Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins.

February 17, 2011

Remember the days when I used to have an outrageous muffin obsession?

I took a brief hiatus from muffin making, which I thought would help my creativity and my waistline.

Instead, I baked things even more sinful and more addicting. Creative… maybe. Helpful to the waistline? Ummm… how about no.
Needless to say, muffins came back with a vengeance.

I am not joking when I tell you that these muffins taste like oatmeal cookies. No lie. You can even go as far to add raisins, but I’m just not down with shriveled fruit in my baked goods. Instead I choose chocolate.

If I think these taste like cookies, I can almost guarantee that you will. Healthy muffins that taste like treats!

Remember me? I try my best to not consume green things unless we’re talking about apple flavored Jolly Ranchers or dyed adult beverages in Pittsburgh on St. Patrick’s Day.

Yes, they have a little butter. Yes, butter makes the world go ’round. Yes, they taste delicious. No, you should not sub anything else for the butter. A quarter cup of butter spread throughout 12 muffins won’t hurt you. In fact, it will probably complete you.

So said Mother Lovett.

You can only make these on one condition: promise you will serve them warm with a dab of butter on top.
I proudly practiced portion control with the muffins, packing up two in my purse each day to snack on if needed.

That was last week. Yesterday I found two muffins that were smashed to high heavens.

I ate them anyway.

They were good.

I am weird. And usually hungry.

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Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookie Muffins

makes 12 muffins

1 cup whole wheat pastry flour (or all-purpose)

1 cup rolled oats

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/4 teaspoon salt

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

1/3 cup brown sugar

1 egg

1/4 cup butter, at room temperature

1 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 cup milk (any kind will do)

1 cup chocolate chips

Preheat oven to 350.

Add oats to a bowl and add 1/2 cup of milk. Let soak for 5-10 minutes, while you prepare the first few steps of the muffins.

In a large bowl, combine egg and brown sugar and whisk until smooth and caramel in color. Add in vanilla and butter, whisking well. Try to smooth the batter as much as possible – there still may be some small butter chunks. Add flour, oat mixture, baking soda, salt and cinnamon and mix. Add remaining milk and combine until smooth. Fold in chocolate chips.

Line a muffin tin with lines and pour about 1/4 cup batter into each line. Sprinkle the tops with raw turbinado sugar. Bake for 15-18 minutes, or until cooked through. Serve with butter!

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