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Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Oat Muffins (oil-free, gluten-free)

Tender,  fluffy, not-too-sweet, & delicious: that’s exactly what these vegan peanut butter banana oat muffins are all about! They are also oil-free, gluten-free, and made in one bowl. Only 149 calories each, too.

Muffins: The Any Season Snack or Breakfast

Summer may not seem like muffin-making season. I beg to differ. It’s always a great time to bake a batch of muffins, including, sunny, humid, 90-degree days in June.

Muffins are perfect for quick, easy, & nutritious breakfasts in a flash, packing into bag lunches (for camp, a sunny day at the beach, or a day hike), and grabbing for a quick snack or pre-workout gnosh.

Moreover, many muffins are quick and easy to make with items I already have on hand, for little expense (I come close to fainting when I spy $3.00 muffins in coffee shop cases–make that a double espresso, stat!).

For an exemplary version of easy, whole, grab & go anytime muffins, I offer my recipe for Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Oat Muffins.

overhead shot of vegan GF banana oat muffins on a cooling rack

Virtues of These Muffins

  • Vegan (no egg, no dairy)
  • Gluten-free
  • Oil-free
  • 100% oats
  • Made in 1 bowl
  • Made with pantry ingredients
  • Low in sugar
  • 149 calories each

Ingredients to Make the Muffins

The exact amounts of each ingredient are indicated in the recipe card at the end of the post.

Ripe bananas, with plenty of brown on the peels, are key to the success of the recipe. The starch in bananas breaks down into sugar as the bananas ripen, making them soft, squishy, and sweet. 

overead shot of 4 very ripe bananas

In addition to bananas, you will need the following:

Step by Step Directions

Note that the complete directions are also in the recipe card below.

Step 1: Prep the Muffin Tin & Preheat the Oven

Preheat your oven oven to 325F (160C). These muffins bake at a lower temperature that many traditional muffins to ensure even baking in the absence of eggs and gluten. Line all 12 cups of a standard size muffin tin with paper or foil liners.

Step 2: Grind a Portion of the Oats.

Three cups of rolled oats are used in the recipe (all of the ingredient amounts are in the recipe card below). Since these are muffins, not baked oatmeal cups, begin by grinding 1 and 3/4 cups of the oats into a fine flour. You can use either a food processor or high speed blender for this quick task.

Step 3: Whisk the Wet Ingredients

Grab a big mixing bowl (you will only need one!) and whisk together all of the wet ingredients–the mashed bananas, nondairy milk, coconut sugar, peanut butter, flaxseed meal, and vanilla–until blended and smooth.

3 photo collage showing the steps to make vegan GF banana at muffins

Step 4: Add the Dry Ingredients

Add the oat flour, remaining rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until completely blended.

Step 5: Portion into Muffin Cups

Divide the batter equally between the prepared muffin cups. I like to sprinkle a few extra rolled oats on top, but it is entirely optional.

unbaked banana oat muffins in a metal muffin tin

Step 6: Bake!

Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 23 to 27 minutes until golden brown and risen. These muffins do not get peaks, but they will develop fluffy, golden tops.

Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes and then remove and cool completely an a cooling rack.

These pretty muffins are ready for snacking and packing!

banana oat muffin that is vegan and gluten-free on a cooling rack

Storage for the Muffins

The muffins store well, so make a double batch if you have a surplus of bananas! Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months.

banana oat muffin with the paper removed part way

Happy baking!

More Muffin Tin Oat Recipes to Love:

Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Oat Muffins (oil-free, GF)

Vegan Peanut Butter Banana Oat Muffins (oil-free, GF)

Yield: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 27 minutes
Total Time: 37 minutes

Tender, fluffy, not-too-sweet, & delicious: that's exactly what these vegan peanut butter banana oat muffins are all about! They are also oil-free, gluten-free,  and made in one bowl.

Ingredients

  • 3 cups (300 g) rolled oats, certified GF as needed
  • 1 and 1/4 (310 mL) cups mashed, very ripe bananas
  • 1 cup (250 mL) nondairy milk
  • 1/4 cup (48 g) coconut sugar
  • 1/4 cup (64 g) smooth natural peanut butter (see notes for options)
  • 2 tablespoons (26 g) flaxseed meal
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 3/4 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Optional: a few rolled oats for sprinkling on top

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325F (160C). Line the cups of a standard size muffin tin with paper or foil liners.
  2. In a food processor or high-speed blender, grind 1 and 3/4 cups (175 g) of the oats into a very fine flour.
  3. In a large mixing bowl, whisk the bananas, milk, coconut sugar, peanut butter, flaxseed meal and vanilla until blended. Add the oat flour, remaining 1 and 1/4 cups (125 g) rolled oats, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Stir until completely blended.
  4. Divide the batter equally between the prepared muffin cups. If desired sprinkle the tops with a few extra rolled oats.
  5. Bake in the preheated oven for 23 to 27 minutes until golden brown and risen. Let cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Remove muffins and cool completely an a cooling rack.

Notes

Storage: Store the cooled muffins in an airtight container at cool room temperature for 2 days, the refrigerator for 1 week, or the freezer for up to 3 months.

Use Ready-to-Use Oat Flour: If you like, you can skip the step for grinding the rolled oats and use ready-to-use oat flour instead. You will need 175 grams of oat flour, which is 1 and 1/2 cups (180 g), less 2 teaspoons (5 g).

Use Other Nut or Seed Butters: An equal amount of just about any other smooth, runny nut or seed butter can be used in place of the peanut butter (check out my almond butter, pepita butter, and sunflower seed butter recipes).

Sugar Options: An equal amount of brown sugar, natural cane sugar, or granular measure for measure sugar replacement (e.g., monkfruit/xylitol blend) can be used in place of the coconut sugar.

Nutrition Information
Yield 12 Serving Size 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving Calories 149Total Fat 4.8gSaturated Fat 0.4gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 0gCholesterol 0mgSodium 215.9mgCarbohydrates 24.3gFiber 3.5gSugar 7.5gProtein 4.4g

Did you make this recipe?

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Christiana

Thursday 2nd of February 2023

I’m not a huge banana fan, can I substitute apple sauce for mashed banana?

Camilla

Tuesday 14th of February 2023

That should work fine, Christiana! You may want to add a touch more sweetness since the banana is more sweet than unsweetened applesauce.

taylor

Monday 7th of November 2022

Is the sugar purely for taste? Hoping to make them without the sugar!

Camilla

Monday 7th of November 2022

Hi Taylor,

The coconut sugar adds sweetness, yes, but sugar in baked goods like this also adds moisture, browning, and volume. So if you want to leave it out (you can!), I suggest adding a few more tablespoons of banana or milk (to make up for the volume).

Andrea

Saturday 2nd of July 2022

These are excellent, thank you!

Camilla

Tuesday 5th of July 2022

Excellent, Andrea, glad they were a success!

Lia

Tuesday 6th of July 2021

Delicious and so easy.

Camilla

Wednesday 7th of July 2021

So happy to hear it,Lia!

June

Wednesday 23rd of June 2021

Easy and delicious with great texture!

Thank you, Camilla.

Camilla

Wednesday 7th of July 2021

I am so glad they were a success, June!

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