These Banana Oatmeal Muffins are easy to make and full of flavor and texture. They are perfect for breakfast or snacking.
With over 2 million page views, hundreds of five-star reviews, and almost 100,000 social shares, this is my most popular muffin recipe that readers keep coming back to make again and again.
Oatmeal banana muffins
These tasty banana muffins have plenty of banana flavor and get a chewy texture from the old-fashioned oats. And to take these muffins a step further, I’ve added a delicious oat topping.
No special equipment needed when making these muffins. You need a bowl, a heavy-duty spoon for mixing, and a muffin tin for baking. Whether you’re a novice in the kitchen or an experienced baker, these banana oatmeal muffins will get you rave reviews in your kitchen!
My top tips for making these muffins include
- Use Very Ripe Bananas: Overripe bananas with dark spots or fully brown skins work best, as they provide natural sweetness and a moist texture.
- Don’t Skip the Oats: Use old-fashioned oats for a chewy texture that complements the banana flavor. Quick oats can alter the texture and may not absorb liquid as well.
- Perfect Crumb Topping: Ensure the crumb topping is mixed until it resembles coarse crumbs. This adds a sweet, crunchy layer to the muffins.
- Even Muffin Sizes: Fill the muffin cups evenly using an ice cream scoop.
If you are looking for a little variety, here is another tasty banana muffin recipe to try!
⭐ Reader Review
Excellent muffin recipe! I made them a few weeks ago and I'm making them again right now. My three and a half year old granddaughter loves them! This recipe is a keeper for sure! Thank you!
Banana Oat Muffin Ingredients
- Oats - Use old-fashioned oats or rolled oats. They have a thicker texture than quick oats and are perfect in this recipe.
- Flour - Regular all-purpose flour is used. Be certain to measure your flour using the fluff and scoop method.
- Bananas - The riper the bananas, the better. Choose very brown bananas. You’ll need 1½ cups of mashed bananas which is about 3 bananas.
- Sugar - Two types of sugar are used in this recipe. Granulated sugar is used in the muffin batter and brown sugar is used for the topping.
- Oil - The oil adds moisture and helps create a perfect crumb. Use a light-flavored oil like canola or vegetable oil.
- Spices - Ground cinnamon and nutmeg add the perfect amount of spice.
- Vanilla - Use pure vanilla for the best flavor.
- Leavening - One egg, baking powder, and baking soda are all used in this recipe.
How to make Banana Oatmeal Muffins
- Mix the oatmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and sugar in a large bowl.
- In a smaller bowl mix egg, oil, and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir.
- Stir in mashed bananas.
- Fold together until well combined.
- Divide into 12 sprayed or lined muffin tins.
- Mix the remaining oats, melted butter, brown sugar, and cinnamon.
- Sprinkle topping over unbaked muffins.
- Bake in a preheated 375°F oven for 15-20 minutes.
You might also enjoy these muffins baked into a loaf of oatmeal banana bread.
How to store Banana Oat Muffins
Once the muffins are fully cool, store them in a single layer in an airtight container. Store at room temperature for 3-4 days.
To freeze the muffins, place fully cool muffins in a freezer-safe container or bag in a single layer. Muffins are best used within 1-2 months.
Tips for making Banana Oatmeal Muffins
- Use fresh baking powder - baking powder can lose its effectiveness and if old, your muffins might not rise properly.
- Fully preheat your oven - I use a separate oven thermometer in my oven to make certain my oven has reached the proper temperature. My preheat light often turns off before the oven has reached full temperature so I always give it extra time.
- Do not overmix batter. Just stir until everything is mixed in. Over-stirring can cause tough muffins.
- Use an ice cream scoop for even-sized muffins. Plus it makes putting the batter in the tins easy peasy!
If you make this recipe, I’d love to hear about it! Leave a comment below and snap a picture and tag me on Instagram @beyondthechickencoop
Check out all my muffin recipes!
Oatmeal Banana Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- Measuring Cups
- Measuring Spoons
Ingredients
- 1 ½ Cups oats (old fashioned oats or rolled oats)
- 1 ¼ Cups flour
- ½ cup sugar
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- pinch ground nutmeg
- 1 whole egg
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 ½ cups ripe bananas, mashed (about 3-4 bananas)
Topping
- ½ cup oats (old fashioned oats)
- ¼ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 Tablespoons brown sugar
- 2 Tablespoons melted butter
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F.
- In a large bowl mix oatmeal, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt and sugar together.1 ½ Cups oats, 1 ¼ Cups flour, ½ cup sugar, 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, pinch ground nutmeg, ¼ teaspoon salt
- In a smaller bowl mix egg, oil and vanilla. Add to dry ingredients and stir. The mixture will be very dry at this time.1 whole egg, ¼ cup oil, 1 teaspoon vanilla
- Fold in bananas. Keep folding until all the dry ingredients are mixed in.1 ½ cups ripe bananas, mashed
- Divide into muffin tin that has been either lightly sprayed with a nonstick spray or lined with paper liners.
- In another bowl combine topping ingredients. Sprinkle over muffin batter.½ cup oats, ¼ teaspoon cinnamon, 2 Tablespoons brown sugar, 2 Tablespoons melted butter
- Bake at 375°F for 18-20 minutes.
Video
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas. The peel should have lots of brown spots and the bananas should mash easily.
- When measuring flour, don't overpack the measuring cup. Fluff up flour with a spoon or scoop, and then gently scoop it into the measuring cup and then level the cup.
- The batter may be a bit dry if bananas are not fully ripe.
- If batter is too dry add 1-2 tablespoons of milk.
- Use old fashioned oats or quick oatmeal. Steel cut oats do not work for this recipe.
- The old fashioned oats will add texture to the muffins.
Nutritional Disclaimer:
Nutritional information is provided as a courtesy and should only be construed as an estimate rather than a guarantee. To obtain the most precise nutritional information in a provided recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the exact ingredients you are using when preparing the recipe using your preferred nutrition calculator.
Nutrition
Recipe adapted from Mad about Muffins
Rosie says
A very tasty and easy recipe! I personally went somewhat rogue with adding 2x green apples, walnuts and almonds, however it was perfect and truly enjoyed. With the added ingredients, I added an extra half of a well ripened banana for moisture. Thank you Kathy for putting your recipe up for us all to use and enjoy 🙂
Kathy says
Sounds like some tasty additions! Thanks so much!
Emily says
These have been a go to for us for the past few years! I often leave off the topping for ease. Sometimes I add mini choc chips or sub apple sauce for eggs. They’re always delicious, my kids love them as well as all their classmates at school. Thank you!
Kathy says
Thanks so much!
Tas says
Would I be able to use gluten free flour instead?
Kathy says
Yes! You can use a 1:1 gluten free flour (like Bob's Red Mill) Enjoy! 🙂
Mara says
Can you recommend a baking time and temperature if I were to put this in a loaf pan? Thanks!
Kathy says
Hi Mara,
Bake for 55-65 minutes at 350°F.
Enjoy! 🙂
Renee says
Have tried other recipes, but keep coming back to this one! Love feeding these to my kids for breakfast and hubby loves them too 😋
Kathy says
Thank you so much! I'm glad everyone loves them. They are a favorite in our house too! I appreciate you taking the time to leave a comment! 🙂
JannaM says
The best banana oat muffin receipt out there. I make them, and they're gone in an instant.
Kathy says
Thank you so much! 🙂
Carolin says
Tried them out today and they’re the best banana muffins I’ve ever had! Thank you so much for sharing ✨
Kathy says
Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoy them! 🙂
Ann says
Great recipe! We are trying to cut back on sugar in our house and your recipe had less than others I have tried. I added a 1/4 cup buttermilk because it seemed a bit too dry and these were moist and perfect! Thank you for a great recipe. 😁
Kathy says
Awesome! Thanks so much! 🙂
Brianna says
Just here to mention that these held up great without the egg and with a flax-egg substitute! Great recipe. Love the chewiness of the oats
Kathy says
Hi Briana,
Thanks so much! I've never used an egg substitute for baking and I'm so glad to hear that it worked will in these muffins! Thanks for sharing your tip.
Kathy 🙂
Maureen says
I just made these. Didn’t make the topping as I was low on butter. Very tasty, nonetheless!
Kathy says
Hi Maureen,
Glad you enjoyed them! Thanks so much!
Kathy
Linda says
Added a little milk to the batter as it was a tad thick. Also tossed in some mini chocolate chips for fun. Came out really yummy!
Kathy says
The mini chocolate chips sound like a yummy addition! 🙂
Trudy says
It looks so yummy. Can I use quick oat instead, please?
Kathy says
Hi Trudy,
Yes, you can use quick oats. The texture will just be a bit different, but they will still be delicious!
Enjoy!
Kathy 🙂
Black Leslie says
I did not use steel cut oats, but I still felt with the oats. It was rather dense. If I did this again, I might soak the oats for just a moment or so in some milk or water to soften them up. The way it is I’m the only one who will eat these in my family. Lots of fiber though.
Kathy says
Hi Leslie,
These muffins do have a lot of texture from the old fashioned oats and are on the denser side. They aren't designed to a be a light and airy muffin. Soaking the oats prior to making may help give the results you are looking for.
Thanks,
Kathy