Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins are made with wholesome ingredients and are naturally gluten free. Kids and adults love these healthy oatmeal muffins that require less than 15 minutes of prep!

Prepping breakfast in advance makes the weekdays easier. I always make a large batch of baked oatmeal, breakfast burritos, or trail mix granola breakfast bars to enjoy throughout this week. These meals work for both breakfast or snack and are great for on-the-go.

These Banana Oat Muffins with peanut butter and chocolate chunks are also frequently on rotation. They come together in 25 minutes and store well at room temperature or in the freezer.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• They use simple baking ingredients that you can find in any grocery store or may already have in your pantry. 
• You can easily make them vegan and gluten free with just a few simple ingredient swaps. 
• Add in your favorite dried fruit or nuts to add texture and flavor. 
• The ingredients in this recipe are inexpensive making them a great breakfast and snack for those on a budget. 
• They stay fresh for 3 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months making it a good recipe to double or triple the batch.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• All Purpose Flour – This is the main dry ingredient in the muffins that brings all the ingredients together. You can also use your favorite gluten free flour blend. 
• Old Fashioned Rolled Oats – Oats add a nutty flavor and texture that will help keep you full and satisfied. 
• Baking Powder – Helps give the muffins rise making them fluffy yet still dense and moist. 
• Salt – Brings all the flavors in the muffins together. 
• Maple Syrup – Helps sweeten the muffins naturally. Maple pairs well with the flavors of banana. 
• Creamy Peanut Butter – Gives the muffins a creamy dense texture and peanut flavor. 
• Milk – Used to help thin out the batter while keeping it creamy. You can use dairy free milk, if desired.
• Eggs – Binds the ingredients together and creates a “crust” when baking. 
• Coconut Oil – Gives the muffins a smooth texture and rich flavor. 
• Ripe Bananas – Adds a natural sweetness, texture and banana flavor. Your bananas should have at least a few black spots on them.
• Chocolate Chunks – These sweet chocolate gems give the muffins a hit of chocolate texture and flavor. You can substitute with standard chocolate chips.

How to Make Banana Oatmeal Muffins

Step 1. In a mixing bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients – flour, oats, baking powder and salt. 

Step 2. In a separate large bowl, whisk together the wet ingredients – maple syrup, peanut butter, milk, eggs and coconut oil. 

Step 3. Stir in the mashed bananas until fully combined. 

Step 4. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients making sure not to overmix. It’s okay if a few streaks of flour remain.

Step 5. Fold in the chocolate chips or chunks.

Step 6. Line a muffin tin with paper liners. Divide the batter evenly in the cups, filling each about 3/4 full. 

Bake at 400 degrees for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out clean.

Expert Tips

• Make sure all of your perishable ingredients are at room temperature before mixing up the batter. This helps to make sure that all of the ingredients are absorbed and they bake evenly. 

• Make sure your bananas are ripe enough before using in this recipe. An overripe banana has mostly brown skin and is soft to the touch. Overripe bananas are very sweet and break down easy giving the muffins a natural sweetness and smooth texture. 

• Allow the melted coconut oil to cool to room temperature before adding to the batter. This will help make sure you have the correct measurements and that all the ingredients absorb properly. 

• Do not overfill the muffin liners as the batter will rise and could spill over. Fill them ¾ of the way full. This can be made easier by using an ice cream scoop. 

• Let the muffins cool before serving as it gives the muffin time to set at room temperature which makes it stay together better. 

• It’s best to use muffin liners in this recipe to make sure the muffins do not stick. If you don’t have muffin liners, grease the muffin tin very well before adding the batter. 

• Do not overmix the batter. Overmixing wheat flour could cause the batter to become tough which doesn’t make a great muffin texture.

Gluten Free Banana Oatmeal Muffins

To make these banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins gluten free:

• Replace the 1 cup of all purpose flour with a gluten free variety. Use a 1 to 1 substitute like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten Free 1 to 1 baking flour. Whatever mix you use, make sure it contains xanthan gum in the ingredients. 
• Check the labels on your baking powder to make sure it does not contain any wheat ingredients. All the other ingredients including mashed banana, brown sugar and maple syrup are all gluten free.

How to Make Them Vegan

If you want to make vegan muffins:

• Replace the eggs with flax eggs or an egg replacer. 
• Use vegan chocolate chips.
• Use a plant based milk such as soy, almond or cashew.

Tip for using VEGAN chocolate chips: Select the chocolate chips that have “Certified Vegan” listed on the front. Some brands and varieties have added a variety of additives including milk or milk fat which do not make the chocolate chips vegan compliant. I like using Enjoy Life! Chocolate Chips.

Storage

Store these banana oatmeal chocolate chip muffins in a sealed container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Or freeze, by wrapping them tightly in foil or freezer bags. Freeze up to 3 months.

To reheat, wrap them in foil and heat for 15 to 18 minutes in a 300 degree oven.

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This recipe was originally published in 2018. It was updated with new process photos and tips in March 2021.