Banana Oat Chocolate chip Muffins

A healthy quick bread like these banana oat chocolate chip muffins is sure to be an instant hit with adults and kids alike. Rolled oats, frozen or fresh bananas, whole wheat flour, and just enough chocolate make these muffins delicious and nutritious, while still being easy.

Every once in a while at my local grocery store they have a major sale on bananas. They pop up in huge paper bags, promising all the banana goodness I could want for five dollars. It’s basically impossible to resist for a from scratch cook like me.

Bananas are so useful, they can be baked into healthy on-the-go-breakfasts like these muffins, banana bread, banana oat pancakes, or kept in the freezer and blitzed into creamy, nutritious, drinkable breakfasts like this refreshing banana beet smoothie.

It also helps that I live with two banana eating fiends, who are never upset when I whip up a batch of banana oat muffins for the week.

These muffins are super easy to make, healthy, and are very toddler friendly. Breakfast, snack, even dessert are all fair game when a batch comes out of the oven.

What you’ll need to get baking

In addition to the basics of quick bread baking like baking soda, baking powder, and salt, you’ll also need a handful of specific ingredients. These, or one the substitutions I recommend will help you make perfect banana oat chocolate chip muffins every time.

• White whole wheat flour – I LOVE white wheat flour, it adds lovely dimension to recipes like my wheat sandwich bread recipe. You can use all purpose or traditional whole wheat flour.
• Rolled oats – You can use quick cooking oats, but some texture will be lost.
• Brown sugar – brown sugar is my jam, I just love it! But, you can use white sugar, cane sugar, turbinado, or coconut sugar as well.
• Egg – just one large egg, I have not tested it with a flax egg, but I suspect a 1/4 cup of applesauce or plain yogurt would work instead. Increase your baking powder by 1/2 teaspoon if using these.
• Vanilla – I always take the opportunity to say MAKE YOUR OWN. It really is sooooo much better and cheaper, and I can teach you how!
• Oil – a neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed work. I’d avoid highly flavored oils like coconut or extra virgin olive oil as they will affect your muffins final taste.
• Bananas – Whether you have overripe bananas softening on the counter, or ones you stuffed into the freezer a month ago, you’ll need about 3 medium bananas mashed up. The riper the sweeter, so go for the mushy ones.
• Mini semi-sweet chocolate chips – My toddler likes to pick the big chocolate chips out of muffins – but doesn’t with the small ones (so a lot less messy). Use whatever chocolate chips, or even chopped chocolate that makes you happy.

Tips for Perfect Fluffy Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Muffins are so easy! Mix dry, mix wet, mix together, and bake! These use two bowls, a whisk, and a rubber spatula to make. With a muffin tin lined and ready to go, they’re very simple to get in the oven. Here are my key tips for making sure they’re perfect every time.

• Make sure all large lumps are out of your banana mash, but don’t worry about making it perfectly smooth.
• Once the dry and wet ingredients are combined, fold with a rubber spatula, scraping the bottom and sides as you do. Do this gently until the flour is all moistened, then stop, overmixing can cause dense or dry muffins.
• Add the chocolate chips in BEFORE you see all the flour disappear to avoid overmixing.
• If using All Purpose Flour, reduce oil by 2 tablespoons.
• Use a large cookie scoop for consistent muffin size and a much cleaner muffin tin.
• To use frozen bananas simply thaw on the counter for 30 minutes, then place them in the microwave for 20 seconds. Or place them in a bag and submerge in very warm water for 10 minutes.

Questions about Banana Oat Muffins

Can I make these gluten free? I haven’t tried a gluten free baking blend for these, though the 1 to 1 bob’s red mill mix seems to do well for many readers.

Can I bake these without muffin liners? You bet! Lightly dampen a towel with oil and coat the interior and outside lip with oil to prevent sticking, then bake as directed.

Can I make these mini muffins? Yes! I do this all the time, expect to cut about 3 to 5 minutes off the bake time.

Do these freeze well? Absolutely, in fact I don’t bake muffins that don’t! Just like my healthy oatmeal muffins I simply let them cool completely, then place them in a freezer safe container or one of my reusable silicone bags. They stay good for about 3 months. Just thaw them and enjoy!

How long can they stay on the counter? Up to 5 days, but we usually find them best in the first 3 days. Make sure to let them cool completely before storing in an airtight container.

What are those black squiggly lines in my banana muffins? Before you chuck the batch, WAIT! That is perfectly natural result of using ripe bananas (key for sweet muffins), and baking soda. The baking soda oxidizes the fibers of the banana and sometimes turns them black. If this bothers you, simply swap baking powder for the soda. Your muffins will be a little denser.

Eat & Enjoy!

Next time you see bananas on sale, or that lonely bunch of brown spotted ones every is skipping past, take them home and whip up a batch of this banana oat muffin recipe. They’re sweet, fluffy, and are healthy enough to be snack guilt free!

I’m sure I’ll be back with more muffin recipes soon. In the meantime, here are some other healthy recipes that can help make your snack game delicious.

• Pecan Granola Bars
• Homemade Nut Butter
• Baked Lemon Donuts
• Baked Pears with Honey and Pecans
• Homemade Apple Chips
• Apricot Granola

I’d love to hear what you think, feel free to tag me on Instagram @theflourhandprint so I can see how it went! Until next time, Happy Eating!