Banana Oat Muffins

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Make banana bread portable with these banana oat muffins! Moist and satisfying, they’re great for breakfast or snacking.

Banana bread is a perennial favorite in our house, and probably yours too. 

When I don’t want to make a classic loaf or peanut butter chocolate banana bread, I turn to muffins.

These banana oat muffins are based on my favorite banana bread recipe. They’re just the right size to make them an addition to a breakfast spread or tuck into lunch boxes. 

The oats make them extra hearty and filling, and the natural flavor of the bananas gives kids that sweet snack they’re craving. 

Plus, they’re easy to make. The hardest part might be waiting for your bananas to ripen!

Ingredients

Gather your ingredients ahead of time. Because you will need softened butter, I recommend taking it out about an hour before you plan to make the batter, depending on how hot your kitchen is.

Ripe Bananas

You’ll need 4 ripe bananas for this recipe. I buy bananas at least a few days ahead of when I want to bake. 

You want the bananas to be soft, but the peels do not need to be completely black. Spotted will work just fine! 

The bananas do not need to be mashed before adding if you are using a stand mixer. If you are mixing by hand, mashing the bananas with a fork will make mixing them in easier.

What size banana do I need for banana muffins?

Generally, size does not matter when it comes to bananas for this recipe. 

If you are using very small bananas versus medium to large bananas, there will just be slightly less banana flavor.

Flour

This recipe uses all-purpose flour. For a gluten-free muffin, swap in your favorite gluten-free blend.

I have not tried this recipe with whole wheat flour, but it’s also a great option.

Oats

Look for old fashioned oats, also called rolled oats. These are the oats that are in whole pieces.

You don’t want quick oats, which are chopped rolled oats.

Baking Powder and Baking Soda

We need a leavener for muffins, so here we are using both standard kinds for immediate and slower releasing lift.

Cinnamon and Salt

I like the pairing of cinnamon with bananas. Feel free to increase the amount if you like.

Salt brings out the natural flavors; don’t skip it.

Softened Butter

The butter needs to be soft to be able to blend with the sugar. It should be just soft enough for your finger to leave an impression, but not go all the way into the butter.

Both unsalted and salted butter will work for banana oat muffins.

Brown Sugar

The molasses flavor from the brown sugar is great with bananas. Use either light brown or dark brown sugar.

If you prefer, you can swap in granulated sugar for some or all of the brown sugar.

Eggs

I use large size eggs for this recipe. If you only have medium or jumbo, do not worry about increasing or decreasing the number of eggs.

How to make easy banana muffins

First, preheat your oven to 375°F.

Line a muffin pan with paper liners, or coat the insides with nonstick spray. Set it aside while you prepare the batter.

In a bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.

In a large bowl, or in the bowl of a stand mixer with a paddle attachment, add the butter and brown sugar. 

Mix until they are creamed together, and the mixture is somewhat light and fluffy. 

Now, add the peeled ripe bananas. I add them all at once and use the stand mixer paddle to break up the bananas and mix them into the creamed sugar. 

Once the bananas are broken up but still have a few larger pieces, mix in the eggs until fully blended.

Spoon some of the flour mixture into the bowl and mix in, then mix in the rest gradually.

You don’t want to mix too long with muffins or they can be tough, so mix just until the dry ingredients are fully incorporated.

Be sure to scrape the sides and bottom of the bowl as needed.

Grab your prepared muffin pan and divide the batter among the muffin cups to ¾ full. I use a large cookie scoop to get even sized muffins.

Place the pan in the hot oven and bake for 18-20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out with only moist crumbs.

Let the muffins cool in the pan a couple of minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

What can I add to banana bread muffins?

These are great as they are, but you can always add some of your favorite ingredients to really make these banana muffins special.

Try adding ½ cup chopped walnuts or other chopped nuts, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or chopped dried fruit. Or go for more fresh fruit in banana blueberry muffins!

Increase the cinnamon if you like, or add in nutmeg, ground cardamom, ginger, or a blend like pumpkin pie spice.

Want to add a protein boost to banana muffins? Try this recipe for banana protein muffins!

Can I freeze banana muffins?

Yes! Muffins are great for freezing and enjoying later.

Cool the muffins completely, then store them in a freezer-safe bag or airtight container. I like to package them in batches of 4.

Remove as much air as possible from the bag and seal. A straw is great for removing the extra air.

Remember to label your muffins with the date, and pop them into the freezer. They’ll be good for about 3 months.

To reheat, thaw them in the refrigerator overnight or simply pop into the microwave for about 30 seconds.

If you prefer to not freeze them, banana oat muffins will keep in an airtight container on your counter for 3-5 days.

Make these banana muffins the next time you have some extra bananas hanging around!