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3-ingedient vegan oat muffins made from oats, raw cashews and baking powder! They are vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free, and perfect.
I have another super-simple bread recipe to share, and it is a winner.
Made in muffin form, it requires no more than 3 ingredients, a blender, and about 30 minutes worth of your precious time.
Further, the muffins are:
- Vegan
- Oil-free
- Sugar-free
- Gluten-free
- Yeast-free
- Frugal
- Endlessly versatile
- 117 calories apiece
Most importantly, they are ideal for slathering with jam (one of my favorite food groups).
Hello, 3-Ingredient Oat Muffins!
Ingredients for the Oat Muffins
The three ingredients required for the recipe (beyond water and optional salt) are
- Rolled oats
- Raw cashews (I have options for alternatives)
- Baking powder
Homemade bread, even gluten-free, egg-free, dairy-free and oil-free varieties should be this simple.
Make the Muffin Batter in a Blender
I designed the recipe to make 6 muffins at a time, but it can be doubled to suit your needs. In a blender, process the cashews (1.5 ounces, or about 1/3 cup) and water (1 and 1/4 cups) until completely smooth (it will look like cream).
Next, add the oats, baking powder and (optional) salt. Blend the cashews first to ensure they are completely broken down (for even fat distribution throughout the muffins). The oats are added next so that they can be partially blended.
I have tested the muffins with the oats (a) partially blended and (b) completely blended; the former have both a better texture and rise. It’s worth it.
Pulse the batter in the blender until the oats are mostly broken but still have a some bits and pieces throughout, like so:
Time to Bake
Divide the batter evenly between 6 sprayed or greased, standard size muffin cups. The muffins get a significantly better rise when baked without paper or foil liners. Additionally, the muffins stick (profoundly) to liners, but slide out easily from sprayed/greased cups (even while still warm).
The batter will be close to the edge of each cup.
Bake in a preheated 375F oven for 17 to 20 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted near the center of a muffin comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.
The muffins produce lovely peaks but are relatively pale in color.
Now, on to the burning question many of you may want know:
Can I make these muffins into a loaf?
Alas, no. I tried. I doubled the recipe (to fill a 9×5-inch loaf) and tried, 5 times, with varying adjustments to ingredients, temperature and time. All failed, in various ways.
Pictured below is a slice from the most successful loaf. It look pretty good post bake (not much rise, but not a massive post-bake slump, either). Upon cooling and slicing, multiple problems were apparent. Most notably, massive goo!
You can probably make this recipe in 2 very small loaf pans (e.g., 5×3-inches), which would allow for lengthwise, horizontal slices (for sandwiches and toast). Baking the bread in an 8- or 9-inch square or round baking pan is also an option.
Considering how perfect the recipe is in muffin form, your best bet is making the recipe as is :).
Happy baking, everyone!
More Oat Recipes to Love:
- Oat and Coconut Flour Scones {5 ingredients, Vegan, GF}
- 3-Ingredient Vegan Oat Pancakes {Gluten-Free, Oil-Free}
- Healthy Chocolate Banana Oat Cookies {vegan, oil-free, GF}
- Healthy Oat Blender Muffins {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free}
- 3-Ingredient Vegan Oat Muffins {gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free}
3-Ingredient Oat Muffins {vegan, gluten-free, oil-free, sugar-free}
Healthy, 3-ingredient oat muffins made with oats, cashews and baking powder (plus water and salt). They are vegan, oil-free, gluten-free, sugar-free and 117 calories each.
Ingredients
- 1.5 ounces/43 grams raw cashews (about 1/3 cup)
- 1 and 1/4 cups (310 mL) water
- 1 and 1/2 cups (150 g) rolled oats (certified GF, as needed)
- 1 and 1/2 teaspoons (7 grams) baking powder
- Optional: 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375F (190C). Spray or grease 6 cups of a standard size muffin tin.
- In a blender, process the cashews and water until smooth.
- Add the oats, baking powder and optional salt to blender; process, using on/off pulses, until mostly smooth but with some texture remaining with the oats (batter will look slightly lumpy).
- Divided the batter evenly between the prepared cups.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 17 to 20 minutes until risen and a toothpick inserted near the center of the muffin comes out with only moist crumbs attached.
- Cool muffins in tin for at least 5 minutes before removing to a cooling rack to cool completley.
Notes
Storage: Store the cooled muffins in an artight container at (cool) room temeprature for 3 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 6 months.
Cashew Alternatives: Other nuts, such walnuts, pecans or peanuts, or seeds, such as pepitas or hemp hearts, can be used in place of the cashews. Sunflower seeds work, but will turn the muffins green (safe to eat; it's a natural chemical reaction).
Sprayed Cups vs. Lined Cups: The muffins get a significantly better rise when baked without paper or foil liners. Additionally, the muffins stick (profoundly) to liners, but slide out easily from sprayed/greased cups (even while still warm).
Nutrition Information
Yield 6 Serving Size 1 muffinAmount Per Serving Calories 117Total Fat 4.8gSaturated Fat 1.2gCholesterol 0mgSodium 170mgCarbohydrates 15.3gFiber 2.3gSugar 0.9gProtein 4g
Janice
Thursday 9th of November 2023
Hi Camilla, how many grams of raw cashews and the baking powder in this recipe? Thank you.
Camilla
Saturday 11th of November 2023
Hi Janice! I added the grams in the recipe card :)
Janice
Monday 12th of June 2023
Hi Camilla, can I substitute the same amount of whole wheat flour with the rolled oats? Any change to other ingredient? Thank you.
Camilla
Monday 12th of June 2023
Hi Janice,
It is hard for me to predict how that would work. You might have to treat it as an experiment (e.g., try it with an equal amount of wheat flour, see how it goes, make adjustments if it does not turn out).
Mel
Friday 6th of January 2023
Another 5* recipe!
I used rolled buckwheat instead of oats and these came out wonderful. I've been enjoying them with a carob spread. I even froze some for later in the month.
I'll be making these again for sure! Thank you.
Mel
Monday 16th of January 2023
@Camilla, not homemade but still yummy! It's by a brand here in the UK called sweet freedom.
Camilla
Sunday 8th of January 2023
Yay! So happy to hear it, Mel! Ooh, and carob spread??? Homemade? That sounds super yum !
Tanti Susilawati
Sunday 10th of October 2021
Hi Camilla, can I sub cashew with chestnut? Thanks!
Camilla
Wednesday 13th of October 2021
Hi Tanti! Oh gosh, I have to admit that I have never used chestnut flour! I just looked up the nutrition for chestnut flour and saw that it is very low in fat. I am wondering if that might be a problem here as a sub, since the cashews are acting as the fat (in lieu of oil) in these muffins. I am just not sure, but my gut makes me want to advise against it (I would hate for you to waste your chestnut flour, it looks pretty pricey).
Joy
Friday 17th of July 2020
i was so pleased with these for a healthy quick snack. I used sunflower seeds, and added agave to half the batch to compare, and a littler sweetener made all the difference if you eat them plain. Thanks for the recipe will definitely make again
Camilla
Tuesday 28th of July 2020
Oh, that is excellent, Joy! Your additions sound wonderful, how cleave to do half batches to compare :)