Banana Oat Chocolate Chip Muffins

Don't have gluten-free baking flour?
Use regular all-purpose flour or white whole wheat flour if gluten isn't a concern.

Can't find no sugar added cinnamon applesauce?
Plain unsweetened applesauce works fine. Just add a ½ teaspoon of ground cinnamon.

No Greek yogurt?
Use fat free sour cream or an unsweetened plant-based yogurt with similar thickness.

No mini dark chocolate chips?
Chop up a dark chocolate bar or use regular dark chocolate chips — just keep it to ¼ cup.

Want to use whole eggs only?
Swap the 2 egg whites for 1 additional large egg. The muffins will be a little richer and still hold together well.

No old fashioned rolled oats?
Quick oats can work in a pinch. Stay clear of steel-cut oats because they won’t soften enough when the muffins are baking.

• Low in fat and sodium, with only 2g total fat and 124mg sodium per muffin
  
  
• Naturally sweetened with banana and applesauce, plus just 7g added sugar
  
  
• High in fiber from whole oats and bananas
  
  
• Gluten free and vegetarian
  
  
• Reviewed to meet healthy baking standards for heart health and diabetes management

Prep Time: 20 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 90 minutes (includes cooling)

Calories: 131 per muffin

Dietary Tags: Gluten-Free, Low Fat, Low Sodium, Vegetarian, Diabetic-Friendly, Heart Healthy

• Store muffins in an airtight container at room temp for up to 4 days
  
  
• To freeze, place in a sealed freezer bag or airtight container and store for up to 3 months
  
  
• Warm briefly in the microwave or toaster oven to bring back the fresh-baked texture
  
  
• Great for school lunches, breakfast on the go, or paired with fruit for a balanced snack

Are banana chocolate chip muffins healthy?
Yes, this healthy banana oat chocolate chip muffin recipe is low in fat and sodium, with fiber from oats and potassium from bananas. We also cut back on added sugar by using applesauce and ripe bananas for sweetness.

How to make banana chocolate chip muffins?
Start by combining mashed ripe bananas with egg, applesauce, yogurt, and vanilla. Mix in your dry ingredients, then fold in oats and chocolate chips. Spoon into a muffin tin, bake, and let cool.

Can I use regular flour instead of gluten-free?
Yes. Just use the same amount of all-purpose flour. The rest of the recipe stays the same.

Can I add nuts or seeds?
Absolutely. Add ¼ cup of chopped walnuts, pecans, almonds, or sunflower seeds when you mix in the chocolate chips.

Why do you let the batter rest before baking?
Letting the batter rest hydrates the oats and gives the muffins a better rise and texture.

What we love about this muffin recipe is that it can easily be made into a loaf. It has the same amazing flavor and texture, just in sliceable form that is perfect for brunch or freezing in thick slices.

Ingredients

• 1½ cups gluten-free 1:1 baking flour
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp Kosher salt
• 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• ¼ cup light brown sugar
• ½ cup no sugar added cinnamon applesauce
• 1 large egg, room temperature
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• ⅓ cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt, room temperature
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• ¾ cup old fashioned rolled oats
• ¼ cup mini dark chocolate chips

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F: Line a 9x5-inch loaf pan with parchment or lightly grease it with nonstick cooking spray.
   
   
2. Whisk dry ingredients: In a large bowl, sift together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
   
   
3. Mix wet ingredients: In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and stir in the sugars, applesauce, egg, egg whites, yogurt, and vanilla until smooth.
   
   
4. Combine and fold: Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir just until combined. Fold in the oats and chocolate chips. Let the batter rest for 5 minutes.
   
   
5. Bake: Pour into the prepared loaf pan and smooth the top. Sprinkle with a few extra oats if you like. Bake for 50 to 60 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan for 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.

If you love easy banana chocolate chip muffins, check out these other light and delicious banana muffin recipes made with better-for-you ingredients.

• Banana Muffins: Classic banana muffins made heart-healthy with whole grain flour and just a touch of safflower oil.
  
  
• Healthy Banana Blueberry Muffins: A fruit-forward twist that blends ripe banana with antioxidant-rich blueberries.
  
  
• Banana Carrot Muffins: Lightly sweet with extra moisture and fiber from carrots and banana.

• Banana Bread Chocolate Chip Cookies: Soft, chewy cookies with banana bread flavor and melty chocolate chips, made without butter or refined flour.
  
  
• Chocolate Chip Banana Bread: A rich, moist loaf with mini chocolate chips and no butter.
  
  
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Protein Ice Cream Popsicles: Frozen banana blended with peanut butter and chocolate for a cool, high-protein treat.
  
  
• Chocolate Banana Pops: Frozen banana slices dipped in dark chocolate — a fun snack for kids or adults.
  
  
• Chocolate Peanut Butter Fudge: Naturally sweetened and protein-packed fudge with peanut butter and banana.
  
  
• Banana Chocolate Chip Ice Cream: No-churn frozen dessert made from bananas, almond milk, and mini chocolate chips.
  
  
• Peanut Butter Chocolate Quesadilla: A quick skillet dessert with melty chocolate and banana slices in a crispy tortilla.