Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancake Muffins Recipe

Hearty oat pancakes baked into convenient grab-on-the-go muffins, soft and tender, and full of chocolate chips. With options for gluten free and dairy free.

Happy New Year!!!

If you missed it, be sure to check out my Top 15 Reader Favorite Recipes in 2015 post. It is deeeeeeelicious! Which makes sense. My readers have fabulous taste in desserts.

And now that we are OFFICIALLY in 2016 (because things don’t really start until it’s a Monday, right?), we’re packing up the Christmas cookies and fudge and whipping up all the healthy sweet things! And that does NOT mean bland or gross or crumbly or dry. In fact….

Today’s muffin recipe is just the opposite! These soft little muffins are fluffy, oat-y pancakes in convenient muffin form. SO YUM.

My daughter is so picky, and it can be difficult to convince her to try new healthy foods. Oatmeal is definitely in her no-fly zone. This recipe is the only way I can get her to eat it! I feel really great about giving her these muffins for breakfast, because the ingredient list is so stellar. I know I’m fueling her up with all the healthy energy she needs to get through school until lunch time.

Here’s what you’ll find in these yum-o muffins:

• oatmeal
• almond butter
• eggs
• almond milk (you could also use milk or buttermilk)
• mini chocolate chips (a little goes a long way in this recipe)!

What you won’t find:

• refined flour
• lots of sugar
• butter or oil
• dairy or gluten (if you use the right ingredients)

This is basically the same recipe I use for my beloved Skinny Funfetti Buttermilk Pancakes (mmmm, I seriously heart those so much).

But I changed out the applesauce for a healthy fat, almond butter (although you could still use applesauce if you wanted), and swapped the buttermilk with almond milk. I also added 2 tablespoons of miniature chocolate chips, because I like chocolate chips in alllllllthethings.

These muffins are also great for families with food sensitivities. They easily go dairy free and gluten free if you use the right ingredients. For gluten free, just be sure to use a gluten free baking powder (like Clabber Girl).

To make these dairy free, use almond milk just like the recipe is written! And I even used dairy free chocolate chips. We have a TON on hand from the months I was eating dairy free after I had the baby. These EnjoyLife chips are delicious, and I couldn’t even tell the difference from regular chocolate chips! I bought mine at Target.

These pancake muffins make a GREAT wholesome breakfast on the go. But if you’ve got a few minutes to spare, you can eat them pancake style topped with berries and maple syrup.

I’m in love with the texture in these muffins. The oats are blended up into a fine flour, but they still create such a hearty texture. I love biting into something and really feeling like I’m biting something. You know what I mean?

But don’t get the wrong impression here. “Hearty” does not = dense, tough, or dry. These guys are super soft and fluffy. It’s really like eating a pancake with your hands!

Enjoy!! And if you make these, be sure to let me know on Instagram!

If you like these muffins, you’ll LOVE these Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Pancakes:

And you should definitely try this 2015 Reader Favorite Recipe, Bakery Style Chocolate Chip Muffins:

For more healthy recipes, browse here.