Chocolate Banana Muffins with Oats

These Chocolate Banana Muffins are one of our all-time favorite baked goods. And while they taste like a treat, they are chock full of nutrition and whole grains—even spinach if you decide to add it! They’re a perfect breakfast or snack option for the whole family.

Chocolate Banana Muffins with Cocoa

These moist little muffins have a base of oats, bananas, eggs, and either cocoa or cacao powder. They are gluten-free if you use certified gluten-free oats and they’re nut-free. But best of all, the baked muffins are super moist, which makes them easy for toddlers to eat.

TIP: We like these muffins warm out of the oven for breakfast or chilled for a snack or lunch. Heck, you could even smear on a little honey-sweetened cream cheese and call them cupcakes!

Healthy Oatmeal Muffins

I like adding rolled oats to muffin recipes like this one because they almost dissolve right into the batter when they bake. But, even though they are texturally not that obvious, they add fiber and B vitamins. And help to make the muffins a little bit more filling—which can help keep those little bodies from running on empty so quickly!

Ingredients in Chocolate Banana Muffins

To make this recipe you’ll need:

• very-ripe-with-black-spots bananas
• eggs
• melted and slightly cooled butter OR almond butter
• honey or maple syrup
•  pure vanilla extract
• oats
• whole wheat flour
• cocoa powder
• baking powder
• baking soda
• salt
• chocolate chips, optional

TIP: You can add a handful of baby spinach when blending the wet ingredients to add a veggie into the mix!

How to Make Chocolate Banana Muffins Step-by-Step

Here’s a look at the process of making these healthy mini muffins.

1. Preheat oven and grease a mini muffin tin well.
2. Blend the wet ingredients well in a blender.
3. Stir in the rest of the ingredients and divide batter among a greased mini muffin tin.
4. Bake and cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled.

TIP: You can store these at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 24 hours or in the fridge for up to 5 days. Heat briefly to serve from warm to make them nice and moist!

Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Muffins

To make these gluten-free, use cup-for-cup gluten free flour blend and certified gluten-free rolled oats.

Healthy Mini Muffins for Toddlers

However you decide to enjoy them with your toddlers, we think you’ll like them lots. And for what it’s worth, my 7 year old LOVES these muffins. Which was surprising to me since they are less sweet than some other muffins she likes, but I’ll take it. (Need a banana muffin without eggs? This allergy-friendly Vegan Banana Mini Muffin recipe or my Sugar-Free Banana Muffins are great options.)

Tips to Make the Best Chocolate Banana Muffins

• Mini muffin tins sometimes have a tendency to stick, so be sure to grease them well.
• Very ripe, with black spots, bananas have the most natural sweetness and will make these muffins taste best.
• Stir in 1/4-1/3 cup mini chocolate chips for added deliciousness!
• Top with nut butter, cream cheese, or a drizzle of honey if you’d like.
• Add a big handful of baby spinach to the blender and blend well to add some veggies to these muffins.

I’d love to hear your feedback if you try this recipe, so comment below to share!

Chocolate Banana Oatmeal Muffins

★★★★★ 4.3 from 6 reviews

• Author: Amy Palanjian
• Prep Time: 10
• Cook Time: 12
• Total Time: 22 minutes
• Yield: 24 muffins 1x
• Category: Muffins
• Method: Baking
• Cuisine: American

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Description

Be sure to use very ripe bananas since they taste the sweetest. Warm the muffins slightly after storing in the fridge if desired. This recipe was updated March 2020 to ensure the best texture and moisture.

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Ingredients

• 3 small very-ripe-with-black-spots bananas (about 1 1/2 cups sliced)
• 3 eggs
• 1/4 cup melted and slightly cooled butter OR almond butter
• 1/4 cup honey or maple syrup
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 2 cups lightly packed baby spinach, optional
• 1 cup rolled oats
• 3/4 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/4 cup cocoa powder
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 cup chocolate chips, optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F and grease a mini muffin tin.
2. Place the bananas, eggs, butter, honey, and vanilla into a blender. Add the spinach if you plan to use it. Blend well.
3. Stir in the oats, flour, cocoa powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips, if using.
4. Fill prepared muffin tin about to the edge of each cup.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes or until a cake tester inserted into the center comes out cleanly. Use a paring knife to remove from the pan and cool on a wire rack. Serve at room temperature, slightly warm, or chilled.

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Notes

Store in the fridge for up to 5 days in an airtight container or in a zip top freezer bag for up to 3 months.

To make these as full size muffins: Use about 1/4 cup batter per muffin cup and bake for about 20 minutes.

Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free rolled oats and cup for cup gluten free flour blend in place of the whole wheat.

Add a handful of baby spinach to the blender in Step 2 to add a veggie.

743.1 g10.4 mg3.2 g1.3 g10 g1.9 g2.5 g23.3 mg

Filder Under:Breakfast, Muffins, Nut-Free, Recipes, Snacks