Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins with Crumb Topping

This post may contain affiliate links, view our disclaimer for details.

If you love banana bread and blueberry muffins…then you have to try these banana blueberry oatmeal muffins. They are so fluffy yet moist and they’re the perfect combination of both of those classic treats. Just like my vegan blueberry scones, they’re bursting with so many juicy blueberries.

I topped them off with a cinnamon streusel crumble which adds a sweet, crunchy texture to every bite.

banana blueberry oatmeal muffins with a crumb topping stacked on each other. — the best banana blueberry muffins with oats!

Why You’ll Love These Banana Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins

Emily’s Recipe Notes:

Flavor: Sweet with a subtle cinnamon flavor + lots of fruity berries and banana.
Texture: Perfectly moist yet fluffy thanks to a tried and tested ratio of oil, sugar and flour.
Packed with Whole Grains: Old fashioned oats create an amazing texture and add extra whole grains.
Dairy Free, Eggless, Vegan & Customizable: This recipe is naturally vegan and can be made gluten-free by swapping the all-purpose flour with a gluten-free flour blend.

Why We Love These Muffins: I’m a sucker for a good muffin…especially one that I can eat everyday for breakfast. These are so delicious and are made with applesauce which helps cut down on some of the extra fat typically found in muffins. The applesauce creates a moist crumb and helps to hold the muffins together. I use a similar method in my apple oatmeal breakfast cake! Plus…these muffins have a crunchy cinnamon streusel topping. Because we all know the muffin top is the best part.

Watch How to Make Them

Ingredients:

These blueberry banana oat muffins are made with 11 ingredients, most of which are pantry friendly staples like old fashioned oats and all purpose flour. Below I’ve listed some notes, substitutions and tips and tricks I learned during recipe testing:

Key Ingredients & Substitutions

Ripe Banana

We can’t have banana muffins without this ingredient! Use extra ripe bananas for more sweetness.

Coconut OIl

We’re using this as the main fat source in these muffins. Coconut oil can be swapped for vegetable oil or melted vegan butter. If you’re not plant-based, dairy-free butter can be swapped 1:1 with regular versions.

Sweeteners

In this recipe and most muffins, sugar doesn’t just act as a sweetener…it doubles as a way to add moisture. While you can technically reduce the amount of sugar in this recipe, the muffins may end up more dry than you’d like. White cane sugar, brown sugar and even coconut sugar can be used in these muffins.

Sugar-Free Option: To make this recipe sugar-free, you can swap in a granulated sugar-free alternative like erythritol or xylitol for the granulated sugar. The muffin texture will be slightly different if swapping out the sugar.

Unsweetened Applesauce

Like I mentioned above, applesauce helps replace some of the oil in these muffins. But it also acts as an egg substitute by binding the batter together.

If you don’t have applesauce, no worries! You can sub in more banana instead. Mash an extra ½ of a very ripe banana for the applesauce (about 1⁄4 cup mashed).

All-Purpose Flour

I used an unbleached all-purpose flour by King Arthur. the all-purpose flour can be replaced with white whole-wheat flour or an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend.

You can also make gluten-free blueberry muffins by using oat flour, however, the texture will be slightly different. This recipe won’t work well with almond flour or coconut flour.

Blueberries

Like the banana above, we can’t have blueberry oat muffins with out this key ingredient. You can use fresh or frozen berries. Just make sure they are ripe for the best flavor.

Old Fashioned Oats

These are added to the muffin batter and to the crumb topping. If gluten-free, be sure to use oats that are certified GF along with the gluten free flour listed above.

a top view of banana blueberry oatmeal muffins with a streusel on a marble cutting board. — vegan banana blueberry muffins with oats!

Helpful Equipment

Muffin Tin or Pan
Large Mixing Bowl
Electric Hand Mixer: this is optional, the batter can easily be mixed by hand
Wire Cooling Rack

Step By Step Guide

wet ingredients like mashed banana, applesauce, coconut oil and almond milk in a white bowl with a blue rim.

In a large bowl, mash the overripe banana. Then, in the same bowl, cream the melted coconut oil (or vegan melted butter) and the cane sugar until smooth, fluffy, and slightly lighter in color.

mixed wet ingredients for banana blueberry muffins in a white bowl with a blue rim.

Next, add the vanilla, applesauce, and dairy free milk. You’ll want to whisk the wet ingredients until they are a uniform mixture (like the picture below).

dry ingredients like flour and oatmeal in a white bowl with a blue rim.

Add the flour, salt, oats and baking powder on top. Mix the dry ingredients together with a fork (or add them to a metal sifter), then mix the wet and dry together to form a very thick, but smooth batter.

blueberries on top of banana muffin batter in a white bowl with a blue rim.

Next, gently fold in the frozen or fresh blueberries.

Scoop the Batter & Bake

a 6 cup muffin tin with muffin batter scooped in it.

Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin tins. The tins can be greased or you can use muffin liners. Fill the prepared muffin cups about ¾ of the way.

the baked banana blueberry oat muffins in a metal muffin tin.

Make the crumb topping by mixing the streusel ingredients in a small bowl, and sprinkle on top of the muffins. Then, bake until golden!

TIP: You can make your own muffin liners with parchment paper. Just cut 4-5″ squares and press them into the muffin pan to shape them.

Some Serving Ideas

These vegan banana blueberry oat muffins are super tasty fresh out of the oven. They make a nutritious breakfast or even a quick snack. I love these muffins on busy mornings when I need an easy breakfast on the go!

My favorite way to eat these muffins is with a smear of vegan butter, peanut butter, almond butter or jam! As they cool, the exterior gets the BEST golden brown crispy texture. They are sooo good.

If you want them to be a complete breakfast, you could eat them alongside a cup of protein coffee or a matcha latte! Or with this chia pudding and fresh fruit.

Storage Tips

Room Temperature: They’ll stay fresh at room temperature for about 1-2 days. You can cover them loosely with plastic wrap if you’d like, but it isn’t necessary.
Fridge: After 1 day, I recommend sealing them in an airtight container and storing them in the fridge for 2-3 days.
Freezer: These muffins can also be frozen. Wrap them tightly with plastic wrap or place them in a freezer-proof baggie and freeze for 2-3 months. Just microwave them for about 20-30 seconds when ready to enjoy!

a vegan banana blueberry oat muffin cut in half. — these muffins are so fluffy and moist!

Helpful Tips From My Kitchen To Yours

Use room temperature ingredients: make sure the applesauce and dairy-free milk are at room temperature to prevent the fat from the oil from separating out when mixing the wet ingredients.
Use an ice cream scoop for uniform muffins: use a cookie dough or ice cream scoop to fill the muffin cups.
Bake the muffins immediately after mixing the batter: this helps make sure the muffins rise properly.

these create the best flavor & texture!

eggless banana blueberry oat muffins with a streusel on a marble cutting board. — banana blueberry muffins with oat topping fresh out of the oven

FAQ

Can maple syrup be substituted for the sugar in these banana blueberry muffins?

I don’t recommend using maple syrup or other liquid sweeteners in this recipe. The fluffy yet dense texture requires a granulated sweetener or a granulated sugar-free sweetener.

What takes the place of eggs in this banana muffin recipe?

Applesauce serves as a fabulous egg replacement in this muffin recipe. When paired with coconut oil, baking powder, and the perfect ratio of wet to dry ingredients, it creates the BEST fluffy vegan muffins.

Are these banana blueberry oatmeal muffins healthy?

Everyone has a different definition of ‘healthy,’ so I try to avoid categorizing or labeling certain recipes in this way. However, this muffin recipe is customizable so you can make these muffins ‘healthier’ to your liking.

Swap granulated cane sugar for a sugar free alternative like erythritol, or use a gluten free all purpose flour blend if you’re trying to cut back on gluten or if you’re allergic. I’ve made this recipe before where I even swapped ⅓ of the all purpose flour for protein powder (by weight) and they turned out great!