With just a handful of nutritious ingredients, you can bake up super easy Banana-Oatmeal Muffins to share with the kids. Bonus: These store so well in the fridge for days!
Banana Oatmeal Muffins
Almost every week, I make a batch of healthy muffins for kids to have on hand for easy breakfasts, snacks, and lunches. I love that they can sit in the fridge and still taste great a few days later—and that they’re packed with enough nutrition that they’re a good quick meal option. My kids (like many, I’m sure!) enjoy muffins, but just putting a few chocolate chips on top transforms them into something they’re SUPER excited to eat.
They are an easy breakfast recipe for kids that also works as a toddler snack or even a Cold Lunch Idea for Kids.
To make these muffins we blend up whole grain oats with Greek yogurt or milk, eggs, bananas, and a few pantry staples. You pour the batter from the blender right into the muffin pan so the method is seriously doable…even if you have only one free hand!
The combination delivers protein, fiber, and potassium—as well as some of the fats toddlers need to grow—in an easy to eat format. (My Protein Banana Muffins are great for that, too.)
We like to eat these muffins cold right out of the fridge, but you can also serve them slightly warm. You can dice them up as needed for younger kids.
Table of Contents
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Ingredients You Need
To make this banana oatmeal muffin recipe you’ll need the following ingredients on hand. Most of them are pantry staples, so you might have some already.
- Rolled oats: I use oats here since they blend into a flour and add fiber and complex carbohydrates to make a satisfying muffin.
- Super ripe bananas: These muffins will have the best flavor if you use ripe bananas with some brown spots, as the brown spots indicate natural sweetness.
- Plain Greek yogurt (or milk): You can use either option and have similar results. The muffins will have slightly more protein with Greek yogurt.
- Eggs: Eggs add structure to the banana muffins and help the batter hold together nicely.
- Maple syrup: You can add maple syrup or honey to sweeten these muffins. To make without added sugars, omit this and add 2 tablespoons milk to make up the liquid amount.
- Vanilla extract: A little vanilla adds nice flavor to these oatmeal muffins.
- Cinnamon: This pairs so nicely with the flavor of the ripe bananas.
- Baking soda: This is key to the muffins baking through and rising, so be sure yours is fresh.
TIP: You can use either Greek yogurt or milk in these muffins. Yogurt will make for slightly flatter muffins, but they will taste the same.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s a look at the process of how to make these banana oatmeal muffins. Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the full information.
- Place the oats into a food processor or blender to make a coarse flour. Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips, if using.
- Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
- Divide among muffin cups and top with chocolate chips if using.
- Bake. Transfer to a wire rack to cool.
TIP: Use bananas with a lot of brown spots for the best natural sweetness and flavor. You know, those ones that have been sitting on the counter ignored all week and need to be used up!
Frequently Asked Questions
You can try using honey if you prefer.
You can make these in a food processor if you prefer. Or to make them by hand, you’ll need to start with store-bought oat flour, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until super smooth, and stir everything together in a bowl. I prefer the texture of these when made in a blender or food processor—it’s smoother and more uniform.
I love making flourless muffins with homemade oat flour because they are so easy and have the added benefits of fiber and complex carbohydrates. Just choose gluten-free oats if needed. The oats, which get ground in the food processor or blender, bake up with the banana to create very moist and tender muffins —which are delicious and also easy for toddlers to eat.
These muffins can store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Or in the freezer in a zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Mini Banana Muffins
To make these Banana Oatmeal Muffins as mini muffins, grease a mini muffin tin and pour the batter about ¾ of the way full in each muffin cup. Bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Follow the rest of the instructions in the recipe below.
(You can also try my Banana Yogurt Muffins and my Sugar-Free Banana Muffins.)
How to Store
These muffins can store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days. Or, freeze the muffins in the freezer in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
Best Tips for Success
- For mini muffins, bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean.
- Dairy-free: Use plain nondairy milk.
- For the best flavor and natural sweetness, use very ripe bananas with a lot of brown spots.
- To make these without a blender, use store-bought oat flour, mash the banana very smooth, and mix together in a mixing bowl.
- You can use either Greek yogurt or milk in these muffins. Yogurt will make for slightly flatter muffins, but they will taste the same.
- Add a few chocolate chips to the tops of each muffin if desired.
- Try a pumpkin version in my Pumpkin Oatmeal Muffins.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback on this recipe if you try it so please comment below!
Banana Oatmeal Muffins (SO Good!)
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- 2 cups sliced bananas (about 2 medium, very ripe)
- 6 ounces milk (or plain whole-milk Greek yogurt)
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 cup chocolate chips (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F and grease 10 cups of a standard-size muffin tin.
- Place the oats into a food processor or blender. Grind for about 30 seconds or until they resemble a coarse flour.
- Add the rest of the ingredients except the chocolate chips, if using.
- Blend until very smooth, stopping to scrape down the sides of the blender if needed.
- Divide among 10 muffin cups. You want each cup to be about ¾ full. Top with chocolate chips if using.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes or until firm to the touch and lightly golden brown around the edges. Let cool in the pan for 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack (or just tilt a bit in the pan to let air flow underneath) to cool.
- Serve warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
Video
Notes
- These muffins can store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-5 days or in the freezer in a zip-top freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature.
- Mini muffins: Use a mini muffin pan bake for 12-14 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean.
- Dairy-free: Use nondairy milk.
- To make without a blender: Use store-bought oat flour instead of rolled oats, mash the banana very smooth, and mix together in a mixing bowl.
- You can use either Greek yogurt or milk in these muffins. Yogurt will make for slightly flatter muffins, but they will taste the same.
- Add a few chocolate chips to the tops of each muffin if desired.
- Serve cold or slightly warmed. Dice up for younger eaters as needed.
Nutrition
This post was originally posted on July 19, 2019.
We all liked them!
Could I omit the maple syrup?
Hi- It will be less sweet, but you could replace it with additional milk.
Maybe they just needed a few more minutes?
Thank you for reply.
I tried that with the second tray and they burned from the bottom and not cooked also. 🙁
I used Greek yogurt lactose free and honey instead of maple syrup, do you think it could be that?
I will trying till get it! Lol
Hello there!
Could I storage in the freezer the mix leftover!?
For how long do you recommend it?
Hi- You can store any fully baked leftover muffins in the freezer for up to 3-6 months.
Could you use baby oatmeal instead? I still have a few boxes and I need to find a purpose for them . Thanks!
I haven’t tried is so I can’t say for sure. It’s not exactly the same texture as rolled oats when they’re ground up so it’s possible that the texture might not be the same. Let me know if you try it!
Two of my toddler’s favorites – bananas and muffins! My little guy loves this recipe. Whenever he sees the tupperware of muffins on the kitchen island he immediately knows there is “mu muhs” in there! Thank you for this toddler friendly recipe.
I’m so glad to hear that!
I make banana pulp from old bananas, including the peel. Can I use two cups of banana pulp, or would that be too much? Two cups of sliced bananas is not the same as 2 cups of mush.
Looking forward to making these muffins. They seem yummy and healthy!
I haven’t tried that but I would use 1 cup
Mine tasted great but were very chewy, not soft like a typical muffin. I’ve never worked with oat flour, is that just how it is? Or any clue as to what I did wrong?
Thank you!!
They do not have the same texture as a typical muffin since the ingredients are different.
I accidentally bought quick-cooking oats instead of old-fashioned oats. Will those work for this recipe?
I think that should be fine!
The quick-cooking oats worked out great! Both my kids (4 and 1) loved these, so we’re making more today. They have been great to pull out of the freezer for a quick breakfast or snack. Thanks so much 🙂
If making this using store bought oat flour instead of rolled oats is the amount needed the same (2 cups)? Thank you
Yes, it’s the same!
My baby is 16 months old and I wanna try this for her but I don’t wanna use eggs. What can I use instead of eggs?
I would try a different recipe if you don’t want to use eggs. Like these: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/so-good-sugar-free-banana-muffins/
These just came out of the oven.
My 7 year old grandson ate three :).
They are absolutely delicious!!
I had bought a bag of frozen fruit which included banana. I wasn’t fond of frozen banana in the the fruit mix so I puréed it and used it as my fruit in the recipe.
Great!
Hi! Could you replace the maple syrup with brown sugar? If so, how much? I’m dangerously low on syrup, and would prefer not to use honey as my youngest is not yet a year!
Thanks!
I think I would replace the maple syrup with additional milk so the liquid ratios stay the same and add 1/4 cup brown sugar. (Probably 2 tbsp would also work if you want to use less sugar but either will be fine I think)
You are the best ! Making now 🙂 Thank you!
These were excellent. Can I replace the bananas with apples for an apple muffin?
I haven’t tried using applesauce and I worry a little that they would be too wet. You can use pumpkin puree in for the banana though!
Great recipe. Make half with chocolate chips, my 19 minth old actually liked them without the chocolate chips. I’ll be making these again. Thank you!
I’m so glad!