Banana Oat Muffins – A Healthy Breakfast Or Snack Recipe

When you are looking for something to satisfy your sweet tooth but want to continue eating healthy, these Banana Oat Muffins should be the first thing that you make. Although you may think that all baked goods are unhealthy, these muffins pack a lot of nutrition into each bite.

These grab-and-go muffins are easy to make with a combination of bananas and oatmeal. And for additional flavor, crunch, and nutrition, you can add chopped pecans or walnuts in the batter as well.

But what I love about these muffins is the oatmeal crumb topping. An easy to make crunchy coating made with old-fashioned oatmeal.

You can also make them ahead of time for a quick and easy breakfast when you are on the go! I make a big batch during the weekend, along with Keto Egg Muffins, and store them in the freezer. Then all I have to do is reheat the frozen muffins in the microwave for 30-40 seconds and they are ready to be enjoyed!

They make a great for snack or breakfast any day of the week! Not to mention they can easily satisfy that late night sweet tooth craving.

Banana Oat Muffins

INGREDIENTS

• Old fashioned oatmeal 
• Flour
• Sugar
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Cinnamon
• One large egg
• Vegetable oil
• Pure vanilla extract 
• Ripe bananas 

Topping Ingredients

• Old-fashioned oatmeal
• Cinnamon
• Brown sugar
• Unsalted butter, melted

INSTRUCTIONS:

The first step in making these healthy banana oat muffins is to preheat the oven and coat the cups in a muffin pan with cooking spray.

However, if you prefer, you could use cupcake liners instead. I just find it easier, and more convenient to use the non-stick cooking spray.

Start marking the muffins by adding oatmeal, flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon in a big bowl. Mix until well combined. Set aside. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the egg, oil, and vanilla. Then slowly pour the egg mixture into the dry ingredients and stir until well combined.

In another bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until only a few small chunks are visible. Stir the mashed bananas in the batter. Then pour the batter evenly among the muffin cups. Set aside. 

Make the topping by combining the topping ingredients in a small bowl until well mixed. Then sprinkle the topping over the batter in each of the individual muffin cups. 

Baking Time

Place the banana oat muffins in the preheated oven and bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.

Possible Ingredient Add-Ins

Although the muffins are absolutely healthy and delicious, you can make them even more interesting by adding in an extra ingredient or two.

It is a good way to mix up the taste of the muffins so that you never get bored with the banana and oat flavor. Below I have listed some possible add-in ingredients that you can use.

Fruit – Finely dice an apple and mix it into the batter. Or use any type of dried fruit such as cranberries, raisins or apricots.

Seeds or Nuts – Add in some chopped walnuts, pecans or even slivered almonds. You can also stir in chia seeds and ground flaxseed to add more nutritional value to the muffins.

Chocolate – You can never go wrong with chocolate! Chocolate chips, of course, are often a hit and easy to add into the batter! You could either fold them into your batter or whisk them at the same time that you add the mashed bananas.

However, if you make the batter in a blender or food processor, the chocolate chips will break down creating light and beautiful chocolate spirals throughout your muffins. Then you can sprinkle even more chocolate chips on top.

The Chocolate Banana Oat Muffins are a must-try if you are a chocolate lover.

Note:

The chocolate chips add an extra bit of fat and sugar to your recipe, but it’s very modest in the spirit of eating a single muffin.

These breakfast treats have around 250 calories each, including the chocolate chips. A Starbucks banana muffin, on the flip side, contains approximately 440 calories.

Just be sure to use dark chocolate chips because dark chocolate is much healthier than milk chocolate chips and they also contain antioxidants.

The Best Way To Store Muffins

Store the banana oat muffins in a closed container at room temperature for up to four days or in a closed container in the refrigerator for up to a week. It is best to place a paper towel in the bottom of the container to help absorb any excess moisture.

Freezing Instructions – Once the muffins cool completely, wrap each individual muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in the freezer until frozen. Then place the muffins in an air tight container and freeze for up to 2 months.

Tips To Make Banana Oat Muffins

• Use extremely ripe mid to large-sized bananas. The peel should have several brown spots on the surface for the optimum flavor and natural sweetness. In addition, they are very easy to mash them when they are this stage of ripeness. If the bananas are not ripe or of a smaller size, the batter can be a little dry.

• These healthy muffins can be served cold from the fridge, but they can also be served slightly warm with a small pad of butter for an easy breakfast item.

• Be sure to use old-fashioned oatmeal. This recipe does not work with instant or steel-cut oats.

• You can add a little extra sweetness to the muffins by drizzling a little honey into the batter. Although it isn’t necessary, it will satisfy your sweet tooth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it possible to make the banana oat muffins gluten-free?

It is possible to make this recipe gluten-free by substituting the flour with oat flour. Oat flour can easily be found at most large grocery stores. However it is also easy to make your own flour if you have a high powered food processor.

Simply process gluten-free oats under high power in the food processor until a fine powder forms. Then substitute the flour with the homemade oat flour.

How do I make this recipe without using oil?

One of my favorite recipe substitutions of all time is replacing vegetable oil in baked goods with applesauce. It is a great way to eliminate unnecessary fats from recipes.

Although some recipes call for substituting only half of the oil with all-natural applesauce, I find it best to substitute the entire amount for these banana oat muffins.

The result, moist, delicious, and healthy muffins that contain less fat and calories!

Do I have to mix the ingredients by hand?

One of the most common questions that I get when it comes to making muffins is about the best way to mix the batter. Although I find it easy to mix the ingredients by hand, you can also mix the ingredients in a high power blender or food processor.

Just be sure that the food processor is large enough to hold the batter. I use my Hamilton Beach 12 Cup Duo Food Processor and it is large enough to mix the ingredients without a problem.

Enjoy! Mary

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