This weekend, I set out to create a muffin recipe that was good on its own, but also could be “dressed up” with a variety of toppings or mix-ins. Enter: Banana Oat Muffins. These muffins aren’t particularly fancy or inventive, but they are really delicious and the flavor pairs well with so many different things. They are dairy-free, vegan, and gluten-free. If you’re not worried about them being gluten-free, you can sub the gluten-free flour for all-purpose or whole wheat. As always, if you ARE gluten-free, check to make sure you are using certified gluten-free oats (regular oats are naturally gluten-free, but there is always a risk of contamination unless they are listed as certified gluten-free)
These Banana Oat Muffins are made with simple ingredients like bananas, coconut oil, coconut sugar, oats, and cinnamon. I did not add in any mix-ins for this basic recipe, but these muffins would be great with chopped walnuts or pecans, chocolate chips, or peanut butter chips swirled into the batter. Once baked, the muffins also pair well with a variety of spreads: any nut butter (e.g. peanut, almond, cashew, or hazelnut), chocolate spread, coconut butter, or jam. I love switching up my toppings so that it feels like I’m eating something new and different each day. This is important to me because I crave variety when it comes to food. I’m all about meal prepping, but I am always careful to prep things that are customizable or I prep in smaller quantities so that half way through the week I can switch up my meals/snacks as needed. These muffins are great because you can change them up as you desire. Next time I make them, I am thinking I might sprinkle walnuts on 1/3 of the unbaked muffins, chocolate chips on 1/3, and leave the other 1/3 plain to eat with peanut butter. This gives me three “different” muffins using the same basic batter.
Added bonus: my Banana Oat Muffins are made in one bowl, so the clean-up is minimal. They also freeze well, so you may want to make a double batch and throw half of the baked muffins in the freezer to thaw for later. I hope you enjoy these muffins as much as I do!
Active Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 12
Ingredients:
2 ripe bananas 4 tablespoons coconut oil, melted 1/2 cup coconut sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 1 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour (I used Bob’s Red Mill) 1 teaspoon baking soda 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/4 teaspoon salt
1 cup oats
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F. Line your muffin pan with paper liners. Mash the bananas in a large bowl and add the melted coconut oil, coconut sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir to combine. Wisk in the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Fold in the oats, reserving about 1 tablespoon for the tops of the muffins. Scoop the batter into the muffin pan, filling each liner 3/4 of the way to the top. Sprinkle the reserved oats over the muffins. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Allow to cool, then store in an air-tight container for up to four days.
Nutrition Information per serving (1 muffin):
Calories: 153 Fat: 6g Carbs: 25g Protein: 2g Sodium: 249mg Sugar: 11g
*Nutrition information is based on the products I used personally in this recipe. Different products may yield slightly different information.
