If you’re craving something cozy and wholesome, oatmeal raisin muffins are the perfect treat! They’re packed with warm spices, plump raisins, and hearty oats. Perfect for breakfast on-the-go, a midday snack, or a sweet-but-not-too-sweet treat with your coffee. Bonus: they’re easy to make and your kitchen will smell amazing!
In just 35 minutes, you can have a warm, homemade treat that feels like a little slice of heaven! Oatmeal raisin muffins are quick to whip up, made with pantry staples, and come out soft, sweet, and satisfying. They’re perfect for busy mornings, snack cravings, or when you just want to fill your home with that irresistible baked-good smell—without spending all day in the kitchen.
There’s something nostalgic about the combination of oatmeal and raisins. My Dad’s favorite cookie was Oatmeal Raisin, and my favorite bread is homemade Raisin Bread and now we’ve combined those amazing flavors in a delicious oatmeal and raisin muffin.
Ingredients you’ll need for Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.
Oatmeal. We recommend quick oats (one-minute oats). Do not use instant oats as they are finely chopped and will settle more densely into the measuring cup and not give us the texture that we want. Old-fashioned oats will also work but will create a chewier finish.
Honey. In this recipe, I use honey which keeps the muffins lighter and healthier than adding more sugar. You can substitute it with maple syrup if desired.
Brown Sugar. We enjoy the extra flavor of molasses in dark brown sugar but light brown sugar is fine if that’s what you prefer.
Spice It Up Options! We chose cinnamon and ginger in this recipe. Nutmeg, cardamom, or cloves are great options. Remember less is more when it comes to spices. Too many and you’ll lose the cinnamon profile that melds perfectly with our oatmeal raisin muffins recipe.
How To Make Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Preheat that oven and get all your ingredients ready. Prepare the pan with cooking spray or muffin tin liners. Mix your dry ingredients, then toss your raisins in the dry mixture to coat them evenly. This trick keeps the raisins from sinking to the bottom of your muffin.
Mix your wet ingredients in a separate bowl. Then gently combine the two mixtures for your final batter. Do not overmix.
Measure your muffins using a cookie scoop and bake them for the shortest time indicated on the recipe in your preheated oven. Continue baking and testing at thirty second intervals until a toothpick, knife, or cake tester comes out with a slightly moist crumb and the top bounces back when lightly pressed. Cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan and then transfer them to a cooling rack to finish cooling before storage.
Variations
- For a nutty twist add a handful of chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds for extra crunch and flavor.
- Mix in dried cranberries, chopped dried apricots, or even a sprinkle of shredded coconut for a fruity twist.
- For a healthy boost, fold in a tablespoon of chia seeds or flaxseed meal for added nutrition.
- Add a little orange or lemon zest to brighten up the flavors.
- Swap out some or all of the raisins for chocolate chips—because chocolate makes everything better right?
Hostess Tips
Be careful not to overmix your muffins. We recommend hand-mixing muffins with a spatula or a mixing spoon. My go-to favorite mixing tool is a Danish dough whisk. It allows me to control the batter more so I don’t overmix.
Even though raisins are dried grapes, they can be plumped up by putting them in a bowl and covering them with hot water for 5 minutes. Drain them completely and pat them dry before adding them to the recipe.
Don’t forget to let the oats and milk soak. Soaking oats before baking softens them, making them tender and easier to incorporate into the batter.
Do not overbake your muffins either. The best way to prevent this is to measure your batter so that all of the muffins are the same size (three tablespoons each, using a cookie scoop) and preheat your oven so that the muffins start baking right away and bake evenly.
How to Serve
Serve oatmeal raisin muffins for breakfast with juice, yogurt, or your favorite berries or alongside a great cup of soup for dinner. They also make a great snack on the go or at coffee/tea time.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I make mini muffins?
Yes, you can make mini muffins for the perfect bite-sized treat. Watch baking time because they can take 1 to 2 minutes less than a regular muffin recipe. Mini muffin tins hold about 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of batter as a regular muffin tin, so doubling the yield is a good rule of thumb, or 24 in this case.
What kind of raisins should I get?
We chose your basic black raisins from red grapes. However, you can get golden raisins or currants. Use what you enjoy and have available.
Can muffins be made ahead of time?
Yes, you can bake our oatmeal raisin muffin recipe one day ahead of time or more if you plan to freeze them. Once thawed they taste fresh like they were just made.
How To Reheat & Store Oatmeal Raisin Muffins
Best way to Store
Once they are completely cooled, place them in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Can I freeze them?
Muffins freeze incredibly well. If I know they won’t get eaten within the next 2 to 3 days. Freezing the muffins keeps them fresh and I can easily thaw them at room temperature, in the fridge overnight, or in the microwave for about thirty seconds. Since they thaw fairly quickly, I can grab one from the freezer and enjoy it once I get to work.
How to reheat
Fresh muffins will be ready in about ten seconds. Frozen muffins will take about thirty seconds and may take a little more depending on the microwave but be careful not to overdo it. You don’t want them to dry out.
I hope you enjoyed this delicious recipe as much as we do. Drop me a comment below, and don’t forget to give it a star rating. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐. Your comments and ratings help others decide if this recipe is for them too.
Oatmeal Raisin Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp ground ginger
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1 cup raisins
- 1½ cups old-fashioned oats 1-minute
- 1 cup milk
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup brown sugar packed
- ¼ cup honey
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup vegetable oil or any of your cooking oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 °F.
- Line a muffin pan with liners. Set aside.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, ground cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, ground ginger, and salt.
- Add the raisins and mix so they are coated with the flour mixture. Set aside.
- In a large mixing, add the oats and milk. Let it soak for 3-4 minutes.
- Add the egg, and mix well.
- Add the brown sugar, honey, and vanilla extract. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Add half of the dry mixture. Mix until the flour is almost all integrated.
- Add the oil. Mix until all ingredients are combined.
- Add the remaining of the dry mixture. Mix well, but don’t overmix.
- Fill the muffin pan. Fill the muffin to ¾ full if you want a smaller and not too much of a muffin top or almost full for a nice muffin top.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 20-23 minutes. They are cooked when a toothpick comes out with just a few crumbs or clean when inserted in the middle.
- Cool for a few minutes in the muffin pan and transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.
Notes
- In this recipe I use honey, but you can substitute it with maple syrup.
- For a more molasses flavor, you can use dark brown sugar. It will change the final color and be a bit more sweet.
- Great spices that go with cinnamon are ginger and nutmeg. I chose ginger in this recipe for a hint of warm pepper instead of a nutty flavor (nutmeg). Both are excellent, depending on the flavor hint you want.
- Why do I use a Danish dough whisk when I make muffins? You can use a hand mixer, a regular whisk, or a mixing spoon. My go-to favorite mixing tool is a Danish dough whisk. It allows me to control the batter more so I don’t overmix. It doesn’t have the batter all stuck inside like a regular whisk. It wisk like a regular whisk and acts like a spoon, the best of both worlds.
- Serve for breakfast with juice, yogurt, or favorite berries. Also great for a snack on the go or coffee/tea time.
- Storage: Once they are completely cooled, place them in an airtight container for 3-4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. I also like to freeze the muffins if know I won’t get to within the next 2-3 days. Freezing the muffins keeps them fresh and I can easily thaw them at room temperature or in the fridge overnight
Nutrition
Nutritional Disclaimer
This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.
Related Recipes
My muffin journey started with our Basic Muffin recipe. Since then, some of our favorites are this Cinnamon Roll Muffin for instance. I’m also enjoying these Peanut Butter Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips. It’s hard to pick an absolute favorite from our thirty-plus muffin recipes, but these Cappuccino Chocolate Chip Muffins are close to the top of my list and one of our readers’ favorites is our Rhubarb Oatmeal Muffins.
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