Whole Wheat Oatmeal-Cranberry Muffins


I love muffins. A lot. If you have met me at least a few times, you probably know this. I am easily bribed with muffins, and Tucker once (successfully) tried to impress me by bringing muffins to class. I think that was the first time I noticed he existed. Anyhow, muffins are also my demise because they are so addictive and not too healthy. But these muffins are healthy(ish), at least I tell myself that. And they are actually delicious, unlike other "healthy" muffins that are like rocks and filled with things that shouldn't go in muffins (like raisins and carrots, unless it is a carrot-cake muffin, then I will make an exception. But come on, is that really a muffin? More like a cupcake.). But these are light, fluffy, sweet, but not too sweet, and delicious. They are adapted from Bittman's whole wheat muffins, and the key ingredient is the whole wheat pastry flour, which we eventually found at Whole Foods. We made them once before with bananas, which was also very good, as a bribe to get me to finish my big report I had been working on.

Whole Wheat Oatmeal-Cranberry Muffins
Adapted from Mark Bittman

Ingredients
MUFFINS
1/2 cup melted unsalted butter, more for greasing tins
2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
1/2 quick oats
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup dried cranberries
1 egg, beaten
1/2 cup buttermilk
TOPPING
1-2 tablespoons brown sugar
1-2 tablespoons quick oats

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease two 6-cup muffin tins or fill with liners. In a large bowl, mix together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the melted butter, egg and buttermilk. Fold wet mixture into dry mixture, add cranberries, and stir until just combined.
  2. Fill muffin tins or liners. Mix remaining brown sugar and oats together in the bowl you used to melt the butter, letting the topping soak up all the excess butter. Sprinkle a small amount of topping on to each muffin.
  3. Bake for about 25 to 30 minutes, or until muffins are puffed and turning golden brown on top. Serve warm if possible.

Yield: 12 muffins.

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