As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. I get commissions for purchases made through links in this post.
The best homemade snacks are quick, easy, and nutritious, and these 3 ingredient banana oatmeal muffins take the cake! They’re tender and fluffy, yet only require 3 simple ingredients. Ready in under 30 minutes, these oatmeal cups are a healthy snack with no added sugar!
3 Ingredient Banana Muffins for Baby
These 3-ingredient banana oatmeal muffins are one of my family’s favorite treats. The natural sugar from the bananas add the perfect amount of sweetness, and the nutty peanut butter flavor pairs perfectly with bananas.
They’re the perfect breakfast or a great afternoon snack to satisfy a sweet tooth!
banana oatmeal muffins
Like it? Save this recipe for later!
Why We Love This Banana Muffin Recipe
- Nutrient-rich: Each of the ingredients in this recipe offers something great. The bananas are a natural source of sugar so no added sugar is required and the oats have plenty of fiber to fill your little one’s tummy. The peanut butter has healthy fats and a little protein, as well. They’re dietitian (and mom) approved!
- So easy: If you can mash bananas and stir some ingredients together, you can make these oatmeal banana muffins. They have no egg, no flour, and no added sugar; just 3 ingredients you probably already have on hand. They’re so easy to make, you could even make them with your kids!
- Kid-friendly: These 3 ingredient muffins are great for kids of all ages! They’re naturally sweet with a soft, moist, and tender texture that’s even suitable for babies and toddlers. They’re perfect for an after school snack or to serve with a healthy breakfast.
Ingredient Notes
- Mashed bananas: To make these banana muffins for baby, it’s really important to use fully ripe bananas, just like making banana bread.
- Oats: It’s best to use regular oats, often called old-fashioned oats or rolled oats.
- Peanut butter: Use natural peanut butter to avoid any hydrogenated oils or added sugar.
- Sea salt: It’s completely optional to add salt to these banana oatmeal peanut butter muffins. Babies should have limited salt, but older kids and adults may prefer the extra flavor.
How to Make 3-Ingredient Muffins – Step-by-Step
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray or line with silicone liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas, then add the oats, peanut butter and salt (if using). Mix well.
- Divide mixture evenly between 16 muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and slightly firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, carefully remove from muffin pan. Top with a drizzle of natural peanut butter and extra banana slices, if desired.
Keep scrolling to the recipe card below for the full printable recipe!
RECIPE TIPS
- For the tastiest and most flavorful muffins, use overripe bananas with brown spots. These bananas naturally add maximum sweetness to the bars, so it’s best to use the really ripe ones.
- To speed things up, grab your electric mixer to mash those bananas. Just cut your peeled, spotty bananas into big chunks and toss them into the mixing bowl of your stand mixer. Or if you prefer, use a hand mixer and a regular mixing bowl. Start off on low speed, then gradually crank it up to medium-high until you’ve got smooth, mashed bananas. You can keep using that same bowl to mix in the rest of the ingredients too.
- If you are gluten free, use certified gluten free oats.
- For extra lift, feel free to add a teaspoon of baking powder.
Recipe FAQs
Technically, you can use quick oats, but they have been steamed to help them cook faster. This can cause them to become overly soft in baked recipes like these vegan banana oatmeal muffins. If that’s all you have on hand, give it a shot! Otherwise, I recommend grabbing some regular rolled oats.
It’s essential to use really ripe bananas and the right amount of banana. The mashed banana serves several roles in this recipe, including replacing vegetable oil. Be sure to use overripe brown bananas and measure the ingredients to get the proper level of moisture.
There are so many reasons to serve this easy recipe! Oats are high in dietary fiber, which will actually help you feel full for longer while supporting your digestive system.
The peanut butter is a great source of healthy fats, which is vital for your child’s growing brain. They also contain some protein as well.
The bananas are a great source of natural sweetness while also offering essential minerals. Overripe bananas actually have higher levels of antioxidants than regular bananas, which is all the more reason to incorporate them! This recipe is a fantastic choice for the whole family.
Storage Guidelines
- Keep leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 3-4 days.
- You can also freeze leftovers in a freezer-safe container for 2-3 months.
- Thaw the frozen muffins in the fridge for several hours until they are soft. You can also microwave leftover muffins for 15-30 seconds to warm them back up.
Serving Suggestions
These 3-ingredient banana oatmeal muffins are great as a quick snack on their own, or you can serve it as part of a healthy breakfast with these recipes:
- Fluffy scrambled eggs
- Mini egg bites
- Frittata for babies
- Tropical green smoothie for kids
- Strawberry banana smoothie without yogurt
- Mango puree
- Fresh fruit with yogurt (see this article on the best yogurt for babies)
Recipe Variations
- Add almond butter: Try using almond butter or sunflower seed butter instead of peanut butter.
- Pumpkin spice banana muffins: Add a teaspoon of cinnamon or pumpkin pie spice for the best flavor!
- Bake mini muffins: Add the batter to a greased mini muffin tin and reduce the baking time to approximately 10-12 minutes.
- Add chocolate chips: Fold in 1/2 cup of chocolate chips for a little crunch and extra sweetness. We love the mini ones!
- Add extract: Feel free to add a teaspoon of vanilla extract for extra flavor.
- 3 ingredient banana oatmeal cookies: Instead of baking these muffins in muffin cups, scoop the batter onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet to make breakfast cookies!
More Similar Recipes
- Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
- 3-Ingredient Banana Brownies
- 3-Ingredient Banana Waffles
- Green Monster Muffins
Did you make this recipe? Scroll down to leave a star rating and review!
Easy 3-Ingredient Banana Oatmeal Muffins Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups mashed overripe bananas (about 5 large bananas), plus extra slices for topping
- 4 cups rolled oats
- 1 cup natural peanut butter plus extra for drizzling on top
- 1/4 teaspoon salt (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Spray a muffin pan with cooking spray or line with silicone liners.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas, then add the oats, peanut butter and salt (if using). Mix well.
- Divide mixture evenly between 16 muffin cups. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until the top is golden and slightly firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven and allow to cool completely. Once cool, carefully remove from muffin pan. Top with a drizzle of natural peanut butter and extra banana slices, if desired.
