These muffins take one bowl, one fork and a six-cup tin. You mash a banana, stir everything else in, and the oven does the rest at 350°F for 30 minutes. No flour, no blender, no stand mixer.
The batter is oats, Greek yogurt, milk, honey and egg, so it looks looser than a normal muffin batter and that is fine. The oats drink up the liquid as they bake and set into a soft, spoonable crumb. You get six muffins, which is a small batch on purpose.
One thing worth knowing before you start: the salt is 1 teaspoon in the ingredient list, which is more than most muffin recipes call for. If you are salt-shy, cut it to 1/2 teaspoon and taste the batter. The full teaspoon is what the recipe is built around.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven
Set the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease all six cups of a muffin tin, plus the top edge between them.
2. Mash the banana
In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it is mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine. Crack in the egg and stir until no streaks of yolk are left.
3. Stir in the wet and spice
Add the honey, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and Greek yogurt. Mix well, scraping the bottom of the bowl so the honey does not pool there.
4. Fold in oats and milk
Fold in the oats with a spatula, then stir in the milk. The batter will be loose and wet. That is what you want.
5. Fill and add fruit
Spoon batter into each cup until it is about a quarter full. Drop in your berries, apple or nuts, then divide the rest of the batter over the top, filling each cup almost to the rim. Scatter a little more fruit or nuts on the surface.
6. Bake 30 minutes
Bake for 30 minutes. The muffins should rise a little and turn golden around the edges. If the centers still look wet and jiggle, give them 3 to 5 more minutes.
7. Cool 5 minutes
Take the tin out and leave the muffins in it for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around each one and lift it out.
Variations
Berry version
use 1/2 cup blueberries or chopped strawberries, patted dry, between the two layers of batter.
Apple cinnamon
swap the berries for 1/2 cup chopped apple and add an extra pinch of cinnamon.
Nutty
fold 1/4 cup chopped almonds into the batter and sprinkle a few on top before baking.
Dairy-free
use a plain plant-based yogurt and any plant milk. The texture will be slightly softer.
Pro Tips
How to Store Muffin Tin Banana Oat Muffins
Refrigerator
Keep cooled muffins in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 4 days. They stay moist because of the banana and yogurt.
Freezer
Wrap each muffin tightly or freeze them in a single layer, then bag them. They keep for up to 2 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge.
Reheating
Warm one in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, or split it and toast the cut side in a dry pan. A toaster oven at 300°F for 5 minutes brings the edges back.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use quick oats instead of rolled oats?
Yes. The muffins will be a bit softer and less chewy, but they still set. Steel-cut oats will not work here because 30 minutes is not enough time for them to soften.
Q: Why is the batter so runny?
Oat batter is wetter than flour batter at the start. The oats absorb the milk as they sit and as they bake. If it still looks like soup after 5 minutes of resting, you likely used a thin yogurt instead of Greek.
Q: Do I have to use a 6-cup tin?
A standard 12-cup tin works. Fill six of the cups and leave the other six empty, or put a splash of water in the empty cups so the pan heats evenly.
Q: Is 1 teaspoon of salt a mistake?
It is what the recipe calls for, and it is on the high side. Use 1/2 teaspoon if you want a milder muffin. The salt does help balance the honey.
Q: How do I know they are done without a timer?
Press the center gently. It should spring back and feel firm, not squishy. The edges will have pulled slightly away from the tin and turned golden.
Muffin Tin Banana Oat Muffins – Easy 6-Cup Breakfast
Six banana oat muffins made in one bowl with Greek yogurt, honey and warm spice. Blender-free, no flour, and ready in about 45 minutes from start to finish.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven — Set the oven to 350°F (180°C) and grease all six cups of a muffin tin, plus the top edge between them.
- 2Mash the banana — In a medium bowl, mash the banana with a fork until it is mostly smooth. A few small lumps are fine. Crack in the egg and stir until no streaks of yolk are left.
- 3Stir in the wet and spice — Add the honey, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, vanilla and Greek yogurt. Mix well, scraping the bottom of the bowl so the honey does not pool there.
- 4Fold in oats and milk — Fold in the oats with a spatula, then stir in the milk. The batter will be loose and wet. That is what you want.
- 5Fill and add fruit — Spoon batter into each cup until it is about a quarter full. Drop in your berries, apple or nuts, then divide the rest of the batter over the top, filling each cup almost to the rim. Scatter a little more fruit or nuts on the surface.
- 6Bake 30 minutes — Bake for 30 minutes. The muffins should rise a little and turn golden around the edges. If the centers still look wet and jiggle, give them 3 to 5 more minutes.
- 7Cool 5 minutes — Take the tin out and leave the muffins in it for 5 minutes. Then run a knife around each one and lift it out.
Questions or cooking notes?
Ask about an ingredient or share a tip that could help someone else.