Oatmeal streusel muffin

I'm not here to espouse the health benefits of oatmeal in this post.

Yes, these are muffins made with oatmeal. But no, they're not a health food. Like most muffins, they're just an excuse to eat some sugar for breakfast, albeit in a slightly less sweet form than their first-cousin, the cupcake. 

Not to say that these are an overly sweet muffin (they're not). But still, a muffin 'aint no health food, even if there's oatmeal in it.

But the oats + pecan streusel topping give these muffins a nutty flavor and nice crunch. Definitely makes for a more interest muffin than just your regular AP flour kind.

Now I will say that my muffins spread a lot more than the picture from Cooks Illustrated, so I'm not entirely sure why that happened. But that actually lead to big muffin tops with crispy edges, so I wasn't mad at it. 

So while I can't guarantee how your muffins will come out, I can guarantee they'll be delicious! 

Buen provecho,
Jacqueline

Oatmeal Muffins, from Cooks Illustrated

Ingredients

Streusel topping

1/2 cup (1 1/2 oz) old-fashioned rolled oats
1/3 cup (1 2/3 oz) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup pecans, finely chopped
1/3 cup packed (2 1/3 oz) light brown sugar
1 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted

Muffins

2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for toasting oats)
2 cups (6 oz) old-fashioned rolled oats
6 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
1 3/4 cup (8 3/4 oz) flour
1 1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/3 cup light brown sugar
1 3/4 cup milk
2 large eggs, beaten

Directions

1. Streusel: Combine oats, flour, pecans, sugar, cinnamon, and salt in medium bowl. Drizzle melted butter over mixture and stir to ­thoroughly combine; set aside for the muffins.
2. Muffins: Grease and flour 12-cup muffin tin. Melt 2 tablespoons butter in 10-inch skillet over medium heat. Add oats and cook, stirring frequently, until oats turn golden brown and smell of cooking popcorn, 6 to 8 minutes. Transfer oats to food processor and process into fine meal, about 30 seconds. Add flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda to oats and pulse until combined, about 3 pulses.
3. Stir 6 tablespoons melted butter and sugar together in large bowl until smooth. Add milk and eggs and whisk until smooth. Using whisk, gently fold half of oat mixture into wet ingredients, tapping whisk against side of bowl to release clumps. Add remaining oat mixture and continue to fold with whisk until no streaks of flour remain. Set aside batter for 20 minutes to thicken. Meanwhile, adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 375 degrees.
4. Using ice cream scoop or large spoon, divide batter equally among prepared muffin cups (about ½ cup batter per cup; cups will be filled to rim). Evenly sprinkle topping over muffins (about 2 tablespoons per muffin). Bake until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean, 18 to 25 minutes, rotating muffin tin halfway through baking.
5. Let muffins cool in muffin tin on wire rack for 10 minutes. Remove muffins from muffin tin and serve or let cool completely before serving.