Moist, fluffy, and perfectly sweet Banana Oat Muffins with no added sugar make the perfect afternoon snack! These healthy banana oatmeal muffins are one of those easy breakfasts you’ll want to put on repeat!
Baking muffins with oats instead of flour has been a passion project for years, and these banana oat muffins are among my favorites!
Jam packed with banana flavor and plenty of cinnamon, a moist and fluffy texture with little melted chocolate surprises tantalizing your taste buds throughout, they are a great way of using up brown bananas while getting in some quality nutrients.
All factors considered, this easy banana muffin recipe is flourless, dairy-free, contains no added sugar (except for the optional chocolate chips), and is a great source of whole grains and complex carbohydrates.
If you’re a fan of oatmeal muffins, I also recommend my Cranberry Orange Muffins, Peach Baked Oatmeal Muffins, and Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins.
Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for these healthy banana muffins.
Ingredients for Banana Oat Muffins:
Quick Oats: Taking the place of regular all-purpose flour, we use oats to make flourless banana oat muffins. I recommend using quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats or rolled oats, because they yield a lighter texture.
For gluten-free banana oat muffins, use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats.
Overripe Bananas: Making up the majority of the sweetness and the moisture, we need three large ripe bananas. Be sure to choose bananas that have plenty of brown spots for the best flavor.
Avocado Oil: Bringing moisture and richness to the muffins, we need a little oil. Olive oil, melted butter, and melted coconut oil all work as replacements for avocado oil.
Large Eggs: A couple of regular eggs help the muffin batter rise so that the muffins have a light and airy texture.
Ground Cinnamon: Crucial in banana muffins, ground cinnamon brings warm flavor to enhance the experience.
Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla also brings warmth to the flavor profile, and adds a lovely nuance.
Baking Powder: The leavening agent. Baking powder helps muffin batter rise and bake evenly.
Sea Salt: Salt is a big flavor enhancer! It levels up the banana flavor and the sweetness.
Chocolate Chips: Little pockets of chocolate goo are my favorite part about this easy recipe! Omit them for lower sugar.
Recipe Customizations:
- Mix in ⅔ cup of chopped pecans or chopped walnuts for a little nutty crunch.
- Swap out the chocolate chips for dried cranberries, raisins, or omit them altogether.
- For sweeter muffins, add 1 to 4 tablespoons of your preferred sweetener. Pure maple syrup, brown sugar, coconut sugar, and sugar-free sweetener all work.
- Swap out one of the bananas for 1/3 cup of Greek yogurt for a little added protein.
Now that we’ve covered the basic ingredients, let’s make delicious banana oatmeal muffins!
How to Make Banana Oat Muffins:
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line the muffin cups of a muffin pan with paper liners.
Transfer the oats to a high-powered blender and blend on a low speed for 60 seconds, or until a flour forms.
Add in the ground cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt to the blender and blend until all of the dry ingredients are combined.
Mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl until they are creamy, then mix in the remaining wet ingredients.
Mix the dry ingredients into the large bowl with the wet ingredients, then stir in the chocolate chips.
Transfer the banana muffin batter to the prepared muffin tin. If you’d like, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the batter.
Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until the muffins are cooked through and golden brown on top.
Recipe Tips:
- Insert a digital thermometer into the center of one of the muffins. They are ready if their internal temperature is 190 degrees F or higher.
- Allow the muffins to cool to room temperature before peeling off the paper liners and eating. Peeling muffins while they are still warm causes much of the muffin to be lost to the paper.
Storage Options:
- Room Temperature: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days.
- Refrigerator: Refrigerate for up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze muffins in a large zip lock bag or a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months.
The next time you’re craving banana bread or banana muffins, whip up this healthy muffin recipe! They are the kind of muffins I happily enjoy every day due to the mindful ingredients involved. Keep them on constant rotation for meal prep or to have snacks on hand.
Looking for more healthy muffin recipes? Try out these reader favorites.
More Healthy Muffin Recipes:
- Almond Flour Morning Glory Muffins
- Almond Flour Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Healthy Oatmeal Applesauce Muffins
- Oatmeal Carrot Cake Muffins
Honor your sweet tooth with this whole grain banana oatmeal muffin recipe!
Banana Oat Muffins Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 cups quick oats
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp sea salt
- 4 large ripe bananas mashed ( about 2 cups)
- 2 large eggs
- 4 Tbsp avocado oil
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin tray with paper liners.
- Transfer the oats to a high-powered blender and blend on a low speed for 60 seconds, or until a flour forms.
- Transfer the ground cinnamon, baking powder, and sea salt to the blender and blend until all of the dry ingredients are combined.
- Mash the ripe bananas in a large bowl until they are creamy. Mix in the remaining wet ingredients – eggs, avocado oil, and pure vanilla extract.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and stir well to combine. Stir in the chocolate chips.
- Transfer the banana muffin batter to the prepared muffin tin. If you’d like, sprinkle extra chocolate chips on top of the batter.
- Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 18-22 minutes, or until the muffins are cooked through. Insert a digital thermometer into the center of one of the muffins. They are ready if their internal temperature is 190 degrees F or higher.
