These Blueberry Banana Muffins are a total treat, especially because they are so easy to make, and they taste like they came from a bakery. The two fruits in the muffins add natural sweetness and a base of oatmeal adds extra goodness. All in about 30 minutes!
Blueberry Banana Muffins
I love to make this healthy muffin recipe on weekends to store and serve for quick breakfasts and snacks throughout the week. They store extremely well in the fridge and are great served chilled or slightly warmed up.
You can also make them without dairy and nuts, which is nice for families with dietary restrictions.
This muffin recipe comes together really easily in a food processor, which quickly turns the whole ingredients into a nutrient-packed batter.
Oatmeal Muffins
I like making muffins with a dose of whole grains for both long-lasting energy and a bit of fiber. With this recipe, I was originally thinking of something that I could bring to a mom friend who was about to have a baby. (Oats are recommended as a good food to help with milk production.)
Plus, this recipe is a great alternative to regular oatmeal if your kids aren’t big fans. It has similar nutrition and is easy to make ahead and store in the fridge until breakfast time.
My toddler likes the mini muffins topped with cream cheese, and I love them with some butter.
Ingredient Notes
We use mainly pantry staples in this recipe. Here’s a little more info about some of them to make sure you have all of the information you need.
- Rolled oats: These are sometimes called “old-fashioned” oats at the store.
- Shredded unsweetened coconut: This adds flavor and moisture. (If you don’t love coconut or don’t have it, you can simply use more oats instead.)
- Ground flaxseed: This is sometimes called “flaxseed meal,” and it helps the batter hold together nicely.
- Salt: A little salt helps to bring out the other flavors in baked goods.Eggs
- Ripe bananas: The riper the bananas, the better the flavor will be in these muffins.
- Coconut oil: You’ll want to melt this before you add it in so it blends in seamlessly. You can also use another neutral oil or butter.
- Honey or maple syrup: You can use either here. To make this for a baby under age one, skip the honey and use maple syrup instead.
- Fresh or frozen blueberries: Either work here, so use what you have.
Step-by-Step Instructions
Here’s how to make this recipe so you know what to expect from the process. Scroll down to the end of the post for the full information.
- Place everything, except the blueberries, into the bowl of a food processor.
- Grind until the batter is smooth and uniform.
- Remove the blade of the food processor and stir in the blueberries. Divide among a greased muffin tin and bake.
- Let cool slightly in the tins, then remove and serve warm or store in an airtight container to serve on future days.
TIP: To make these without a food processor, mash the bananas well and use oat flour, either store-bought or homemade—just grind your oats into a powder in a blender.
Dairy-Free Blueberry Banana Muffins
These muffins are totally moist without requiring dairy. Hopefully this allows more kiddos to enjoy them, and it means you can make these even when you are short on milk. I hope you enjoy them as much as we do.
TIP: There’s also an egg-free variation at the end of the recipe in the Notes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Fresh and frozen blueberries work similarly in this muffin recipe, so you can use either according to what you have on hand.
If you have blueberries that sink in a muffin, you can toss in flour to coat before adding into the batter. (I haven’t had that happen with this recipe, but if you’re worried, you can do that extra step.)
Yes, you can omit the honey or maple syrup and simply rely on the banana for sweetness. That is a great option. Just be sure to use very ripe bananas for the best flavor.
You sure can! We’ve done them with fresh and frozen raspberries and they work really well. I think diced strawberries would be great, too, or really any berry that you have and want to bake with.
How to Store
Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days and serve chilled or slightly warmed. Freeze cooled muffins in a zip-top freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months.
Best Tips for Success
- These taste like baked oatmeal crossed with a muffin.
- Use very ripe bananas with brown spots for the best flavor and sweetness.
- Use honey or maple syrup as you prefer. (Avoid honey for babies under age 1.)
- Make them as standard size or mini muffins.
- To make them without coconut, substitute with additional oats.
- To make them without coconut oil, use canola oil or butter, melted and slightly cooled.
Related Recipes
I’d love to hear your feedback if you’d tried this recipe so please comment below to share!
Blueberry Banana Muffins with Oats
Ingredients
- 2 cups rolled oats
- ½ cup shredded unsweetened coconut
- ¼ cup ground flaxseed
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 3 large eggs
- 2 cups sliced bananas (about 2 medium/large bananas; use very ripe bananas)
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted and slightly cooled (or canola oil or butter)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup honey or maple syrup
- 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F and coat well with nonstick spray. Set aside.
- Place the oats, coconut, and flaxseed into the food processor and process for about 30 seconds or until the oats resemble a coarse flour.
- Add the rest of the ingredients except the blueberries and process to combine well.
- Remove the blade and stir in the blueberries.
- Spoon into the prepared muffin cups just to the brim.
- Bake for 28-30 minutes or until the edges are just starting to turn golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the centers comes out clean. Let cool in the pan.
- Run a paring knife around the edges of the muffins and gently remove from the pan.
Equipment
Video
Notes
- Store in the fridge for up to 5 days and serve chilled or slightly warmed. Freeze cooled muffins in a zip-top freezer bag with as much air removed as possible for up to 3 months.
- To make these without the shredded coconut, simply omit and add ½ more oats.
- Nut-free: Use canola oil or butter instead of the coconut oil, and use additional oats instead of the coconut.
- Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats.
- Egg-free: Omit the coconut. Soak the flaxseed in ¼ cup water for 5 minutes. Add ½ cup milk (dairy or nondairy) to the batter. Bake as directed.
- As mini muffins: Use a mini muffin tin and bake for about 18 minutes.
- Without a food processor: Use oat flour and mash the banana well before mixing everything together in a bowl.
Nutrition
This post was first published April 2016.
Made these again, so so good! Greetings from our side of the world toddlerland!
These are so good! We poured the batter half way and added our fruit/chocolate/dried cranberries and then filled the rest of the way and topped with whatever the muffin was so we’d know. From this one recipe we made three different types of muffins. Thanks for sharing!!
I forgot to add the star rating so here it is.
These muffins are delicious! I think between my husband, my 23 month old, and myself, we finish the batch in a few days. We’ll need to double it next time and freeze some. Also, my son is on a muffin kick so can’t wait to try your other muffin recipes.
I’m so glad to hear that!
Can’t wait to try! Could I mix everything in a vitamix/blender instead of a food processor?
Sure, that should work fine!
thanks!
My son who basically survives on air and water only LOVES these! We made mini muffins and he ate a few a day. We are making them again now because anything he will eat I’m going to make a million times. Thank you!
My son is allergic to oats. Can I substitute with flour? And if so, what kind of flour?
I don’t think you can sub the oats fully in this recipe since they are the base of it. You could look at this recipe though, which has blueberries and no oats: https://www.yummytoddlerfood.com/favorite-lemon-blueberry-muffins/
I love this recipe and the fact that it can be made right in the food processor! My kids love them but my daughter takes issue with the large chunks of fruit, regardless of the type. Have you ever mixed the berries in with the food processor for a few pulses? I can’t imagine it would change the outcome but would save me from picking out the berries. Thanks!
I haven’t done that and I think it would be okay. You may have an overall moister end result since the berry juices would be throughout, but otherwise I think it would work okay!
Why do I need to take out the coconut to make them egg free?
I think I meant that to be with the nut-free instructions, you don’t have to! (Sorry about that!)
I made these for my friends who are having their second Covid shots and might have a day of feeling off. No toddlers! I kept two for myself for easy breakfast. I will definitely make another batch when next we have bananas that need to go. I used a mix of old-fashioned oats and quick cooking because I didn’t know which was preferred. I think maybe I’d use all quick-cooking next time. What does Amy like? I put them in greased paper cups and thought they came out fine (I got 14 muffins in regular muffin pans). That’s a lot of blueberries though, and I might go with a few less. I used mild olive oil rather than all the saturated fat of coconut oil. I like the use of the food processor and that it was easy. Thank you for yummy septuagenarian food!
That was very thoughtful of you! I usually use rolled oats but quick oats work too. I appreciate the feedback!
My 11 month old son ate the entire muffin! This recipe was so delicious. I’m definitely making these again.
I’m so glad he enjoyed it!
Can I freeze the leftovers?
Yes, add to a freezer bag and remove as much air as possible. Freeze for up to 3 months.
These came out so good and my picky toddler loved them. I’m usually not a fan of coconut but I made my batch how the recipe states and very much enjoyed them. The coconut flavor is subtle and smooth. I’ve made these twice already!
I’m so glad to hear that!
The best muffin recipe! We make these all the time with raspberries. Perfect for breakfast or a snack.
I’m so glad!
Brilliant recipe. My kids love this.
I’ve made this twice now. First time without paper cases and second time with paper cases. I have to say that the first time they were a lot better. With the cases I felt that they were quite soggy at the bottom despite cooking then a couple extra minutes. Kids weren’t so keen on the soggy part so there’s more wastage this time round. For those who also said they came out soggy did you use cases by any chance!? That was the only difference for me so can’t think what else it could be!
It’s possible they just didn’t bake as well due to the liners.
Wow. I’ve made many of the muffin recipes on here but this is by far my favorite. The flavor is perfectly sweet; the blueberries add a fresh tarty hint. They’re so noisy that they melt in your mouth! Amazing.