Oatmeal Strawberry Banana Muffins

These Oatmeal Strawberry Banana Muffins are NEXT-LEVEL soft, fluffy, and chocolatey. Move over banana muffins, strawberries are claiming a seat at the table.

The moist texture of these muffins is truly my favourite thing about them, and it's unlike anything I've been able to achieve using bananas alone!

Where does the strawberry flavour come from?

Strawberry is a tricky flavour. A strong strawberry flavour will typically come from strawberry-flavoured powder or strawberry extract. However, in my baking I like to use ingredients that the average person will already have in their kitchen, so this recipe uses only real strawberries.

I tested these muffins with a variety of banana-to-strawberry ratios. Too little strawberry, and the banana flavour was overpowering, but with too much strawberry, they didn't quite rise enough. Using 1 cup of blended strawberries (more on that later), then folding in an extra ½ cup of chopped strawberries was just the right mix to create the perfect balance of strawberry banana. Adding in the extra chopped up strawberries adds juicy bursts of flavour throughout the muffin as well.

Strawberries are the key to the light, moist texture of these muffins, because they add the perfect amount of liquid. I've mentioned texture a few times now so let's dive into that again because I'm slightly obsessed with the texture of these muffins.

Texture Secret: Blending the strawberries and bananas

Instead of mashing the strawberries and bananas with a fork, we're just going to throw them in the blender and call it a day. This method is quicker, easier, and eliminates any little banana chunks. Blending the fruit creates a smooth liquid that make the muffins soft and fluffy.

Dairy-Free Tip: Gooey Chocolatey chunks

I need to mention the chocolate because dairy free semi-sweet chocolate is the cherry-on-top of these muffins. I suppose you could leave the chocolate out but I mean . . . chocolate is literally always a good idea.

Now, here's a tip. If you are looking for dairy free chocolate at the grocery store, but can't find any in the natural food isles (or if you do, its super pricey) check the labels on a regular semi-sweet chocolate bar or a bag of semi-sweet chocolate chips.

Although its often not advertised on the bag, sometimes semi-sweet or dark chocolate is actually already dairy free (plus, cheaper than some more specialty brands). However, if you have a serious dairy allergy, then definitely check to make sure it doesn't say "May Contain: Milk". My dairy intolerance isn't life-threatening, so the "May Contain" is fine for me.

I use a no-name brand semi-sweet chocolate for this recipe and it's dairy free, costs $0.99 per bar, and tastes incredible. When you bake as much as I do, $6 for a small bag of specialty dairy-free chocolate chips just doesn't cut it.

How to store oatmeal strawberry banana muffins

These muffins can be stored at room temperature for up to 4 days. After 4 days, I recommend freezing them. One of my favourite things about these muffins is that they freeze extremely well. I actually throw these in the freezer the same day I bake them. Then, every time I want a muffin (which is almost daily), I take one out, pop it in the microwave for 15-30 seconds, and voila, it tastes like it's straight out of the oven!

MORE MUFFIN RECIPES YOU'LL LOVE:

• Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Pumpkin Banana Muffins
• Blueberry Muffins

If you make these muffins, tag me on Instagram @cookiedoughdiaries so I can check it out! If you want to save this recipe for later, you can also pin it using the Pinterest button below.