Cherry Oatmeal Muffins

When I canned my sweet cherry pie filling, one of the jars didn’t seal.  I used the contents of the unsealed jar to make these muffins.

This recipe actually originates with my husband, who came up with it a few months ago while treating me to breakfast in bed.  I liked them so much that I asked him to teach me how to make them.

Cherry Oatmeal Muffins aren’t the prettiest muffins you'll ever make, but they have lovely flavour and they bake up with a pleasant crisp outer crust.  We like to eat them with cream cheese, brie or camembert, or with a creamy chevre. 

To make Cherry Oatmeal Muffins, you’ll need:

• 1 pint jar (just over 1-1/2 cups) of sweet cherry pie filling.  (If you don’t have this, commercially canned pie filling can be substituted.)
• 1 cup canola or other neutrally flavoured oil
• 1-1/2 cups sugar
• almond extract (I measure this into the cap of the extract bottle and use 1 capful.  It’s probably about 1/2 to 3/4 teaspoon.)
• 2 large eggs
• 2 cups all purpose flour (You can substitute up to 1 cup of whole wheat flour here if you want to)
• 2 cups rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt

Combine the pie filling, oil, sugar, and almond extract in a large bowl.  Beat the eggs and add them in too.  Stir until well combined.

In a separate bowl, mix together the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.

Add the dry ingredients to the pie filling mixture and stir just until the ingredients are combined.

Portion the muffin batter into oiled muffin pans.  (I got 18 muffins out of this batch.)

Bake the muffins at 350F for about 25 minutes, until they’re browned and spring back lightly to the touch. 

Because the sugar in these muffins caramelizes and can have a tendency to over-brown, you may want to turn the oven off at 20 minutes and let the muffins finish baking in the residual heat.

Cherry Oatmeal Muffins can be served either warm or at room temperature.  They will keep two or three days if stored in an airtight container.  They freeze well.

___________________________________________
This post is linked to Gallery of Favorites hosted by Premeditated Leftovers and The 21st Century Housewife, the Pity Party hosted by Thirty Handmade Days, to Foodie Friday hosted by Rattlebridge Farm, to Strut Your Stuff Saturdays at Six Sisters' Stuff, to Weekend Potluck hosted by Sunflower Supper Club, to Scrumptious Sunday hosted by Addicted to Recipes, to Makin' You Crave Monday hosted by Mrs. Happy Homemaker, to Busy Monday hosted by A Pinch of Joy,