Banana Applesauce Oatmeal Muffins

These applesauce banana oatmeal muffins are moist, hearty, and irresistibly delicious. An easy, fuss-free recipe that only calls for simple ingredients and is ready in an hour!

2 applesauce muffins stacked on one another with a plate of muffins, jar of milk and oats in the background.

I have been making these applesauce banana oatmeal muffins on repeat lately! They are easy to whip up, filling, and freezable too. Hence, I often make a batch during the weekends to be enjoyed throughout the week.

Although these muffins are pretty satisfying on their own, I usually serve them with my protein iced coffee or peanut butter powder smoothie to make a high-protein breakfast.

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💚Why you will love this recipe

Muffins that are moist and decadent without being overly sweet
Wholesome, high in fiber, and made without butter
Great to have on hand as a quick breakfast or snack
Freezable, making them great for meal prep!

🍌What you will need

Ingredients needed like bananas, applesauce, oats, cashew butter and maple syrup on a grey background.

📃Ingredients notes/substitutions

Oats - Both quick or rolled oats can be used in place. Use a certified gluten-free brand if needed. You can also use oat flour; you will need about 270g or 3 cups.
Banana - Make sure to use bananas that are brown and spotty! As they are the main sweetener in the recipe, you will want them to be ripe and sweet.
Applesauce - Works both as a substitute for eggs and for butter. Unsweetened applesauce is preferable to avoid muffins from turning out to be too sweet.
Cashew butter - You can use other seed butter like almond or peanut butter in place. For those who can't have nuts, simply substitute with seed butter like tahini or sunflower seed butter.
Maple syrup - Can be substituted with another liquid sweetener, like agave syrup, honey, or sugar-free syrup, to keep this recipe low sugar.
Baking soda and baking powder - Combining both will give muffins the most lift without affecting their taste.

🔪How to make

Place oats in a blender and blend until they are finely ground.

Dry ingredients in a white mixing bowl with a spoon beside on a blue and white striped teacloth.

Pour oat flour into a large mixing bowl along with the rest of the dry ingredients. Mix well.

In the blender, place in banana, applesauce, cashew butter, and maple syrup. Blend until smooth.

Muffin batter in a white bowl with a spoon beside on a folded blue and white teacloth.

Pour wet ingredients into dry and stir until everything is just combined.

Muffin batter in a muffin pan on a blue and white striped teacloth.

Fill muffin tin with batter about ¾ way full. Optionally, sprinkle on some oats before baking.

Baked muffins in a muffin pan on a folded blue and white teacloth.

Bake for 8 minutes. Reduce temperature to 350F/180C and bake for another 10-15 minutes. Allow muffins to cool slightly before enjoying them!

✔Helpful tips

Using frozen bananas - Frozen bananas can be used in place of fresh ones. Allow them to thaw completely beforehand and drain off excess liquid before use.
Weigh out ingredients if possible -A weighing scale will provide a more precise measurement, ensuring success in making these muffins. However, if you choose to use measuring cups instead, I highly recommend checking out this post, ‘How to measure flour correctly.’
Grease or line muffin holes - To ensure that muffins can be easily removed from the pan.
Avoid overbaking -To avoid dry and crumbly muffins, make sure not to overbake them. If you're trying this recipe for the first time, check on the muffins after 18 minutes by inserting a toothpick down the center. The muffins are done baking if the toothpick comes out fairly clean with a few moist crumbs.
Cooling muffins - After taking muffins out of the oven, let them rest for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a cooling rack. This will prevent the bottoms from becoming soggy.

✨Variations and add-ins

Chopped nuts - Adding a handful of nuts, like pistachios, pecans, or walnuts, gives muffins a delightful crunch and nutty flavor. Stir them in towards the end of mixing batter.

Chocolate chips - A classic muffin add-in. I prefer dark chocolate chips, but you can add any chocolate chip you like! A chopped chocolate bar will work, too.

Blueberries - Both frozen and fresh blueberries can be mixed into the muffin batter to make blueberry muffins. I recommend adding ⅓ - ½ cup.

Spices - Warm spices like pumpkin spice, nutmeg, or cardamom add flavor, depth, and richness to these applesauce banana oatmeal muffins.

Dried fruits - To naturally enhance the sweetness of these muffins, add some chopped dates, raisins, or sultanas!

☕How to serve

To serve for breakfast, try pairing applesauce banana oatmeal muffins with drinks like soy milk latte, protein hot chocolate, or smoothies like my silken tofu smoothie.

Spread regular or plant-based butter or nut butter (such as coconut almond or peanut butter) on warmed muffins for added richness. Jam is another great option if you prefer sweeter muffins.

Banana applesauce muffins arranged on a cooling tray with a teacloth and oats beside.

❄️Storing suggestions

Storing - Muffins can be refrigerated in an airtight container for 4-5 days. You can also freeze it for up to 3 months in a freezer bag or storage container.

Reheating - If reheating from frozen, let them thaw slightly first, about 30 minutes outside, or using the microwave "thaw" function. Then, you can either toast them for 5-10 minutes or heat them in the microwave at 15-second intervals until thoroughly warmed.

❔Commonly asked questions

Why are my muffins rubbery?

If your applesauce muffins turn out to be chewy and rubbery, it could be due to stale baking powder or soda. To test this, simply place a small amount of either one in some hot water. If bubbles form immediately and vigorously, they are good to use. If there is little to no reaction, it's time to replace them.

Another reason for chewy muffins could be inaccurate ingredient measurements, leading to a batter that is too wet. To avoid this, using a kitchen scale to measure ingredients is highly recommended instead of measuring cups.

How do I know when my muffins are done baking?

You can test the doneness of your muffins by inserting a toothpick into the center. If the toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs sticking to it, your banana applesauce muffins are finished baking!

Are these muffins gluten-free?

These banana oatmeal muffins are naturally gluten-free, as oats are used instead of wheat flour. If you have a gluten intolerance, purchase certified gluten-free oats, as cross-contamination might occur during processing.

Banana muffins arranged on a grey background with banana slices and oats in the background.

🍽More vegan applesauce recipes

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