Oatmeal apple muffins are slightly sweetened portions of quick bread containing bits of the fruit and the featured grain mixed into its batter. They are formed into individual portions and then baked. The apples and oatmeal can be used in the muffins in several different ways. Rolled or quick oats may be used, depending on desired texture and time constraints. Other ingredients include a variety of flours, binders, and sweeteners, which are all combined together and baked for eating fresh or a later snack.
Typically, apples are incorporated into the muffins simply by being chopped up and stirred into the batter before baking. This creates oatmeal apple muffins with moist chunks of slightly-caramelized fruit. Apples may also be pureed into a sauce and used in lieu of a wet ingredient, yielding a muffin with only a hint of apple flavor. Apple cider can be added for a spiced fruit flavor as well as spices like cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg.
Oats are used as a base for the muffin batter, almost always along with some sort of flour, While the ratio of flour to oats varies, adding more oats than flour produces a heartier muffin with more texture. Larger amounts of flour produce a more cake-like muffin.
Either rolled or quick oats are used in oatmeal apple muffins. Since quick oats are partially pre-cooked, they don't need to be soaked before using. Rolled oats must be soaked for 30 to 60 minutes before being put into the muffin batter, depending on the desired moisture. While quick oats offer a less time-consuming option, grains that are less refined — including cooking — retain more fiber and nutrients.
Additional ingredients in oatmeal apple muffins vary, but must include basic dry, wet, and leavening items. Whole wheat, oat, or nut flours along with various types of sugars, baking soda or powder, and salt give the batter its thick body and help it rise during baking. Eggs and oil or butter help to bind the batter and also aid in rising. Ingredient substitutes may include natural sweeteners like honey or plant syrups or mashed banana in place of oil or butter.
Wet and dry ingredients are stirred together to form a thick batter. The oatmeal apple muffins bake for anywhere from 20 to 35 minutes, depending on the recipe and oven used. Oatmeal apple muffins are eaten warm from the oven or frozen for a later snack or breakfast.
