Light, soft, and naturally sweet, these healthy banana oat muffins are made with whole oats and overripe bananas for an easy, no-flour breakfast. They mix in minutes and bake into perfectly moist muffins without any refined sugar.
A Quick Look at the Recipe
✅ Recipe Name: Healthy Banana Oat Muffins
🕒 Ready In: ~20 minutes
👪 Serves: 12 muffins
🍽 Calories: ~150 calories per muffin (estimated)
🥣 Main Ingredients: Oats, bananas, eggs, milk, vanilla, cinnamon
📖 Dietary Info: Gluten-free with certified GF oats; oil-free; dairy-free option
👌 Difficulty: Easy - simple mix, soak, and bake
SUMMARIZE & SAVE THIS CONTENT ON
This recipe keeps ingredients simple and nutrient-dense, giving you banana oatmeal muffins that are naturally gluten-free, high in fiber, and sweetened entirely with fruit. Perfect for busy mornings or grab-and-go snacks, these banana oat muffins are a clean, make-ahead recipe, that fit into any healthy routine.
Serve them warm for breakfast, tuck them into lunchboxes, or pair them with our Berry Kefir Smoothie or enjoy them alongside Breakfast Vegetable Stack for a balanced morning meal. For more simple snacks, try our Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Bars or our kid-friendly Frozen Yogurt Bark.
Jump to:
- A Quick Look at the Recipe
- Why You'll Love these Healthy Banana Oat Muffins:
- Key Ingredients:
- Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- How to Make these Healthy Banana Oat Muffins:
- Recipe Notes & Tips:
- How to Store:
- Healthy Banana Oat Muffins FAQs:
- More Muffin Recipes You'll Love
- Get a FREE Healthy Meal Planning Ebook
- Healthy Banana Oat Muffins
Why You'll Love these Healthy Banana Oat Muffins:
Naturally Sweetened: Overripe bananas add all the sweetness, so there's no refined sugar needed.
Flourless & Wholesome: Made with old-fashioned oats instead of flour for a hearty, nutrient-dense muffin.
Oil-Free & Easily Dairy-Free: Clean ingredients that fit any healthy routine and work with non-dairy milk.
Soft & Moist: The banana-oat batter bakes into perfectly tender muffins with great texture.
Quick & Simple: Just a few pantry staples, one bowl, and about 10 minutes of prep.
Perfect for Meal Prep: They store and freeze well, making them ideal for grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks.
Key Ingredients:
- old-fashioned oats. The base of these banana oat muffins, replacing traditional flour with whole-grain texture and natural fiber. They soften as the batter rests, giving the muffins a tender crumb.
- overripe bananas: Naturally sweeten the muffins without added sugar. The riper the bananas, the better the flavor and moisture.
- eggs: Provide structure and help the muffins rise without needing oil or flour, keeping them light but sturdy.
- milk: Hydrates the oats and creates a smooth, pourable batter. Use dairy or homemade almond milk.
Scroll to the recipe card at the bottom of this page for exact quantities.
Easy Substitutions & Variations:
- Make Them Dairy-Free: Swap the milk for almond milk, oat milk, or any non-dairy alternative for fully dairy-free banana oat muffins.
- Use Maple Syrup for Extra Sweetness: If your bananas aren't very ripe, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey to lightly sweeten the batter.
- Add Mix-Ins: Stir in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, blueberries, or raisins for added flavor and texture without changing the base recipe.
- Gluten-Free Option: Use certified gluten-free oats to make these banana oatmeal muffins fully gluten-free.
- Boost the Protein: Add a scoop of vanilla or unflavored protein powder and increase the milk slightly if the batter becomes too thick.
How to Make these Healthy Banana Oat Muffins:
- Step 1: Preheat the oven to 350°F. Mash the bananas in a medium mixing bowl until mostly smooth.
- Step 2: Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
- Step 3: In a separate bowl combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt. Stir to mix evenly.
- Step 4: Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until incorporated.
- Step 5: Let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the oats can soften and thicken.
- Step 6: Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Recipe Notes & Tips:
- Let the batter rest: Allowing the mixture to sit for 10 minutes softens the oats and creates a thicker, smoother muffin texture.
- Use very ripe bananas: Brown, spotty bananas provide natural sweetness and help the muffins stay moist without added sugar.
- Don't over mix: Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, over mixing can make the muffins dense.
- Check for doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Adjust sweetness as needed: If your bananas aren't very ripe, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey.
- Use paper liners: These muffins are low in fat, so liners help prevent sticking.
- Serve with a drizzle: Warm muffins taste amazing topped with melted peanut butter or a light drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.
Save this Recipe
Enter your email address and we'll send it straight to your inbox.
How to Store:
Room Temperature: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container for 2-3 days. Because they're made with oats and banana, they stay moist but shouldn't sit out longer than that.
Refrigerator: Keep muffins in a sealed container for up to 5 days. If they feel firm after chilling, warm them in the microwave for 10-15 seconds to soften.
Freezer: Freeze muffins in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm directly from frozen for 20-30 seconds.
Healthy Banana Oat Muffins FAQs:
Absolutely, these banana oatmeal muffins require no blender at all. Instead of blending oats into flour, the oats soften in the batter as it rests for 10 minutes, giving the muffins a tender texture. This makes the recipe easier and creates a hearty, wholesome muffin without needing any special equipment.
Dense banana oat muffins usually happen when the batter is over mixed or the oats don't get time to soak. Stir the batter just until combined and let it rest for 10 minutes so the oats can hydrate and thicken. Also, make sure your bananas are very ripe, under-ripe bananas add less moisture and sweetness, which can affect texture.
Yes, healthy banana oat muffins freeze extremely well, making them perfect for meal prep. Once cooled, freeze them in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm in the microwave for 20-30 seconds for a fresh-from-the-oven texture.
Grab your free copy
Get a FREE Healthy Meal Planning Ebook
Tips, Tricks, and Recipes for Stress Free Meal Planning
Healthy Banana Oat Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old fashioned oats
- 3 overripe bananas
- 2 eggs
- ¾ cup milk
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Mash the bananas in a medium mixing bowl until mostly smooth. Add the eggs, milk, and vanilla, and whisk until well combined.
- Combine the oats, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt in a separate bowl. Stir to mix evenly.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture and stir just until incorporated. Let the batter rest for 10 minutes so the oats can soften and thicken.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each about ¾ full.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for a few minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
Nutrition
Notes
- Let the batter rest: Allowing the mixture to sit for 10 minutes softens the oats and creates a thicker, smoother muffin texture.
- Use very ripe bananas: Brown, spotty bananas provide natural sweetness and help the muffins stay moist without added sugar.
- Don't over mix: Stir just until the dry ingredients are incorporated, over mixing can make the muffins dense.
- Check for doneness: Insert a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Adjust sweetness as needed: If your bananas aren't very ripe, add 1-2 tablespoons of maple syrup or honey.
- Use paper liners: These muffins are low in fat, so liners help prevent sticking.
- Serve with a drizzle: Warm muffins taste amazing topped with melted peanut butter or a light drizzle of honey for extra sweetness.
Dave says
I like that this recipe uses affordable ingredients and they also fill you up.
Kae says
so easy and healthy!