Healthy oatmeal muffins are a convenient and nutritious breakfast the whole family will love. These delicious gluten-free muffins are made with whole-grain oats (no special gluten free flours needed) and contain no refined sugar, no flour, and no oil!
This post uses affiliate links. They don’t cost you a thing and help us bring you creative projects. Read more in Policies & Disclosures.
A Healthy Muffin Recipe was Needed
Let me paint you a maddening picture of sleep, chaos, and junk food breakfasts…
I have a child who HATES to get up in the morning (she’s a natural night owl like her mother) but HAS to be on the bus ready for a productive day of school at 7:30.
This undesirable combination has led to a lot of stomping, a good deal of nagging, and more than a few pre-packaged breakfasts snatched from the pantry at the last possible second to gobble on the way to the bus stop.
After one too many chocolate chip granola bar breakfasts I decided that we needed a healthier option for last minute breakfasts.
Healthy Oatmeal Muffins Recipe
Muffins are an easy, portable breakfast choice (just grab and go)… but the amount of sugar and oil found in most muffin recipes puts them firmly in the junk food category.
This healthy oatmeal muffins recipe outshines traditional muffin recipes in three ways:
- Toasted oatmeal replaces bleached white flour. (Use oats labeled gluten-free for healthy gluten-free muffins.)
- Bananas keep the muffins moist without oil or butter.
- A bit of honey sweetens the recipe instead of refined white sugar.
If these substitutions sound like a recipe for cardboard, don’t be alarmed! Toasting and grinding the oats results in a smooth muffin with a slightly nutty favor while the fruit and honey provide enough sweetness to tempt even picky taste buds.
Muffin Add-Ins
Want to customize your healthy oatmeal muffins? It’s easy! Add 1/2 cup of fresh, dried or frozen fruit or 1/2 cut of chopped nuts to the batter. You can also customize the spices: add an extra teaspoon of cinnamon, some nutmeg, or even pumpkin pie spice.
A few popular add ins:
- fresh or frozen blueberries
- fresh or frozen raspberries
- diced fresh apple
- dried cranberries, mixed berries or apricots (diced)
- raisins
- walnuts or pecans (chopped)
- ground flax seed
- unsweetened coconut (shredded)
Check out the comments section for even more great ideas from readers!
More Healthy Muffin Recipes to Try
1 – Healthy Chocolate Chip Oatmeal Muffins or Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins – My kids’ favorite healthy oatmeal muffins! Lots of CHOCOLATE flavor but no sugar, no flour, and no oil!
2 – Healthy Pumpkin Muffins or Healthy Zucchini Muffins – Delicious fall flavors (pumpkin spice or classic zucchini bread) with no flour, no sugar, no oil, and no guilt!
3 – Apple Cinnamon Blender Muffins – This easy recipe mixes in the blender for less mess with lots of apple cinnamon flavor. These muffins are sweetened with dates and still free of flour, refined sugar and oil.
Healthy Oatmeal Muffins (No Flour No Sugar No Oil)
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 14 1x
- Category: Baked Goods
- Cuisine: American
Description
This gluten-free healthy muffins recipe uses no flour, no sugar, and no oil but still produces moist, delicious muffins. Customize to make your favorite muffin flavors.
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups old-fashioned oats (1.5 cups ground, 1 cup whole)
- 2 Tbsp old-fashioned oats for muffin tops
- 2–3 large overripe bananas (1 cup mashed or or 1 cup applesauce)
- 2 large eggs, (lightly beaten, may use flax eggs)
- 1/3 cup honey
- 3/4 cup milk (or non-dairy milk)
- 2 tsp real vanilla
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325°F to toast oats.
- Place oats on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, stirring once (about 4 to 6 minutes). Let cool to room temperature. (If you are in a hurry you can skip the toasting step, however the toasting adds flavor!)
- Divide oats into portions of 1.5 cups, 1 cup and 2 Tbsp
- Turn oven heat up to 350°F degrees to bake the muffins.
- Place 1.5 cups of oats in a food processor and blend/pulse until they reach a rough, flour like consistency.
- Mash bananas well, they should have no lumps. I use my mixer to mash them before adding the other wet ingredients.
- Add eggs, honey, milk and vanilla. Mix to combine.
- Add dry ingredients (including the ground oats and 1 cup whole oats) to wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated. Allow these to sit for 10 minutes to soak the oats.
- Optional: Fold in 1/2 cup fruit, raisins, or nuts.
- Scoop into muffin tin, well greased or lined with parchment muffin wrappers (makes 14 muffins).
- Sprinkle muffin tops with the 2 Tbsp of reserved oats, press lightly to make sure they stick.
- Bake at 350°F for 20 -23 minutes. (Tops should spring back when lightly pressed and/or a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin should come out clean.)
Notes
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 163
- Sugar: 8.3 g
- Sodium: 198 mg
- Fat: 2.7 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.6 g
- Carbohydrates: 29.3 g
- Fiber: 3.6 g
- Protein: 6.3 g
- Cholesterol: 26.8 mg
Tips for Making Perfect Oatmeal Muffins
These helpful pointers will help you get the most out of the healthy muffin recipe with banana:
- Use parchment baking cups. Healthy muffins have a habit of sticking to the baking cups and muffin tins. Parchment baking cups will prevent them from sticking, no greasing needed.
- Let the muffin batter rest. Allow the batter to rest for 10 to 20 minutes before scooping it into the baking cups. This allows the oats to soften for more fluffy muffin.
- Overfill the baking cups. Want your muffins to look as fluffy as mine? Fill the baking cups 3/4 full (muffin tins are usually filled 1/2-2/3). Gluten-free muffins do not rise as much as traditional muffins so overfilling the tins will make them look taller.
- Use the “press test” or cut one open. These muffins are quite moist due to the mashed bananas. It can be hard to tell when they are finished baking with the toothpick test. Try pressing gently in the center of to see if it holds it’s shape / springs back. If the muffin stays indented give them a few more minutes to bake. You can also cut a muffin one in half to see if the center is fully baked.
- How to store the muffins. Keep the muffins for 3-4 days in a sealed container on the counter, 7-10 days in a sealed container in the refrigerator, or for several months well wrapped in the freezer (defrost in the fridge overnight). I keep mine in the fridge and heat for a few seconds in the microwave or cut in half and warm in the oven.
Recipe Substitutions & FAQ
I get lots of questions about this recipe. Here are a few substitutions and frequently asked questions:
Substitutions
- Can I replace the eggs with flax eggs? Yes. To make the flax eggs stir together 2 tablespoon ground flax seed (flaxseed meal) with 5 tablespoon warm water in a small dish and let rest for 5 minutes to thicken. Add to recipes in place of eggs.
- Can I replace the banana? Yes. Use 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce in place of the mashed banana. Add an extra tablespoon of honey to the batter if needed (ripe bananas are often sweeter than natural applesauce).
- Can I use maple syrup / molasses / agave, in place of honey? Yes. Most liquid sweeteners can be substituted for the honey. Keep in mind that sweeteners vary in intensity , so you may need to adjust to taste. I have substituted 1/3 cup pure maple syrup with great results.
- Can I use steel cut oats / Scottish oats / oat bran instead of old-fashioned oats? No. I would not recommend this substitution.
- Can I use quick oats instead of old-fashioned oats? Yes. Substitute equal amounts.
- Can I use oat flour instead of old-fashioned oats? Yes, it takes approximately 1.25 cups of old-fashioned oats to make 1 cup oat flour so add 2 cups of oat flour in place of the old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Add an extra 1/4 cup of oat flour if the batter is too thin.
Additions
- Can I add cocoa to make chocolate muffins? Please follow my Healthy Chocolate Muffin Recipe for best results. They also contain no refined sugar, no flour, no fat!
- Can I add protein powder to the muffins? Readers have successfully added protein powder to the batter. Since protein powders vary greatly I cannot specify an amount or promise good results. My Healthy Chocolate Peanut Butter Muffins get extra protein from your nut butter of choice.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Can I skip the toasting step? Yes, it is not necessary to toast the oats, but I recommend toasting because it adds flavor to the recipe.
- Is the temperature 325°F or 350°F, the recipe says both. Toast the oats at 325°F then turn the oven up to 350°F to bake the muffins.
- Can I make these into nursing muffins (lactation muffins)? Yes, add 2 tbsp ground flaxseed, 2 tbsp brewer’s yeast, and 1/2 cup add in of your choice (I recommend chopped nuts for extra protein).
- Can I make vegan muffins? Yes, use flax seed eggs and maple syrup in place of the eggs and honey.
Healthy Cookies
Can’t get enough healthy baked goods? Check out these healthy cookies with no flour, no dairy, no eggs, and no added sugar. My kids love them for breakfast!
Like easy recipes? Sign up for my newsletter and never miss a thing!
Tip: Have over ripe bananas but aren’t ready to bake? Peel and freeze the bananas. Defrost and use when convenient.
Johna
I have been making these muffins for about four years now, there is rarely a time I go more than a couple of weeks without baking a batch! My whole family of 5 is obsessed. Thanks for the great recipe 🙂
Carmine T
Has anyone ever added matcha to a batch? If so how much do you add?
Bren
I have not tried adding matcha.
Claudia
I read that some people substituted carrots or zucchini or other vegetables instead of bananas and were successful!
Vittoria
These were awesome – kids devoured them. Said they were the best I’ve ever made! Love that they are gluten and nut free, so they can easily take them to school too. I wanted to try a few different flavour combinations so I added fresh blueberries to some of the muffins, frozen raspberries to some, and then did a few with mini chocolate chips so we could try different combinations – all of the combinations were total winners!!!! I also did toast the oats as per the recipe, then made the oat flour in a blender rather than the food processor because we do not have a food processor. For the liquid ingredients, I used a hand mixer to mix up the bananas like you mentioned, then added the rest of the liquid ingredients and mixed those in using the hand mixer as well (in case it helps anyone else, 1/3 cup of honey is 113 grams – I find it easier to weigh honey rather than scoop it out!!). I also used frozen bananas that had been defrosted and drained of the excess liquid and used almond milk as we didn’t have regular milk on hand. I also let the batter rest for 30 minutes, as per some of the reviewers, and they did rise beautifully. I only got 12 muffins, instead of 14, but I filled my cups to the brim 🙂
Bren
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Vittoria!
Sherry
I found this recipe almost a year ago when I started on Noom. I was looking for a quick, healthy breakfast recipe that I could make ahead. This recipe is fantastic! I have made it so many times and in a variety of flavors. My favorites are banana nut, blueberry banana nut, pumpkin, and apple. I’ve also done orange cranberry and I’m planning to experiment with more. I freeze them in freezer bags, and I can pull them out in the morning and nuke until just warm. I just pulled my 4th batch of the day out of the oven – my freezer will once again be full of delicious muffins! I am so thankful for great recipes like this that have helped me shed 85 pounds 9so far) and live a healthier life. Thank you!
Jacqueline
I love these muffins so much and make them often, probably every two weeks or so. So easy to throw in the blender, and so nice to feel good about eating them and feeding them to my kids. We love the taste. I put them in mini muffin pans and shorten the baking by a couple minutes. Thanks for the wonderful recipe!
Diane
I made these muffins once and am now mixing up a second batch. They are
amazing!! The only substitution I made was replacing the banana with zucchini.
Pop em in the MW for 15 seconds for a great healthy afternoon snack. So moist
and delicious!! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Bren
I’m so glad you love them! I have a zucchini version too if you want to try that variety.
Rebekah
I don’t have a food processor, but I have a blender. Can I use a blender instead? If so, how thoroughly would you recommend blending them? Please let me know, would love to try this recipe!
Bren
Rebekah, to make the muffins in a blender, add the bananas, eggs, honey, milk and vanilla first and blend until smooth then add the oats and other dry ingredients and puree until the oats are well ground, scraping down sides of blender as needed. Yu can see a photo of the texture in this blender muffin recipe: https://brendid.com/no-sugar-apple-cinnamon-healthy-muffins/
Rosie
They were ok
Melissa-sue mullin
Can I turn this into a loaf?
If so, how long do I Bakr the loaf?
Bren
I’ve never baked it as a loaf, but a reader mentioned that she used a loaf pan rather than muffin pan to make my healthy chocolate muffins and they turned out great. She baked the load at 350, and added 10 minutes to the baking time. Let me know if you try it.
Andrew Herbst
A suggestion: please consider being more explicit when you refer to “dry ingredients” in the recipe. When I assembled my dry ingredients, I overlooked both the baking powder and the baking soda. If the instructions were more explicit, perhaps this mistake might have been avoided. It will be interesting to see how they turn out. I am confident the next batch will be fine.
Clark
Powder and soda are dry. All baking recipes are written like this.
Dee
I made these muffins and they were delish!! I didn’t have bananas so I used Apple Butter, (very similar to applesauce), eliminated the need for cinnamon, and also added chopped nuts and raisins. OMG!!! These are so yummy.
I also noticed that I used a muffin pan and only got 7 muffins instead of the 14 you mentioned. Should I have used the smaller cupcake tin instead?
Crad
Enjoyed these much more than I thought I would considering they are very healthy. I cut the honey to 3 Tbsp and upped the salt a little. Easy to make and obviously nutritious. Very hearty and satisfying. Strong oat texture and flavor. Nice moist muffin. Will be my breakfast staple for the next few months.
Sam
So good! I didn’t toast the oats and thought they came out wonderfully without. I had to shorten the baking time by about 5 minutes.
Carmen
Wow!! Amazing awesome muffins ..Thank you so much…can’t stop eating one ..the best muffin recipe…Love it…
Rachael
I am following the gastritis healing diet – this is one of the few baked goods recipes I have found that is gluten free, low sugar, low fat, and low acid, and they really satisfy the need for a mid afternoon snack. I now make double batches every weekend!
Bren
Thanks, Rachel!
Gisela
I will try to spread the dough out on parchment paper, on a jelly roll pan.
Wonder if I can cut this into bars any size.
Bren
I’ve never tried baking them this way. Let me know if you like the results!
Jenna
Incredible. I swapped the bananas for a cup of canned pumpkin and I added a 1/4 cup of chocolate chips. So good!!!
Eileen
Delicious!! I made this with raisins and toasted the oats like the recipe called for and it was so yummy. Did not miss the the oil/butter at all. Loved it!! Thank you for posting.
Rabia Osman
Such an amazing healthy recipe! I added slivered almonds and a tsp of flax seeds. I also used instant oats – apple and cinnamon flavour! So good!
Tania
Gracias, me gustaron muchísimo. De verdad contentísima.
These will be in my repertoire from now on.
Thank you a ton!
Regards from Mexico.
Vicky
These are delish! I had steel cut oats on hand and used them with no need to toast or grind. Trying the regular oat method today. Love the healthiness!
half baked
Can these be made without putting the oats in a blender? Mine is not accessible, and I don’t have any other processor.
Bren
Yes, you can use the oats whole just be sure to all for the batter resting time. Also, the muffins will be tasty but not as smooth in texture.
Lk
Who would ever mark this less than 5 full stars? I wish I could give this recipe 10 stars. This is my go-to muffin recipe and I now know it by heart. They’re healthy but sweet and so delicious. And easy. Be sure not to skip the oat toasting step. It’s essential to the flavour.
Kathryn Pack
This is a wonderful recipe. I use almond mild instead of dairy. I add walnuts and raisins. I love that they are flour free, dairy free and no refined sugar. My family loves them. Thank you so much. I can’t wait to try your other recipes.
Emily
I have made these dozens of times and they are fantastic – store well, and taste great. The recipe is forgiving, if you have a lot of banana, add a little more flour, etc. They always come out perfect. Lately I have been adding a diced apple and using apple pie spice in place of cinnamon. Great flavor of apple pie muffins! Thank you for this recipe. A question – has anyone tried using this recipe in a loaf pan? Just wondering how it would turn out.
ananias
i did! it turned out good and banana bready, but i preferred it as muffins. i love this recipe 🙂
Lynn
EXCELLENT recipe!!! Do not skip the resting period of the batter before scooping your muffins or they will not rise to their full capacity, still tasty but short & dense. I substituted muesli in place of the oats that are left whole, added an additional teaspoon of cinnamon, sweetened with pureed Zahidi dates (24 small) instead of honey, used pureed frozen sliced apples for the applesauce, substituted flax eggs and added 3/4 cup frozen blueberries. This is a recipe you can feel good about making, eating & sharing, it’s healthy & super tasty! Thank you for sharing your recipes!
Nora
I did not understand, if I already have ground oatmeal I bought from the supermarket, what amount should I put?
Bren
You can use 2 cups of oat flour in place of the old-fashioned oats in this recipe. Add an extra 1/4 cup of oat flour if the batter is too thin after resting.
Lisa Ahdoot
Hi can I replace milk with coconut milk? Thanks
Bren
Yes, you can use any milk you prefer. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Lex
To make sure I understand you use 2 cups of oat flour instead of the ground oats but you still use the unground oats?
Bren
Lex, you’re using the toasted oats to make the oat flour. Do not use both oat flour and whole oats the recipe will be too dry.
Stephanie Choo
The muffins turned out really soft and yummy. I used more bananas and less honey, still ok. Thank you!
Austin
Can I substitute the eggs for applesauce?
Bren
I would use flax eggs.
Ayen
Can we omit the maple syrup completely?
Bren
Yes, but you may have to add an equal amount of milk or water to make the batter the right consistency. Also, please note, the muffins will not be as sweet as the ones I make so I cannot guarantee the results.
Mary
Can you make these in a cake pan for easier cleaning? How would you alter cooking time?
Bren
I’ve never made them in a cake pan but a reader mentioned that she used a loaf pan rather than muffin pan to make my healthy chocolate muffins and they turned out great. She baked the load at 350, and added 10 minutes to the baking time. Let me know if you try it.
Abby
This recipe is so forgiving, I’ve been making them for years and freezing them for my kids. I’ve dumped in cricket powder for protein with great success, I always use steel cut oats and it works great. I use almond milk instead of regular milk. I also always add chocolate chips to make sure my kids will think it’s a treat 😈 thank you for this recipe!
Sarah
Hi Abby, I’m going to try these out for the first time and only have steel cut oats. Was it the same measurement when you substitute them for old fashioned oats? Thanks!
Alana
I made these muffins for my family last night and they were a hit all around! I’m hoping to make a double batch and freeze half. Would that effect the outcome of the recipe at all? Thanks!
Ngoc
These muffins are delicious! I put berries and nuts in mine, love them. I was excited to try them but I wasn’t sure how others who weren’t trying to eat healthier would feel about them. Turns out they love them too! I put the muffins on the dining table and they keep disappearing.
Veronica
I absolutely LOVE these muffins!!!Have made them a many many times. I’m so happy I found them!
Quick question.. would you know the nutritional value If I sub bananas (unsweetened apple sauce) and eggs (flax seed eggs)?
Thank you so much!
Katie
I am currently off gluten and dairy. Have you tried making theses with something other than cows milk? Would love to try this If I can sub out the milk.
Bren
Yes, you can use any milk you prefer!
Mihaela -Silvia
Dear Bren, I’ ve been looking for some time for healthy muffin recipes and yours outstand most of my research findings. As I am in Europe, I’m not sure how your specified quantities translate to the metric system ( grams/ml). I tried before to make some equations to US recipes and the result was disastrous.
Can you please provide the metric equivalents for this recipe ? Thank you sooo much!.
Bren
I will definitely weigh the ingredients the next time I make the recipe! Until then this helpful metric conversion chart will help. Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Cadenza
This is literally the best muffin I have ever ate!
samra
Loved them! Added toasted, chopped walnuts.
Teresa Bowyer
Your recipes sound delicious! I heve been looking for recipes for muffins that can be made without flour since I am trying to stay away from anything which has Folic acid in it, which is difficult since all flours, breads, cookies and all baked goods have been enriched with folic acid. I plan to use the toasted oatmeal, ground up and use it as flour To make banana nut muffins; I also want to make blueberry muffins. Thank you for posting these recipes!
susie
Can i use yogurt instead of milk? We don’t have milk in the fridge.
Bren
I have not tried the recipe with yogurt so I am not sure how it would work. Let me know if you try!
Stayfitfood
Not sure what I did wrong. I baked them for the amount of time stated and the inside were super mushy and not edible. Any tips?
S. LJ
I have made these 2x and they are delicious! A great no-flour recipe! Thank you! Very yummy!
Jenny
Very yummy. I added crushed pecans
Ariana
I made these muffins today ! It’s very delicious !! I added walnut crumble on top , and it adds some nutty flavour . I love it !
Susan
These muffins are amazing! I used applesauce, substituted 1/2c Truvia brown sugar blend for honey and added 1/4tsp nutmeg. They came real close to my favorite oatmeal cake recipe.
S. LJ
This turned out very good! I used apple sauce – nice and moist!
Kim
These rock! I literally have made this recipe >10 times. I have one before my morning workout and normally add in walnuts and shredded carrots. The ones I just I made also added canned pumpkin. I just tried using steel cut oats for the flour and they turned out well. So grateful to have found this recipe!
Sinead Healy
Hi. I just made these and loved them. Not too dry and not too moist. I was looking for a healthy school lunch snack and these will do the trick. They would also make great pancakes! I have a similar recipe that I use for pancakes and I’m just realizing that I could probably make those into muffins (would need to play around with the baking time) or yours into pancakes, which would be much easier.
Thanks!
Lyne Bergeron
Great muffins, I chopped up 5 Medjool dates and only 2 tablespoons of honey and stuffed pecans in the muffins after it was in the muffin mould.
Marilyn
Can these be made with grated zucchini instead of bananas? What other changes should I make if I use zucchini?
Bren
I would use my zucchini muffin recipe!
Marianna
I steamed and puréed carrots instead of bananas and the muffins were delicious! Awesome recipe!!!
Antoinette
I love this recipe! It’s always moist and very tasty!
I use the original recipe with bananas.
Sunny
Has anyone tried this recipe with shredded carrots and raisens mixed in?
Galit
Hi
What oat’s amounts needed if I’m using the instant oats?
Bren
The same volume as old fashioned oats.
Roslyn
When doubling the recipe for these muffins, what do you do to the baking soda and baking powder? I read somewhere when you have both soda and powder in the recipe to just add a little more of the soda, or as long as the ratio of the two in nearly the same. Should I have added more baking powder too? I don’t know what to believe as there are different suggestions
Bren
I double the amount listed for both baking soda and baking powder.
sara
Can I add fresh strawberry pieces to the batter?
Bren
It shoould work as long as the strawberry is not frozen and you only add 1/2 cup total. Freeze-dried strawberries would work great too just add them before the batter rests.
Michelle
when you say “real Vanilla” is that vanilla extract?
Bren
Yes, vanilla extract (instead of imitation vanilla extract).
Kate
I just made these muffins for the first time. They were super easy to make, took 5-10 min max to prepare. I added crushed up almonds and chia seeds to the batter for an additional kick. I substituted apple sauce for bananas and maple syrup for honey. They were so amazing! They are great if you are on the go and need something healthy to quickly eat.
Bren
Thanks, Kate!
Kim
I love these! I add allspice, carrot, and walnut and use flax eggs and cashew milk. I also used agave instead of honey. I’ve made these like 5 times and love to grab one before an early morning workout!
Susan
These are the best, I’ve made these dozens of times with a dozen variations. I tried pumpkin, zucchini blueberry, apple, banana, they always come out great! thanks for amazing recipe. I also occasionally add half a cup of flaxseed Yum
Amy
I just came across this recipe. Looks amazing!
Can I replace the milk with plain Greek yogurt?
Bren
I’ve never replaced the milk with yogurt so I am not sure it would work. The batter would probably be too thick.
Alison Heifner
These muffins are literally a weekly guilt-free staple in our house. There’s only 3 of us and we’re lucky if a batch lasts more than 2 or 3 days. I love how many substitutions can be used for different health needs, yet they still seem to be fail-proof and even freeze well. My son has an egg allergy, so we’ve been using 1/2 cup plain greek yogurt in place of the 2 eggs for some extra protein and probiotics and they turn out just as fantastic as with the flax seeds. We also love the variety of flavors and how easy they all are to make. Big kudos!!!
Bren
Thanks, Alison!
Janet
Love these muffins, I’m doing slimming world at the moment, and finding they fill me up with not to many syns,would you use cooking apples if changing the bananas.
Thanks so much for sharing this recipe . Xx
Bren
You can use apple sauce in the place of the bananas but you may need to add a bit more honey as bananas tend to be sweeter than applesauce.
Thyrza
I will definitely make sure to always have a few of these in my freezer!
Vanessa
These muffins were amazing!
Bonna
My husband love oatmeal so I thought this would be a good change up to the traditional bowl. I used some homemade chunky apple sauce I had on hand instead of bananas, added 1/2 cup frozen blueberries and walnuts to 6 (left others without nuts because of allergy issues). They turned out really nicely. They are a little more dense than some muffins, but knowing they are oatmeal I didn’t expect a super light muffin. Terrific with some Greek yogurt. Could even spread on some peanut butter or almond butter for an extra kick.
Paul
Just made these, following your recipe exactly. They are excellent–my wife and daughter like them and want me to make them again. Thanks!
Ana
It would be really great if you had the oven temp in centigrade too … Just in Australia most of our ovens are in degree C . Just a suggestion 🙂 Really enjoyed making these . Thank you
Anna
They are so good!
Maria
Delicious! We made them with 1/2cup of raspberries (my son’s favourite) and they were just delicious. Have already shared the recipe with my family. Thank you!
Sophie
Can I add chocolate chips, blueberries, diced apples or other add ins? These sound delicious!!
Bren
Yes, you can add up to a 1/2 cup of add-ins per batch. Good luck!
chantelle deacon
I just made these muffins and I am blown away, I added frozen blueberries and they are absolutely incredible. They taste like homemade muffins you would purchase and at a healthy, amazing little cafe. LOVE
Wendy
Finally! A recipe with oat flour, maple syrup sub, no eggs, and no weird ingredients that aren’t easily accessible! Thank you!! I will be trying these tomorrow!
Anna ward
I added raspberry’s and almonds to mine and Omg I’ve never made any bakery item so good before these muffins. It’s hard to believe these are healthy they task so good, they’re very moist and have a great roasted flavor to them this recipe is amazing!
Charlotte
This recipe was hard to follow but really tasty. The instructions did not say when to add the last four listed ingredients (baking powder, soda, salt, cinnamon). As a result, I missed the baking powder and soda. Still, the muffins were just what I was looking for: really dense and somewhat chewy but flavorful and filling.
Charlotte
I should add, perhaps, that I’m really not skillful in the kitchen so maybe it is obvious when the baking powder, etc., are supposed to be added. Or maybe they are the ‘dry ingredients’ in step 8 (at least that’s when I added the cinnamon, etc). Either way, I struggled!
Brittany
I make these once a week with my son. We love them!!!
Olivia
Delicious especially when adding in half a cup of chocolate. I also blended up all the oats and this worked great. Didn’t bother to toast. It freezes well and goes down a treat with a cup of coffee. Thanks for the recipe. 🙂
Christine
Just found this site. Made these muffins. SO AWESOME. Gave to my sister who is diabetic and she loved it. She took some home. Added chopped walnuts and blueberries. On top used mini sugar free chocolate chips instead of oats. Saw one commenter said to soak as long as 30 minutes if using quick oats. I did 25 minutes. Very moist.
Have some silicone cupcake cups. Used 1/2 of batter in that and other straight in pan cups. Ones in holders rose higher and prettier after taking out when cool.
Will be trying other recipes! Signed for your newsletter!
Bren
I’m glad you’re enjoying the muffins, Christine!
Abby
I did something wrong, I guess. I followed the recipe exactly, substituting the cup of applesauce for the banana. I added chopped apple, but it was more than 1/2 cup. Maybe that’s where I went wrong?
My muffins are soggy in the middle and didn’t cook through. I even baked them for an extra 12 minutes.
Bren
Sorry they were soggy! Applesauce can be “wetter” than masked banana and the extra water from the chopped apple was probably too much extra moisture.
cassie johnson
LOVE !! Feel like I’ve been looking my whole life for this recipe, I added rasberries and sugar free white choc chips. THANK YOU
JulieAnn
These are delicious. I just made them tonight. Will definitely be making these again.
Bren
Thanks JulieAnn!
Lisa
Just made these using puréed persimmons, since I had a tree that went wild this year. Very tasty and healthy!
Bren
What a fun substitution! I’m so glad the recipe was helpful!
Amy Smith
Eating my first muffin as I write this, they’re fantastic!! I followed the recipe and am so pleased with the results. No additional mix-ins this time though I’m excited to try some next time. Hubby, who is trying to tame his sweet tooth even approves. Definitely making these again, perfect for breakfast or snacking!! Thank you Bren!
Bren
Thanks, Amy!
Chris Lambert
Have you tried to replace the sugar with dates? For example blending some of the dates with the banana in a food processor so that it is well incorporated and sweet all around. This would provide additional nutrition while avoiding simple sugars from honey or maple syrup. I would also soak the dates in hot water for 10 min and drain.
Bren
I use dates in place of sugar in this muffin recipe, Chris.
Mj
Can I use oat flour instead gutefreefour. I have red mill oat flour
Bren
Yes, oat flour is what I use in the recipe. I just make it by grinding the old-fashioned oats.
Srilakshmi
Tried these today and they turned out amazing! Added in a big handful of chopped apples, golden raisins and a bit of unsweetened chocolate chips because come on, everything’s better with chocolate! So good, so moist and full of flavour! Will definitely try this recipe again with different add-ins!
Bren
Thanks, Srilakshmi. You additions sound delicious!
Fred Flint
Excellent recipe. I found that soaking for 10 minutes is not enough using quick cook (5 minute) oats. I soak for at least 30 minutes. Otherwise, they don’t rise enough and end up hard.
Bren
Thanks for sharing, Fred.
Anna
Thank you for the recipe!
Tasty, healthy, school lunch friendly.
Isabella Huner
could i replace the ground oats with white whole wheat flour? would this take away from the moistness? also if i want to add some chopped walnuts (for a healthy banana nut recipe) how much do you recommend? Thanks!
Bren
I’ve never made the recipe with flour so I am not sure it would work.
Anja
Are these more cakey or more moist? I like cakey better, but find that most recipes without flour and with banana turn out chewy and moist.
Bren
If you let the batter rest they will be cakey but get more moist as the cooked muffins sit. Reheat in the oven before serving to keep the dryer texture.
Jen
I have some leftover crushed pineapple I need to use and was thinking if I could incorporate here (I guess sort of like a hummingbird cupcake, sans the nuts or whatever else goes into those)… Any suggestions on how I would be able to incorporate? Would I use the crushed pineapple to sub for the honey?
Bren
I’m not sure what to advise, Jen. Let me know if you try and it works.
Mb
Great recipe! I also made it with pumpkin pure and for that one processes all of the toasted oats for a more smoother texture and added pumpkin spices. Absolutely in love!
Chelsee
I was looking for a recipe to use my leftover oats from making oatmilk with and this has worked perfectly both times! I used way less milk since my oats were already very wet, flax eggs, raisins, pumpkin seeds, and coconut flakes and instead of muffins, I simply poured the batter into a greased 13 by 9 pan to make oatmeal bars! I had to bake them an additional 15 min or so until the toothpick came out clean and then some to ensure they weren’t too mushy. Delicious! Great recipe for kids and adults alike! ❤️😋
Bren
What a great idea, Chelsee!
Carole
Great recipe to customize. Thanks
Tara
How would replacing the honey with erythritol work? Would it be the same amount (1/3 cup)? Would this change anything else about the recipe? Thanks!
Bren
I’m not sure, I have never made the muffins with erythritol.
Denita
Can I use less honey without substituting anything else? I’d like to use 2 TB instead.. also can I use egg whites instead of eggs?
Bren
If you use less honey I would add water or milk to make up the difference in liquid. Yes, you can use egg whites (but you will have to use more whites than whole eggs).
Christy Lyon
My son wanted something he could make to replace having to make oatmeal every morning. This is a great option. He can make them by himself and he’s 10. Excellent recipe and clearly tested!
Bren
Thanks Christy! Lucky you to have a great baker at 10!
Sharon
Out of curiosity, if I have both old fashioned oats and oat flour, how should I do it? 1 cup oat flour and I cup rolled oats?
Bren
That should work. Add more milk if the batter is too thick.
Eva Stawecki
The muffins are delicious! I baked mine for 8 more minutes and they were fine, just a little darker.
Nlg
Can you add flax seed to the mix? If so how much ?
Bren
Yes, I would try 1/4 cup ground flaxseed.
Laura S
I’ve made these twice now. Once following the recipe exactly and once doing an apple sauce substitute with the addition of blueberries. The taste was delicious but the muffins stuck to the paper cups like crazy. I couldn’t find anyone else who asked this but would adding a little fat/oil fix this problem? I’m not an experienced baker but it seems many recipes call for greasing the muffin tin or call for oil in the recipe.
I don’t want to mess with the texture of the muffins because they are great as-is, so maybe slick up the muffin tin with butter? I’m not scared of a little fat 🙂
Bren
Laura, you can grease the papers or use parchment paper cups. They are my favorite, nothing sticks!
Leonne
If I make a batch to have for breakfasts how long do you think they’ll last? let’s say a weeks worth? I don’t want them to go out of date.
Bren
I freeze half and leave half in the fridge then defrost as needed!
Maggie
Hello Bren, can these be baked in a pan and cut into squares instead of baked in muffin tins? Any adjustments needed, like temperature change or time in the oven?
Thank you!
Bren
I’ve not tried baking them as bars, sorry!
Suzy Fivecoat
Bren,
Love, love, love your zucchini oats muffin recipe. I have low blood sugar and MUST eat some carbs every 2-3 hours or suffer a bad headache for the following 2 weeks! This condition also CAN evolve into full-blown diabetes so I need to watch my total carbs as well. Your recipe has been a real “God-send” to solve BOTH these issues.
Since I’m somewhat disabled (esp. in the kitchen) LOL, when we have LOTS of zucchini, like now, I adhere to another cook’s “mantra” of “Cook once, eat twice”. But I’m having trouble in these muffins not raising like they should when I double your recipe. . I suspect he doubling of the baking soda & baking powder are to blame. I’ve tried to adjust these amounts but w/o success.
Please tell me how to double the recipe and use the correct amount of baking soda & baking salt so they will rise properly. (BTW, when I let the mix rest for an hour as advised, I usually am able to get 30 muffins.
Thanks
Bren
Suzy, I would use 4 tsp baking powder and 1 tsp baking soda for a double batch of zucchini oat muffins and let the batter rest just 30 minutes before you begin to scoop (it takes awhile to scoop/bake 2 batches and it might be resting too long if you wait the full hour before scooping.) If your zucchini are exceptionally wet you may need to let the shredded zucchini drain in a colander to release extra liquid before mixing into the batter. Good luck!
Donna
Love these muffins. Will make them often. Mine were not gooey at all.
Bren
😉
Dora
I saw a comment about adding coconut flour to make the consistency a little bit less gooey but would you have any other suggestions that you think could make it more like a bread consistency? Perhaps adding more oats or baking powder?
Bren
If you allow the oats to soak or blend the mixture in a heavy duty blender you will get more of a bread like consistency.
Elaine
Do these freeze well?
Bren
Yes, wrap well and freeze up to 4 months.
Rach
Do cooking instructions change if I use a mini muffin tin? Thank you!
Bren
Reduce the cooking time by 5-10 minutes then start checking to see if the muffins are cooked through. The rest of the recipe is the same.
DONNA
How much flour does 1-1/2 cups of oats make. I keep my own ground flour on hand to save time (and dirty dishes).
Bren
This substitution guide says to use 1 1/2 cups of oat flour.
Byenia
Made these last night and added bits of pear and walnut to the batter. Came out pretty good, so I shared them with a friend.
Bren
Thanks Byenia!
Kamala
Hi thanks for the recipe! Can I omit the added whole oats since my picky 8yr old might not like see them. If so should I increase the oat flour?
Bren
I would toast all the oats and then blend them all into flour. Hope your son enjoys the muffins!
Daphne
Do you use nonfat milk? My family also has high cholesterol issues, but I’m concerned you’re getting the fat from the milk.
Bren
I use skim or 2% depending on what I have on hand.
Elyse Lithgow
Amazing! I did them with 1/2 cup dark choc chips and omg are they fluffy and delicious! Really hit the spot! I think I’ll be making a variation of these every week. Such a great lunchbox snack.
Bren
Elyse, I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. I’m sucker for chocolate chips!
Christen
Hi! Is this recipe in my fitness pal?
Mine are baking right now- they smell AMAZING
Bren
Christen, it’s not in fitness pal. Hope you love the muffins!
jamie
This wonderful recipe really doesn’t need another review, but I did make one modification that I wanted to share. I think I read that some people had issues with the muffins being a little gooey. To counteract this possibility, I added a couple of tablespoons of organic coconut flour to the mixed batter. I think this helped b/c I’ve had issues with gluten-free recipes in the past not seeming to come together to form a bread like consistency. I hope this helps someone further enjoy this awesome recipe. It’s a keeper for sure!
P.S. My batter yielded 11 nicely domed muffins. I also added chocolate chips. Delicious!
Bren
Thanks for the tip, Jamie. So glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Sherrie Smith
Ok I’ve had a blast with this recipe! I did it with bananas the first time and it was awesome! Last week I used pumpkin and added some raisins which turned out amazing! Today I’m doing pumpkin and zucchini and also adding raisins. I think if you follow the basics of this recipe you can change it up just a bit for something different. Also I add just a little stevia. Thanks for the recipe,it beats all the others I’ve tried!
Bren
Thanks, Sherrie!
Jay
Hi! Can these be made with regular all purpose flour with the same proportions? I am not gluten free but love how it has no sugar or oil. Thanks!
Bren
Jay, I’ve never made them with flour, just oatmeal so I’m not sure the substitution would work.
Dev
Can i use mashed sweet potato instead of mashed bananas? Because i have a loooot of sweet potato in my fridge, thanks
Bren
Dev, I’ve never used sweet potatoes but I do have a pumpkin version. That one might work with sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin.
Anna
I made these and they turned out great! I followed the recipe exactly and these were eaten up by the entire family. I have followed a lot of ‘healthy’ muffin recipes and these have been one of the very best. Thank you for sharing!
Bren
Thanks, Anna!
Sarah
Just tried this recipe yesterday and it was so easy to make. I added a tablespoon of chia seeds to each muffin (I made them bigger, in a jumbo muffin tin) because my husband eats 2 for breakfast and I want him to feel full. They came out great but can I substitute agave nectar for the honey? My husband is worried about the sugar content of each muffin.
Bren
Yes, you can use almost any liquid sweetener (honey, molasses, agave, maple syrup) in the recipe. Keep in mind that sweeteners vary in intensity so you may need to adjust to taste.
D M
I’m a first-timer to your website and I was so pleased to find this recipe. It was exactly what I was looking for in my quest: healthy, tasty, not loaded with fat and sugar, and normal and all natural ingredients. I made them using the applesauce option and followed directions exactly with the 1/2 cup raisins and 1 tsp. cinnamon for add-ins. My only tweak will be more cinnamon, since it was too understated; otherwise, they’re a winner for us and I’ll make them again. Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Bren
Thanks! I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe.
Kirs
These were great, I made recipe just about as is (replacing honey for black strap molasses because that’s what I had) and adding in diced apples. I will make these again and again. Thank you!
Bren
Thanks, Kirs!
Lynne
I make these muffins at least once a month! Try to change it up sometimes (hempseed, flaxseed, raisins, cranberries, etc.) Always add 2 tsp of cinnamon. Was listening to video today and wanted to make muffins at same time. Knew this recipe by heart 💜BEST MUFFINS EVER 🤗
Bren
Thanks, Lynne! I’m so happy to hear it!
CC
These muffins are awesome for my folks with high blood pressure and cholesterol issues, thank you! I would love to make them without bananas as I am allergic…would applesauce work?
Bren
Yes, you can use applesauce but you may need to add a bit more honey/maple syrup depending on the sweetness of the applesauce. Good luck!
Dubravka
Hi Bren…
So many good comments.. can’t see someone asked about this so I am going to 😀
I just got them out of the oven and all the muffin sink inside… I added frozen raspberries to the batter and read only now that the batter needs to rest .. could this be the reason that they sink? They smell and taste delicious and I want to try them definitely again but I hope next time they don’t sink … any tip?
Bren
Frozen fruit is a great addition to baked goods since it doesn’t need to be defrosted before use… however, the muffins will have to bake a little longer to get rid of the excess liquid that leeches into the batter as the frozen fruit defrosts and to make sure the muffins reach the correct internal temperature to keep from falling (sinking) once they are removed from the oven. Next time I would let the batter rest before stirring in the frozen fruit and make sure to give them a bit more baking time.
Mandy
Honestly tried the chocolate version and it didn’t come out good hard and not moist
My dad said it tasted awful and was forcing himself to eat it
Bren
Sorry you weren’t a fan!
Fiona Marley
Hello
Just wondering can these be baked as scones
Thanks
Fiona 🤔😁
Bren
I’ve never baked them as scones, but I think they could work as drop biscuits (just plop a 1/4 cup scoop of batter on a lined baking sheet). You would have to adjust the baking time a bit. Good luck!
Holly
Delicious! Used maple syrup, unsweetened almond milk and unsweetened applesauce and my toddlers gobbled them up. Thank you for the recipe and can’t wait to try more!
Bren
I’m so happy to hear your kiddos enjoyed the recipe!
Erma Perrin
I baked this today & it was delicious.I have a sweet tooth so i added extra honey.Thank you for sharing your recipe.
Bren
Thanks Erma!
Caroline Coats
Hi Bren,
I haven’t made any of your muffin recipes yet. They look amazing! I bought some heart-shaped silicone muffin pans for Valentine’s Day. I know that you suggested parchment liners. I’m wondering what your thoughts are about going linerless using silicone pans. Thank you!
Bren
They should pop out of the silicone pan just fine. I have not tested the recipe in a silicone pan, I do not use silicone pans to bake as I am hesitant about their safety after heating. You can read more here: https://www.drweil.com/diet-nutrition/cooking-cookware/cooking-with-silicone/.
Madeleine
First of all, Hello world!! Second, This recipe is so So SO Easy! Clean up was a breeze, and the ingredients are so easy to find! my mom also liked these, because they are healthy. Thanks so much for sharing!
MKS
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Megan
Hi! This recipe looks amazing! So excited to try it. I was wondering if it has to be/had been adjusted for high altitude? I live at 5000 ft so finding recipes is a bit of a challenge! Thanks!
Bren
I’ve never baked it at high altitude so I’m not sure how it would work. Here are some tips for making muffins at high altitude that might help: https://www.themuffinlady.com/high-altitude-adjustments/high-altitude-baking-adjustments/
Mara Irwin
I really like these! I have two of my own businesses, so am often on the run and these are a healthy snack to take with me (especially if you put some peanut butter on them!). As a sweeter snack I put M&Ms in a few of them, and just raisins in the other. Highly recommend these and look forward to making them in the future
Bren
Thanks, Mara!
Mary
These are amazing…I know I will make them again. Unfortunately, I forgot the milk. We sat down to eat them and I was like wow these would go down a lot easier with a glass of milk (they were understandably dry), then I reviewed the recipe and read through reviews and found people talking about milk. I was like ummmm milk, yeah that would help. Haha
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I hope you try it again with milk!
Lisa
Bren, I was skeptical about the muffins being good since they are healthy. Most I’ve had haven’t been good but the oatmeal muffins are terrific.
Nadia
Dear Bren,
Thank you so much for the recipe. I made them yesterday and had one for breakfast. They’re delicious!
I used to follow another recipe for very tasty healthy muffins but sometimes the muffins wouldn’t rise at all and I decided to look for another recipe online. Luckily I found yours, which is very easy and the good news is that the muffins are fluffy and tasty!! I will try your other recipes for muffins as well.
Bren
Thanks, Nadia!
leora
can i not pulse the oasis and just use 1.5 cups of flour? ( and then add the additional 1 cup)
Thanks!
Bren
I’ve never made it that way but it should work. Let me know if you try.
Zarmeena
Hi. I made these today and they turned out amazing.moist n tasty. I added ground nuts and reduced the oat a little accordingly. Bt don’t u think the baking time is too much for muffins?? Mine were done at 14min 🙂
Bren
I’m glad you enjoyed the muffins! Baking time depends on the size of muffin tin.
Jessica
Incredible muffin recipe, thank you so very much! I added chopped apple and pecans, along with nutmeg. They are wonderful. I did have to cook them for a lot longer though, maybe a total of 45min @ 350. It also made 18 muffins, probably because of how much apple i added. Thank you so much!!!
Bren
Sounds delicious, Jessica!
Dr Salma
Been these r really great, thanks for the post
Bren
Thanks!
Dana
Is a serving one mini muffinDana? They look really good, in the oven right now…
Bren
The serving size is one regular size muffin.
Audrey
These muffins are really good. I made mini muffins instead. I also substituted the honey for 8 dates that I chopped in my food processor. I also added raisins and chopped walnuts. The only downfall for me was my muffins didn’t raise. Still really good texture and flavors.
Bren
Thanks Audrey. I have a date sweetened version too!
Skye
These are quite delightful! I’ve been trying to think of some easy, tasty, plant-based alternatives to cereal and milk for my kids to enjoy for breakfast. I was about to try my own experiment, then I added the ingredients I wanted to use to Google and this recipe popped up! With 4.9/5 stars I thought it only made sense to give it a try and I’m so glad I did!
They taste great and my kids LOVE them! My 8 y.o. even said that this is “the best oatmeal [he has] ever had!” I didn’t bother toasting the oats, I subbed unsweetened apple sauce for the bananas, maple syrup for the honey, banana milk for milk, added closer to 1 Tbsp of vanilla extract, and folded in both raisins and dried cranberries.
Eventually I plan to use an egg alternative, but for now, I’m about to whip up a double batch so that all 4 of my kids can have them for breakfast for the next couple of days. 2 at a time. Thank you for sharing your recipe with us! 😃
Bren
I’m so glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Skye! I’ve got a bunch of other versions of the recipe here: https://brendid.com/category/recipes/muffins/
Brenda
These are the best no flour no sugar cupcakes I have ever tasted. Looking forward to trying your other recipes!
Bren
Thanks, Brenda!
Monique
These are absolutely delicious! I’ve tried several healthy muffin variations (each a different recipe) and none of them have actually turned out GOOD — except for these, which is really exciting. I didn’t use muffin cups, just made sure to grease the tin super thoroughly, and they aren’t sticking at all, so I’m actually eating them right out of the oven haha.
The only thing I noticed is that mine turned out pretty dry. I used a mixture of mashed banana and pumpkin puree with 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries, but I feel like either I didn’t put quite enough of those wet ingredients in, I managed to put too much flour in, or I cooked them too long. I don’t think it’s a fault of the recipe, just an error on my part somewhere during the process. Either way, I’m saving this recipe and using it again when I run out! Maybe I’ll try pumpkin puree, nuts, and pumpkin pie spice next time to give it a fall twist.
Bren
Thanks Monique! You should try the pumkin version: https://brendid.com/no-flour-sugar-free-oil-free-dairy-free-healthy-pumpkin-muffins-recipe/
Kheyana
Hi. Sorry I’m a bit confused about the measurement of the bananas. Am I meant to use 2 cups of mashed bananas? Or just 2 bananas, mashed? Thanks!
Bren
Kheyana, you need 1 cup of mashed banana this takes 2-3 overripe bananas depending on thier size.
Joy
Amazing! These are amazing. The only substitution that I made was that I used molasses instead of honey. My son has celiac disease, and I have to be on a low cholesterol diet. These muffins fit the bill for both. Thanks for the heart-healthy recipe. It will be my go-to from now on!
Bren
Thanks Joy! I hope you check out my other versions too!
Ms A
I tried this over the weekend and it turned out amazing. Now I can enjoy muffins without guilt.
Thank you for sharing.
Bren
Thanks Ms A!
Brenda
Oh my goodness!! I have stumbled upon a treasure site!! Everything I have been looking for! Thank you sooo much for the wonderful ideas and info on green cleaning. And I couldn’t believe the name, Bren!! My name is Brenda, but my sister and mom sometimes call me Bren!! Thanks again, I’m making the protein balls with my daughter tonight after school.
Bren
Hello, fellow Bren! 😉 Hope you enjoy the energy bites!
Lexi
Hi Brenda,
I don’t have a muffin tin and was going to try and bake this as a loaf – do you think that it will work it be too moist?
Thanks!
Bren
A few other readers have tried it successfully. Let me know how it works for you!
tammy
Hi Bren! Can I toast and grind the oats the night before to lessen the work in the morning?
I’m super excited to try your recipe!
Bren
Yes, you can prepare the oats ahead of time. Hope you enjoy!
Souha
I tried these muffins and they were a huge success taste wise. However, the problem I had was that the liners remained strongly stuck to the muffins which kind of spoiled the experience. Ever after I’ve put them in an airtight container with some apple peel to moisten them a bit, they still wouldn’t shift!! What did I do wrong?
Bren
Souha, these muffins do tend to stick to muffin liners. I mention in the tips section that you should 1) spray the liners with a bit of oil or 2) use parchment baking cups. You can also leave the muffins in a sealed container overnight and the liners should peel off easily.
Xiomy
Thank you for such a yummy recipe! It was approved by my picky 3 year old , so it’s definitely a keeper! I used homemade almond milk and didn’t add the honey because my bananas were extremely ripe. They came out perfect! I will be following your recipes from now on.
Bren
Thanks, Xiomy!
Melanie
Made these today. They taste great. I added pecans and shredded coconut. But the title is a bit misleading. They aren’t sugar free. Honey is still sugar.
Bren
Thanks, Melanie!
Shireen
Forgot to leave a rating!
Bren
🙂
Shireen
These are so yummy, thank you!!!
Love love love them!
Bren
Thank you!
Amanda
For these being healthy, they sure we’re good! I followed the recipe exact, and they turned out great. I used applesauce instead of bananas, only because it’s what I had on hand- but next time want to do bananas with some other mix-ins as well for a more “hubby friendly’ recipe (he requested blueberries)
Bren
I’m so happy to hear they were a hit!
Maria
Hello from Trinidad and Tobago.
I made these today and they came out great. I alo put chopped hazelnuts, ground flax seed, grated nutmeg and the dried fruit- raisins and cranberry.
Thank you very much for this sugar free, flour free and oil free recipe.
Bren
Thanks, Maria!
Anna Ester
Will update when these come out of the oven, but so far I’ve loved these muffins!! I swapped to the eggs for applesauce and left out the honey, and i separated the batter into 3 separate bowls. In one bowl I added blueberries, in another I added carrots and zucchini, and and in another I added walnuts and cinnamon!! Cant wait to try these out.
Bren
Hope you enjoy!
Maria
Hello from Trinidad & Tobago.
I just made these and they came out great! I added dried fruit-cranberries and raisins with some chopped hazelnuts, some ground flax seed and finally a pinch of nutmeg.
Thank you very much for this sugar free, flour free, oil free recipe!
Bren
Thanks!
Debbie S Brown
SIMPLY AWESOME!
Bren
Thanks Debbie!
Rakhi
Can I use 2 cups of oats and a half cup of flaxseed grounded instead of 2 and a half cups of oats?
Or let me know how I can incorporate flaxseed in this recipe?
Thanks
Bren
Yes, you can add flaxseed. I would add 1/8- 1/4 cup ground flaxseed and keep the oats the same.
Kaelynne
This recipe is my all time favourite muffin recipe. I usually put all of the ingredients in the blender and then it’s just a one dish mess to clean up afterwards. I’ve experimented with this recipe and I’ve put all sorts of extra toppings into them along with the bananas – I’ve tried dried cranberries, hemp seeds, chia seeds, almond slices, chocolate chips (and sometimes all of the above at the same time!!) they always turn out amazing. I’ve passed this recipe on to so many people who have gluten, egg and dairy intolerances and everyone loves it.
Bren
Thanks, Kaelynne!
Anila
Bren, Thank you for the recipes. I really want to try them. I was wondering if I can use quick oats and powder them instead to rolled oats. Thank you.
Bren
Yes, quick oats should work.
Anila
Thank you for your quick response. I tried them and they turned out good. Next time I will use silicone liners instead of paper liners. Just as you mentioned, they stick a lot.
Debbie
These look great! If I wanted to use oat flour instead of pulsing the 1.5 cups, how much oat flour should I use? Then I would toast the remaining amount and use that but the oat flour would allow me to skip a step.
Thank you!
Bren
Debbie, I’ve never made them with oat flour so I’m not sure how much to use. Maybe start with 1 cup and see how thick the batter is? It might be better to make them once as written so you can see the thickness of the original batter and then try subbing oat flour.
Mandy
These are delicious! They’re really moist and flavorful, and so easy to make. They taste so good that you’d never guess they’re as healthy as they are. I will definitely be making these again. Thanks for the great recipe!
Bren
Thanks for the kind words, Mandy!
Caitlin
This recipe worked well for me! I was blown away because they LOOKED exactly like your photo. That never happens! The touch of light oats on top against the darker muffin made me feel like a professional baker! My husband and I have been eating low carb and I’ve been trying to experiment with almond flour and coconut flour in baking. I have not been happy because the products have too many eggs and too much butter making the final product eggy and greasy. And frankly, I’m not sure it’s that much healthier. I feel really good about using whole oats over white flour and the simplicity of ingredients in this recipe. I also like that “no sugar” didn’t mean substitution of odd sweetener. I just left the honey out to avoid that extra sugar and didn’t mind. I can’t wait to try your other varieties.
Bren
Hooray! I’m so glad the recipe worked for you. I agree, the oats on top make the muffins look extra special. 🙂 -Bren
Nicole
Followed the recipe exactly & it made 12 muffins. They were SUPER dense and extremely moist. If I make these again I will try to add more grounded oats to maybe take out some of the moisture. They were too moist for me and they were too dense. It reminded me of very heavy banana bread.
Bren
They are a very dense muffin. If you prefer a recipe that is less dense you should check out my Cranberry Orange Muffins. They use the same ingredients but add cornstarch to lighten the muffins.
Louise
Trying my first healthy muffin recipe… without granulated sugar lol, I bit nervous but it smelt amazing going into the oven, I used walnuts for added crush and didn’t have milk but used leftover sour cream low fat instead which I’ve used in recipes before and it adds a shine to the tops
Bren
Hope you love the muffins!
Marisa
I made these muffins and they turned out great! I added walnuts and raisins to one half and fresh blueberries to other half. Both produced moist and delicious muffins. Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Bren
Walnuts and raisins and blueberries, oh my! Your additions sound amazing… and now I want to blueberry muffin! 😉 I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Steph
These were absolutely amazing. I made them with mixed berries and nuts. So easy to make and so delicious!
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Steph!
Amy
What sort of consistency should these be when you cut them open? Mine have been in the oven for close to a hour and a skewer comes out clean, but when I cut one open it’s still very wet inside. Not sure whether to take them out, or leave them longer?
Bren
They have a very dense center, as long as you do not see batter you should be fine if they have baked for an hour.
Maureen
Can you make these without pulsing the oats in a food processor? I don’t have one but would love to make these!
Bren
Yes, you can leave the oats whole. I would let the mixture rest for at least 20 minutes before baking to help soften the whole oats. Hope you enjoy!
Gina
Sounds delicious! I want to make these asap but have unsweetened applesauce (no bananas) and I want to add chopped dates which are very sweet. I don’t want it to be overly sweet w/ the honey as well so what do you suggest? Add the same amount because the applesauce is unsweetened or a little bit more honey? Thanks for your help!
Bren
I’ve never made this recipe with dates and applesauce, however I have a great Easy Apple Cinnamon Muffins recipe that is sweetened with dates.
Marsha
I forgot to rate the muffins. Six out of five stars!! Loved them and so did my 11 month old picky eater.
Bren
Woo hooo, Mom win!
Marsha
Have you tried adding protein powder to the recipe? I’m curious if it would change the texture or consistency.
Bren
I have not tried the recipe with protein powder. If you do let me know how it turns out.
Saraa
How do I make the vanilla? I have only used vanilla extract before not actual vanilla. Please help me.
Bren
Pure vanilla extract is what the recipe uses, I don’t recommend using artificial vanilla flavoring.
Baking marketing rep
I just made these for my family and they were so delicious!!!! I added 3 1/2 bananas and they were super moist. I am a marketing representative and decided to make them for some ‘health conscious’ clients and it was hit!!! Thank you so much : )
Bren
I am so glad the muffins were a hit!
Jen
Tried baking these last night! And let me say, that these were a hit. Brought some here at the office and they were gone in an instant.
Hubby loved them too. Glad i found a recipe that didn’t fail me. Oh, i added a bit of cocoa powder and raisins to the batter and topped each muffin with a bit of dark chocolate chips. Thank you for sharing this recipe! Will try your cookies next!
Bren
Jen, I’m so glad the muffins were a hit! Your additions sound delicious. You should check out my healthy chocolate muffins too. They are a family favorite.
Tara
I made them today and added nutmeg, dried cranberries, and a few white chocolate chips, they’re perfect!! Great recipe!
Bren
Yum! So glad you enjoyed!
Ronna Gould
My husband and I agree, this is the most delicious muffin!
Will be making often. The bonus here is that it is also healthy.
Thank you so much and I can’t wait to try your other recipes
as well.
Bren
Thanks, Ronna! I’m so glad you both enjoy the recipe!
Sharon
Loved the muffins, my husband is hard to please, he loved them too. Very moist the next day. I put some in the freezer to take 1 for my drive to work. I’m not a breakfast person but this might work. Thanks
Bren
Hooray! I’m so glad they were a hit, Sharon!
jessica
i never write reviews but i made the healthy Oatmeal Muffins and they were AMAZING. I am an awful cook and an even more awful baker, and I’ve got to say these came out perfect! I love that these are guilt free too~
I skipped the vanilla and added just a splash of honey since my bananas were super ripe (~2 tbsp)
In some of them, i also experimented with adding almond butter and some with sunflower butter. the ones with almond butter were delish!
I shared this recipe with someone already. they loved it as well! Thank you!!
Bren
Jessica, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I bet the almond butter is delicious with the banana!
Yasmeen
Thank you for the recipe! I made the batter then added fruit and other ingredients into the tins. I made blueberry, dark chocolate, dried cranberry & dark chocolate, and apple cinnamon & walnut. They were so delicious! I’ll definitely be making these again!
Bren
I’m glad you’re enjoying the recipe, Yasmeen. Your versions sound delicious!
Klaudia
I just wanted to add my comment since I have been making these for the forth time this past 30 days since found the recipe. Always adding some extra. They are great for breakfast with coffee, yumm! Thank you for sharing. This recipe is AMAZING!
Bren
Klaudia, I’m so happy you like the recipe. I agree, they are perfect with coffee!
Emily
How long do these usually last before going stale or moldy?
Bren
They last 3-4 days on the counter, about a week in the fridge, and up to 2 months in the freezer (well wrapped).
jellybeans1808
Made them today substituted milk with powder , honey with sugar, added 3.9 oz organic apple sauce , raisins and it all came out moist and yummy. This will be a hit I will guarantee you when I make it for our congregation. My boss already commented for liking it. Will keep you posted for more yummy comments. I’m so happy I found your recipe. I needed it for morning commute while I’m in the train and have it with tea. No time to eat breakfast not until lunch when I’m at work. Will make a big batch with different variations and freeze it. No more thinking what will I have for breakfast while at home. Happy for this muffin fun ideas.I’m grateful it eases my breakfast dilemma. More power to you Bren. Coie
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Cole! They are perfect for breakfast on the go!
Roddy
Hello Bren: I tried your muffins yesterday, my wife and I really enjoyed them – the kids (all teenagers) thought they did “not have enough taste” … I am trying to cut out the flour and sugar from my diet. What other healthy grains can I add [for slight variations]? Millet, Barley, Quinoa? What do you suggest for the teens taste comment?
Warm regards ❤️ from Trinidad
Bren
Roddy, I’m sorry I’ve never made the muffins with any other grain than oatmeal so I’m not sure what would work in this recipe. For the teens try my healthy chocolate or healthy chocolate peanut butter muffins or try some add ins.
Roddy
Thanks for responding … I plan to grind whatever grain I choose with the oats to make a fine powder to use as the “flour” in the recipe. I definitely will try your suggestions … maybe I will add the chocolate and peanut butter to the recipe.
Jodie
Could you use unsweetened/unflavored almond milk in place of skim milk? Do you think it would taste different?
Jodie
Also, I saw where you typed to someone else to toast entire 2.5 cups of oats and then use remaining in recipe. Do you find that you have enough after toasting for 1.5 cups ground oats and 1 cup of whole oats?
Bren
Yes. 2.5 cups (plus 2 Tbsp for the tops if desired) is the total amount needed.
Bren
Yes, you can use almond milk. It should not change the flavor.
Lisa C
Making 8 dozen as we speak…to freeze! They’re so good. I’ve really gotten some mileage out of your genius!
Nora
I skipped the cinnamon, put some sugar free chocolate chips, but that doesn’t change the fact your recipe is awesome! It turned out great. Thank you for sharing!
Bren
Thanks, Nora!
Maria
I love having this recipe. I’ve made breakfast cookies using similar ingredients. I’m looking forward to a change of pace with these muffin varieties. I use maple syrup sometimes instead of honey. For your recipes would this be an even swap or would I use more/less maple syrup?
Bren
You can do an even swap of honey for maple syrup. 🙂
Lisa C
This fabulous recipe has become foundational to a muffin my husband almost insists we keep on hand! Kudos, girl! I triple the existing recipe and with the extras I add, I get 4 dozen muffins. I freeze them in zip bags and we thaw out a dozen at a time in the fridge. My tweaks are as follows to a triple batch: I add an extra couple of eggs, 1/2 cup chia seeds, 1/2 cup cacao, 1/2 cup finely chopped nuts, 1/2 cup flax seed, 1/3 to 1/2 cup Benefiber, 1 cup dark chocolate pieces and 1 cup dried cranberries, about 3 squirts of liquid stevia (to taste), and I substitute buttermilk for the milk. Also, I add more liquid than originally called for. I keep stirring in he buttermilk until I have a cake batter consistency. I bake 2 dozen at a time, and if in between batches the extra batter starts drying out I add another splash of buttermilk. These are sooooo good it’s easy to forget they’re a healthy treat. My husband has been losing all kinds of weight watching his carb intake and portion sizes; but he allows himself 1-2 of these win a scoop of Carb Smart vanilla ice cream…and sometimes he nukes them a few seconds so it’s almost like a brownie sundae. Thanks so much for sharing…I’ve made this recipe several times even before we started tweaking them and they’re amazing!
Bren
Your add ins sound amazing, Lisa! I’m so glad you are both enjoying the recipe.
Lisa C
And I’m thrilled for you that thread has gone on so long and with so many comments! Looks like a LOT of folks are enjoying your recipe! One more thing…I use the food processor to pulse together the cranberry and chocolate pieces. They disburse better through the batter in smaller pieces (especially since I’m not adding that many in proportion to the amount of batter) and the addition of these with that generous helping of cacao gives the muffins a “Black Forest” cake taste. A person could even go lower on the sugar scale by doing this with a unsweetened baking chocolate squares instead of the dark chocolate I’ve been adding.
I love the oats on top, but my hubby doesn’t (he doesn’t even like sesame seeds on a bun lol)…so I leave that step off, and we bake them just in a nonstick muffin run minus the muffin papers. They freeze really well, and where we just keep them in the fridge in a ziploc bag, they don’t dry out. I’ve even had leftover batter in smaller batches of your original recipe and baked the rest in mini loaf pans…and it makes great little loaves too! The possibilities are absolutely endless. I was even thinking if you came up with a healthy filling, this batter would make good whoopie pies or bar cookies.
Candace Hutton
Hi! I do apologize if this question has already been asked, but are all of the oats supposed to be toasted? The whole oats AND the blended oats? Or toast whole oats and then blend 1.5 cups afterward and use another 1 cup of the whole? Thanks!
Bren
Yes, Candace. I toast all the oats. Good luck with the recipe! 🙂
Sean
Hi Bren,
What a simple and tasty Muffin! I subed maple syrup for the honey (just not a big fan of honey) Greek yogurt for milk and added toasted pecans and protein powder. I wished I remembered to add ground flax but next time! Oh and unsweetened apple sauce instead of bananas! I loved that I can just toss everything (except nut or add ins) in the blender! So quick and easy. I got a thumbs up from one of my teenagers. It was a little to”heavy” for the other. But you please them all. I am already planning my next combinations blueberry lemon, cranberry orange and pumpkin pecan!
Sean
Bren
Thanks, Sean! I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe! I hope you try some of my other healthy muffin recipes like pumpkin, zucchini, and chocolate too!
Linda
Fyi. I used steel cut oats and it didn’t turn out well. Consistency was dry and chewy. I blended 1-1/2 cups and left the rest (1 cup). Did anyone else have this problem?
I will have to try again with the old fashioned oats.
Bren
Thanks for commenting, Linda. The recipe is meant for old fashioned oats… hope you have better luck with that ingredient.
phailin
Hi Bren
Thank you for this superb recipe.I tried this 2 days in a row and love it 🙂
I added fresh blueburry, almond, raisin and topped with pecan. It was very nice but I have some feedbacks.
– less smell of banana
– the texture inside is too thick/dense. it is not moist. How to make it fluffier
Thanks for sharing 😉
Bren
Thank you!
Cel
Tried these and loved them and so did my family! Recently went vegan and wondering if there is a good substitute for te 2 eggs? Any ideas?
Bren
Cel, you can substitute 1 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal mixed with 3 Tbsp Water for each egg (so 2 tbsp flax seed meal and 6 tbsp water for this recipe.) Mix the water and flaxseeds and let sit for about 5 minutes before adding to the recipe. I would also increase the baking powder by 1/2 tsp. (Baking powder, not baking soda!) This is an easy vegan substitute that works in lots of baked goods. Hope this helps!
Elyse
Had some ripe bananas in my refrigerator and decided Torrey out this recipe. I topped the oats with cinnamon before toasting and instead of eggs I used 4 mashed bananas and two 1/4 cup of pumpkin applesauce (1/4 per egg). They turned out great! Mixed in fresh blueberrries and strawberries to give it extra flavor. Omitting the eggs was by accident since I didn’t realize I was out of eggs until I needed them.
Bren
I’m so glad you liked the recipe, Elyse! I’ll have to try the pumpkin applesauce!
Lyndsi Siegel
Delicious! and a perfect quick breakfast and/or snack for my 2-year old. Thank you for sharing!!!
Bren
Thanks, Lyndsi! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Christina
First of all, I LOVE this muffin recipe. When I am aiming for a “no sugar, no flour” diet, I use it all the time, substituting in some liquid stevia and some Wax Orchards fruit puree for the honey. They are delicious.
I have a question about the quantity of oats though. If I toast the oats ahead of time, the volume of oats is reduced by about 1/4 cup (in other words, 2 1/2 cups raw oats toasted yields about 2 1/4 toasted oats). So do you measure the 2 1/2 cups, toast them, and just go with the quantity you end up with? Or do you toast more and measure out 2 1/2 cups to make the muffins? Seems like this would make a difference in the tenderness/moistness factor.
Thanks for any insight on how you do it! I typically do the former (measure, toast, and mix) but today I am trying the latter.
Bren
Thanks, Christina. I use the the first method: measure the 2 1/2 cups, toast them, and just go with the quantity you end up with. Let me know how the other method works for you!
kelly
there is sugar if there is honey. honey=pure sugar.
Bren
These muffins do not contain refined white sugar. Sugar is a carbohydrate found naturally in most foods from lactose in milk to fructose in fruit and honey. I like serving these muffins to my family because they contain only natural sugars not the huge amount of refined sugar found in most muffin recipes.
fieldmouse
Thank you so much for this recipe, these are the best muffins I have ever made! I used flax eggs and soy milk and they turned out great!
Bren
Thanks! I am so glad to hear that the flax eggs worked well. I get that question frequently!
Becky
These smelled so good when cooking them but I kept telling everyone “Don’t get your hopes up. We’ll see” Well I was wrong they were AMAZING! Even my Mom , who doesn’t rave about very much..lol… gave her seal of approval that I could make these again.Thanks for the recipe. We were able to have a healthy breakfast to go the next morning. I could’t get star to work but it would be a definite 5
Bren
I’m so glad the muffins were a hit, Becky! Thanks for coming back to comment!
Moira
Really looking forward to making these. Can I leave them sit overnight in the fridge and bake them in the morning?
Bren
I’ve never tried leaving them overnight in the fridge so I’m not sure how it would work, sorry!
Winnie
Just want to say thank you for the recipe!! I rarely bake but it turns out delicious and so many people asked me for the recipe 🙂 I used super ripe banana the 2nd time and it turned out even better!
Added chocolate and almond. 100% delicious and healthy.
Bren
Thanks, Winnie! I agree, super ripe soft bananas are the way to go!
Sara
I turned these into lactation muffins! Omg amazing! I added 2T brewers yeast, flax seed and wheat germ (a bit less than 1/4 cup each). I used unsweetened applesauce and added more cinnamon and vanilla extract to mask any bitterness from the yeast. Omg amazing. I can’t get over how amazing it tastes. My other add ins were grated carrot (done with a peeler- awesome hack) and chopped walnuts. Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Bren
Thanks for commenting, Sara. You add ins sound great! I am so glad you are enjoying the muffin recipe and hope they help with lactation! 😉
Tara
Wow. These muffins turned out very well. We added raisins and pecans. Thanks for the great recipe.
Bren
Thanks, Tara. I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Colleen
These satisfied my picky toddler, thank you!! Took them along for a morning snack at the zoo! Excited to try the pumpkin variation also. Making more right now, I can tell this will be a staple in my house! Happy Mommy! Thank you, Bren!
Bren
Thanks, Colleen. I’m happy to hear that your toddler enjoyed the recipe! Score one for mom!
Kellie
Do you know how long they keep for? When they go off? Im cooking them today but wont do too many if go off too soon x
Bren
Kellie, I store the muffins in the refrigerator for a week or in the freezer.
Kellie
Thankyou! Mine turned out well but the fridge i think made mine really dry. That will be my cooking for you!!! Is there anything you can recommend to keep them more softer and moist? X
Jenny
Could I make these muffins vegan by subbing with a flax egg, using a plant-based milk and using maple syrup in place of honey?
Bren
Yes, you can!
Maame
can we have a low cholesterol version?
Bren
You can reduce the cholesterol by substituting 3 egg whites for the 2 whole eggs. Hope you enjoy!
Nithya
Hi, thank you for the recipe. I just made them tonight. I substituted honey with agave nectar and it turned out to be barely sweet. Is this supposed to be this way? I like it but have the urge to add a bit more sweetness and don’t know how. Can you please help? Thanks
Bren
Nithya, I’ve never made the muffins with agave nectar (I use honey or maple syrup because it is less processed) so I’m not sure how yours taste. The original recipe is lightly sweet, it you want more sweetness you can top with a bit of honey or fruit spread. Hope this helps! -Bren
Sara
Hi, sorry if my message already went through, but i was wondering if i can substitute the oat flour for oat bran?
Bren
Hi Sara, I’ve never substituted oat bran for the oats so I’m not sure if it world work. Sorry!
Michelle
Have you ever made I. A jumbo muffin tin? They would probably have to be cooked longer?
Bren
I’ve never made them in a jumbo tin, you would have to increase the cooking time to make sure they are done through the center. Let me know if you try!
Mary
While these muffins do sound delicious, I have to admit the title is very misleading, specifically the claim of this recipe being “sugar free”. While the muffins may not have granulated table sugar, also known as sucrose, it does contain monosaccharide/disaccharide sources in the addition of honey (actually multiple if you count the banana and milk). So really the title should read “No flour, Oil free, Fructose, Glucose, and Lactose Containing Muffins” if you were shooting for accuracy. Moving forward, maybe try to avoid deceitful titles that lead people to misinformation. Thanks!
Bren
I’m sorry that you felt mislead, Mary. Since sugar is found naturally in every fruit, vegetable, and grain (even plain oatmeal contains 1.1 g a cup, a stalk of celery has 0.7 g sugar) a totally sugar free NATURAL muffins would have to be made of nothing but meat, poultry, fish, and water. Since these are oatmeal muffins they have to contain some natural sugar from that ingredient alone.
Juliet
I just made these- yum! I added some chia seeds and blueberries but followed everything else as written. I normally kind of suck at baking but these turned out perfectly. Thank you!
Bren
Thanks, Juliet! I’m so glad they were a success!
Courtney
Just tried these as mini-muffins to great success! They took 10-11 minutes, and I realized, having only one mini muffin tin, that letting the batter sit while cooking the first batch gave the baking powder/soda more time to react, and it produced a thicker batter for the second batch as well as much fluffier muffins. So. For some of the previous comments asking about muffins falling flat, another possible solution might be letting the batter sit a bit before popping it into the oven.
Also I thought I would mention, since I don’t see that anyone else has pointed it out– You do not need to seek out “gluten-free oats.” That would be like seeking out popcorn labeled gluten free. Gluten comes from wheat. Not corn, not oats. No oats will have gluten in them, and it does not need to be on the label if you’re getting straight up, plain old oats or oatmeal. Just fyi!
Anyway, great recipe! Thanks for a healthy treat!
Bren
I’m glad you enjoyed the muffins, Courtney! Yes, letting the batter rest allows the oats to soak up more of the liquid and makes them more fluffy. I agree that it is not necessary to use oats labeled “gluten-free oats,” however I mention it in the recipe since some oats are processed in factories that process other grains. Those with a serious gluten allergy may want to search for the gluten-free label to get 100% non-contaminated oats. Hope that makes sense. 🙂 Bren
Cristina
Bren, can i add whey protein powder to make the recipe? If so, do i just use less oat flour?
Bren
I’ve never used protein powder so I am not sure. Sorry! Let me know if you try.
Teresa
Dumb question… is Real Vanilla just vanilla extract?
Bren
You’re correct, Teresa. it’s vanilla extract. I use the real kind not the artificial vanilla flavoring.
Teresa
Thank you!! Excited to try these
Hannah
Just attempted baking in a loaf pan rather than muffin pan and it turned out great! Baked at 350, but just went about 10
minutes longer while keeping an eye on it. Top got just a tiny bit toasty brown and inside moist and delicious. Did not add fruit, only walnuts and then pushed some coconut flakes on to the top instead of more oats. Will make this again for sure! Thank you!
Bren
Thanks for the tips, Hannah! The loaf version sound delicious, I’ll have to try it soon.
Nancy
Do your muffins stick to the paper since there’s no oil added? Any idea how to prevent muffins from sticking to the paper cups? Thanks!
Bren
They can stick a bit, but the muffins are so moist that they come out easily after a day. You can lightly spray the inside of the liner if you are concerned. Hope you enjoy!
Mia
Taste amazing, puffed out in oven, took them out after 25mins then they went flat as they were cooling and a little dense… not sure why. Followed the recipe exactly as is. Any ideas why?
Bren
They probably needed a bit more time in the oven. Make sure the center of one is fulled cooked before removing.
Lisa
Hi, I currently have these in the oven but the batter is so think I wonder if i’ve done the UK conversion wrong, as I dont think they will rise given how dence the mix is. If it’s not to much bother are you able to supply a Uk version of the recipe as I would love to make these for my toddler! Thanks!
Bren
The batter is very thick, much thicker than normal muffins. This is because it will not rise much being gluten free. You can add a ounce or two of milk to thin it if it is hard to stir. I will try to measure with a scale the next time I bake.
Yvonne
Love love love these! Have made them several times. But I do have a question. Do theither muffins freeze well or is it best to eat them within a few days?
Bren
They freeze great, I usually freeze half the batch to keep them fresh until needed.
Joni
These are fabulous! I added walnuts and some applesauce since I only had 2 medium bananas. Will make again and again!
Bren
Thanks Joni!
Raj
Hi Bren, I accidentally baked the muffins at 325 and cooled them I put them in the oven at 350 when I realized that I baked them at the wrong temperature. I’m not sure what the inside is supposed to look like? What should I do?
Bren
The inside should have the texture of a moist muffin. You can slice them and toast them before eating if you are concerned that they did not cook fully. You should not rebake them. Hope this helps.
Ros
These were delicious. I used rice malt syrup instead of honey and added walnuts and a scoop of vanilla protein powder to the mix. , I didn’t toast the oats and didn’t top the muffins with the oats.
They were lovely and moist and most importantly hubby loved them! Will be making theses again….
Bren
Thanks Ros! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe.
Paddypaws
These were great- thank you for a keeper recipe! Extra plus- no bowls to wash😊
I ground the toasted oats in the food processor and removed them back onto the baking sheet. Then in went the bananas with the rest of the wet ingredients. Once blended, I added back the oat flour, oats and other dry ingredients and pulsed until just blended. I let them soak as described in the recipe, added walnuts and frozen raspberries and gave them 1-2 pulses. The raspberries did break up a bit, but that did not affect the muffins one bit. Chocolate chips, raisins or other dried fruit may well stay intact. 22 minutes later, 12 giant mounds of awesomeness👍
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Walnuts and raspberries sound like the perfect addition for Valentine’s Day!
QuaNesha
My son and I just finishing making these for breakfast this week and they came out delicious!! How do you store them? And thanks for sharing the recipe!!! I’ll definitely be making theses again!!
Bren
I store my muffins in the fridge. I usually freeze half the batch to keep them extra fresh until needed. I’m so glad you liked the recipe!
Francine Houle
Question: what is the best way to warm up a couple of frozen muffins? Toaster oven or microwave? Thank you.
Bren
Either method works great!
Poli
Hi there
Do you think I could use orange juice instead of honey?
Thanks!!
Bren
I’ve used molasses or agave instead of honey but never orange juice. Sorry!
Chelsea
I made these tonight, but the muffins didn’t seem to bake all the way through. I left them in for an extra 10 minutes but they were still unbaked on the inside and the tops were starting to burn. Just wondering if you might have any ideas where I went wrong. I’d love to get them right because the parts that did turn out were delicious!
Bren
Did you measure the mashed bananas? Did you let the batter sit before baking? You can bake them longer and lay a sheet of foil on top to keep them from over-browning. Hope this helps!
Jo
I’m really keen to try these, could you advise what size the ‘cup’ is in your measurements? Thanks
Bren
Hi Jo! Sorry, the recipe is a bit confusing if you are not from the United States! In the U.S. liquid measurement is not only used for liquids such as water and milk, it is also used when measuring ingredients such as flour and butter. The standard unit is called a “cup” which is 8 fluid ounces. In this recipe 1 cup of old fashioned oats equals approximately 90 grams. Hope this helps! We love our unique measurements in the US; cups instead of weight, inches instead of cm! 😉
Linda
Hi, mine seemed to go a bit dry in the fridge. You mentioned briefly re-heating them after fridge storage and wondered what temp and how long? Fussy kids loved them, so thank you!
Bren
Linda, I pop them in the microwave for a few seconds or put them in the oven at 350 °F (175°C) for about 5 minutes. Keep them covered in the fridge to keep them from dying out or freeze part of the batch and defrost as needed. 🙂
Carla
Is there any reason why I can’t freeze these?
Also I did not realise you could leave out the honey, nevermind will try this next time.
Bren
Carla, you can definitely freeze these muffins after they are baked. I do it all the time.
Bella
I noticed the ingredients said 1.5 cup oats ground so I ground the oats first then measured 1.5 cups. Then the instructions said to grind 1.5 cups oats, so now I don’t know how much to use because I ground the oats first and then measured. It’s not clear if to follow what the ingredients say or what the instructions say, so I’m gonna have to pass on these today. 🙁 I’d suggest clarifying so others don’t do what I do. Thanks!
Bren
Bella, sorry the recipe was confusing to you.
Bella
Thanks! I ended up making these with 1 cup ground oats and 1 cup regular oats. They came out fabulous! They even got the approval from people who normally don’t eat gluten free or healthy! This will be a new favorite of ours. 🙂
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe, Bella! 🙂
Erin
These are delicious. I made just as-is but I was out of applesauce and bananas so I just chopped up a couple of apples and cooked until softened. I added pecans– they got eaten in a flash.
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Erin!
Jill
Have you made a morning glory version of your oatmeal muffin? (Carrot, apples, zucchini, walnut)
Bren
I haven’t but I’ll get on it for Easter! Thanks for the suggestion. Have you see my Healthy Zucchini muffins recipe?
Kate
Sorry if you’ve already answered this previously, but can I freeze these?
Made them for my 20 month old (added just a smidge of honey not the full quota) and she seems to love them, I however can’t stand banana so will find it hard to get through the the whole batch in a short space of time and would hate to waste them,
Thanks in advance
Bren
Yes! I freeze them all the time, just wrap or seal well so they don’t get freezer burnt. I defrost as needed.
Cathy
Hi,
This recipe looks great, but is there something else you could use instead of the banana/applesauce? I’m hoping for something not fruit based. Thanks 🙂
Bren
Cathy, you could try using mashed sweet potato but you might have to increase the honey. You should check out my hhealthy pumpkin muffin recipe too, it does not use any fruit just pumpkin puree.
jolene
You talk about preheating the oven to 325 and then to bake them at 350. Which is it?
Bren
Jolene, you use both temperatures. First, in step 1 you toast the oats at 325 degrees then step 3 of the recipe tells you to turn the oven up to 350 degree, you bake the muffins at that temperature. Check out the recipe for full details. Hope you enjoy the muffins! -Bren
Aria
I don’t have a muffin pan. Can this be baked in a loaf pan instead? If so, at what temperature and for how long?
Bren
I’ve never baked it as a loaf, I am not sure it would work very well because it is a very wet batter. You could try it at 325 and see if it works but no promises!
liza
anyone find they had to cook them for longer than 20-23mins ? i added 1/2 cup of frozen blueberries with mine also
Bren
Hi Liza! If you add frozen fruit you will have to increase the cooking time at least 10 minutes. The fruit lowers the temperature of the batter so it takes longer to cook. Hope you enjoy the muffins. -Bren
Stacey
I made these yesterday and they are absolutely amazing! I mashed 1 ripe medium sized banana and used 1 single serving cup organic applesauce, the two together equaled 1 cup. Used my blender on high pulse to make the oat flour since I didn’t have a food processor. It worked great, just had to stop a few times and stir them a bit. Definitely don’t skip toasting the toasts! Added such a nice flavor. I added a small handful (~1/4 c) chocolate chips and (~1/4 c) chopped walnuts. I really think the walnuts and chips pushed these muffins into OMG territory, but in all honesty, these would be absolutely amazing as the recipe calls w/o the additions. Thank you so much for this recipe!!!!
Bren
Thanks, Stacey! I am so glad you like the recipe. I agree walnuts and chocolate chips are delicious in the muffins. I hope you try one of the other versions too!
Jess
I didn’t see an answer to this, but I only have quick cooking oats right now. Will the recipe still work? Also…what are your thoughts on this being whole 30 or Paleo friendly? I’ve been seeing some controversy about oats and if they’re ok or not for these lifestyles…
Bren
Jess, I have never used quick oats in the recipe, only old-fashioned. Quick oats and old fashioned oats are generally interchangeable so they should work but I can’t guarantee the results. I am not an expert on Whole 30 or Paleo so I’m not sure about oats and those diets. I would check with a specialist in those areas.
Maria
If I don’t have a food processor how can I break up the oats to the consistency of flour?
Bren
You can use a food mill or blender, just blend small batches at a time. You can also make the muffins without blending the oats. If you do not grind the oats, combine all the ingredients then let the batter sit for at least 20 minutes to soften the oats.
Kass
Thank you so much for the recipe! Love it! I still can’t believe how good they turned out considering the basic and healthy ingredients! I wanted to share that in the midst of preparing the ingredients, I found out that I didn’t have baking powder. So I substituted it with 1/2 tsp of baking soda + 2 tsp of vinegar and it turned out great! Thanks again!
Bren
Thanks for the substitution advice, Kass. I didn’t know that was possible. I’m so glad you liked the recipe.
Sab
Hi. Do you have to store these in the fridge. If not, how many days can you store them at room temperature?
Bren
I store mine in the refrigerator or freezer to make them last longer. They can be stored on the counter for about a week.
Sandy
Hi
Thanks for the amazing recipe. .I added chopped dates, rasins (soaked overnight in1/4 warmed orange juice).they turned out fab .
Bren
Yum, sound delicious! Thanks for the compliment, made my day! 🙂
Ximena
Thank you so much for this recipe! I had never baked something without flour, and I’m thoroughly impressed by how good it ended up tasting (and looking!). Since I don’t have bananas right now, I decided I’d use green apples, which I mashed with some sweetener and cinnamon, and left resting an hour before. Then, I switched the milk with some fat-free natural flavored yogurt too, because I’m not allowed to drink milk nowadays. I made twelve muffins and I mixed leftovers with another egg to make a pancake! Your recipe is amazing, I’ll be doing this for a while 🙂
Thanks again!!!
Bren
Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe and could make it work for your dietary restrictions.
Hels
Thanks for the recipe-we just made them and they are DELICIOUS! I’ve tried making a couple of sugar free muffin recipes with my toddler and this is definitely the best.
Bren
Thank you so much! My kids love them too. It’s nice to have a go-to recipe.
Ken Da Silva
Hi Bren,
Just getting ready to try out this recipe of yours. However, my wife cannot have any sugar./sweeteners or banana and so I was wondering how the baking soda/powder ratios would affect it. Trying not to obtain that ‘soapy/salty’ taste.
Any recommendations?
Bren
The taste should not be altered if you use applesauce in place of the bananas and leave out the honey/sweetener. If you are leaving out bananas and apple sauce and sweetener the recipe probably won’t work at all. Good luck!
Heather N. Chandler-Hobbs
I changed it slightly by using Greek yogurt instead of milk; a third cup of Brewers yeast(for lactation), and added flaxseed, mini chocolate chips, and chopped walnuts ???? Turned out amazing hubby even loved them and kids think they’re cupcakes❤️ Excellent as is (made original recipe also great) but wanted a little more fun in it with textures. Baby is having surgery this week so I’m taking them to the hospital and pumping for him. If anyone is wondering you can really do a lot with this recipe! You can even make an icing or frosting for a healthy “cupcake”
Bren
Thanks Heather! I am so glad you like the recipe, I agree it can be adapted many ways.
Ashlee
I’m wanting to adapt this recipe for lactation. Can you tell us how much flaxseed and Brewers yeast you used?
Bren
Most lactation muffin recipes I have seen call for 2-3 tablespoons flaxseed meal and 2 tablespoons brewer’s yeast. I have added flaxseed meal to this recipe successfully but not tried the brewers yeast. Let me know how they turn out.
Cyd
I love this recipe!! I added a cup of fresh raspberries…heaven! I will keep this as my basic muffin recipe and work on different variations. Next up? Your chocolate version, yum!
Bren
Thanks, Cyd! So glad you love the recipe. Raspberries sound like a great choice.
Nikki
Hi, these were delicious! One question, do they need to be refrigerated? What’s the best way to store them?
Bren
I store mine in the fridge for about a week, I freeze them if I want to keep them for longer than a week. So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Jessi Shisler
Super excited to try making these muffins! When you freeze these what do you find to be the best way to defrost them? With just 2 of us in our house I know we will definitely need to freeze some! Thanks!
Bren
Jessi, I just put a few in the refrigerator to defrost and the next morning they are soft. If I forget to remove some from the fridge I pop them in the microwave for a few seconds.
Tammy Stewart
Made your banana oatmeal muffin recipe… In the oven as we speak. I used the mini muffin tray. My mother in law had a stroke in February and she is diabetic. I am trying this recipe in hopes of getting her to eat more. She has a hard time chewing. She has lost over 40 pounds. I liked them hopefully she loves them!
Bren
I hope your mother in law enjoys the muffins!
Gina
These were delicious! I added a couple of guittard dark chocolate chips and that took them over the top! Thank you so much for this recipe! It’s so satisfying 🙂
Bren
Gina, I am so glad you enjoyed the muffin recipe! The dark chocolate chips sound like an amazing addition. If you really love chocolate you should try the chocolate version: Healthy Chocolate Oatmeal Muffins -Bren
Bubbly
Hi Bren
I was super excited to find your recipe but I botched it 🙁 my mixture was too runny and my oven stops at 290 degrees. I used 1.5 cups of oatmeal, didn’t know what to do with the other 1 cup. I’m an absolute must novice at baking by the way…please help!
Bren
You should grind 1.5 cups of the oats then add both the 1.5 cup of ground oats and 1 cup of whole oats to the batter. If your oven only heats to 290 you are going to have to cook them much longer to make sure they are cooked through. Good luck.
Joannw
I have made these many times! This recipe is awesome! I’ve added spices, dried blue berries, nuts… A fun recipe to play with. A+!
Bren
Thanks Joann!
Veronica
Thanks for the recipe! I’m having the same problem in the morning, my kids want sugary cereals and prepackaged frozen breakfasts. They actually argued over the last muffin! They were great. Thanks again.
Bren
I’m so glad your kids love the muffins as much as mine, Veronica!
Mary
Hello Bren,
I am in the middle of baking these and I cannot figure out if you meant use 1.5 cup of oats ground ASIDE from the already 2.5 toasted cups, or take 1.5 cups from the toasted oats and grind that up and add to the batter. Please help,
Thanks 🙂
Bren
2.5 cups is the total oats used, take 1.5 cups of these and grind them and then add to the batter, the remaining 1 cup is used whole.
Amy Swanson
Great recipe, and if using gluten free oats these would be GF, correct?
Bren
Yes, if you use certified GF oat they are gluten free!
Rachel
these look perfect- I have EXACTLY the same issues every morning with my daughter + she is super fussy- I’m on a mission to find something quick and healthy. Thanks for the recipe.
Bren
Thanks Rachel! I hope your daughter enjoys the muffins AND I hope they make your mornings a bit easier! You should also check out my Healthy Chocolate Muffins, they are very popular with my kiddos.
Sharon Shepherd
Hi! These sound great but all I have are steel cut oats. Do you think they’ll work?
Bren
I’ve only used rolled oats, I am not sure that you can grind steel cut oats into flour.
Stacey
I just made this recipe with steel cut oats. I didn’t grind them, let them soak for ~20 minutes, but followed recipe exactly as called for with everything else. They definitely aren’t as sweet and taste more plain – but still turned out good in my opinion. I may suggest adding a handful of walnuts and chocolate chips to add a bit or something. It needs it more than if you made it as she wrote the recipe (with old fashioned oats).
Bren
Thanks for the advice, Stacey!
Bessie
Can I sub pure maple syrup for the honey?
Bessie
Nevermind! I just read another user’s comment. Thanks a lot for these!
Tyler
I used the applesauce in place of bananas and also added raisins into the batter. For some reason my muffins came out with an almost wet and spongy consistency. Any ideas?
Bren
You need to bake them longer and/or reduce the applesauce a bit if it is very watery. I find it helpful to cut one open to check that the middle is done when I make a new recipe.
Meha
Can I add grated carrots instead of banana?
Bren
I’m afraid that substituting carrots wouldn’t give the batter enough sweetness. Let me know how it turns out if you try.
Norah
I made these today and I absolutely loved them. What a great recipe!
I added coconut flakes and raspberries and it was delicious????
Thank you for this recipe that I will keep closely.
Bren
Yum, Norah! Those additions sound perfect for spring. I’ll have to give them a try ASAP. So glad you liked the recipe.
Donna
Sounds great! Can coconut milk be subbed for the milk tho? I’d preFer dairy but trying to heal gut. Not sure about the sugar content either, (however healthy the source) but it has to have some sweetener. The coconut milk would add a little fat! Wanna try soon! Thanks for post!!
Bren
Yes, you can use coconut milk. If you want a muffin recipe with absolutely no added sweetener check out my No Sugar Apple Cinnamon Muffins. They are only sweetened with dates.
Nina
I put the ingredients in and it said it is 94 calories for 1 muffin! I don’t know if that’s right but excited to try them! Thank you!
Bren
Wow that’s a great calorie bargain! Hope you enjoy the recipe!
Yvonne King (MyAmari)
Great recipe! Thank you for sharing!
Bren
Thank you Yvonne! I am so glad you enjoy the muffins.
Fran
Do you think I can sub the honey for pure maple syrup?
Bren
Yes, honey and maple syrup can be directly substituted for each other in this recipe in terms of sweetness and consistency. Hope you enjoy the muffins.
Dina
Fyi honey is sugar these cannot be called sugar free.
Bren
Sugar, as you’re referring to it, is a carbohydrate found naturally in many foods from lactose in milk to fructose in fruit and honey. These muffins do not contain refined white sugar. I believe a healthy balanced diet can contain fruit and vegetable sugars.
Terri Willoughby
Yes! 🙂
H.R
Made these muffins today and they taste amazing!!!
I made half a batch without any honey and they honestly taste superb..you would never think there is no sugar.
Extremely happy. Will definitely be making these again .
Thanks for the recipe 🙂
Bren
Thank you for posting, so glad you are enjoying the recipe!
Marion
Thank you, Bren. I will try that. I am determined.
Marion
First I’d like to say that these are so yummy. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to get these guys to rise. What am I doing wrong? The first time my batter was pretty runny so I thought that this may have been the issue so I added some extra ground oats for this time around. Sadly they still didn’t rise any higher than the initial amounts I had filled into the muffin moulds. Any advice? Or is this normal? Yours look so great in the pictures. I do want to sum this up on a high note… not one of the flat muffins went to waste. They were totally yummy, height challenged,yes, but totally yummy.
Bren
Marion, it might have to do with altitude or humidity. Try decreasing the milk by 1/4 cup and increase the baking powder by 1 tsp. Make sure to let the batter rest so that some of the moisture is absorbed by the oats. Good luck!
Malory
I love how simple, easy, moist and delicious there are. One of my favorite healthy muffin recipes. Definitely a keeper! 🙂
Bren
I’m so glad that you are enjoying the recipe! Thanks for stopping by to comment, you made my day!
Bwalk
Separated* ugh autocorrect.
Bwalk
These are delicious! I deprecated my batch and made some with almonds and some wth blueberries! Definitely keeping this gem recipe. I was wondering though, what’s the best way to store these muffins? Mine appear to be getting soggy each day In an airtight container in my counter.
Bren
I keep mine I the refrigerator then briefly heat before eating. Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Ruthann
Any idea on the carb count?
Bren
Great question, Ruthann! I updated the post with all the nutrition details just for you!
ashley Hoppen
the recipe says to preheat to 325, but then at the end says bake at 350. which is correct?
Bren
Sorry for the discrepancy! Bake at 350.
mah
wonder full thanks for sharing. I will try it.
Bren
Thanks!
De
I made the muffins tonight and they were excellent. I did half in the muffin wrappers and the other half in the muffin pan; I oiled both; the ones in the muffin pan were much better as they did not stick at all. I also added walnut pieces and raisins and they were excellent. Look forward to making them again
Bren
I am so glad you liked the muffins. Thanks for sharing your pan vs wrapper experience. The ones in wrappers come out easily the next day.
Erin
So good and moist!! Totally making these again!
Bren
Thanks Erin! I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins.
Josh
Baked these last night! Excellent!
Bren
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Robin
Thank you so much Bren for this amazingly moist & delicious wheat free muffin recipe! My 2 yr old loves them (as do I) and she keeps asking for more. I used vanilla Almond Breeze for the milk with no issues. Can’t wait to try your other variations next 🙂
Bren
Thank you for you lovely comment, Robin! I am so glad you like the recipe!
Amy
Muffins taste great and are a treat for my kiddos. But for some reason my muffins came out so sticky. Like half the muffin stuck to the wrapper. I followed the recipe exactly but the liquids seemed almost too wet. Do you think this could be the problem?
Bren
Amy, it is a very wet batter. Sometimes my muffins stick but will come out of the wrappers easily after sitting over night. You can also try spraying the cupcake liners with oil.
Joan Morris
I just found this recipe this morning. I was looking for a figure friendlier muffin to go with my morning coffee. Just came out of the oven a few minutes ago and they are delish!!! Thank you! I used unsweetened almond milk instead of milk and they tasted great. I’m thinking that I might (next time) use a little less honey as they were plenty sweet enough and would probably be just as good with a little less. . Do you think that would affect the consistency of the batter? Thanks again for a great recipe. Can’t wait to try some of your others.
Bren
Joan, you should be able to lessen the honey without affecting the batter too much. If you take out a lot of the honey you will want to add extra banana or a few Tbsp of water. Just judge when mixing.
Joan Morris
Hi, I left a comment last week about your lovely muffins. I had asked if using a little less honey would it affect the consistency.
Bren
Hi Joan! Sorry if you did not see my response! You should be able to lessen the honey without affecting the batter. I have never made it without honey. If you take out a lot of the honey you will want to add extra banana or a few Tbsp of water or milk to thin the batter. Just judge the consistency when mixing.
Malory
I made these muffins and absolutely love them!! 🙂 They are so moist.
Bren
Thank you for stopping by to comment, Malory! I am so glad you like the recipe. It is one of our favorites!
Ashleigh
YUM!! Thanks so much for the recipe! I always get more into baking during this time of year.
Bren
Thanks Ashleigh! Hope you like the muffins!
Gosia
I just found this recipe and am looking forward to trying it! Could I use oat flour instead of grinding the oats myself (no blender/food processor)? How much flour would I need?
Bren
Gosia, yes you can use oat flour (that’s what I make by toasting and grinding the oats) . You can also make the muffins with all whole oats (not grinding any). Hope you like the recipe!
chaniese
Really wanna make these but the instructions confuse me a little… is it 2.5 cups oats or 1.5 cups?
Bren
You need 2.5 total cups. You will grind 1.5 cups into oat flour and add the remaining 1 cup as whole oats.
Kassidy
These sound delicious! Any idea if a blender will work in place of a food processor?
Bren
Yes, you should be able to use a blender on the pulse setting to grind the oats. I like to use a Mason jar to make a mini blender (you can see how in my smoothie post). Hope you try the recipe, thanks for commenting!
Kristi Rimkus
I ran across this recipe over on Pinterest and had to link to it on my weekend healthy recipe roundup post. These muffins look delicious!
Bren
Thanks Kristi! I hope your readers enjoy it!
Ashley
Hello!
I just mixed up the batter and realized I don’t have any good muffin liners. Do you think they’ll be fine with just a little butter or grapeseed oil greased around the cupcake pan?
Thank you! Can’t wait to try them and share them with my baby tomorrow 🙂
Bren
They should be fine in a plain muffin tin as long as it is well greased. I hope you enjoy them!
Anna
Love these! Toasting and grind the oats really makes a difference
Bren
Thanks Anna! So glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Lydia
This recipe sounds amazing! I can’t wait to make them. Maybe tomorrow! 🙂
Bren
Thanks Lydia! I hope you let me know how you like the muffins! I also have a pumpkin and chocolate version.
Anne Legault
OMG….I was so impressed with these oatmeal muffins. I just found out that I have a lot of food intolérances and wanted to find a new way to have delicious muffins…Well, this recipe (oatmeal with apple sauce and blueberries) was one of the best I have ever tasted….
One question: I have a high intolerance to egg whites….Is there a way that I could introduce an ingredient to cover that problem in your recipe?
My husband loves them too. Thank you once again.
Anne Legault
Bren
Anne, I am so glad you enjoyed the recipe and it helps with your food intolerances! You can substitute 1 Tbsp Flaxseed Meal mixed with
3 Tbsp Water for each egg (so 2 tbsp flax seed meal and 6 tbsp water for this recipe.) Mix the water and flaxseeds and let sit for about 5 minutes before adding to the recipe. I would also increase the baking powder by 1/2 tsp. (Baking powder, not baking soda!) This is an easy vegan substitute that works in lots of baked goods. Hope this helps!
Anne Legault
Thank yo you very much for answering so fast….I will do just that for my next muffin recipe. Have a great day.
Anne
Bren
No problem Anne! I’m glad to help.
Anna Ester
Hello Anne!! Another tip is substituting eggs with applesauce entirely ((: The you can have the batter too! Win win.
Bren
Thanks, Anna!
Steph
I made these for my son’s 1st Birthday instead of cake. I added 2 tbsp. cocoa to the dry mix and topped them with home-made whipped cream. They are just sweet enough that I could call them “cupcakes” but without nearly as much sugar! Thanks for a great recipe!
Bren
Steph, I am so glad you liked the recipe! The cocoa addition sounds delicious. I’ll have to try it soon. We made them this week with blueberries, they disappear fast!
Kristen
Just made these to prep the family for breakfast tomorrow morning, but I couldn’t resist snacking on one tonight. These are oh so delicious! They smell just like banana bread and have juuust the right amount of sweetness. I added a bit of nutmeg as well to make them extra good. Thanks for sharing!
Bren
Kristen, I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins! Nutmeg sounds like a yummy addition, I will have to try it soon.
Gabriele
Oh, dear Lord.
There’s no way somebody won’t like this muffin. It is scary good. Bren, thank you so much for such a fantastic recipe. This is truly wonderful, it was such a hit among my family and friends. The ingredients are so simple and healthy, it’s hard to believe that they make something so yummy. It became definitely one of my favorites.
I googled for about 2 hours to find a banana muffin recipe, and I am so happy that I chose yours. I can’t thank you enough!!
Lena
I quit sugar about 4 months ago, and these are perfect muffins when I’m craving something sweet, they’ve been making this whole no-sugar business much easier and more fun! I put a bit of the batter aside and added a little bit of all-natural peanut butter, and now the muffins make an incredibly energizing snack for before my training, too!
Bren
If you’re a fan of these muffins, you should also check out my Healthy Pumpkin Muffins Recipe they have no flour, no sugar, no oil and no dairy.
Christina
I’ve been following a no-sugar, no-flour diet for 10 weeks now. Doing great, but I miss baking. These muffins were just what I was looking for. Thank you! I used 1 cup of pumpkin in place of the bananas, pumpkin pie spice instead of cinnamon, and Fruit Sweet in place of the honey. They fit my new eating plan and they are moist and delicious! With pumpkin, you probably want to increase the sweetener a bit. I followed the directions on the Fruit Sweet bottle to sub it in for sugar/honey, but next time I will use the full 1/3 cup of fruit sweet. I bet with applesauce or bananas, the reduced amount of Fruit Sweet would be fine. In any case, they are delicious and guilt-free! Thank you, thank you, thank you!
Bren
Christina, your recipe changes sound delicious! I’ll have to try the tecipe with pumpkin. Perfect for this time of year. Keep up the good work on your healthy eating!
Ms. KG
Yum, yum!!! I just made these healthy oat muffins🙂 Very good! I made a few adjustments; I used Sugar free maple syrup instead of honey. Also added grated carrots, chopped walnuts, and chia seeds for some added fiber! They turned out great! Thanks for sharing😍
Rin
I just made these with goji berries and diced dried apricot -they were phenomenal! It tasted better the day after, fresh out the oven the muffin still stuck to the paper. But the next day they peeled off easily 🙂 I omitted the salt and vanilla because I didn’t think it was necessary and they tasted amazing. Will definitely make again :))
Bren
So glad you liked the muffins! You can use a little oil spray inside the cupcake wrappers to help with sticking. The goji berries and dried apricot sound amazing- I will try them the next time I bake!
Saskia
They taste great but don’t look as lovely as yours. Kids added sultanas to them..
Bren
I’m so glad you liked them! Sultanas sound delicious.
Hannah
i bet blueberries would be delicious too
Bren
Yes, Hannah, blueberries are delicious in this recipe. I add all sorts of fruits and nuts depending on my mood!
Tammy
Hi, can I add protein powder to this recipe? How much would you recommend? Thanks!
Bren
Tammy, you can add protein powder to the recipe. I have never done it so I can’t give you a good estimate.
BETH
Protein powder? Yes! I was out of vanilla, so I added one scoop of vanilla protein powder. They were perfect! Great recipe. My kids liked them best with chocolate chips added.
Bren
Yum!
Gina
I tried these yesterday and they were delicious!It’s hard to find recipes like these. I want to make them again but I want to add cranberries instead of blueberries. Do you think that would work?
Bren
Gina, I am so glad you liked the muffins! I bet cranberries would be delicious. I would probably use a dried sweetened cranberry (you can buy ones sweetened with apple juice.) Let me know how they turn out if you try using fresh cranberries.
Gina
I made the muffins with the cranberries before I saw your response. So here’s what happened. I followed the recipe but i blended raspberries and cranberries together and added it to the wet batter. Then I tucked in additional cranberries and raspberries to my final batter (whole ones) which is where I made my mistake. The muffins came out and the batter of the muffins was delicious. Since there were cranberries and raspberries blended into the batter, it wasn’t sour, it tasted delicious. But the plain cranberries that i had tucked in were way too sour. Every bite I took that had a cranberry in it was extremely sour. The whole raspberries were actually quite nice; sweet and tart, but the whole cranberries were a huge mistake. So the lesson I learned was that if you blend cranberries and raspberries into your batter it will taste delicious, but if you tuck them in and leave them whole, it will not taste good. I guess we all learn from our mistakes. I love this recipe!
Musikmandy
In the Wisconsin and Minnesota area we often use cranberries chopped or at least halfed when mixing in the batter as this distributes the fruit around in smaller pieces…Especially delicious with fresh orange zest added.
Bren
Great idea! Thanks for sharing. The orange cranberry combo sounds amazing!
broccolydia
I used fresh cranberries, fresh apple, pecans and 1/2 maple syrup, 1/2 honey. I loved the cranberries, they were tart instead of sour. I thought it worked well 🙂 I really like these muffins–it’s kind of like portable oatmeal without dishes to do! 🙂
Bren
Yum! Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
Bri
Hi! Can I use oil instead of bananas? What would the ratio be? Bananas are a no go in my house:)
Bren
Sorry Bri, I’ve never made them with oil. You can use applesauce instead of bananas.
Jas
I don’t really like bananas (and we didn’t have any) so I substituted the banana with blueberries! I blended them up and used them instead of the mashed bananas. I also adde a couple whole ones and it worked well! I also didn’t use salt and it still worked! Love the recipe though, highly recommend👍🏼
Bren
Thanks, Jas!