Are you ready for the easiest banana muffins ever? I didn't expect to fall in love with these the way I did, but they're just that good! Oat flour and sweet, ripe bananas come together for texture and flavor that manages to feel both decadent and wholesome. All you need are 5 ingredients and 30 minutes to make a batch!
Oat flour banana muffins are naturally vegan and gluten-free, and perfect for meal prep, snacks, easy breakfasts, and even dessert!
Easy Ripe Banana Recipe 🍌
I'm always looking for new ways to use ripe bananas and have quite a few favorites already, like banana brownies, banana mug cake, and oat flour banana bread (the recipe that inspired today's muffins).
But these oat flour banana muffins are so easy and SO irresistibly banana-y, I think they just became my new go-to. No kidding, the recipe is so simple you'll have it memorized after just one batch!
The muffins are moist, tender, and sweet enough to feel like a real treat, which is what I was craving this time around.
But honestly, these banana muffins are still pretty darn healthy thanks to whole grain oat flour and the fact that they're:
- dairy- and egg-free
- refined sugar-free and sweetened with banana and maple syrup
- and can even be made without oil
A few more reasons to ❤️ this recipe:
- plenty of real banana flavor and a soft, decadent texture
- great for meal prep and delicious anytime, from breakfast to dessert!
- simple enough for beginners, and reliable enough for regular baking
Jump to:
Key Ingredients in Oat Flour Banana Muffins 🍌
Here are a few notes about the five key ingredients and possible substitutions. You'll find the full recipe at the bottom of the post:
- oat flour - I use oat flour pretty often, so I usually purchase it just to save time (I use this one from Anthony's). But you can also make your own oat flour by blending rolled oats in a high-powered blender until finely ground.
- overripe banana - I hope you have a LOT of bananas to use up because we're not holding back! You'll need a whopping 2 ½ cups mashed for these muffins. That's about 5 extra large bananas.
- baking powder - activated by heat, this causes the muffins to rise and bake evenly.
- pure maple syrup - initially I tested the recipe with regular sugar but decided to go with maple syrup for a more wholesome muffin and for extra moisture. You can sub regular or light brown sugar if needed, plus a tablespoon of non-dairy milk so the batter isn't too thick.
- oil or smooth, runny nut butter - I used avocado oil during testing and peanut butter for the whole-food, oil-free option. Almond butter also works.
- optional (but recommended) - salt and vanilla extract. Note that if you use a salted nut butter (instead of oil), you don't need additional salt.
That's all you need for the basic banana muffin recipe, but of course, you can get creative with it, too. Try them with chocolate chips or additions like cinnamon and chopped walnuts for a vegan banana bread vibe.
How to Make 5-Ingredient Banana Muffins
- First, preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Mash the bananas and measure to make sure you have 2.5 cups banana puree.
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- In a large mixing bowl whisk the wet ingredients: mashed banana, oil or nut butter, maple syrup, and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients: oat flour, baking powder, and salt (if using). Pour dry into wet, and stir just until there's no visible dry flour. The batter should be fairly thick and fluffy.
- Divide the batter evenly among a standard 12-cup muffin pan. If desired, sprinkle chopped nuts on top.
- Transfer to the oven and immediately reduce the temperature to 350°F (175°C). Bake for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Hint :
Since we're relying on baking powder for rise, preheating the oven to a higher temperature helps kick start the process. Just don't forget to reduce the temp after placing the pan in the oven!
FAQ
I did test a version of this recipe with all-purpose, and it worked well. The key is to use the same amount of flour by weight, not volume, since oat flour tends to be "fluffier" and weigh less. So use 230 grams of all-purpose, which is just under 2 cups.
Very ripe bananas work best for most baking recipes. The peels should be heavily spotted or mostly brown for the best flavor and sweetness.
Definitely! Let the muffins cool completely, then freeze them in an airtight container for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly before eating.
Lori's Recommended Equipment
Perfect for measuring flours, powders, and produce. A must-have for any home baker!
Helpful Tips
- Properly measure the flour: I recommend using a kitchen scale for the best, most consistent results. If you don't have one, whisk the oat flour first, gently scoop up with a measuring cup, and level off the excess.
- Use very ripe bananas (aka "overripe): Bananas that aren't ripe enough won't contribute as much moisture or sweetness to the muffins. At a minimum, the peels should have a lot of dark spots. There should be no green near the stem. Learn how to quickly ripen bananas with these tips from Serious Eats.
- Cool: Let the muffins cool for at least 20 minutes for the best texture and flavor.
More Ripe Banana Recipes
I hope you enjoy these ridiculously easy and delicious banana muffins. If you try the recipe be sure to comment below and let us know!
Recipe
Oat Flour Banana Muffins (Only 5 Ingredients!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2½ cups mashed over-ripe banana - about 5 large bananas
- ⅓ cup maple syrup plus 1 Tablespoon - see Notes for sub
- ¼ cup neutral oil - or ⅓ cup runny natural peanut butter
- 1½ teaspoons vanilla extract - optional
- 2¼ cups fine oat flour - (230g) See Notes
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt - optional; omit if using salted nut butter
Optional additions:
- chopped walnuts or pecans - or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190°C). If desired, place paper liners in the cups of your muffin pan.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas and measure to make sure you have 2.5 cups. Whisk in the maple syrup, oil, and vanilla, if using.
- In a separate bowl combine the oat flour, baking powder, and salt, if using. Whisk to combine. Pour the dry ingredients into the banana mixture, and stir just until there's no dry flour. Fold in chopped nuts, if desired.
- Divide the batter evenly across the 12 muffin cups. If you like, sprinkle the tops of the muffins with more nuts.
- Reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175C), and immediately place the pan in the oven. Bake the muffins for 18 to 20 minutes, or until the tops are firm and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store the muffins as room temp for up to 2 days, refrigerated for up to 1 week, or frozen for up to 2 months.
Notes
- Use a kitchen scale for the best, most consistent results. If you don't have one, whisk the oat flour before measuring.
- Use very ripe bananas (aka "overripe). Under-ripe bananas won't contribute as much moisture or sweetness to the muffins. At a minimum, the peels should have a lot of dark spots. Learn how to quickly ripen bananas in this article by Serious Eats.
Estimated Nutrition (per serving)
Nutrition is an estimate and will vary depending on the exact amounts and ingredients used.
Diane says
I love these muffins. I added 1 Tbsp cinnamon, did 2 tsp of vanilla (instead of 1.5), and a bag of Bake Believe chocolate chips. They were so good!
Lori Rasmussen says
Yum! Glad you enjoyed them, Diane.
Anne says
These are divine! I made them last week and they were wonderful right out of the oven, but I froze most of them and I’m happy to report they are still great after being frozen. This recipe will definitely be made often. Thank you for yet another fantastic recipe!!
Jen says
Delicious and simple! I used a bit less maple syrup. The baking took an extra 8 minutes (I checked in 2 minute intervals). Thank you again!
Glenys Bellaney says
Made these yesterday, so easy to make and delicious 😋 Thank you.
Diana says
You are right! These are the easiest banana muffins! I made these yesterday and they are almost gone already. My family loved them. We will be making these regularly!