Cracklin’ Oat Bran Blueberry Crunch Muffins

There’s something so inviting about a basket of fresh blueberry muffins on the breakfast table. They’re warm and comforting, evoking a feeling of family togetherness that’s the perfect way to celebrate the weekend. While I’d never turn down a homemade blueberry muffin of any kind, I yearned for the longest time to recreate the muffins I found in my favorite coffee shops and bakeries: big and buttery with lots of fruit and a tender crumb. During my quest, I discovered that adding crushed Cracklin’ Oat Bran cereal to the batter itself allows it to stand up to the moisture content of the berries, resulting in a hearty, balanced texture. A second addition of Cracklin’ Oat Bran to the streusel topping gives the muffins an irresistible crunch and an extra pop of sweet, toasted oat flavor, reminiscent of oatmeal cookies. It’s a great way to reinvent and combine two breakfast classics—muffins and cereal—with ingredients that are always easy to find at your local ACME Market.

A couple of general tips for achieving bakery-style muffins at home: First, toss the blueberries with a little bit of flour before folding into the batter so they’re well distributed and don’t sink to the bottom of the muffin tins. Second, avoid over-mixing the batter. Seeing a few small streaks of flour is ok! Too much mixing will result in a tough crumb when baked. Third, whether you’re using standard or jumbo muffin tins (instructions for both are in the recipe; I used jumbo here), fill the wells almost to the top with batter to create gorgeous, crowned tops. Lastly, don’t over-bake. For the best texture, muffins should be removed from the oven when the tops are golden and a tester inserted in the center comes out with only a few crumbs attached, not totally clean.

Cracklin’ Oat Bran Blueberry Crunch Muffins are a cinch to make and a fun way to get the whole family involved in creating special breakfast memories. With adult supervision, kids can help to crush the cereal with a rolling pin, mix the batter, and fill the muffin tins. There are no mixers required; just a whisk and a wooden spoon. Plus, the aroma of these baking is absolutely heavenly and guaranteed to tempt even the sleepiest of family members or house guests out of bed!

Love cereal and want to explore new ways to reinvent your family’s favorites in your kitchen? Please visit this website for more inspiration for creative breakfast and snack creations.