Maple Oat Muffins

My husband loves anything maple, so these muffins were made with him in mind. 🤎

They’re soft and fluffy, filled with old-fashioned oats and real maple syrup, and finished with a buttery maple-oat streusel. The maple extract gives them an extra boost of maple flavor without overpowering the muffins or making them overly sweet. These are just the kind of cozy muffins I want with a warm cup of coffee on a crisp fall morning, but they’re simple enough to make any time of year.

Sometimes baking is simply remembering what someone loves and making it for them.

Why You’ll Love These Maple Oat Muffins

• Soft, fluffy centers with a little texture from the oats

• Sweetened and flavored with pure maple syrup

• A buttery, crumbly maple-oat streusel

• Easy to make with everyday ingredients

• Perfect for breakfast, brunch, or an afternoon snack

Maple Oat Muffins

Makes 12 muffins

Maple-Oat Streusel

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour

• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

• 4 tablespoons salted butter, melted

Muffins

• 1¾ cups all-purpose flour

• ½ cup old-fashioned oats

• 1½ teaspoons baking powder

• ½ teaspoon baking soda

• ½ teaspoon cinnamon

• ½ teaspoon salt

• ¼ cup salted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• ¼ cup neutral oil

• ⅓ cup packed brown sugar

• ½ cup pure maple syrup

• 2 large eggs

• ½ cup sour cream or plain Greek yogurt

• ¼ cup milk

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

• ¾ teaspoon maple extract

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.

2. Make the streusel. In a small bowl, stir together the oats, flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Add the melted butter and mix until moist crumbs form. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the melted butter, oil, brown sugar, and maple syrup until well combined.

5. Whisk in the eggs, sour cream, milk, vanilla extract, and maple extract.

6. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold gently just until the flour disappears. Be careful not to overmix; a few small lumps are perfectly fine.

7. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the streusel generously over the tops.

8. Bake at 400°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 13–17 minutes. The muffins are finished when the tops spring back lightly and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

9. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5–10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.

Tips for Soft, Fluffy Muffins

Don’t overmix the batter. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients only until the flour disappears. Overmixing can make muffins dense or tough.

Use pure maple syrup. Pancake syrup will not provide the same flavor. Look for a bottle labeled “pure maple syrup.”

Don’t skip the maple extract. Real maple syrup adds sweetness and moisture, while maple extract helps the maple flavor stand out after baking. And they aren’t all create equal either…this is the best one imo.

Start with a hot oven. The initial five minutes at 400°F encourage the muffins to rise quickly and develop beautifully rounded tops.

Storage and Freezing

Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. If the streusel begins to soften, warm a muffin briefly in the oven or air fryer to help bring back some of its texture.

To freeze, place the completely cooled muffins in a freezer-safe container or bag and freeze for up to three months. Thaw at room temperature or gently reheat before serving.