Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

If you love Oatmeal Raisin cookies, you will love my late Mom’s Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Muffins! They are chock full of wholesome ingredients but they are real comfort food.

Mom’s Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Muffins have been a favourite of mine since I was a child. I was thrilled to find the recipe in my late Mom’s recipe box. It’s where I found so many of her wonderful muffin recipes.

Mom’s recipe box is one of the resources I am using to write my first cookbook of family recipes, a labour of love I have been working on for many years now. In addition to Mom’s recipe box I also have my Mom and Dad’s recipe books (complete with handwritten notes and additional recipes stuck inside), a recipe book put together by my mom and I and tons of recipes shared by kind family and friends for this purpose at my request.

Anyway, as I go through looking for the many recipes I want to include, I often stumble on one that I just can’t wait to share – and this was the case with my Old-Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Muffins. It was one of my favourites when I was a kid. Like nearly all of my family recipes, this one has a story behind it. (If you prefer to go straight to the recipe, just scroll back to the top and click on the Jump to Recipe Button.)

My Mom’s Story

My Mom was one of the first generations of what were then referred to as ‘career girls’, a rather misogynistic post-World War II term that referred to young women who found employment in the late 1940’s and early 1950’s, instead of immediately plunging into marriage and raising a family. Soon after graduating from the University of Guelph’s Macdonald Institute, Mom worked as a home economist at a boarding school and then later at a local Public Utilities Commission in Galt (now Cambridge), Ontario. Also known locally as “The Hydro”, it housed a shop as well as the administration for the power distribution for the area.

It was Mom’s job to visit folks who had bought new appliances from the shop in order to help them learn how to use them. Mom also had a show on the local radio station, sharing recipes and homemaking tips. I believe this Oatmeal Raisin Muffins recipe may have been from that era as it had ingredients typical to the period – including margarine. Back then, margarine was believed to be a healthier alternative to butter! It’s hard to imagine that now.

Adapting My Mom’s Recipe for Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

I remember Mom making these Oatmeal Raisin Muffins; they were one of my favourite muffins as a child. So, I challenged myself to make it a little healthier without losing its originality. The first step was to replace the margarine. I did try using melted butter but in the end I found that mild olive oil (not extra virgin) was the alternative I preferred. I also reduced the sugar and salt and added a little bit more spice. Less sugar + more spice = healthier muffins that still taste amazing!

I love working with recipes like this because it makes me feel close to my Mom, who has been gone for seventeen years now, and who I miss like crazy. She loved cooking and entertaining and was great fun to be with in the kitchen. She was also very into healthy eating so I know she wouldn’t have minded me making the changes that I have. The muffins still taste just as I remember them.

How Many Muffins Does The Recipe Make?

Mom used to get a few more muffins per batch of Oatmeal Raisin Muffins than I do (muffins were generally smaller back then). However I find that the batter is absolutely perfect for 12 large muffins. For UK readers, I’m referring to a larger  ‘American’ muffin pan here – this is the one I use. If you are using pans with smaller cups you will have more muffins. In which case, you should reduce the baking time slightly.

I also like to line the muffin cups with paper liners as it helps the muffins come out much more easily and makes them easier to transport. These Oatmeal Raisin Muffins are perfect for breakfast on the go and packed lunches!

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Muffins – Printable Recipe

Created by: April J Harris

Old Fashioned Oatmeal Raisin Muffins

Course Breakfast

Cuisine Canadian

Servings 12 muffins

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 20 minutes mins

Total Time 30 minutes mins

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 cup plain flour plain flour is also known as all purpose flour
• 1 cup rolled oats
• ½ cup packed light brown sugar
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1½ teaspoons cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup buttermilk
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ½ cup mild olive oil not extra virgin as the flavour is too strong
• 1 cup juicy raisins or sultanas

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C or 170° for a fan oven).
• Line a 12 cup muffin pan with paper baking cups.
• In a large bowl, mix together the flour, oats, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
• In a medium bowl, mix together the egg, buttermilk, vanilla and oil.
• Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until mixed.
• Gently stir in the raisins or sultanas.
• Scoop the batter into muffin cups – I use a quick release ice cream scoop or a ⅓ cup measure to do this.
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
• Cool in the tray for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack.
• Muffins taste best slightly warm but they reheat well the next day.

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