Grab a couple of sweet, ripe bananas and a handful of blackberries, and get baking! These banana blackberry oatmeal muffins are perfect for a quick snack, light breakfast, or weekly meal prep—moist, naturally sweet, and packed with wholesome ingredients.
Key Ingredients
Blackberry banana muffins are easy to make and combine simple ingredients. It’s recipes like this that make busy mornings less stressful. Here is what you need to get started.
- Bananas: Extra-ripe bananas sweeten and flavor the muffins—the riper, the better! If you’re like me and keep ripe bananas in the freezer, defrost them before using. Be sure to mash fresh or defrosted bananas before mixing them with the wet ingredients.
Don’t have ripe bananas?
No problem. Preheat your oven to 250°F (121°C), arrange the bananas (the peel and all) on a rimmed baking sheet, and bake for 30–40 minutes until the peels darken. Let the bananas and peel before baking.
- Eggs: Bind everything together with a couple of large eggs.
- Milk: Add moisture by including your favorite milk.
- Maple Syrup: Sweeten the muffins with a few splashes of pure maple syrup.
- Vanilla Extract: Boost the flavor with vanilla extract.
- Flour: Use all-purpose flour, or mix it 50/50 with whole wheat flour if you prefer more structured muffins.
- Oats: Old-fashioned rolled oats give the muffins a hearty texture.
What kind of oats should I use for oatmeal muffins?
Old-fashioned rolled oats have an ideal consistency for baked goods, including muffins. The oats become tender as they cook but maintain their texture.
You can use quick-cooking oats in a pinch, but they lead to softer, less structured muffins. On the other hand, steel cut oats take longer to cook and will likely be underdone by the time the muffins finish baking.
- Baking Agents: Baking powder and baking soda helps create light and fluffy muffins.
- Salt: Balance the flavor with a pinch of sea salt.
- Black Berries: Use fresh or frozen blackberries to make the banana blackberry oatmeal muffins.
- Optional Mix-Ins: Customize the muffins with chopped pecans, walnuts, chocolate chips, raisins, nut or seed butter, chia seeds, flax seeds, coconut flakes, or even a touch of orange or lemon zest for brightness.
Additions and Substitutions
- Can I use other fresh berries or fruits? Absolutely! Swap the tangy fresh blackberries for blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries. You can experiment with diced apples, pears, peaches, cherries, or dried cranberries.
- Swap the sweetener. The healthy oatmeal muffins with blackberry and banana are naturally sweet, thanks to the fruit. However, you can add a little honey, agave nectar, brown sugar, granulated white sugar, or golden monk fruit instead of maple syrup to make them even sweeter.
- Add sourdough starter. If you’re into baking sourdough, replace some milk and flour with an active sourdough starter.
How to Make Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
The full recipe with measurements is in the recipe card below.
Step 1: Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Mash the bananas and transfer them to a large mixing bowl with the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
Step 2: Combine the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Transfer them to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Combine with a silicone spatula, and be careful not to over-mix. Then, gently fold in the blackberries to avoid breaking them.
Preparation Tip
Use a scoop and swoop method to gently combine the muffin batter without over-mixing. Scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl with a spatula and fold it over the top, repeating until the ingredients combine and there are no dry streaks of flour in the batter.
Step 3: Prepare a muffin pan with liners and divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them ¾ full. Sprinkle a few oats and a pinch of sugar over the top for a rustic look.
Step 4: Bake the muffins at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350℉ (177℃) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Step 5: Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes.
Expert Tips
- Use overripe bananas. Choose bananas with plenty of brown spots; they are naturally sweeter and easy to mash.
- Prep the berries. Toss the blackberries (fresh or frozen) with flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking.
- Measure flour accurately. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for baking accuracy.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Let the eggs and other ingredients come to room temperature for smoother mixing.
- Mix separately. I know it is another bowl to wash, but it is worth it to whisk the wet and dry ingredients separately. The extra step ensures the baking agents are evenly distributed, giving you perfectly fluffy muffins every time.
- Avoid over-mixing. Mix the batter using the scoop-and-swoop method until the ingredients combine. Over-mixing activates the gluten, making the muffins dense instead of fluffy.
- Prepare the pan. If you don’t have muffin liners, grease the pan with cooking spray, oil, or butter before adding the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly. Fill muffin liners ¾ full for even baking. Use an ice cream scoop to evenly divide the muffin batter and reduce the mess.
- Start with higher heat. The initial heat activates the baking agents and lifts the muffins quickly. It also gives the muffins a nice caramelized and crispy exterior. Lower the heat and continue baking to cook them through without burning.
- How do you know when the muffins are done? Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, they’re ready to enjoy!
If you enjoy the banana blackberry oatmeal muffins, try more easy breakfast recipes!
Serving Suggestions
Banana blackberry oatmeal muffins are the best way to start your day! They are naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and juicy blackberries, with hearty oats to keep you going. Bonus: these muffins are kid-approved and great for school lunches or weekly meal prep!
Enjoy the muffins with a smear of butter, or pair them with your morning coffee or tea. For a complete breakfast, serve them with crispy bacon, sausage, Greek yogurt, or fresh fruit.
What To Do With Leftovers
- Storage: Let the muffins cool so condensation does not build up. Transfer them to an airtight container and leave them on the counter for 2-3 days. You can also keep them in the fridge for one week.
- Freeze: Once the muffins cool, wrap them individually with foil and move them to a freezer bag or container. Banana blackberry oatmeal muffins freeze for 2-3 months.
- Thaw: Defrost the frozen muffins on the counter overnight or microwave them from frozen for a quick grab-and-go treat.
- Reheat: Warm the leftover muffins in the microwave for 10-15 seconds, or heat them in the oven at 350°F (176°C) for 10-15 minutes for a warm out of the oven feel.
Frequently Asked Questions
How can I make these muffins gluten-free?
Make the banana blackberry muffins gluten-free by using your favorite gluten-free flour blend.
While I haven’t tested the recipe with gluten-free flour, I usually have great results with King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten-Free Flour or Bob’s Red Mill Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour.
Are these muffins suitable for meal prepping?
Banana blackberry oatmeal muffins are perfect for weekly meal prep. They store beautifully, making them an easy grab-and-go option for breakfast or snacks.
Bake a batch, let them cool completely, and store in an airtight container. They’ll stay fresh for up to 2 days at room temperature or about a week in the fridge. I like to double up and freeze a batch for later—so I always have some on hand.
Whether you’re meal prepping, looking for a healthy snack, or just trying to use up those ripe bananas on your counter, these banana blackberry oatmeal muffins are a recipe you’ll keep coming back to.
More Muffin Recipes:
Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins
- 2 ripe bananas, mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup milk (dairy or non-dairy)
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, or 50/50 mix with whole wheat flour
- 1 cup rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 cup blackberries
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Mash the bananas and transfer them to a large mixing bowl with the eggs, milk, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Whisk to combine.
- Combine the dry ingredients in a separate mixing bowl. Transfer them to the bowl with the wet ingredients. Combine with a silicone spatula, and be careful not to over-mix. Then, gently fold in the blackberries to avoid breaking them.Tip: Scoop the batter from the bottom of the bowl with a spatula and fold it over the top, repeating until the ingredients combine and there are no dry streaks of flour in the batter.
- Prepare a muffin pan with liners and divide the batter evenly among the muffin cups, filling them ¾ full. Sprinkle a few oats and a pinch of sugar over the top for a rustic look.
- Bake the muffins at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350℉ (177℃) and continue baking for 15-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Remove the muffins from the oven and transfer them to a wire rack to cool for 5-10 minutes.
- Use overripe bananas. Choose bananas with plenty of brown spots; they are naturally sweeter and easy to mash.
- Prep the berries. Toss the blackberries (fresh or frozen) with flour before adding them to the batter to prevent them from sinking.
- Measure flour accurately. Spoon the flour into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife for baking accuracy.
- Use room temperature ingredients. Let the eggs and other ingredients come to room temperature for smoother mixing.
- Mix separately. I know it is another bowl to wash, but it is worth it to whisk the wet and dry ingredients separately. The extra step ensures the baking agents are evenly distributed, giving you perfectly fluffy muffins every time.
- Avoid over-mixing.Mix the batter using the scoop-and-swoop method until the ingredients combine. Over-mixing activates the gluten, making the muffins dense instead of fluffy.
- Prepare the pan. If you don’t have muffin liners, grease the pan with cooking spray, oil, or butter before adding the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly. Fill muffin liners ¾ full for even baking. Use an ice cream scoop to evenly divide the muffin batter and reduce the mess.
- How do you know when the muffins are done? Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, they’re ready to enjoy!