Light and airy Blackberry Banana Oat Muffins are the perfect way to start your day, with hearty oats, sweet ripe bananas and tangy fresh blackberries. These healthy oatmeal muffins are perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or morning snack, making busy mornings just a little easier.
If you are anything like me, mornings are tough! Sure, everyone knows breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but it also happens to be the one rarely prioritize. That is why I love breakfast recipes that prioritize convenience and simplicity, like these blackberry oatmeal muffins. Whether its our homemade roasted banana oat muffins, mini egg bites with broccoli and cheddar or Nutella overnight oats, I love a healthy breakfast I can make once and enjoy throughout most of the week.
While this banana blackberry oatmeal muffin is best when using summery fresh blackberries, you can certainly use off season or even frozen berries.
Why You’ll Love Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Simple grocery store ingredients
- Easy to adjust based on dietary needs
- Perfect meal-prep for grab-and-go breakfasts
- Nutritious, with room to add more healthy ingredients
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Ingredients that Matter
These oat muffins feature standard dry and wet muffin ingredients, along with fresh berries and bananas. Here are the ingredients you’ll need for this recipe:
- Blackberries. Use fresh, very ripe blackberries when available. If you want to use frozen berries, be sure to thaw and drain them of any excess water before adding to the batter.
- Bananas. A couple bananas contribute to the texture and sweetness of these fluffy, moist oat muffins. Use very ripe bananas for this recipe. You can also roast the bananas in a 350F oven for 15 minutes until blackened to further enhance their flavor.
- Oats. I recommend using old fashioned rolled oats for these muffins. You can also use quick-cooking oats if that’s what you have available.
- All-Purpose Flour. This recipe uses all-purposes flour as it creates a perfectly tender yet light muffin.
- Baking Powder. Use baking powder to create light and airy muffins.
- Baking Soda. The baking soda provides some lift but also encourages browning.
- Milk. I recommend using whole milk for this recipe, but you can use lower fat milk if desired, or even plant-based milk.
- Sugar. I like to use regular granulated sugar for this recipe. It will provide sweetness but won’t distract from the tartness of the blackberries. See below for other sweetener suggestions.
- Vanilla Extract. I don’t like to add a lot of extra flavor to these muffins (I really want the blackberries to be the star), but a bit of vanilla extract provides a nice balance of flavor.
- Oil. A bit of vegetable or canola oil helps keep the muffins moist. Use whatever light oil you prefer.
- Eggs. Use a couple large eggs for these muffins.
- Salt. I like to use table salt anytime I make baked goods as it blends easily into the batter.
See recipe card for quantities.
How to make blackberry oatmeal muffins
This recipe comes together in about 10 minutes, meaning if you have time in the morning you can make them on a weekday. Or, make some on Sunday and enjoy throughout the week. Here is how this recipe comes together:
Add the dry ingredients to a mixing bowl. Start with the all-purpose flour, then add the sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt and whisk to combine. Add the oats on top.
Whisk the oats into the dry ingredients until well combined. Starting to whisk the other dry ingredients before adding the oats ensures the baking powder, baking soda and salt incorporate well.
Next, mash the ripe bananas until mostly smooth then whisk in the eggs, oil, milk and vanilla. Whisk until the eggs and oil are well combined. It’s okay if the mixture is a bit chunky at this point.
Add the dry ingredients to the banana and egg mixture
Switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until well incorporated and no flour streaks remain. Be careful not to overmix the batter or the muffins may be dense.
Scatter the blackberries into the batter and gently fold in with one or two stirs.
When ready to bake, preheat the oven to 350F and place paper muffin cups in a standard size muffin tin. Fill each cup with the batter, about a â…“ cup each. It’s okay if the batter comes all the way to the top.
As an optional step, you can sprinkle a big pinch of more granulated sugar over the top of each muffin to create a crisp, sugary topping. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, 20-24 minutes. Cool for 10 minutes at room temperature, then remove the muffins from the tin and cool to room temperature on a wire rack.
Hint: This recipe for blackberry muffins is best enjoyed warm out of the oven (not hot as the crumb needs a chance to set), but you can also store them at room temperature for up to 2 days then transfer to the refrigerator for another couple days. The longer the muffins sit, the moister they’ll become from the mashed banana.
Substitutions
There are plenty of tweaks you can make to this recipe based on your dietary needs or restrictions. Consider the following substitutions:
- Gluten-Free – To make this recipe gluten-free try using a gluten free flour like this King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour. Do not assume all oats are gluten-free. Be sure the label indicates the oats are GF, like Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free Rolled Oats.
- Vegan or Dairy-Free – To make this recipe dairy-free simply swap out the milk for a plant-based milk like cashew, oat or soy milk. To make these blackberry oatmeal muffins vegan, you should use plant-based milk and swap out the eggs for two tablespoons ground flaxseeds or chia seeds soaked in two tablespoons of water for five minutes.
- Sugar– I recognize everyone has a different taste preference when it comes to sweetness. I believe there is enough sugar in this recipe, but you can certainly adjust it down to â…“ cup or even up to ¾ cup. You can even swap out the granulated sugar for lightly packed brown sugar or maple syrup (if using maple syrup, whisk it into the wet ingredients instead of the dry ingredients).
- Blackberries – If you don’t have access to fresh, ripe blackberries, you can use frozen berries. Be sure to thaw them first and even drain and pat them dry. This will prevent the color leaching into the batter.
What else can I use instead of blackberries?
Not everyone loves blackberries. They have larger seeds that some people may find unappealing, plus they tend to be quite tart. You could make these oat muffins with another berry, including blueberries, raspberries or strawberries.
How do I properly mix muffin batter?
One of the most important steps to ensure muffins are not dense, chewy or tough is to properly mix the batter. To properly mix muffin batter, first ensure the dry ingredients are whisked well together and the wet ingredients are well combined. Add the dry ingredients to the wet, then use a flexible spatula and fold the dry mixture into the wet mixture. Use a scoop and swoop method where the spatula scoops the wet batter and swoops it together with the dry mixture. It should take about 10 stirs to properly mix the batter, just be sure there are no dry streaks of flour in your batter.
Storage
You can store leftover muffins lightly covered at room temperature for up to 2 days. Or, you can transfer them to an airtight container or zip top bag and store in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Note that the longer the muffins sit (room temperature or refrigerated), the more they’ll become moist from the mashed bananas.
You can freeze homemade muffins in a freezer-safe zip top bag for up to 3 months. Remove them to the refrigerator overnight and enjoy the next morning.
Serving Suggestions
Try enjoying one of these blackberry oat muffins with a homemade smoothie like our Blackberry Strawberry Banana Smoothie. Or serve these banana muffins with some yogurt and more berries, along with coffee or tea. Or try these ideas:
- Enjoy blackberry muffins as a mid-morning snack
- Serve them to your kids for an after-school snack (my girls got a lot of muffins when I was developing this recipe)
- Crumble leftover muffins into a yogurt parfait
FAQ
The most likely reason your homemade muffins are dense and chewy is because you overmixed the batter. Be careful when adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients you mix only until the flour is completely incorporated. Be sure not to whisk or stir with a wooden spoon and instead use a spatula to gently fold the mixture together.
Fresh berries are always best, but you can also use frozen berries to make muffins. Be sure to thaw them completely, drain any excess juice and pat dry before stirring into the batter.
Old fashioned rolled oats are perfect for oatmeal muffins as they maintain their texture when cooked but will also become tender. You can use quick-cooking oats if you want less of a chewy texture as quick-cooking oats will dissolve into the batter as the muffins cook.
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PrintRecipe
Blackberry Banana Oat Muffins
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
Description
Light and airy Blackberry Banana Oat Muffins are the perfect way to start your day, with hearty oats, sweet ripe bananas and tangy fresh blackberries. These healthy oatmeal muffins are perfect for a grab-and-go breakfast or morning snack, making busy mornings just a little easier.
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (198 grams)
- ½ cup granulated sugar, plus more for dusting (optional) (128 grams)
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- ½ tsp table salt
- 1 cup old fashioned rolled oats
- 2 ripe medium bananas
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup whole milk
- â…“ cup vegetable or canola oil (use a light oil)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 6 oz. (about 1 ½ cups) fresh blackberries, very large berries halved
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a standard size muffin tin with muffin liners.
- Whisk together the flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a medium bowl until well combined. Add the oats and whisk to combine.
- In a separate large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth then whisk in the eggs. Add the milk, oil and vanilla and whisk to combine. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl and use a flexible spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Be careful not to overmix but ensure there are no dry streaks in the batter. Add the blackberries and fold once or twice to just barely combine.
- Spoon about â…“ cup of the batter into the muffin cups. It’s okay if the batter fills the cups. If desired, dust the top of the batter with a pinch of granulated sugar. Bake the muffins until golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of several muffins comes out clean, 20-24 minutes. Remove from the oven and cool at room temperature for 10 minutes then transfer the muffins to a wire rack and cool to room temperature, if desired, or enjoy warm.Â
Notes
- Store leftover muffins covered on the counter for up to 2 days.Â
- You can also refrigerate the muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
- Freeze muffins for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, remove from the freezer the night before and enjoy in the morning.
- Serve muffins with a breakfast smoothie like our Blackberry Strawberry Banana Smoothie.
- You can make this recipe gluten-free by using gluten-free rolled oats and one-to-one gluten-free flour.
- To make this recipe vegan or dairy free, swap out the milk for a plant-based milk alternative and use flax or chia eggs (use 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseeds or chia seeds mixed with 2 tablespoons of water).
- Consider adding 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, if desired.
- You can adjust the sweetness of this recipe as low as ⅓ cup sugar up to ¾ cup sugar depending on your preference. You can swap out the granulated sugar for lightly packed brown sugar or maple syrpu.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: breakfast
- Method: baking
- Cuisine: American
Ivy
So tasty! I especially love the addition of blackberries, which add a nice sour contrast to the sweet banana flavor.