Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins

Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins made with whole grain oats instead of regular all-purpose flour. This wholesome recipe is sweetened mostly with ripe bananas, is dairy-free and makes the best afternoon snack.

After sharing my Double Chocolate Sweet Potato Muffins, I’ve been on a chocolate muffin kick.

This time around, I was craving the classic combination of banana and chocolate for a sort of banana bread meets chocolate cake approach.

The end result is a dozen banana muffins that aren’t overly sweet and come with a big chocolate bonus.

One of my favorite things about these healthy banana muffins (in addition to the amazing pairing of chocolate and banana flavors), is how wholesome they are.

They’re made with whole grains, are lower in added sweetener, and the majority of the sweetness comes from fruit (bananas). Easy breakfast, here we come!

Because the recipe is made with all natural ingredients (except for the chocolate chips which are optional), I consider it to be a healthier option than muffins that are made with refined sugar, white flour, and butter.

If you prefer using a gluten-free all-purpose flour blend over oats, you can make my Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Muffins. 

For a grain-free option using almond flour, make my Paleo Double Chocolate Banana Bread Muffins. 

Let’s discuss the simple ingredients for this healthy muffin recipe!

Ingredients for Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins:

Rolled Oats: Rather than using regular all-purpose flour, we blend up rolled oats (or old-fashioned oats) in a blender to create an oat flour. This results in whole grain muffins that are so wholesome and tasty! If you already have your own oat flour at home, use 1 ⅔ cups. 

If you need the recipe to be gluten-free, use certified gluten-free oats. I use gluten-free sprouted oats in all of my recipes calling for oats.

Ripe Bananas: Overripe bananas make up the majority of the sweetness in this healthy muffin recipe. Be sure to use bananas that have plenty of brown spots for the best results because they add a great deal of sweetness and moisture.

Pure Maple Syrup: While the pure maple syrup is optional, I like adding a few tablespoons to bump up the sweetness so that it tastes like we’re eating chocolate cake in muffin form. Skip it if you don’t eat added sugar.

Avocado Oil: The fat content of these fluffy chocolate banana muffins. Avocado oil brings a moist crumb and lovely texture to the muffins so that they taste rich. 

Eggs: A couple large eggs help the muffins rise and become nice and fluffy.

I haven’t tested the recipe with an egg replacer like flax egg but I’m betting the muffins would turn out very dense without eggs.

Pure Vanilla Extract: A splash of vanilla extract brings warm flavor to the muffins. It isn’t mandatory if you don’t have it on hand but I like the added nuance.

Cocoa Powder: Providing a big burst of chocolate flavor, we need an unsweetened cocoa powder.

I prefer using raw cacao powder over regular cocoa powder because it tastes less bitter and has a creamier flavor. Any brand of cocoa powder you’ve tried and love will work here.

Baking Soda & Cider Vinegar: The leavening agent, which helps the muffins rise and bake evenly.

Cider vinegar reacts with the baking soda to create the perfect chemical reaction to help the muffins rise. In place of cider vinegar you can use lemon juice, rice vinegar, or balsamic vinegar. 

Chocolate Chips: Melty chocolate chips level up the texture of these muffins to a sultrier status. The chocolate chips are entirely optional but I love the fudgy texture they bring. The pockets of sweet chocolate goo are just so inviting!

If you prefer treats that are lower in sugar, skip the chocolate chips or halve the amount. Use dairy-free chocolate chips, sugar-free chocolate chips, or mini chocolate chips if you’d like.

Sea Salt and Ground Cinnamon: A pinch of salt enhances all of the flavors. I also like adding a pinch of cinnamon because I think it tastes amazing in baked treats but the cinnamon is optional.

Recipe Customizations:

• Replace the pure maple syrup with 3 tablespoons of coconut sugar or brown sugar. If you go this route, I’d recommend adding another 2 tablespoons of avocado oil.
• Add 2/3 cup of chopped pecans or walnuts for nutty muffins.
• ​Omit the chocolate chips or replace them with raisins, dried cranberries, dried cherries, or dried blueberries.
• While butter or coconut oil can easily be substituted for avocado oil, I like that avocado oil adds omega-3 fats to the muffins.
• For lower fat, you can substitute some of the avocado oil for almond milk. If you go this route, I recommend adding slightly more almond milk (2-4 tablespoons) to make up for the loss of moisture.

Let’s bake a batch of these healthy chocolate banana muffins!

How to Make Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin pan with paper liners.

Transfer the rolled oats to a high-powered blender and blend for 1 minute, or until a flour forms.

Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon to the blender and blend for 10-30 more seconds or until all of the dry ingredients are well-combined.

Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl until they reach your desired texture. You can mash out all the lumps or leave them somewhat lumpy which is what I do.

Add the pure maple syrup, avocado oil, and pure vanilla extract (the rest of the wet ingredients) to the large bowl with the mashed bananas and mix well.

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well, until a thick batter forms. If adding, stir in the chocolate chips.

Pour muffin batter into the lined muffin tin, filling the muffin cups most of the way up. If you’d like, top the muffin batter with extra chocolate chips.

Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the muffins test clean.

A great way of checking whether or not muffins are cooked through is to take their internal temperature using a digital thermometer (or meat thermometer). Simply insert a thermometer into the center of a muffin and if it is higher than 190 degrees Fahrenheit, it is baked through.

Allow the muffins to cool to room temperature before peeling off the muffin papers to enjoy. Note that peeling the paper liner off when the muffin is still warm will cause much of the muffin to stick to the paper.

Store leftover muffins in an airtight container or zip lock bag in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. You can also freeze muffins in a zip lock bag or freezer bag for up to 3 months.

I recommend heating a muffin up in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to enjoy it warm. A slather of peanut butter on a warm muffin never hurt either.

This recipe makes 12 big chocolate chip banana oatmeal muffins or you can make 16 smaller (regular sized) muffins.

The next time you’re in the mood for a treat but want to keep it mindful, whip up a batch of these banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins! I pair them with some quality protein for a healthy breakfast or enjoy one as is for a healthy snack.

Enjoy them with a cup of coffee and some Greek yogurt for breakfast!

If you enjoy healthy muffin recipes like this one, be sure to check out these fan favorites too!

More Healthy Muffin Recipes:

• Healthy Sweet Potato Muffins  
• Spiced Apple Carrot Muffins  
• Healthy Strawberry Oatmeal Muffins  
• Blueberry Almond Flour Muffins  
• Healthy Morning Glory Muffins  

Chocolate and banana lovers unite!

Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Muffins

This Flourless Oatmeal Chocolate Banana Bread is the perfect combination of classic banana bread with chocolate cake. Lower in added sugar, this healthier muffin recipe is a great healthy breakfast or snack!

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Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes

12 Muffins

Equipment

• ▢
  Muffin Tin

Ingredients

• ▢ 2 cups rolled oats
• ▢ 2/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder , or raw cacao powder
• ▢ 1 tsp baking soda
• ▢ ½ tsp sea salt
• ▢ ½ tsp ground cinnamon, optional
• ▢ 4 large ripe bananas, about 2 cups when mashed
• ▢ 3 Tbsp pure maple syrup
• ▢ ½ cup avocado oil
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 1 tsp cider vinegar
• ▢ 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ▢ 1 cup chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and line a muffin pan with paper liners.
• Transfer the rolled oats to a high-powered blender and blend for 1 minute, or until a flour forms. Add the cocoa powder, baking soda, sea salt, and cinnamon to the blender and blend for 10-30 more seconds or until all of the dry ingredients are well-combined.
• Mash the bananas in a large mixing bowl until they reach your desired texture. You can mash out all the lumps or leave them somewhat lumpy which is what I do.
• Add the pure maple syrup, avocado oil, eggs, cider vinegar, and pure vanilla extract (the rest of the wet ingredients) to the large bowl with the mashed bananas and mix well.
• Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix well, until a thick batter forms. If adding, stir in the chocolate chips.
• Pour muffin batter into the lined muffin tin, filling the muffin cups most of the way up. If you’d like, top the muffin batter with extra chocolate chips.
• Bake on the center rack of the preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, or until the muffins test clean. A great way of checking whether or not muffins are cooked through is to take their internal temperature using a digital thermometer (or meat thermometer). Simply insert a thermometer into the center of a muffin and if it is higher than 190 degrees Fahrenheit, it is baked through.
• Allow the muffins to cool to room temperature before peeling off the muffin papers to enjoy.

Notes

*You can also use melted butter, coconut oil, or canola oil in place of the avocado oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Muffin – Calories: 318kcal – Carbohydrates: 40g – Protein: 6g – Fat: 17g – Saturated Fat: 5g – Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g – Monounsaturated Fat: 7g – Cholesterol: 38mg – Sodium: 222mg – Fiber: 5g – Sugar: 19g

Course: Breakfast, Muffins

Cuisine: American

Keyword: banana bread muffins, banana muffins, chocolate muffins, easy healthy recipes, gluten-free oats, healthy breakfast recipes, healthy oatmeal recipe, oatmeal chocolate banana muffins

Servings: 12 Muffins

Calories: 318kcal

Author: Julia

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