Oatmeal Banana Muffins

These moist Oatmeal Banana Muffins are packed with delightful flavors and whole grain oats. Made in a bowl with no flour, healthy banana muffins are the perfect breakfast and snack for the whole family.

A short story behind those muffins

I’d never believed this could happen but I have finally changed my breakfast. After 8 years of chocolate protein oatmeal (rigorously topped with peanut butter and banana), I now start my day with a savory meal. Or I should rather say, savory OATmeal!

Well, in reality it wasn’t such a big change. I still have porridge for breakfast, and it’s going to be like that for the rest of my days. What is different is that now I make it without cocoa powder and serve it with different toppings. Roasted veggies, poached egg and pumpkin seeds, to be precise!

The shift from sweet to savory was drastic. It was a Monday morning and we had just finished breakfast when I was caught by feelings of nausea, almost disgust. Early on that day I was about to prepare my usual protein oats as I realized that we had run out of unflavored protein powder. Faced with the dilemma “flavored protein powder or no protein powder”, I went for the flavor. A small choice that turned out to be the cause of permanent changes. An overly sweet protein porridge coupled with an overripe banana on top got me sick of sweet breakfasts.

“Enough is enough, basta. From tomorrow savory breakfast only!”

And that’s how we ended up with a dozen of bananas ripening the fridge. At the end of the week the fruits had turned completely brown and the only way to use them was for recipes. Detesting food wastes, I prepared baked oats for the week, made my 2 ingredient banana oat cookies and microwaved a mug cake for my girlfriend. But still, I was left with 3 ripe bananas. So I decided to try something different and came up with one of my favorite desserts ever:

Oatmeal Banana Muffins.Addictively moist with the comforting texture of oats, these flourless muffins are flavorsome and subtly spiced…I promise, you’ll get hooked at first bite!

Why you will love banana oat muffins

These flavorsome banana oat muffins are a hard-to-resist treat. From kids to adults, everyone will love this recipe.

• Moist and delicious, banana muffins are a perfect balance between the natural sweetness of bananas and the comforting texture of oats. Warmly spiced to perfection!
• Healthy and wholesome, these muffins are made with plenty of whole grain oatmeal, no flour and no refined sugars. Gluten-free & dairy-free recipe!
• Quick and simple, they come together in a bowl in under 10 minutes. There is no need for blenders, mixers or fancy kitchen tools. Just a bowl and an oven.
• Versatile and customizable, you can mix in the batter all the additional ingredients you love. Walnuts, pecans, chocolate chips, raisins and cranberries are all so good.
• Practical and convenient, these muffins come in very handy for grab-and-go snacks, desserts and breakfasts.
• Cheap and affordable, this recipe only calls for a handful of common household ingredients. Plus, it’s a great way to use up some ripe bananas!

The ingredients

• Ripe bananas: This recipe requires three ripe bananas, those with black spots all over their skin. The riper they are, the sweeter and moister your muffins.
• Eggs: The eggs add flavor and moisture while binding the batter. If you are vegan or can’t eat eggs, replace with two flaxseed eggs.
• Oat flour: You can use homemade or store-bought oat flour, gluten-free if it is necessary. As an alternative, replace with any other flour, such as white wholewheat or all purpose flour.
• Rolled oats: The combination of oat flour and rolled oats give the muffins an irresistible texture. Make sure you use rolled oats (also known as “old-fashioned oats) and not quick oats or steel-cut oats, they are not the same. If you have dietary requirements, choose certified gluten-free rolled oats.
• Coconut sugar: For healthy banana muffins without refined ingredients, this recipe uses coconut sugar. If you don’t have it, replace with brown sugar, date sugar, normal sugar or any other granular sweetener of your choice, also calorie-free. Unfortunately you cannot substitute with maple syrup or honey; they will change the batter consistency.
• Nut butter: These banana oat muffins can be prepared with any nut butter you like, my suggestions are almond butter and cashew butter. Differently from peanut butter which may taste strong, these have a sweeter and more delicate flavor. If you are allergic to nuts, replace with sunflower seed butter or tahini.
• Vegetable oil: For the best result I recommend a neutral vegetable oil. Great choices are canola oil, avocado oil, coconut oil or a mild olive oil. If you prefer, use melted butter.
• Vanilla extract: The vanilla is a must for delicious banana muffins!
• Salt: In baked goods, the role of salt is to balance sweetness and enhance flavors.
• Baking powder: This works as leavening agent, allowing you to get soft and moist muffins.

Optional mix-ins

• Nuts and seeds: Pecans, walnuts, hazelnuts, almonds, pumpkin seeds, sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, a mix. 
• Chocolate chips: Dark chocolate chips, semisweet chocolate chips, milk chocolate chips or sugar-free chocolate chips. 
• Fresh fruit: Blueberries, raspberries, diced strawberries, a mix of fresh berries.
• Dried fruit: Raisins, cranberries. 
• Protein powder: Replace 30 grams (1/3 cup) of the oat flour with your favorite protein powder. Keep on reading for more details.

How to make oatmeal banana muffins

1. In a large bowl, mash three ripe bananas with a fork until they are completely smooth. Stir the eggs, the nut butter and the oil into the banana mixture.
2. Add in the coconut sugar, the vanilla extract, the ground cinnamon and the salt. Stir the wet mixture with a whisk or fork for around two minutes
3. Sift in the oat flour, the rolled oats and the baking powder, then give it a good stir until all is well combined. Make sure that you do not overmix the batter, otherwise your muffins will tend to get dry.
4. Fill ⅔ of each muffin liner with the batter and bake in hot oven for 20 to 25 minutes. Make sure you do not overbake the muffins; they are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Remove from the oven and let cool over a baking rack for about 15 minutes.

Storage instructions

Before storing, let the banana oat muffins cool completely over a baking rack. Once cooled, place in an airtight food container and store at room temperature for up to 3 days.

For a longer storage, place in a food container and refrigerate for a maximum of 5 days. You can also seal these oatmeal muffins in airtight zipping bags and freeze. Frozen, they will last for up to 3 months. Before serving, remove from the freezer and pop in hot oven for a couple of minutes. Enjoy!

Can I add protein powder?

For sure you can make banana oat muffins with protein powder. It’s very simple. All you should do is to substitute part of the oat flour with a protein powder of your choice. My tip is to replace at most 30 grams (or 1/3 cup) of flour with protein, as larger amounts may lead to a dry dessert.

I suggest vegan protein powder or casein, not whey. If you opt for vegan powder and casein, your muffins will stay moist and fluffy; with whey they will get dry (curious to learn more? Check out my guide on how to bake with protein powder). In terms of flavor, the best option is vanilla.

How can I make vegan oat muffins?

Making vegan oat muffins is as simple as replacing the two eggs with vegan alternatives. Flaxseed eggs and chia eggs are two great options.

Tips for the best banana oat muffins

Before concluding, I want to give you a treasure trove of tips on how to make the best oatmeal banana muffins at home. Invest some minutes and pay careful attention to what I am about to say. I promise, you will love the result!

• Choose large ripe bananas, these are the ones that will give your muffins a sweet flavor and moist texture. You should look for spotty bananas that are soft to the touch.
• Add some mix-ins into the batter and customize this recipe to match your presences. My favorite are dark chocolate chips, walnuts, pecans and even raisins. 
• Make sure you do not overmix batter, as this will lead to dry and though oat muffins. Just mix until all ingredients are combined and no lumps are left, no more.
• Keep an eye on the baking time, your muffins are ready when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. If you overbake them, they well get though and dry.
• Enjoy on day two, banana desserts taste better after they have been in the fridge overnight. All the good flavors come out and their texture becomes addictive.

More healthy ways to use bananas

• 3 ingredient baked oatmeal
• Banana bread cookies
• 2 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies
• Low calorie banana bread
• Keto banana bread
• Oatmeal chocolate chip bars