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Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Oats

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These healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are a must-try for your kids. I swear to you, a few chocolate chips on top of just about anything will get even picky kids interested! These are rich in healthy fats and fiber from the almond butter and ground flaxseed.

The flavor is pretty mild – just a nice natural sweetness to them.

Muffins are one of the easiest ways to get good nutrients in your little ones. Muffins and smoothies are basically what keeps my son getting great stuff in every day!

Note: This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases at no additional cost to you.

three banana chocolate chip muffins stacked with muffin and milk in the background

Why I love this recipe

Every recipe I create has picky kids in mind – and this one is definitely picky eater friendly! You can also make it nut free by substituting sunflower butter or granola butter in place of the almond butter.

Muffins are always quicker to make than I think they’re going to be. I’m all about maximizing your time and effort in the kitchen. I love that you can have enough to serve them for a couple days!

Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Oats

Store bought muffins have SO much added sugar. These aren’t nearly as high in sugar, and also have a good balance of protein, fiber, and fat to help keep them full and prevent a sugar spike.

If you have a 1 or 2 year old, you could definitely skip the chocolate chips. We don’t use a ton in the recipe, but if they haven’t started eating them yet, I would just leave them off.

Ingredients Needed

top down photo of ingredients for muffin recipe

All you need is:

  • 1/2 cup (128 g) unsalted almond butter or cashew butter
  • 1 medium ripe banana (100g or 1/2 cup)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) maple syrup 
  • 1/2 cup (40 g) rolled oats
  • 2 Tbsp (14 g) finely milled flaxseed (optional)
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 cup (60 g) mini chocolate chips, plus more for sprinkling

How to make this recipe

  1. Line muffin tin with silicone liners
  2. Add all ingredients except choc. chips to blender
  3. Blend on high until oats are fully ground and batter is smooth
  4. Pour batter into muffin tin, each 3/4 full
  5. Sprinkle choc. chips on top of each muffin
  6. Bake for 10-12 min
  7. Let cool in pan ~10 min before serving
  8. Keeps in refrigerator 2-3 days; frozen 2 months.
muffins on white tabletop with bowl of chocolate chips and spatula with nut butter

Recipe FAQs

  • Can I omit the banana?
    • I haven’t tried without so I don’t have a surefire answer to this. There’s not a strong banana flavor since we only use one banana. However, you can try it with 1/2 cup applesauce.
  • Can I omit the egg?
    • Yes, make a flax egg with 1 tbsp milled flax and 2.5 tbsp water. Stir together and let sit about 10 minutes to thicken.
  • What kind of flaxseed do you recommend?
    • Finely milled flaxseed is a dream – it mixes in so well to batter, as well as other things like sauces, smoothies, yogurt, etc. My two favorites: this one and this one!

Expert Tips

Get yourself a kitchen scale! I love to weigh my ingredients to take a step out of the process…especially sticky ingredients like nut butter. That’s why you see the amount in grams in the recipe in parenthesis.

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For you

Silicone muffin liners are great, and silicone muffin pans are even better! They’re nonstick and the soft material makes it so easy to pop your muffins out once they cool. If you bake muffins regularly, get these today!

Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Oats Recipe

muffins on white tabletop with bowl of chocolate chips and spatula with nut butter

Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins with Oats

Kacie Barnes, MCN, RDN, LD
These delicious muffins are perfect for your kids (and you!) for breakfast, lunch or snack time!
4.30 from 20 votes
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Course Breakfast
Cuisine Breakfast, Snack
Servings 12
Calories 153 kcal

Equipment

  • High Power Blender
  • Muffin Tin
  • Muffin Liners
  • Measuring Cups or Scale
  • measuring spoons

Ingredients
  

  • 1/2 Cup Unsalted Almond Butter or Cashew Butter (128 g)
  • 1/2 Cup Medium-Ripe Banana (100 g)
  • 1 Large Egg
  • 1/4 Cup Maple Syrup (60 g)
  • 1/2 Cup Rolled Oats (40 g)
  • 2 Tbsp Finely Milled Flaxseed (optional) (14 g)
  • 1 Tsp Vanilla Extract
  • 1/2 Tsp Baking Soda
  • 1/4 Cup Mini Chocolate Chips, Plus More for Sprinkling (60 g)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat your oven to 375F (190C) and prepare a muffin tin. I like to use a silicone muffin tin or silicone muffin liners. Alternatively, spray a regular muffin tin well with cooking spray. Set aside.
  • Add all ingredients except for chocolate chips to a high-speed blender and blend on high until the oats are fully ground up and the batter is smooth and creamy. Stir in chocolate chips by hand. If the batter seems too thick, stir in milk (any kind) one tablespoon at a time.
  • Pour the batter into your prepared muffin tin, filling each about 3/4 full. Sprinkle some mini chocolate chips on top of each muffin.
  • Bake for 10-12 minutes, until the tops of your muffins are set and a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean. Allow muffins to cool in pan for ~10 minutes before serving.
  • Cool before storing. The muffins will keep in the refrigerator in a sealed container for 2 to 3 days. They can also be frozen for up to 2 months.

Nutrition

Serving: 12gCalories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 13.7gProtein: 3.8gFat: 9.25gSodium: 60.6mgSugar: 9.9g
Keyword Banana Chcolate Chip Muffins, Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins, chocolate peanut butter, muffins
Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!

3 Comments

Kayli · March 25, 2024 at 9:49 am

Just made this recipe and the only thing I didn’t add was the flax seed, but I was only able to fill about 8 muffin cups and that was at about half full. Not sure what I did wrong :/

Rida · February 8, 2023 at 1:21 pm

Hello! Can we use peanut butter as a substitute to almond butter? I have the natural unsweetened smuckers. Thanks!

    Samantha · July 16, 2023 at 3:03 pm

    Did you end up making it with pb? Wondering how it turned out

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Kacie Barnes holding an apple
Hi, I’m Kacie!

I’m a mom of two and a Registered Dietitian Nutritionist. I offer e-guides and e-books (go to my Shop page), workshops, brand partnerships, and nutrition counseling. Check out my blog for nutrition and feeding tips for your little ones.

Disclaimer:

This post may contain affiliate links. I may earn a commission. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

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