Blueberry Maple Oatmeal Muffins

MAKES 1 DOZEN MUFFINS

Muffins are the world’s most perfect food for a crazy grab-and-go lifestyle. But we’ve all heard the horror stories of muffins that are really more of a cupcake than anything resembling a decent breakfast when you do the nutritional breakdown. These babies, though, are like a cross between a good bowl of oatmeal and a hearty stack of whole-grain pancakes.

1¼ cups (10⅝ ounces/301 grams) well-shaken buttermilk

½ cup (6 ounces/168 grams) pure maple syrup

5 tablespoons (2½ ounces/71 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled

1 large egg

1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract

1⅓ cups (4¾ ounces/135 grams) old-fashioned rolled oats

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons (4¾ ounces/135 grams) whole wheat pastry flour, spooned and leveled

1 teaspoon baking soda

½ teaspoon fine sea salt

¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon

½ cup (2¾ ounces/78 grams) dried wild blueberries or raisins

Rolled oats and turbinado sugar, for sprinkling (optional)

1. In a large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, maple syrup, butter, egg, and vanilla extract. Whisk in the oats. Set aside to soak for at least 45 minutes (or up to overnight in the refrigerator).

2. Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 425˚F. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Add the blueberries and stir them into the dry ingredients with your fingertips, breaking up any clumps of berries that may have formed.

4. When the oat mixture is finished soaking, gently fold in the dry ingredients with a flexible spatula, using as few strokes as possible to get the job done—it’s better to see a few streaks of flour here and there than to risk overmixing.

5. Using a standard-size ice cream scoop, portion the batter out into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle the tops with an extra bit of oats and sugar. Bake until the muffins are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, about 15 minutes.

6. Let the muffins cool in the pan just for a minute or two until you can safely handle them, and tilt them out of their cups to cool. Serve slightly warm or at room temperature.

TIP: This batter must be made as soon as it’s mixed. But! You can turn this recipe into a make-ahead wonder by whisking the wets and adding the oats to soak overnight in the fridge, and shaking the dry ingredients and berries together in a container with a tight-fitting lid. The next morning, all that’s left to do is dump, stir, and bake.