Currant & Oatmeal Muffins

These muffins smell like fall morning in a bakery: butter, warm spices, orange zest, and toasty oats all mingling together as they puff up in the oven.

The batter is rich with five eggs and half a cup of butter, but the oats and walnuts give it structure and a hearty, nubby texture that keeps things from being too cake-like.

Dried currants stud every bite with tiny pops of sweetness, and a shower of cinnamon sugar on top forms a crackly, spiced crust.

Mix the wet, mix the dry, fold together gently, and bake. The whole process takes about 40 minutes.

Pro Tips

• Don’t overbeat the batter once the dry ingredients go in. A few lumps are fine. Overmixing develops the gluten and makes the muffins tough and chewy instead of tender.
• If you can’t find dried currants, snip raisins in half with kitchen scissors. They’re sweeter but work well as a substitute.
• These freeze beautifully. Cool completely, wrap individually, and reheat straight from the freezer in a warm oven for 10 minutes.