Blueberry Banana Oatmeal Muffins

These blueberry banana oatmeal muffins are gorgeously chunky and deliciously satisfying, not to mention a brilliant way to use up overripe bananas! They are easy to make, wonderfully spiced, and always go down a treat!

An incredibly versatile bake

Muffins have long been a favourite bake of mine. They are so adaptable, for flavour combinations as well as add ins. I often make muffins for breakfast as well as muffins to pop in my kids’ lunchboxes. I love that they are lower in sugar than cupcakes or cakes, and will often use them as a great way to sneak in a few extra fruit (and veg!) into my children’s diet.

If all those are not enough reasons to love muffins, then the ease with which they come together must be! Muffins go from a bunch of ingredients to baking in about ten minutes, so the whole bake can be done in about a half hour! The muffins will still need to cool, though they can also be enjoyed warm fresh from the oven. So, these blueberry banana oatmeal muffins are absolutely brilliant for busy mornings and family life!

What is the difference between a cake and a muffin?

There are a few differences between cakes and muffins. Cakes tend to be more of a sweet bake, whereas muffins can be either sweet or savoury. Cakes tend to have icing or frosting, but muffins are enjoyed as they are baked (often with toppings baked into them, such as nuts, sugar or a crumble topping). With a muffin, they tend to be a single portion size and shaped more like a cupcake, however you can find cakes in all shapes and sizes.

Is frosting the only different between muffins and cupcakes?

Sure, cupcakes tend to be topped with a beautiful crown of icing (and sometimes even sprinkles or additional toppings), where muffins are not. However, the other difference between the two is also in making them. Unlike a cupcake, when making muffins the wet and dry ingredients are mixed separately before being gently combined. Cupcakes, by contrast, are beaten longer to give a more even crumb and add air to the batter. And as far as ingredients go, cupcakes tend to contain more fat (butter or oil) and sugar than muffins do.

What is the secret to a good muffin?

The secret to a good muffin is not to over mix the batter. This is why the dry ingredients are mixed in towards the end. Unlike with a cake, you do not want to beat the mixture when adding dry ingredients, but rather fold it together, and that too until only just combined. The final muffin batter should be lumpy, thick and with streaks of flour throughout.

What ingredients do I need to make blueberry banana oatmeal muffins

• Butter: I prefer using unsalted butter as it means I can control how much salt goes into my muffins. If preferred, this can be substituted for an equal quantity of flavourless oil, such as vegetable or canola.
• Brown sugar: I use brown sugar in these banana blueberry oatmeal muffins, for sweetness and a light caramel flavour.
• Eggs: helps with the structure of the muffins.
• Bananas: gives beautiful flavour and extra moisture in these blueberry banana oat muffins
• Yogurt: keeps the muffins moist and tender.
• Vanilla: for delicious flavour, enhances the sweetness.
• Spices: gives these blueberry banana oatmeal muffins a beautiful warm flavour profile.
• Baking powder/bicarbonate of soda: the raising agent for these muffins.
• Salt: enhances the flavour of the bake, but it will not be so much that you taste it.
• Flour: I use plain (all purpose) flour in this banana blueberry muffins recipe. This is to allow me to control the amount rising agent used in my recipe.
• Oats: gives the muffins a lovely soft additional texture.
• Blueberries: for pops of blueberry in ever bite of the muffin, I love the addition of this berry. Can be substituted for another berry if desired.

What equipment do I need to make blueberry banana oatmeal muffins?

• Cupcake/muffin tin*: you will need twelve hole cupcake/muffin tin to make these muffins in.
• Muffin cases*: I like using tulip style muffin cases to make my banana oatmeal blueberry muffins, but any larger cupcake cases are good too.
• Digital kitchen scales*: my recommended method of measuring ingredients is to weigh them out using grams rather than cups. I do provide cup measures too, if you prefer working with this method.
• Measuring spoons*: for measuring smaller quantities such as tablespoons (tbsp) and teaspoons (tsp). A set of dedicated measuring spoons are far more accurate than using everyday eating spoons, so is a small investment well worth making.
• Mixing bowl*: used to mix up the oat banana blueberry muffins batter in before baking. I like to use a large bowl to give me plenty of room to work with.
• Sieve*: to remove lumps from the flour, ensuring it all mixes together as evenly as possible.
• Whisk*: useful to mix the wet ingredients together when making muffins.
• Spatula*: for the final folding of the muffin batter before baking.
• Ice cream scoop*: I find this tool invaluable to help scoop out the muffin mixture evenly into the cases.
• Cooling rack*: to cool the banana blueberry oat muffins on once baked.

How to make the best ever banana blueberry oatmeal muffins

These blueberry banana oatmeal muffins are super quick to make, just mix together the wet and dry ingredients separately, then fold together. Add in the blueberries, divide between the muffin liners and top with extra blueberries and a sprinkle of sugar, then bake! Job’s a good un!

Step 1: Line the muffin tin with liners then set it aside. Preheat the oven to 180C/350F whilst preparing the muffin mix.

Step 2: Melt the butter in a large bowl. Add in the sugar and whisk until the sugar has dissolved, about 2-3 minutes. Tip in the eggs and yogurt and mix in well. Finally, add in the vanilla and banana and stir through to make a smooth batter.

Step 3: Into the same bowl, tip in the cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda (baking soda) and salt. Stir to thoroughly combine. Add in the plain (all purpose) flour and oats and fold in gently with a spatula until a few streaks remain.

Step 4: Finally, setting aside a handful of the blueberries, tip in the remaining berries and gently fold them through the muffin mixture to evenly spread them. Divide the mixture evenly between the muffin cases, then stud the top of each muffin with blueberries set aside earlier and sprinkle with a little additional sugar (I use white granulated) for a little extra crunch. This extra sugar is totally optional, but a lovely texture on the muffins!

Step 5: Bake the muffins in the hot oven for 20-22 minutes until golden on top, firm to the touch and until a wooden skewer inserted comes out clean. Leave the baked muffins in the tin to cool for a few minutes before removing to cool on a cooling rack. Enjoy!

What can I do if I have no muffin liners?

If you have no muffin liners, you can make your own. Find a glass that fits snugly in the muffin tin you are using. Press a square of parchment around the bottom of the glass to shape it to a size that will fit in the tin. Then place the freshly shaped “muffin liner” in the tin and continue with filling and baking as per the recipe. I would highly recommend using a liner for this banana blueberry muffin recipe as it makes removing the muffins from the tin much easier!

How to tell when muffins are baked?

The muffins are baked when they are risen, golden and firm to touch. A wooden skewer or toothpick inserted into the muffins will come out clean too. Try not to overbake these banana oat blueberry muffins or they will be dry.

How long do blueberry oatmeal muffins last?

These oat banana blueberry muffins are best enjoyed within 3-4 days of being baked.

What is the best way to store muffins

First, always allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack. Place the muffins in an airtight container and keep in a cool, place at room temperature out of direct sunlight.

Can you freeze banana blueberry muffins

Yes! First make sure the oatmeal blueberry banana muffins are completely cool and at room temperature. Arrange the muffins in a single layer on a baking tray and place the tray in the freezer for 30-60 minutes to freeze completely. Once frozen, place the muffins in a large sealable freezer bag and push out all the air before sealing. Place this bag in another sealable freezer bag, again pushing the air out and seal shut. This double bagging helps prevent freezer burn or dry muffins. Label and freeze for up to three months.

How to thaw muffins

When you are ready to enjoy the muffins again, you can unwrap and thaw them at room temperature for a couple of hours. If in a bit of a rush (yes, we have those crazy mornings too!), simply pop it in the microwave from frozen for a few seconds to thaw before enjoying!

Additional tips for making these blueberry banana oat muffins

• I like to use cases to bake these muffins in because they are very moist! They will be easier to remove from the pan and easier to store if baked in cases
• You can use the same amount (in ml) of vegetable oil instead of melted butter. I like to use melted butter because of the flavour it gives these banana blueberry oatmeal muffins.
• Both fresh and frozen blueberries work in this recipe. If using frozen fruit, no need to thaw them before baking. Remember not to over work the batter after adding the blueberries or the fruit will bleed into the mixture.
• This recipe is perfect for using up overripe bananas. Next time you have overripe bananas, if you cannot bake immediately, freeze the fruit until you have chance, then thaw before mashing to make these beauties.
• When making muffins, it is really important to remember not to over mix the batter. Over mixing muffin batter will lead to tough and chewy muffins, not light and fluffy ones. When adding in the flour and oats at the end, mix it all together until just combined and no more large amounts of dry flour is visible, no more than this.
• I like topping my oat banana and blueberry muffins with a little extra (granulated) sugar before baking to give a little bit of crunch on top. This is totally optional, but makes for a love texture!
• The oatmeal banana blueberry muffins should not be left to cool completely in the tin. Once baked and removed from the oven, allow them to cool for a couple of minutes in the tin before removing and leaving on a wire rack to cool.

Troubleshooting

If you have any other questions about this recipe, please leave me a comment below, I will do my best to help you. And if you do make this recipe for blueberry banana oatmeal muffins, please do consider leaving me a rating and review below, I would love to hear from you! Additionally, you can find me on Instagram and tag me in your photos when you share it with the world!

More recipes from my blog for you to enjoy

Do check out these other recipes on my blog too:

Lemon blueberry donuts: fluffy lemon donuts with bright pops of blueberry all topped with an absolutely stunning blueberry glaze. A real special donut to bake!

Brownie blondies: choosing between a blondie and a brownie too hard? This is the answer! My brownie blondies recipe swirls both these delights into a heavenly bake no one can resist!

Coconut pecan cookies: soft and chewy cookies packed with desiccated coconut and chopped pecans, these beautiful coconut pecan cookies are the best you will find!

Thanks so much for joining me today. Happy baking! x

Recommended equipment I used *

Cupcake/muffin tin	Muffin cases
Digital kitchen scales	Measuring spoons
Mixing bowl	Sieve
Whisk	Spatula
Ice cream scoop	Cooling rack