These Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chips Muffins are soft, fluffy, moist and so easy. They’re made in one bowl, and only take 30 minutes from start to finish. Made with simple pantry staples and no refined sugar, they’re nutritious and also happen to be vegan. Freezer friendly and great for meal prep, they’re the perfect grab and go breakfast, more nutritious than typical bakery-style muffins.
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
Super Easy Banana Oatmeal Muffins
After I had my son, I became absolutely ruthless with simplifying my recipes. I do not have time to be fussing about in the kitchen; and child or not, I’m sure you don’t either! I went through a few rounds of testing to make these easy banana oat muffins as quick as possible. This also includes not leaving a pile of dishes in your trail, so this is a one-bowl recipe. Less muss less fuss! Ready in 30 minutes.
A Delicious Way to Eat Oatmeal
I’ve become known on social media for my viral blended oats and baked oats recipes. I love to get creative with oatmeal because it is so affordable, versatile and the perfect slow-burn energy source for breakfast. I think many of us associate oatmeal with a watery bowl of porridge, but you’ll be amazed when you try these muffins just how tasty and delicious it can be! They don’t taste exactly as cakey as a regular muffin, but you will be very impressed at how fluffy and soft they are, especially if you use my recommended mix of oat flour and rolled oats (see recipe notes or Substitutions & Variations section below to decide which to use).
Meal Prep Friendly
These muffins keep well in the fridge or freezer, so you’ll always have a quick, grab-and-go snack when you need one
Better-for-you than a standard bakery muffin
I love a decadent muffin as much as the next person, but it’s not something I can eat for breakfast every day if I want to meet my health goals. My banana oatmeal muffins are just sweet enough to feel like a morning treat but wholesome enough for breakfast. Oats are a great source of energy and fibre (read more about the benefits of oats on Healthline). This recipe is also naturally sweetened with bananas and a modest amount of maple syrup. I like to use low sugar chocolate chips too to keep them balanced.
Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s everything you’ll need to make your own batch of these Easy Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins. Scroll down to the recipe card at the bottom for the exact measurements.
- Ripe bananas
- Maple syrup (the real stuff!)
- Neutral oil or melted coconut oil
- Plant-based milk (I like soy but any milk will work)
- Apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- Vanilla extract
- Rolled oats
- Oat flour – this is optional but my preference. Using a mix of oats and oat flour gives the muffins a softer texture – you can make your own at home by grinding the oats in a blender like a Nutribullet.
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Dark chocolate chips (I like no sugar chocolate chips)
How to Make Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
I tested this recipe multiple times to make sure it was as straightforward as possible and all in one bowl. Below are photos of how to make it, or jump to the recipe card for all the details.
Step One: Mash banana in a large bowl.
Step Two: Whisk in the maple syrup, oil, plant-based milk, vinegar, and vanilla extract until well combined.
Step Three: Add the oats, oat flour (optional – see recipe notes), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Step Four: Stir until everything is evenly mixed and a thick batter forms.
Step Five: Fold in the chocolate chips.
Step Six: Scoop the batter into a prepared muffin tin, filling each about ¾ full.
Step Seven: Bake until golden, risen, and a skewer inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool slightly before serving.
Substitutions & Variations
Add-ins
I love these banana oatmeal muffins as a ‘base’ recipe. They’re great with chocolate chips, but you can also swap the chips for dried fruits or chopped nuts. I haven’t tested it yet with fresh or frozen fruit, so not sure if they will work quite as well. My initial thought is that they will leak some extra water into the batter during baking, and you might need a sprinkle more oats to compensate. If you are willing to experiment though with adding fruit, let me know how it turns out in the comments section below the recipe card, I’d love to know! Fruity muffins are on my recipe development to-do list.
Batter
- Oats vs oat flour mix – I like to use a mix of rolled oats and oat flour for this recipe. Oat flour makes the muffin softer and the texture is closer to a muffin made with regular all purpose flour. If you use only oats, the muffin will be more dense (still delicious) but a bit closer to baked oats.
- Make it oil free by swapping the oil for extra milk.
- Reduce the overall sugar by swapping the maple syrup for extra mashed banana or applesauce.
Storage
These banana oatmeal choc chip muffins will keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 2 months. Wrap them individually in clingfilm or seal tightly in a freezer bag. Make sure to squeeze out as much air as possible to avoid freezer burn.
Expert Tips
Use super ripe, spotty bananas – they’re naturally sweeter and give the muffins the best flavor and texture.
If your bananas are not ripe enough, the muffins will be bland and not very sweet – trust me, it’s worth waiting an extra couple of days!
FAQ
Yes, quick oats also work fine. They will give the muffins a slightly softer texture.
No blender needed for this recipe. You only need a blender if you choose to make your own oat flour at home. But it’s not essential, you can make this recipe with whole rolled oats (no oat flour). Or, if you want that soft fluffy texture the oat flour gives, you can also just buy ready made oat flour.
Yes, just replace a few tablespoons of the oat flour (or rolled oats if not using oat flour) with protein powder. I recommend Ora protein as it’s vegan and USDA organic. Adding protein will change the texture slightly, but still works great.
More Muffin & Breakfast Recipes
There’s nothing that makes you feel more organized and wholesome than baking a batch of muffins on a Sunday night for the week ahead. If you’re busy like me they are the best grab and go breakfast, perfect snack for toddlers as well (speaking from experience, but many a meltdown can be avoided by a well-timed snack. Goes for adults too really ha).
For more better-for-you muffins, try my Vegan Bran Muffins for a classic high-fibre breakfast, or my lightly sweetened Vegan Zucchini Muffins. My Spinach Banana Bread requires a blender but is a really fun, quick recipe that kids love. The color is so vibrant but you can’t taste the spinach at all. Plus it can be easily adapted to be low sugar and in muffin form.
For something sweeter, my Pumpkin Chocolate Muffins and Sweet Potato Muffins are the perfect treats for fall baking.
If you’re looking for more nutritious on-the-go snack and breakfast ideas, try my buttery cinnamon Snickerdoodle Protein Balls or oatmeal Breakfast Cookies for an energy boost.
I hope you love these easy banana oatmeal muffins with chocolate chips! Leave a review and star rating below the recipe and feel free to tag me on Instagram (I am @glowdiaries___). It’s so fun to see what you’re making and always do my best to re-post on stories 🙂
Banana Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 cup ripe bananas mashed, about 2 large pieces
- ¼ cup maple syrup or coconut sugar
- 2 tbsp neutral oil or melted coconut oil
- ½ cup plant-based milk plus 1–2 tbsp extra if needed
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1¾ cups rolled oats 1 1/4 cups oat flour + 1/2 cup rolled oats
- 1½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- Pinch of salt
- ⅓ cup dark chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C). Line or grease a 6 cup muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, mash bananas. Whisk in maple syrup, oil, milk, vinegar, and vanilla.
- Add oats (or oat flour + oats), baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir to combine. Batter should be thick but scoopable—add 1–2 tbsp extra milk if needed.
- Add the chocolate chips and fold until just combined.
- Divide between muffin holes (fill about 3/4 full).
- Bake 18–20 minutes until risen, golden, and a skewer comes out clean.
- Cool slightly before eating.
Linda says
Used oat flour mix and they came out beautifully
Ron says
i tried this last weekend and my kids loved it!! it turned out so moist and fluffy