- Prep-time: / Ready In:
- Makes 12 muffins
- Serving size: 1 muffin
- Print/save recipe
No sugar, no flour, no oil, no salt, no problem! Oats, bananas, applesauce, and a few pantry ingredients form the base for these healthy vegan muffins.
I highly recommend using silicone muffin pans: You'll never have to buy paper liners again.
By Chef AJ,
Ingredients
- 4 very ripe bananas
- 2 cups oats, ground into flour
- ½ cup unsweetened apple juice
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce
- 2 tablespoons ground flax seeds
- 1 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ tablespoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
- ½ tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- ½ tablespoon aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon sodium-free baking soda
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350º F.
- Line a muffin pan with 12 cupcake liners.
- Grind oats into a flour.
- Place in a large bowl and add all the other dry ingredients.
- Puree bananas in a food processor fitted with the “S” blade until smooth.
- Add the apple juice, applesauce, extract and apple cider vinegar and process again until combined.
- Pour over dry ingredients and mix until just combined.
- Do not over mix.
- Pour into muffin liners filling about 2⁄3 full.
- Bake for 20-22 minutes until tops are golden brown and toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
- Chef’s Note: Gently stir in 2 cups of frozen blueberries for blueberry banana muffins and increase baking time 8-10 minutes.
Nutritional Information:
Per serving (1 muffin): 104 calories, 21.4 g carbohydrates, 2.5 g protein, 1.4 g total fat, 0.2 g saturated fat, 0 g cholesterol, 3 mg sodium, 3 g fiber, 7.2 g sugar
Note: Nutritional information is provided as an estimate only.
Comments (63)
(5 from 26 votes)I should have known better. Every recipe that I make that contains just oat flour ends up being the consistency of baked oatmeal not firm like an actual muffin. The flavor is good it’s just the consistency that’s not accurate for a muffin
followed recipe exactly, ended up with nearly twice as much batter. Doesn't bode well for considering purchase of the cookbook.
Super bland and a bit dry. Better to doctor this up with more spices and something moist.
Thank you! So much for the recipes if only you knew how much people you are helping. Already love the wfpd diet. Now I get to enjoy my treat without having to worry about getting sick. You are gold may God bless you
I love reading the comments on this site - people show just how versatile and resilient this recipe is! I used up some ok-but-past-its-date soya yogurt instead of applesauce, and added dried cranberries, some extra mixed seeds, and a little pinch of salt. And they turned out yummy, both fresh-warm yesterday and warmed up for breakfast today . And my sugar-loving hubby likes them. And I feel virtuous :)
Wow sounds so good can't wait to make it.
These are easy and delicious, and I'm NOT a baker. The recipe definitely needs some salt, but I sliced and toasted a muffin with some vegan butter and that made a big difference. Also, a weird substitution I wanted to share: I never have fruit juice on hand, but I had bought some Trader Joe's sparkling pineapple juice for cocktails. I added this instead of apple juice and the carbonation made the batter so light! I might just consider using sparkling water next time! And definitely walnuts, as suggested below.
Beth here after these are made so they go in the fridge? Leave on counter?
Can anyone recommend a replacement for the apple juice and apple sauce? We have apple allergies in my house. Thanks!
I have made these with plant milk for the apple juice and extra banana instead of applesauce.
I used canned pumpkin for the apple sauce today!
Love these muffins. Have made several times now. Added walnuts today. Yummy!
I have been looking for a recipe like this! Subbed fresh peeled, cored apple for the applesauce and baked a few minutes longer. A dash of salt would enhance the flavor but these were delicious!
I definitely will add walnuts next time!
I tried this recipe but the inside came out gooey and the outside was burnt. I added some fresh blueberries too, but the flavor was bland and the texture was not nice. I followed the recipe to a T so not sure what went wrong.
I love these muffins, and they are especially helpful when I am cutting out refined sugars. I never have apple juice so I use 3/4 cup of applesauce instead. With 2 cups of frozen berries I bake at least 35 minutes for a bit drier muffin
Love this recipe and it is so versatile!
Has anyone tried this with organic juice or would that be gross?
I have made these twice now. (A batch in the oven as I type this). I don’t have any issues with mushiness, at all. This time, like others have mentioned, I blended my oats (2 cups of oats) in my ninja bullet. Last time I used oat flour. Only difference is I don’t have clumps of oat flour through the mix. (I didn’t sieve the flour, probably should have) For me, these are a nice snack to have with a cuppa/coffee. Too nice actually. Pretty easy to put together as well.
Mushy and tasteless.
Love love love this recipe. Best oatmeal muffin ever. I add chia and hemp and sprinkle some pumpkin seeds and raisins.
I’ve made this recipe quite often, usually in mini muffin pans. I measure 2 cups of oats then grind them into flour in my nutribullet blender (before grinding bananas, etc.) this way I don’t have to rinse and dry the blender. Then, instead of apple sauce and juice, I cut up and blend a whole apple (minus the core) with the bananas, vanilla and acv. I add mini chocolate chips and frozen blueberries and bake about 28 minutes. They are not mushy. I keep them in the fridge in an airtight container.. they don’t last long as we gobble them up.
Our favorite muffin recipe. So easy to customize too!
Do not understand why the author does not add the amount of oat flour needed. I already have oat flour on hand and do not want to dirty my blender to make more. I don't know how much to use. I don't think 2 c. of oats equals 2 c. oat flour. Would love to try this recipe, but don't want to guess on ingredients.
We know that 1 C oats = 80g so I would think you could measure 160G oat flour for 2 C.
Used 3 ripe bananas & as it was a Sunday afternoon , substituted apple sauce for apricot puree; use oat bran as no oats in the house & orange juice in lieu of apple juice - actually rather good & I am sure reheated with some butter in the middle : delicious (ok, not vegan but I'm not) & will definitely do again, thank you
As others mentioned, I had an issue with mushiness. Beyond that, there was something about the flavor that was off to me, and I don't know how to describe it. Almost a bitter taste? I don't know what could have caused it, but I used a blend of rye/wheat/oat flakes and regular baking soda. I don't think I will make these again.
Regarding mushiness….I baked a fat free banana cake last week and even though I was grateful to have SOME baked good after not indulging for way too long - I was disappointed with the mushy texture. After googling, I found some vegan baking info that said fat free baking tends to produce that texture. Next time I will try adding some nut butter to see if that helps (though obviously no longer fat free). Will try these as written first though. One question though. Is the amount of oat flour different if you already have oat flour vs. grinding from whole oats?
Can I bake this in a glass loaf pan, instead of cupcake pan? Thx.
I think it is aluminium free baking powder and not sodium free.
For healthy-tasting muffins, they’re pretty good. My picky kid is actually eating them. I didn’t have any apple juice or sauce, so I used 2 extra bananas and then added raisins. I also ran out of soy flour so I used 1 cup oat flour, 1 cup coconut flour.
love your recipes chef AJ, thanks
I don't use or keep apple juice and so add 1 cup of apple sauce and find it works well.
Thank you Diana. I almost passed on this recipe due to the apple juice. I'll try it your way.
Thank you to the comments, I only used 2 big very ripe bananas and the half cup of apple sauce, and they came out perfect =), also because I think I blended the bananas and that makes them more watery. Added cranberries and dry coconut for a bit more sweetness and super yummy =)
Followed everyone’s suggestions and used both cupcake liners and a silicone pan. Silicone pan was better choice as muffins stuck to liners. Great taste, cooked evenly, baked 22 min. Yes I used regular soda, but used regular vanilla as I didn’t have alcohol free. This recipe is a keeper.
I love these muffins! I make a double batch every week and experiment with adding different fruit and nuts. These are my go to breakfast. I live at a higher elevation and do need to bake these for 35 min.
What is your elevation. I will have to take this into account as I live at 8000ft.
Would someone please tell me what brand of baking soda to use for the sodium-free baking soda? I’ve searched and cannot find anything like that except one baking soda “substitute” and it has poor reviews. My muffins were too flat and mushy even after baking extra time. I used regular baking powder and soda - could that affect the result? Perhaps a weight for the bananas would be helpful too. Maybe my 4 bananas were bigger than others who had success. Love the idea and really want the recipe to work. Suggestions greatly appreciated.
Hi, Please check on amazon as I bough aluminium free baking soda I found on amazon. In many cases local stores keep only ordinary brands, I usually find specific products I am looking for at amazon. Hope it helps you
I had the exact same issue - mushy. I baked 1/2 in silicone pan and 1/2 in metal muffin pan. Neither baked completely even after extra time.
Not sure if this is the cause of them not baking completely, but I follow the Whole Foods Plant-Based Cooking Show and she always says when you are making oats into flour do not grind them too much, keep them only slightly ground otherwise it will come out mushy.
Susan Eng, I like the idea of coarse cut oats instead of flour style powder! Everything is so much healthier with the fiber still attached to the sugars and nutrients Has anyone tried to use less fluids (apple sauce) and more dry ingredients? Could it just be that most people are accustomed to eating highly processed baked muffins — and — haven’t realized yet that Whole Food muffins are much more moist and squishy? Less dry and fluffy? The muffins come out less fluffy and so do the eaters
Needed sugar bad but okay over all. You also need to say sodium free substitution for y’all’s recipe. I’m a 60 year old grandma from the hollers of Kentucky and I still know that baking soda has sodium in it. Happy New Years
There’s no such thing as sodium free baking soda. The chemical name is literally sodium bicarbonate.
Hi, common sense,Yuo don’t mention what went wrong with your recipe… Did something happen with your sodium free baking soda that made this recipe fail?..I have a potassium bicarbonate baking soda substitute that I was planning to use, since that seemed like common sense to me… but if you ended up with one star muffins, then sadly the author must have meant regular baking soda… A real shame because of my husband’s blood pressure.. .He does love his banana muffins
The author should have said sodium free SUBSTITUTE! I know that angered me to no end! Kids these days don’t know what they’re talking me
These are delicious. I'm not a vegan. I was just looking for a way to use up bananas that wasn't bread. I will be making these as holiday gifts for my family this year. I'm going to add a handful of nuts in some next time.
Thank you for providing SOS free baked goods - such a treat, without preservatives, etc. I used water instead of the apple juice and made my own applesauce from apples which were a bit overripe. Excellent - delicious and highly nutritious.
I went exactly by the recipe. Too soft and and watery But will try again.
Where would you find unsweetened apple juice?
At any grocery store. It means no added sugar. There is still natural/fruit sugar in natural apple juice.
I would love to get the nutrition information for these muffins and I’m wondering if they are regular sized or mini muffins for the 12 count.
I accidentally used 2 1/2 bananas instead of 4 (just grabbed what was out & forgot to add more). But it turned out amazing. Oh and I didn't have apple juice so I substituted 1/2 cup of orange juice concentrate. It came out sweeter but I liked it that way. Great recipe, pretty easy, and I'll definitely make it again!
So confused at how I screwed these up. Followed all directions exactly, but they never completely baked. Not even when 10 extra minutes. Mushy and not very good :(
Can you make them without flaxseed?
Do you know the nutritional value?
I had low expectations but these were great. Nice sweetness without the sugar from most recipes. Great treat. We are not vegan and we’re not looking for it. I’m glad we found it!
Why can’t you just use flour surely it’s vegan, it’s made from wheat
I guess because the creator is gluten free and made a gluten free recipe?
Made today, very good. I added the blueberries to my batch
These are so yummy and satisfying. I have a sugar and flour addiction and tend to go off the rails with food that had maple syrup, etc, but these provide some sweetness and carby deliciousness with out being something I end up overeating. These and steel cut oatmeal are my 2 breakfast staples and have helped me lose a lot of weight. Thank you Forks Over Knives!
I did not have juice, so I substituted water. I also added a cup of diced apples. I added a pinch of cloves, nutmeg, and ginger too. This recipe is a keeper for on the go breakfasts, snacks, or for dessert!