I love a good make-ahead gluten free breakfast. I just … do. Make my weekday mornings easier and I’ll love you forever. Today we’ve got another addition to the line-up, and it’s so simple, healthy and hearty that I predict it will quickly become a family favorite.
I can’t even count how many times I’ve already made these easy gluten free oatmeal muffins. I mean, it’s not like I can’t count that high or anything since that would call my most basic math skills into serious doubt. It’s just that I’ve made them enough times in the last few weeks that I’ve basically lost count—especially since my 3 kids eat them as quickly as I can turn them out. That, and they’re so easy to make that I don’t sweat them, you know? I just throw together a batch (to make the batter takes 5 minutes (really)), wrap ‘em up and forget about them until it’s time for a super busy school day breakfast. I don’t even have to give the kids fruit or anything to go along with these muffins. The fruit is already in there. They can just serve themselves a healthy breakfast. Amen and hallelujah.
Just look at how few ingredients there are! A note about bananas: Bananas, like scallions, Bartlett pears and avocados, are ingredients that you have to catch at just the right moment or have them lost to you forever. And since I loathe throwing out food (who doesn’t?!), here’s how I always have the bananas I need for baking without worry: I buy a bunch, and the moment they reach peak ripeness (for me, that’s yellow with a few freckles), I peel them, chop them into 1-inch chunks and freeze them in a single layer on a lined baking sheet. Then, I pile them into a zip-top bag and return them to the freezer. For a recipe that calls for mashed bananas, like this one, I either let the proper amount of bananas thaw at room temperature or I microwave them for about one minute at 60% power. Then, mash away! This even works when you need diced bananas. And those frozen banana chunks are clearly perfect for smoothies, when the weather is warm.
These easy breakfast muffins are very adaptable, too. Swap out the virgin coconut oil for an equal amount, by weight, of butter (tried it; loved it) or vegetable shortening (tried it; loved it). I haven’t tried straight-up liquid oil, though, and I really don’t recommend even trying olive oil as it’s just too identifiable. You must use bananas, as they give the muffins sweetness and structure, but the dried fruit and/or coconut flakes can be substituted out for any sort of mix-in you like (chocolate chips? go for it!). Even the couple tablespoons of sugar can be left out. Imagine that! I’ve tried them both with and without the sugar (clearly), and I do prefer them with it but you’re the boss, friend.
2 1/4 cups (225 g) certified gluten free old-fashioned rolled oats
1/2 cup (40 g) unsweetened coconut flakes
1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
2 tablespoons (20 g) coconut palm sugar (optional!)
1/2 cup (80 g) small dried fruit (I have used raisins, dried cranberries and diced dried apricots)
4 tablespoons (56 g) virgin coconut oil, melted and cooled
2 ripe bananas (200 g), mashed
3 eggs (180 g, weighed out of shell) at room temperature, beaten
Preheat your oven to 350°F. Grease the wells of a standard 12-cup muffin tin and set it aside.
In a large bowl, place the oats, coconut flakes, salt, cinnamon, optional sugar and dried fruit, and mix to combine well. Create a well in the center of the dry ingredients and add the coconut oil, mashed bananas and eggs, mixing to combine after each addition. The batter should be thick, but soft. Divide the batter evenly among the prepared wells of the muffin tin, and smooth the tops with a wet spoon or spatula.
Place the tin in the center of the preheated oven and bake until the muffins feel firm when pressed gently in the center (about 15 minutes). Remove from the oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. A toothpick can be useful in removing the muffins from the wells. Serve immediately or wrap tightly and store at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the freezer for longer storage. Defrost in the refrigerator overnight before serving.
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