Great Grains Muffins
These muffins are the kind I keep reaching for when I want something sturdy enough for breakfast, but still soft enough for a snack. They strike a balance between hearty grains and a tender crumb, and they travel well in a lunchbox or perched by the coffee pot. I like making a batch on Sunday and letting everyone grab one throughout the week.
They use a blend of all-purpose flour, whole wheat, cornmeal and oats, plus a touch of maple syrup for brightness and dried fruit for pockets of chew and sweetness. The method is straightforward: mix dry, mix wet, fold together and bake. No special choreography, just careful timing and a gentle hand.
Below you’ll find the exact ingredients and step-by-step instructions I use, followed by practical notes for swaps, tools, storage and troubleshooting. Read the recipe through once, then follow the steps on your first go—you’ll be surprised how forgiving these muffins are.
What Goes Into Great Grains Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour — provides structure and tenderness.
- 1/3 cup whole wheat flour — adds nuttiness and a bit more fiber.
- 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal — gives a pleasant crumb texture and slight corn flavor.
- 1/3 cup old fashioned oats — contributes chew and grainy body.
- 1/4 cup granulated white sugar — sweetens and helps the muffins brown.
- 2 teaspoons baking powder — primary leavening to lift the muffins.
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda — supports lift and reacts with the buttermilk for extra rise.
- 1 cup low fat buttermilk — provides acidity, moisture, and tenderizing proteins.
- 1/3 cup pure maple syrup — liquid sweetener and flavor; keeps crumbs moist.
- 2 large eggs — bind the batter and add richness.
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted & cooled — fat for flavor and tender crumb; cooling prevents scrambling the eggs.
- 3/4 cup chopped dried fruit (apricots, cranberries, etc) — concentrated pockets of sweetness and chew.
Great Grains Muffins Made Stepwise
- Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the center. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by spraying with nonstick spray or lining with paper muffin cups; set the pan on a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/3 cup old fashioned oats, 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup low fat buttermilk, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 2 large eggs, and 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted and cooled) until blended.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just incorporated; the batter should be lumpy—do not overmix.
- Stir in 3/4 cup chopped dried fruit until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and place on the rack to finish cooling.
What Sets This Recipe Apart
This recipe is built around texture. The combination of cornmeal and oats gives the crumb a rustic, grain-forward character you don’t get from plain wheat-only muffins. Whole wheat adds depth of flavor without taking over. I use a small amount of sugar and let dried fruit provide much of the sweetness, so the muffins feel wholesome rather than cake-y.
The use of both baking powder and a touch of baking soda is intentional: baking powder handles most of the lift while the soda reacts with the buttermilk, giving an extra, quick rise and a lighter interior. The melted-and-cooled butter brings richness while keeping the batter easy to fold.
Ingredient Flex Options
- Whole wheat flour — swap for white whole wheat in a 1:1 ratio for milder flavor.
- Cornmeal — fine or medium works; for a softer crumb use fine cornmeal.
- Old fashioned oats — quick oats will work in a pinch, but the texture will be less pronounced.
- Granulated sugar — you can reduce by a tablespoon or two if you prefer less sweet, or replace with coconut sugar 1:1 for a slightly caramel note.
- Buttermilk — substitute plain yogurt mixed with a little milk to reach a similar consistency (about 3/4 cup yogurt + 1/4 cup milk).
- Maple syrup — honey works fine, but it will change the flavor profile; reduce oven time by a minute if using honey because it can brown faster.
- Unsalted butter — melted coconut oil or neutral vegetable oil can be used, though butter gives the best flavor.
- Chopped dried fruit — raisins, chopped dates, chopped figs or a mix of apricots and cranberries are all fine; if the fruit is very dry, soak in warm water or a splash of the buttermilk for 10 minutes, then drain.
Toolbox for This Recipe
- 12-cup muffin pan — a standard pan yields the correct baking time and portion size.
- Muffin liners or nonstick spray — liners make removal and cleanup easier; the recipe uses either.
- Two mixing bowls — one for dry, one for wet, to avoid overmixing.
- Whisk and rubber spatula — whisk for blending liquids and dry ingredients; spatula for gentle folding.
- Measuring cups and spoons — accurate measuring is important for the balance of grain and liquid.
- Baking sheet — place the muffin pan on this to make transferring to and from the oven easier and catch any spills.
- Cooling rack — allows muffins to cool without sogginess from trapped steam.
Errors to Dodge
- Overmixing the batter — this develops gluten and gives dense, tough muffins. Stop when flour streaks mostly disappear and batter is lumpy.
- Putting batter into a cold oven — always preheat. Muffins need that initial burst of heat to rise properly.
- Using hot melted butter — if it’s too hot it can cook the eggs when mixed into the wet ingredients. Let it cool slightly before whisking.
- Filling the cups unevenly — fill each cup to roughly the same level so baking times remain consistent.
- Skipping the baking sheet under the pan — without it you risk warping the pan or hot spots; it also makes handling safer.
In-Season Swaps
When stone fruits or berries are in season, you can swap part of the dried fruit for fresh chopped fruit, but adjust moisture expectations. If using fresh fruit, fold it in gently and expect a slightly moister crumb; you may need to add a minute or two to the bake time. Apples and pears also work well in fall—toss small diced pieces with a teaspoon of flour before adding so they don’t sink.
Behind-the-Scenes Notes
I developed this recipe to be forgiving and approachable. The batter is intentionally lumpy; smooth batter equals overworked gluten in these grain-forward muffins. The cornmeal contributes a fine grain texture that echoes cornbread while the oats keep the interior from crumbling. The dried fruit not only sweetens but helps retain moisture, which is useful since the recipe is not heavy on sugar or fat.
Room temperature eggs help the wet ingredients emulsify more evenly; if your butter is straight from the pan and too hot, it will scramble the eggs and ruin the texture. Melt and set aside until just warm to the touch. Finally, letting muffins rest in the pan for five minutes reduces the chance of breaking when you remove them.
Store, Freeze & Reheat
Store
Keep muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. If your kitchen is warm, refrigerate and bring to room temperature before eating for best texture.
Freeze
To freeze, cool completely, then wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap and place in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Reheat
Reheat wrapped muffins in the microwave for 15–20 seconds, or in a 350°F oven for 6–8 minutes from room temperature. For a crisp top, briefly broil for 30 seconds at the end, watching closely.
Troubleshooting Q&A
- Q: My muffins are dense. What happened?
A: Most likely overmixing or not enough leavening action from cold ingredients or expired baking powder. Mix gently and make sure baking powder is fresh. - Q: The centers are wet after 20 minutes.
A: Check that your oven temperature is accurate. An oven running cool can increase bake time. Also, ensure muffins are not underfilled—too much batter leads to uncooked centers. - Q: The tops brown too quickly.
A: Your oven may run hot. Reduce temperature by 25°F and increase bake time slightly. Alternately, tent with foil for the last few minutes. - Q: My dried fruit sank to the bottom.
A: Toss the fruit in a teaspoon of flour before folding in; that gives it more grip and reduces sinking.
Next Steps
Once you’re comfortable with the base, try mixing in a teaspoon of cinnamon or orange zest with the dry ingredients for a flavor lift. Swap the dried fruit for chopped nuts or mix half fruit and half seeds for crunch. If you’re baking for a crowd, double the recipe and bake in two pans—rotate them halfway through baking for even color.
These muffins are built to be adaptable. Keep the method the same and your adjustments small. That way you’ll preserve the texture and rise while making the flavor your own.
Great Grains Muffins
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 cupall purpose flour
- 1/3 cupwhole wheat flour
- 1/3 cupyellow cornmeal
- 1/3 cupold fashioned oats
- 1/4 cupgranulated white sugar
- 2 teaspoonsbaking powder
- 1/4 teaspoonbaking soda
- 1 cuplow fat buttermilk
- 1/3 cuppure maple syrup
- 2 largeeggs
- 1/2 cup 1 stickunsalted butter, melted & cooled
- 3/4 cupchopped dried fruit apricots, cranberries, etc
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400°F and place a rack in the center. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan by spraying with nonstick spray or lining with paper muffin cups; set the pan on a baking sheet.
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup whole wheat flour, 1/3 cup yellow cornmeal, 1/3 cup old fashioned oats, 1/4 cup granulated white sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking soda.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together 1 cup low fat buttermilk, 1/3 cup pure maple syrup, 2 large eggs, and 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter (melted and cooled) until blended.
- Pour the liquid mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until just incorporated; the batter should be lumpy—do not overmix.
- Stir in 3/4 cup chopped dried fruit until evenly distributed.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the muffin tops are golden and a thin knife inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Transfer the pan to a cooling rack and let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then carefully lift each muffin out of its mold and place on the rack to finish cooling.
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Baking Sheet
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- nonstick spray or paper muffin cups
- Cooling Rack
