Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins

I hereby declare this THE YEAR OF OATMEAL and you should too. Why? Well here are my top 5 reasons…

• It’s good for you: may help lower cholesterol, may help you control your weight, may help reduce blood pressure. These are all claims made by studies I didn’t conduct, but there is enough evidence out there that I’ll give oatmeal the benefit of the doubt.
• It’s versatile.
• It’s quick and easy, if that’s what you’re into.
• If you don’t eat it, you can take a bath in it. I told you it was versatile.
• It’s readily available.

To tell you the truth, I’ve been resisting oatmeal for most of my life. Maybe it’s because I was rebelling against my mother’s love of it or maybe because I never really gave it a chance. This year I’m giving it a chance. We are already enjoying hot bowls of it for breakfast, but I thought I’d make a little something delicious and easily portable for when we are running late.

Muffins with a little Mexican chocolate seemed like the perfect combination. Mexican hot chocolate has a hint of cinnamon and everyone knows that oatmeal and cinnamon were meant to go together as well. It’s a threesome baked in heaven.

(Ingredients were purchased at Lucky Supermarkets with a gift card I received.)

Mexican Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins Recipe

 

Ingredients:

1/2 cup oats (rolled, quick, steel cut, whatever)
1/2 cup butter (cubed)
1 cup boiling water
1 cup packed brown sugar
2 eggs (beaten)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons Abuelita Granulado Chocolate (or you could use 3 tablespoons cocoa and up to 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 350°. Grease muffin cups or line with paper liners.
• In a large bowl, mix together oats and butter. Mix in boiling water. Set aside to cool.
• Beat together brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Add to cooled oat mixture and mix until incorporated.
• Sift together flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and Abuelita Granulado Chocolate. Add to wet mixture and mix well.
• Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups until cups are about 2/3 full.
• Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center of muffin comes out clean.

These muffins are great on their own or add a banana and yogurt for a more filling option. I think THE YEAR OF OATMEAL is going to be delicious!

Disclosure: I received a Lucky Supermarkets gift card to purchase ingredients for this recipe. All statements and opinions are my own.