We had many hands helping us whip up a batch of these Maple Apple Oatmeal Muffins yesterday! The children had fun measuring ingredients, pouring them out, and mixing the batter together with our staff. They had even more fun enjoying them at snack time!

Feel free to modify this recipe based on your child’s tastes and their experience with solids. You may use less sugar than this recipe calls for, or you can try adding raisins and a pinch of cinnamon.

Maple Apple Oatmeal Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 1/4 cups quick-cooking rolled oats
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour (you can use a combination of white and whole wheat flour)
• 1 Tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/3 cup sugar (brown or white)
• 1/2 cup maple syrup
• 1 egg
• 1/4 cup butter, melted

  

• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 cups apples, diced (you can peel them or leave the skin on)

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 400 °F (200 °C).
• Lightly butter a non-stick muffin pan or line with paper liners.
• In bowl, combine the oats and milk and let it stand for 5 minutes.
• In a separate large bowl, combine the flour, the baking powder and salt.
• Whisk in the sugar, maple syrup, egg, butter and vanilla extract into the milk mixture.
• Pour this into the dry ingredients and add the apples. Stir until just moistened.
• Spoon the batter into prepared muffin pan.
• Bake for about 25 minutes or until the tops of the muffins are firm to the touch.
• Let cool in pan for 10 minutes and then transfer to rack.

Enjoy!

 

In case you didn’t know, the Creating Together staff prepares freshly baked muffins for families to enjoy every first and third Tuesday of the month. Yesterday, we tried out these yummy banana and raisin mini muffins. Not only are they an easy favourite with older kids and little ones alike, they have no added sugar – the sweetness in the muffins come from the bananas and raisins.

Banana and Raisin Mini Muffins

Makes 18 mini muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all purpose flour (you can use a combination of white and whole wheat flour)
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1/4 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp allspice (or cinnamon if you prefer)
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
• 1 egg, beaten
• 2 tablespoons whole milk
• about 1/2 cup raisins

Directions:

• Preheat oven to 375°F.
• Grease a mini muffin tray with butter or oil.
• Mix the flour, baking powder, baking soda and allspice (or cinnamon) in a bowl.
• Add the butter and mashed banana to a separate bowl and whisk till smooth. Gradually mix in the egg.
• Fold in the flour mixture, and then add the milk and raisins.
• Spoon the muffin batter into your prepared muffin pan (depending on the size of your muffin tray, you may need to bake two batches).
• Bake in the oven for about 20 minutes, until the tops of the mini muffins are golden.

Let them cool completely and enjoy!

With blueberries easily available at this time of year, this is a great recipe to try out at home. [Read more…]