Cranberry-Oatmeal Muffins With Streusel Topping

My love of oats is no secret, if you follow me on Instagram, you know I’m a big overnight oat fan. Oats are a great addition to many things in the baking world, power bars, smoothies, dessert bars, cookies, and of course, muffins. Oats add texture and I’m a big fan of that when it comes to baking. These cranberry-oatmeal muffins, loaded with streusel topping are guaranteed to make you #muffinmonday, or any other morning, substantially better.

Types of Oats

In the United States oats are steamed and flattened to produce what’s called “rolled oats” often sold as “old-fashioned oats“, “quick oats“, and “instant oats“. To clarify the difference, the more the oats are flattened and steamed, the quicker they cook and the softer they become. For a chewier, nuttier texture, you should try steel-cut oats,  also referred to as Irish or Scottish oats. Steel-cut oats consist of the entire oat kernel sliced once or twice into smaller pieces to help water penetrate and cook the grain. Oats are also considered rather healthful, studies have shown oats can help lower bad cholesterol and lower blood pressure among other benefits.

I developed these cranberry-oatmeal muffins because of my love of oats and muffins and they are perfect for the fall/winter season. Cranberries give these muffins a nice mild tart flavor but that’s not overwhelming. The streusel topping makes these simple rustic muffins irresistible. For me, a long-time muffin lover, two things are critical, flavor and muffin moistness. Both are achieved here. Cranberries, lemon zest, and cinnamon great a lovely to overly sweet taste. Sour cream keeps these muffins light and moist for days. If you’re looking for a great, tasty muffin from breakfast Monday morning or an after-school snack for your kid, look no further, you’ve found it.