Blackberry Oat Muffins {SRC}

These Blackberry Oat Muffins are extra special, and pretty enough to serve to guests!

I found them over on Emily’s blog – Life on Food – my assignment for this month’s Secret Recipe Club. 

Emily has lived in 4 states – ranging from the corn fields of the mid-west to the hot south, and now resides in the north east.  And, she has some amazing looking recipe on her blog: Texas Roadhouse Dinner Rolls, Sweet Potato Hash with Brussels Sprouts & Bacon, Carrot Cake Pancakes, and Crockpot Herbed Garlic Chicken (which uses my favorite spices!). 

I ended up choosing these blackberry oat muffins, and we really enjoyed them.

In true Finding Joy in My Kitchen fashion, we made some healthy substitutions:

• Used whole wheat flour rather than all purpose
• Reduced the sugar by 1/2 C. 
• Used applesauce in place of Greek yogurt. 
• Reduced the amount of butter. 

The result was a delicious muffin. 

Blackberry Oat Muffins – Adapted from Emily @ Life on Food

Ingredients

• 2 C whole wheat flour
• 3/4 C Old Fashioned Oats
• 1/2 C brown sugar
• 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. baking soda
• pinch of salt
• 1/2 tsp. cinnamon
• 1 C unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 C milk
• 2 T butter, melted
• 1 egg
• 1 tsp. vanilla extract
• 6 oz. fresh blackberries

Directions

In a large bowl mix together 2 C whole wheat flour with 3/4 C oats.  Add in a pinch of salt, 1/2 C brown sugar, 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder, 1/2 tsp. baking soda, and 1/2 tsp. of cinnamon.  Stir well. 

Add in 1 C unsweetened applesauce, 1 egg, 1 tsp. vanilla extract. 

Stir in 2 T melted butter and then up to 1/2 C milk, until you have a thick, but batter-like batter. 

Chop up your blackberries into coarse pieces.  I sliced each berry into 2-3 sections.

Toss those berries into the batter. 

Carefully fold the berries in until just combined. 

Scoop into muffin tins that have been lightly greased.  They will fill about 12 regular muffin tins, or 6 jumbo muffins. 

If desired, sprinkle the top with coarse sugar. 

Bake at 350 for 20-23 minutes until lightly browned and a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean. 

Cool for 2-3 minutes in the pan.  Then, remove the muffins and allow them to cool on a cooling rack. 

Serve slightly warm, or at room temperature. 

Enjoy!