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.
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!
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!
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
T. Saucier says
Absolutely delicious! My whole family loved these. I may have to double the recipe next time so they last longer!
Kathy says
Thanks! So glad everyone enjoyed them! 🙂
Tereza says
Hi! I only have two ripe bananas... can I add in an extra egg instead?
Kathy says
Hi Tereza,
I have only made the recipe as written. However, if you have applesauce, you might try that. Use 1/2 cup of applesauce for one banana.
Kathy 🙂
Lindse says
Perfect and exactly what I needed!
Kathy says
Thank you!!! 🙂
Michelle says
Love these muffins!!! Made them as written a few times, just had to add a bit of milk. They come out perfect every time even with my kids sloppy measuring of ingredients. Super easy and pretty much foolproof to make.
Kathy says
Thank you!!! Nothing better than cooking with your kids! It builds such great skills and memories! Glad you enjoy the muffins.
Kathy 🙂
alexis says
Great recipe - I like how the oats make them more satiating than a straight flour muffin would be.
I reduced the sugar to a third of a cup and still found them toothachingly sweet though. Next time I'll go down to a couple tbsp - the bananas themselves are plenty sweet without so much sugar
Kathy says
Hi Alexis,
Thank you! Everyone seems to have a personal preference for the sweetness of their muffins. Glad you figured out a way to make these work for you!
Kathy 🙂
Tracey says
These muffins are SO good!!! I sub'd 1/4 cup of honey for the sugar, and 2 TBSP date sugar for the brown sugar in the topping because my mom doesn't eat sugar. Added about 1/4 tsp more cinnamon because we love extra. I cannot even believe how good these are! Thank you for this recipe!
Kathy says
Thank you!!! 🙂
Kathy says
These are the best banana muffins. The only change I made was to the topping. I used 1/4 cup each of coconut and oats. I really love how you write your directions (so easy to follow). Thanks
Kathy says
Thank you! I'll need to give coconut a try in these - sounds delicious!
Kathy 🙂
America says
Made these today and they were AMAAAZING. I was blown away and so were the rest of the people in my house. And thank you for including the measurement of each ingredient in the directions. So helpful!
Kathy says
Awwww.....Thanks for the kind words! Glad it was delicious and the recipe was easy to read! 🙂 Thanks!!!
Linda says
Yes I agree that it makes the recipe so easy to follow with the measurements repeated in each step. Very good recipe. Love the streusel top
Kathy says
Thank you!
Donna says
These muffins are awesome! I make them whenever I have ripe bananas. Thank you for sharing! Have a Happy Thanksgiving 🍁
Kathy says
Thanks!!! They are one of our favorites and they are a great way to use up those ripe bananas! 🙂
Brynne Parise says
Awesome recipe! I have Celiac and swapped out GF flour + oats. Also used coconut oil + honey 1:1 instead of sugar. Really delicious!
Kathy says
Thanks!!! So glad you were able to make this recipe work perfectly for you!!! Thanks for sharing your tips.
Kathy 🙂
Richard says
Best muffins ever and so easy to make. I added one minute at broiled at the end to have a crispy top.
Kathy says
Thanks!!! I love the idea of using the broiler at the end! That crispy top would be amazing!!!
Thanks so much for leaving a comment. I really appreciate it.
Kathy 🙂
Sarah Tomney Aloe says
I think I’ve already commented how much we love these muffins but I’m back to say again - the best!! I make these every couple weeks and they are so simple and delicious. One thing I do which I think makes it faster and doesn’t seem to change the texture is I put my whole bananas in the kitchenaid first, blend them, and then add all my wet ingredients and blend. Then add my bowl of dry ingredients and give a quick mix. I also cheat and don’t make the crumb top just to be fast, still delicious and I have to restrict my kids to two each so they don’t disappear in one day! I also made some oat cookie bars you posted on Instagram last week and they were to die for! Thank you!
Kathy says
Hi Sarah,
What a great tip! Nothing better than making baking a little bit easier.
Thanks so much for your tip and your kind words! I appreciate it!
Kathy 🙂
Darlene says
Hi Kathy, I made your muffins this afternoon and they are divine.
So delicious, moist, busting with banana flavor. My hubby is oatmeal crazy and he loves them too. I will make these over and over again. It was wonderful to get this new recipe that doesn't need to be tweaked, it is perfect as is.
Thank you Kathy,
Darlene
Nova Scotia
Kathy says
Thanks Darlene!!! I appreciate your comment and am so glad you love it!
Kathy 🙂
Katie says
Delicious! Thank you for the recipe! In the past, I have struggled with the flour sticking to the oats and not allowing them to soften in the batter. When this happens, I would have little dry pockets in my muffins. To fix this, I now fold the oats into the batter at the end.
Kathy says
Hi Katie,
Thanks for your comment and your tip!
Kathy 🙂
Allison says
I'm writing this review with mixed feelings. The muffins I made turned out really good. Excellent flavor, not too dense, not too sweet. Healthy enough that I didn't feel guilty letting the kids eat them for breakfast. However, I didn't exactly follow the recipe. (That said, it wouldn't be fair to downgrade the recipe.)
When I considered the 1 1/2 c. rolled oats in the recipe, the amount of "liquids" -- bananas, sugar, egg, oil -- didn't seem sufficient. Oats soak up a lot of moisture. I ended up adding an entire cup of liquid, plus an egg. I used the same trick I use when making oatmeal pancakes/waffles -- soaked the oats in 1 c. of milk (unsweetened vanilla coconut milk) for about a half hour before adding the rest of the wet ingredients. This helps to soften the oats to kind of a mushy texture, and I like they way they incorporate into the batter.
After soaking the oats, I added the rest of the wet ingredients + one egg. Then stirred in the dry ingredients. Scooped the batter into parchment liners, sprinkled with topping, and baked as directed. I checked for doneness at 20 minutes, and they were perfect. Ended up w/ 16 muffins due to adding liquids. Will definitely make these again. 🙂
Kathy says
Thank you for your comment. It's always fun to make your own twist on a recipe and make it your own. You might want to consider following the recipe as written...it really does turn out well. 🙂
Eleanor says
These are a lovely recipe, we added a little crunchy whole meal peanut butter, and if I make again we will take them out of the oven a little sooner (our oven cooks hot!) a lovely moist and crumbly little oaty muffin recipe. My toddler and Partner loved making these and eating them too! Thanks 🙏 we will no doubt make again 😀
Kathy says
Thank you! So glad everyone loved them! Keep an eye on that oven. I use an oven thermometer to monitor mine. I find my oven takes twice as long to preheat so I always double check to make certain it's actually at the correct temperature.
Kathy 🙂
Lindsay says
I just took these out of the oven and let's just say my house smells as good as they taste!!!! They look amazing and taste wonderful!!! Thank you for your recipe.
Kathy says
Thanks, Lindsay! I'm so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Mary says
My came out dry what should I do the next time I make them So they will be moist
Kathy says
Hi Mary,
I'm sorry these turned out dry for you. A few tips:
- Make certain the bananas are really ripe
- Measure out your mashed bananas and make certain you have 1 1/2 cups
- Don't overcook your muffins, try cooking for 2-3 minutes less than you did
I hope this helps!
Kathy 🙂
Katia says
These came out perfect! I used sprouted rolled oats and they were just fantastic! My whole family lived them! Thanks for sharing.
Kathy says
Thank you!!! 🙂
Cindy says
Loved this recipe!Good flavor and moist.Healthy. Will make again. No changes were made by me.
Kathy says
Thanks, Cindy!!! 🙂
Chels says
These came out moist and oaty, sweet but not too much. I skipped the topping and added a bunch of chocolate chips. I baked at 410 for less time and they came out crusty brown on the outside and moist and tender on the inside.
Kathy says
Thank you! 🙂 You just can't go wrong with adding a little chocolate!