Easy Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

These are the muffins I make when mornings are loud and everyone’s shoes are missing. They’re soft and oat-y with melty chocolate pockets, just sweet enough without the sugar crash. No refined flour, no fussy steps—just a blender or one bowl, a banana situation, and a handful of chocolate chips. They freeze like champs and taste like Saturday (even on a Tuesday).

My husband swears he doesn’t “do” breakfast—then I set these on the counter and he eats three while they’re still steaming. The kids call them “cookie muffins” and sneak the chocolate chips out of the cooling rack like tiny bandits. We’ve packed them for school, road trips, and once, dinner, when I just couldn’t. It’s become our safety recipe: when the bananas go too spotty, these happen, and everyone is mysteriously very, very helpful.

How to Make It

Okay, here’s the laid-back muffin plan. Heat your oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin. If you’ve got a blender, toss in 2 cups old-fashioned oats and blitz to a fine flour. If not, honestly, you can buy oat flour or just use quick oats—it’ll be a little heartier, still good.

In a big bowl, mash 2 spotty bananas (or use 1 cup unsweetened applesauce if banana isn’t your vibe). Whisk in 2 eggs, 1/2 cup plain Greek yogurt, 1/3 cup maple syrup (go 1/2 cup if you like sweeter), 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup melted coconut oil or olive oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla. Smells like breakfast already.

Now, in goes your oat flour plus 1/2 cup whole oats (for texture), 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Stir just until there aren’t dry patches staring back at you. Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips, and if you’re me, a small handful more for the top. Let the batter sit 5 minutes so the oats can drink up some moisture—this is the secret to tall, cozy muffins.

Scoop into your tin (a heaping 1/4 cup each), pop into the oven, and bake 17–20 minutes, until the tops spring back and a tester comes out mostly clean (a little chocolate is a good problem). Cool 10 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack. Eat one warm. That’s the rule.

✔Ingredient Notes

– Old-fashioned oats: I buzz mine into oat flour for fluffy texture, then add a little whole for chew. Steel-cut oats won’t work here—save them for porridge.
– Bananas or applesauce: Bananas give sweetness and moisture. No bananas? Applesauce steps in like a champ—just add 1–2 extra tablespoons maple syrup if you like it sweeter.
– Greek yogurt: Keeps the crumb tender without a ton of oil. Dairy-free yogurt works too—coconut or almond is great.
– Maple syrup: Honey also works. Granulated sugar is fine in a pinch; add a splash more milk to balance moisture.
– Eggs: Bind and lift. For egg-free, use two flax eggs (2 tablespoons ground flax + 5 tablespoons water, rest 5 minutes). The muffins will be a touch denser but still lovely.
– Coconut oil/olive oil: A little fat equals soft muffins. Melt butter if that’s what you’ve got—delicious.
– Chocolate chips: Mini chips disperse best. Dark, semi-sweet, or dairy-free—follow your heart (and pantry).
– Baking powder + baking soda: The oomph. Make sure they’re fresh; old leaveners = sad, squat muffins.
– Cinnamon + vanilla: Cozy flavor insurance. Don’t skip unless you absolutely must.

✔Recipe Steps

1. Preheat oven to 350°F and line a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. Blend 2 cups old-fashioned oats into flour (or measure 2 cups oat flour); set aside 1/2 cup whole oats.
3. Whisk mashed 2 bananas (or 1 cup applesauce), 2 eggs, 1/2 cup Greek yogurt, 1/3–1/2 cup maple syrup, 1/4 cup milk, 1/4 cup melted oil, and 2 teaspoons vanilla.
4. Stir in oat flour, 1/2 cup whole oats, 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon salt until just combined.
5. Fold in 3/4 cup chocolate chips; rest batter 5 minutes.
6. Divide into tin and bake 17–20 minutes; cool 10 minutes, then transfer to a rack.

What to Serve It With

– Hot coffee or a chai latte if you’re feeling fancy.
– A swipe of peanut butter or almond butter—protein plus chocolate is a vibe.
– Greek yogurt and berries for a “I’m totally put-together” breakfast bowl.
– A glass of cold milk for the kids… and the kid inside you.

✔Tips & Mistakes

– Let the batter rest. Five minutes = taller muffins. Trust.
– Don’t overmix once the dry hits the wet. Stir just to combine or you’ll get rubbery muffins.
– Use super spotty bananas for max sweetness. Green bananas are a flavor bummer.
– Fill the cups almost to the top for bakery domes.
– If they’re pale at 17 minutes, give them 2–3 more. Ovens are little liars.

✔Storage Tips

Room temp: Keep in an airtight container 2–3 days. They stay soft thanks to the yogurt.
Fridge: Up to 1 week, especially nice if your kitchen runs warm.
Freezer: Wrap individually and stash up to 3 months. Reheat 20–30 seconds in the microwave or split and toast.
Cold from the fridge at 6 a.m.? Weirdly great. Breakfast in a hoodie. Zero judgment.

✔Variations and Substitutions

– Blueberry twist: Swap chips for 1 cup blueberries (fresh or frozen; toss in a teaspoon of oat flour).
– Nutty crunch: Add 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans.
– Banana bread vibes: Add nutmeg and a sprinkle of coarse sugar on top.
– PB swirl: Dollop 1/3 cup warmed peanut butter over the batter and marble it with a knife.
– Dairy-free: Use dairy-free yogurt and any non-dairy milk; choose dairy-free chips.
– Gluten-free: Use certified gluten-free oats and check your chocolate chips.
– Egg-free: Two flax eggs work; bake an extra minute if needed.
– Sweetener swaps: Honey ↔ maple syrup. Granulated sugar works—add 1–2 tablespoons extra milk to keep moisture.

Frequently Asked Questions

Easy Healthy Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Muffins

Moist, wholesome muffins made with rolled oats, Greek yogurt, banana, and maple syrup—studded with mini dark chocolate chips. Perfect for meal-prep breakfasts or a better-for-you snack.

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Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 18 minutes minutes

Total Time: 28 minutes minutes

Servings: 12

Calories: 120kcal

Ingredients

 

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Main Ingredients

• ▢ 1 cup old-fashioned rolled oats
• ▢ 1 cup white whole wheat flour
• ▢ 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon baking soda
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ▢ 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
• ▢ 1 cup plain Greek yogurt
• ▢ 0.5 cup pure maple syrup
• ▢ 0.25 cup coconut oil melted and cooled
• ▢ 2 large eggs
• ▢ 0.5 cup mashed ripe banana
• ▢ 0.5 cup milk dairy or unsweetened almond
• ▢ 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ▢ 0.5 cup mini dark chocolate chips
• ▢ 0.25 cup old-fashioned rolled oats for topping, optional
• ▢ 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar for topping, optional

Instructions

Preparation Steps

• Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners and lightly coat with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, whisk oats, flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
• In a separate bowl, whisk eggs, maple syrup, Greek yogurt, mashed banana, milk, and vanilla. Slowly whisk in melted coconut oil.
• Add wet ingredients to dry and stir just until combined. Fold in mini chocolate chips. Let batter rest 5 minutes to hydrate the oats.
• Divide batter evenly among muffin cups (about 0.75 full). Sprinkle with oats and turbinado sugar if using.
• Bake 16 to 18 minutes, or until tops are set and a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Cool 5 minutes in the pan, then transfer to a rack to cool completely.
• Store airtight at room temperature up to 2 days or refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze up to 2 months.

Notes

For extra moisture, use 0.75 cup Greek yogurt and 0.25 cup additional mashed banana. You can swap coconut oil with light olive oil. Do not overmix to keep muffins tender.