Chocolate Cherry Cider Muffins (Monday Muffins)

I mentioned in my very first muffin post that I love to make muffins and my kids love to eat muffins.  I make a lot of muffins out of the ingredients that I have in my kitchen, especially from my CSA farm share.  Since I've been so eager to share other recipes, however, I've got quite a backlog of muffin recipes to share.

So to work on this mass of muffin-ness, I'm starting an occasional (read, not weekly like Friday Night Pizza Night) series of Monday Muffin recipes.  I've got sweet muffin recipes, savory muffin recipes, and strange but good muffin recipes (Beet and Horseradish, anyone?).  I can pretty well say that they will involve less sugar and fat, and more whole grains than your standard bakery muffins.  And they will taste terrific.

Let's get started with a tasty winter treat!

These muffins sound like they are decadent, but really they're not that out there.  They are a morph of my Apple Cider Oatmeal Forgot-the-Sugar Muffins, so they can't be too unhealthy for ya, but with the chocolate and cherry additions they are a step above.

Note:  I let the cherry-cider-oat mixture hang out on my counter for about 4 hours until the cherries were pretty hydrated and the oats were fully . . . soaked.  I recommend at least 1 hour and up to overnight.  These muffins are easy to throw together and forget about for a while, perfect for any busy time.

Chocolate Cherry Cider Muffins (makes 1 dozen)

1 cup rolled oats
1 cup apple cider
1/2 cup chopped dried cherries
1 egg
1/4 cup brown sugar (didn't forget this time)
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 1/4 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/4 cup mini chocolate chips

In a large bowl combine oats, cider, and cherries.  Let sit (see Note above).  When you're ready to bake, preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit and spray a muffin pan with oil or the spray of your choice.  Whisk in eggs and oil to the oat mixture.  Dump dry ingredients on top then stir.  Add chocolate chips and stir until combined.  Scoop** into prepared muffin tin. Bake 15 minutes.  Best warm but also good the next day.  These also freeze well.

**My scoop holds 3 Tablespoons (1 ½ ounces) by volume, though the muffin batter is mounded in the scoop so I'm pretty sure I'm putting a good 3 ½ to 4 Tablespoons into each muffin well.  The muffin wells in my regular muffin pans each hold 3 ounces by volume.

The other day I introduced a new Recipe Index that way -----> . . . and now I'd like to introduce a gadget on the other side <------- .  Please feel free to Follow Me.  And, in the comments, please please please tell me what that means, since I have no idea! Thanks!

This post is linked with Taste and Tell Thursdays and Food on Friday.