Oatmeal Muffins (Crouse)

These old-fashioned oatmeal muffins get their incredibly moist texture from an overnight soak. Two cups of oats sit in sour milk in the fridge while you sleep, and by morning they’ve absorbed all that liquid and turned soft and creamy. That soaked oat base is what gives these muffins a tender crumb that’s completely different from muffins where dry oats just get mixed in.

In the morning, you stir in eggs, sugar, shortening, flour, and baking soda. That’s the whole recipe. The baking soda reacts with the acid in the sour milk for a quick rise, so there’s no baking powder needed. The batter comes together in minutes, and the muffins bake in 25 minutes at high heat.

The directions mention adding chopped dates or raisins, and either one works beautifully. Dates add a caramel-like sweetness while raisins bring a more familiar fruity note.

Pro Tips

• No sour milk? Make your own by adding a tablespoon of white vinegar or lemon juice to regular milk and letting it sit for 10 minutes until it curdles.
• Don’t skip the overnight soak. It softens the oats completely and creates a batter that holds moisture through baking. A quick soak won’t give the same results.
• Fill muffin cups about two-thirds full. These rise well thanks to the baking soda and sour milk reaction.
• The muffins are done when the tops spring back when lightly pressed and a toothpick comes out clean.

Variations

• Stir in a teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg for a spiced version.
• Replace the sugar with brown sugar for a deeper, more molasses-forward sweetness.
• Fold in chopped walnuts or pecans along with the raisins for extra crunch.