Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins are made with whole grains, yogurt and natural sweetener. They’re soft, moist and perfect for snacking on the go!
My family also adores these healthy oatmeal muffins, vegan banana muffins and applesauce banana muffins.
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You won’t believe how scrumptious healthy banana oatmeal muffins are! These healthy muffins are made with sweet ripe bananas, Greek yogurt, rolled oats, and whole wheat flour keeping them nice and fluffy.
Although naturally sweetened, you could add some chocolate chips.
There is so much to love about these healthy banana muffins with oats! Easy to make in one bowl, plus the combination of whole grain ingredients deliver fiber, potassium, protein, and healthy fats to keep you full longer.
Ingredients for Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins
To make healthy banana oatmeal muffins recipe you will need just a few simple ingredients.
- Bananas: Overripe bananas or yellow bananas with many dark spots. Previously frozen bananas that have been thawed are okay to.
- Oats: Use rolled oats or quick oats. Quick oats are meant to absorb liquid faster than rolled oats which means they are thinner and softer. When used in muffins they are much finer and less noticeable once the banana oat muffins are done.
- Whole wheat flour: Or spelt flour. You could also try white whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour.
- Egg: Used for binding and it also adds moisture. To make muffins egg free, try chia egg or flax egg instead.
- Greek yogurt: Use at least 2% fat yogurt for moist banana muffins, but 0% yogurt works if that is all you have. Regular yogurt works as well.
- Liquid sweetener: Maple syrup, honey or agave. If you’re going to use a different sweetener, just make sure it’s liquid.
- Oil: Any mild oil like avocado oil, coconut oil, grapeseed oil or light olive oil is OK.
- Baking staples: Cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, salt.
How to Make Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Here is a quick overview how to make healthy banana oatmeal muffins in one bowl. Full recipe card is located below.
- Mash bananas: In a large bowl, mash bananas using a fork or a masher.
- Add liquid ingredients and leavening agents: Add in the egg, yogurt, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk everything to combine.
- Gently stir in the flour and oats: Be sure not to overmix. Let muffin batter sit for a few minutes so that the flour can be absorbed by the surrounding liquids.
- Fill muffin tin: Use an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup to about 3/4 full. If you’d like, you can add a few extra oat flakes on top of each muffin.
- Bake: Place the muffin pan on the middle rack and bake healthy banana oatmeal muffins for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Tips for Best Results
Here are a few tips from my kitchen to yours for the best healthy banana oatmeal muffins.
- Do not overmix the batter. When you mix vigorously, gluten will over activate making your banana oat muffins rubbery and tough.
- To make bananas ripen faster: Place a few ripened bananas or apples with unripened ones in a brown bag. Close tightly and wait 1-2 days. Or bake on a baking sheet at 300 F for 30-40 minutes.
- Do not over bake: Remove muffins from the oven as soon as toothpick comes out clean to avoid dry muffins. Muffins keep cooking with residual heat.
Variations
- Chocolate chips: Add up to 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips, semi-sweet chocolate chips or even white chocolate chips.
- Blueberries: Up to 1 cup of fresh blueberries or frozen blueberries like I do in these healthy blueberry banana muffins.
- Raisins: Along with any other dried fruit such as dried cranberries, currants, and chopped dates.
- Nuts: Add more healthy fats and protein to these healthy banana oatmeal muffins and add in chopped pecans, walnuts, or almonds.
- Mini muffins: Using a mini muffin tin, bake for 11-12 minutes. Do the toothpick check and go from there.
How to Store and Reheat
To store: You can keep these healthy banana oatmeal muffins at room temperature in a cool dry place for 2-3 days. Transfer them to the fridge for another 3 days after that.
To freeze: These muffins freeze well in an airtight container for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours or in the fridge overnight.
Reheat in the oven at 350 F until warmed through, about 5-10 minutes.
Storage Tip
If you would like to learn more about making your leftover muffins stay fresh longer, check out my posts how to store muffins and how to freeze muffins.
FAQs
You could use 1:1 all-purpose gluten free flour instead of whole wheat flour and add a splash of milk. Or you can just make my healthy oatmeal muffins which use oat flour, bananas and oats as well.
You can try to use 1 cup of white flour for every 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour that recipe calls for.
Yes. Use sweetened applesauce or unsweetened applesauce instead of yogurt at 1:1 ratio.
You can make healthy banana oat muffins dairy free if you swap the Greek yogurt for a dairy free yogurt. The end result might be slightly different both in flavor and texture.
More Healthy Muffins to Try
- Almond flour banana muffins
- Healthy banana chocolate chip muffins
- Healthy banana zucchini muffins
- Banana carrot muffins
- Banana protein muffins
- Banana pumpkin muffins
- Healthy blueberry banana muffins
More Oatmeal Recipes to Try
Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe with brown spots bananas 1 1/2 cups mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 cup Greek yogurt 2%+ fat
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 tbsp olive, avocado or coconut oil (melted)
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 cup whole wheat or spelt flour
- 1 cup rolled or quick oats +more for topping
- Cooking spray I use Misto
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F, line 12 muffin tin with parchment paper liners and spray with cooking spray. Set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, add bananas and mash with a fork. Add the egg, yogurt, maple syrup, oil, vanilla extract, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt; whisk to well combine.
- Add flour and oats, gently stir until well incorporated but do not overmix. Let batter sit for a few minutes to absorb the flour.
- Using an ice cream scoop, fill each opening of a muffin tin 3/4 full and add a few extra flakes of oats and cinnamon on top (optional). Bake on a middle rack for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let muffins cool for about 5 minutes and enjoy!
Notes
- Store: Covered in a cool dry place for 2 days. Then refrigerate in an airtight container for another 3 days.
- Freeze: Freeze for up to 3 months.
- Flour. Do not use almond flour or coconut flour. White whole wheat flour or whole wheat pastry flour may work.
- Liquid sweetener: Not dry sweetener like sugar please. You have to keep dry to wet ingredients ratio.
- Yogurt: You can use 0% yogurt, however muffins will be less moist. Regular (not Greek) yogurt will work as well, so will sweetened or unsweetened applesauce.
I used fat free Greek yogurt, white flour and added dark chocolate chips. They tuned out amazing 🤩
These are just what I was looking for! I wanted these ingredients in a fluffy muffin, and that’s hard to find. This recipe met all my expectations. To up the protein, I cut the oil to 2 tbsp and added 1/4 c natural peanut butter (the drier stuff closer to the bottom of the jar, not the oily stuff at the top of the jar). Then I added 1/2 c chopped peanuts. Lastly, I put 1/2 the batter in each muffin cup, popped a tsp of peanut butter in the centre, then added the rest of the batter. Of course, I added chocolate chips! They were a perfect meal in one when we were travelling! Will make them again and again!
Sounds delicious, Sherrall! I love hearing how you made this your own! Thank you for the rating!
I made a batch the morning. I made mine with a gluten free all purpose flour blend and they turned out beautifully. The whole house smelled amazing.
Fantasci! Thanks for letting me know AP gluten free flour works!
This recipe never fails! Of course you should follow it as written for best results, but sometimes I accidentally use white flour, I’ve used brown sugar instead of maple syrup, I use regular yogurt instead of Greek – whatever I change, it still turns out great! Not only are these muffins delicious, but the one bowl technique is super fast and easy. This is definitely my ‘go to’ muffin recipe and we are always trying to accumulate bananas so that we can make these more often.
I am so happy to hear this, Tia!
At first when I made these they were fairly wet in the middle so I cooked several minutes more. However I then took them out and let them cool. They were very good and my husband says the best I’ve ever made. This says a lot after 39 years of marriage. I did add some Lilys chocolate chips on top before baking.
I’m so happy to hear that you and your husband enjoyed these muffins. “The best you ever made” made my day!
I made these today, it turn out so moist and delicious. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
So glad you enjoyed it!
I just finished and realized I used all-purpose flour and then saw your note about it. Will they turn out ok???
They might! Let us know!
Please share how they turned out…I just saw the notes as well and now I’m scared….
Although it has not been tested, all purpose should be okay, you may need to use a tiny bit more as whole wheat flour is more dense.
I’m never disappointed with this recipe. How do I modify the recipe when using a tin for 6 large muffins.
Recipe will take longer to cook as the muffins will be larger. Since the recipe has not been tested as such, I would set the timer for 30 minutes, but start checking at 25 and they may take up to 35-40 minutes to be done.
I’ve been looking for healthy options that my husband likes. These were a hit. Thank you.
So glad they were a hit!
What can I supplement that’s gluten-free but not whole wheat?
Please see FAQs in the post for ideas.
A new favorite for sure, took the suggestion to add chocolate chips and the family loves them!
So glad you love them!