Why are my homemade muffins dense and chewy?

The most likely reason your homemade muffins are dense and chewy is because you overmixed the batter. Be careful when adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients you mix only until the flour is completely incorporated. Be sure not to whisk or stir with a wooden spoon and instead use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together.

Can I use frozen berries to make homemade muffins?

Fresh berries are always best, but you can also use frozen berries to make muffins. Be sure to thaw them completely, drain any excess juice and pat dry before stirring into the batter.

What kind of oats should I use for oatmeal muffins?

Old fashioned rolled oats are perfect for oatmeal muffins as they maintain their texture when cooked but will also become tender. You can use quick-cooking oats if you want less of a chewy texture as quick-cooking oats will dissolve into the batter as the muffins cook.

Blackberry Banana Oat Muffins

Description

Light and airy Blackberry Banana Oat Muffins are the perfect way to start your day, with hearty oats, sweet ripe bananas and tangy fresh blackberries. These healthy oatmeal muffins are perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or morning snack, making busy mornings just a little easier.

Ingredients

Units Scale

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (198 grams)
1/2 cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting (optional) (128 grams)
2 tsp. baking powder
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp table salt
1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
2 ripe medium bananas
2 large eggs
1/2 cup whole milk
1/3 cup vegetable or canola oil (use a light oil)
1 tsp. vanilla extract
6 oz. (about 1 1/2 cups) fresh blackberries, very large berries halved

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Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350F and line a standard size muffin tin with muffin liners.
Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add the oats and whisk to combine.
In a separate large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth then whisk in the eggs. Add the milk, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and use a flexible spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Be careful not to overmix but ensure there are no dry streaks in the batter. Add the blackberries and fold once or twice to just barely combine.
Spoon about 1/3 cup of the batter into the muffin cups. It’s okay if the batter fills the cups. If desired, dust the top of the batter with a pinch of granulated sugar. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of several muffins comes out clean, 20-24 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes then transfer the muffins to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, if desired, or enjoy warm.

Notes

Store leftover muffins covered on the counter for up to 2 days.
You can also refrigerate the muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
Freeze muffins for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer the night before and enjoy in the morning.
Serve muffins with a breakfast smoothie like our Blackberry Strawberry Banana Smoothie.
You can make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free rolled oats and one-to-one gluten-free flour.
To make this recipe vegan or dairy free, swap out the milk for a plant-based milk alternative and use flax or chia eggs (use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water).
Consider adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, if desired.
You can adjust the sweetness of this recipe as low as 1/3 cup sugar up to 3/4 cup sugar depending on your preference. You can swap out the granulated sugar for lightly packed brown sugar or maple syrpu.

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Category: breakfast
Method: baking
Cuisine: American