
- 1 cup pureed honeynut or butternut squash or pumpkin
- ¾ cup milk
- ⅓ cup canola oil
Preheat the oven to 400°F. Place paper liners in a twelve cup muffin tin.
Combine the flour, oats, brown sugar, pumpkin pie spice, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl.
Beat the egg slighly in a medium bowl, add the puree, milk, and oil; stir until well combined. Add the wet mixture into the dry mixture and mix just until combined.
Spoon the batter evenly into the lined muffin tin cups - they should be about two-thirds full.
Bake the muffins for 22-25 minutes or until golden brown. Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove the muffins from the tin and serve warm, keep covered at room temperature for up to 3 days, or cool completely and freeze for up to the 3 months.
- Yields: 12 servings
- Preparation Time: 40 minutes