Raisin Muffins

Hearty, wholesome muffins for breakfast or a lunchbox, these get their tender, moist crumb from a clever first step: the cereal is soaked in milk until it softens and swells. That soaked cereal adds moisture and a gently nubbly texture you won’t get from flour alone.

Raisins and chopped walnuts are tossed with the dry ingredients first, which coats them so they stay suspended through the batter instead of sinking to the bottoms.

Then the golden rule of muffins: combine the wet and dry ingredients only until the flour is just moistened, and leave the batter lumpy. Stir it smooth and you get tough, peaked muffins full of tunnels. Spoon into the cups, bake hot until browned, and serve them warm, when the raisins are plump and the crumb is at its softest.

Kitchen Tips

• Let the cereal soak in the milk until softened before mixing; this is what gives the muffins their moist, tender crumb.
• Toss the raisins and walnuts in the flour so they spread evenly instead of sinking.
• Stir the batter just until the dry ingredients are moistened; lumps are good, and overmixing makes tough muffins.
• Serve warm; like most muffins, they are best the day they are baked, so freeze extras.

Variations

• Use bran or a whole-grain flake cereal for more fiber and a heartier muffin.
• Swap the raisins for dried cranberries, dates, or chopped dried apricots.
• Add cinnamon or a little orange zest to the batter.