Banana-Oat Muffins

These amazing banana-oat muffins are perfect for anyone who wants a healthy treat that actually tastes incredible! Kids and adults absolutely love these fluffy, naturally sweet muffins. Plus, they’re packed with wholesome oats and real banana flavor that’ll make your kitchen smell like heaven.

Recipe Details

Timing & Servings: Prep Time: 20 minutes, Additional Time: 25 minutes, Total Time: 45 minutes, Serves: 12 people.

Nutrition Profile: Diabetes-Friendly, Nut-Free, Low-Sodium, High-Fiber, Heart-Healthy, Vegetarian, Low-Calorie.

Nutrition Facts (per serving): 152 Calories, 4g Fat, 25g Carbs, 5g Protein.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Nonstick cooking spray: Just a light coating for your muffin cups to make sure these beauties pop right out!

Regular rolled oats: You’ll need 2 cups plus an extra 1/4 cup for topping. Old-fashioned oats work perfectly here and give the muffins amazing texture.

Whole-wheat flour: 3/4 cup adds fiber and makes these muffins extra hearty and satisfying.

Sugar: Just 1/3 cup keeps these muffins naturally sweet. You can use a sugar substitute if you prefer!

Baking powder: 1 teaspoon helps these muffins rise up nice and fluffy.

Apple pie spice or ground cinnamon: 3/4 teaspoon plus an extra 1/2 teaspoon for topping adds that warm, cozy flavor we all love.

Baking soda: 1/2 teaspoon works with the buttermilk to make everything light and tender.

Salt: Just 1/4 teaspoon brings out all the flavors beautifully.

Buttermilk: 1 cup makes these muffins incredibly moist and adds a subtle tangy flavor.

Eggs: 1/2 cup egg product or 2 large eggs beaten up bind everything together perfectly.

Ripe banana: 1 large banana mashed up is the star of the show! The riper, the better for maximum sweetness.

Butter: 2 tablespoons melted plus 1 tablespoon for the topping adds richness without going overboard.

Vanilla: 1 teaspoon makes everything smell and taste amazing.

How to Make Banana-Oat Muffins

Step 1: Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F. Line twelve muffin cups with paper liners and spray lightly with cooking spray. Put 2 cups of oats in your food processor or blender. Blend until they’re finely ground like flour. Transfer the ground oats to a large bowl.

Step 2: Stir the whole-wheat flour, sugar, baking powder, 3/4 teaspoon apple pie spice, baking soda, and salt into the ground oats. Make a little well in the center and set aside.

Step 3: In a medium bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and eggs. Add the mashed banana, 2 tablespoons melted butter, and vanilla. Whisk everything together until smooth.

Step 4: Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture all at once. Stir just until everything is moistened – the batter should look lumpy! Don’t overmix or your muffins will be tough.

Step 5: Spoon the batter into your prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-fourths full. This gives them room to rise perfectly.

Step 6: For the topping, mix 1/4 cup oats with 1/2 teaspoon apple pie spice in a small bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter with a pastry blender until it looks like coarse crumbs. Sprinkle this mixture on top of each muffin.

Step 7: Bake for 20 to 22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then remove and serve warm.

Easy and Quick Banana-Oat Muffins Version

Want to save some time? You can skip making the crumb topping and just sprinkle a little cinnamon and sugar on top instead! Also, if you have oat flour already, use 1 1/2 cups oat flour instead of grinding your own oats. This cuts your prep time down to just 15 minutes!

Serving Ideas

These muffins make a complete breakfast or snack all by themselves! They’re perfect with a glass of cold milk or your morning coffee. You can also serve them alongside fresh berries or a dollop of Greek yogurt for extra protein.

Storage

Store your muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days. For longer storage, freeze them for up to 1 month. To reheat, just pop them in the microwave for 15-20 seconds or warm them in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes.

Substitutions

No buttermilk? Mix 1 cup regular milk with 1 tablespoon lemon juice and let it sit for 5 minutes! You can swap the whole-wheat flour for all-purpose flour if that’s what you have. Regular milk works fine too, though the muffins won’t be quite as tangy.

Pro Tips

• Perfect Banana Ripeness: Use bananas that have brown spots – they’re sweeter and mash easier!
• Don’t Overmix: Lumpy batter is your friend. Overmixing makes tough muffins.
• Even Filling: Use an ice cream scoop to fill muffin cups evenly every time.
• Test for Doneness: The toothpick should come out with just a few moist crumbs, not wet batter.

FAQs

Can I make these muffins without a food processor?

Sure! You can buy oat flour from the store, or put your oats in a blender. Even a coffee grinder works for small batches. Just pulse until the oats look like flour!

Can I use frozen bananas?

You bet! Just thaw them completely and drain any extra liquid before mashing. Frozen bananas actually work great because they get super soft and sweet.

How do I know when the muffins are done?

The tops should spring back when you lightly touch them, and a toothpick inserted in the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. They’ll also start to pull away slightly from the sides of the muffin cups.

Can I double this recipe?

Absolutely! This recipe doubles perfectly. You’ll just need two 12-cup muffin pans or bake them in batches. The baking time stays the same.

I hope you love these banana-oat muffins as much as my family does! They’ve become our go-to healthy treat. Let me know how yours turn out – I’d love to hear about any fun variations you try!