Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (2024)

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Healthy oil-free vegan muffins and other baked goods. Perfect for back-to-school or anytime – recipes also nut-free and with gluten-free options.

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (1)

During the school year, I have a handful of healthy vegan muffins and baked goods that are in weekly lunchbox rotation.

These baked goods are all nut-free, so perfect for school snacks.

People always ask “what do you pack for lunches?”

To fully answer that question, I included a chapter on packing lunches in Plant-Powered Families, so get all of my tips there.

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (2)

Top oil-free muffins and baked goods for back-to-school

1) BEST Banana Bread (or muffins): A long-time family fave, and I cannot tell you how many tweets and notes I get saying something like “omg these are oil-free vegan muffins? No one would know!”

True.

I either make in muffins or straight up vegan banana bread. Either way, this Plant-Powered Families‘ recipe is darn easy, and entirely fab, so go bake!

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (3)

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4.75 from 4 votes

BEST Vegan Banana Bread Recipe

This quick bread is tender and so fragrant and delicious, you won’t believe it is made with whole-grain flours and no oil! And, you can just as easily turn these into muffins (see note).

Course baking, Breakfast, Snack

Keyword banana, gluten-free, muffins, oil-free, quick bread

Servings 1 quick bread (or 11-12 muffins)

Ingredients

  • 1 cup whole-wheat pastry flour or 1 cup + 3-4 tbsp spelt flour for wheat-free version
  • 3/4 cup oat flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/2 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 cup pureed overripe banana see note
  • 1/3 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/2 cup plain non-dairy milk
  • 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
  • 3-4 tbsp non-dairy mini or regular chocolate chips optional

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350. In a large bowl, mix dry ingredients. In a separate bowl, combine pureed banana, maple syrup, milk and vanilla. Add wet mixture to dry, and add in chocolate chips (if using), and stir through until just well combined (don’t overmix). Wipe a loaf pan lightly with oil (or use a silicone loaf pan). Pour batter into pan and bake for 43-48 minutes, until golden and a toothpick or skewer inserted in the centre comes out clean. Makes 1 quick bread.

    Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (4)

Notes

Gluten-Free Option: Replace all the flour with 2 full cups of certified gluten-free oat flour, or with 1 3/4 cups gluten-free flour blend (ex: Bob’s Red Mill) plus 1/2 cup and 2 tablespoons almond meal and 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum.

Banana Note: Puree several medium-large overripe bananas in a blender or with an immersion blender and deep cup, then measure to get your 1 cup.

Kitchen Tip: To make muffins instead of a quick bread, pour mixture into a 12–cup muffin pan fitted with cupcake liners. Bake for 17–20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Remove, let cool for a few minutes in pan, and then transfer to a cooling rack to cool completely.

2) Apple-Hemp Muffins: A family favorite here, and you guys can’t get enough of them either!

These pack a good dose of nutrtient-dense hemp seeds in a fragrant, tender oil-free vegan muffin. Kids can be a little fussy about eating hemp seeds, yet they won’t even know they’re in these muffins!

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (5)

3) Pumpkin Seed Chocolate Chip Oat BarsI make these bars when I want a snack that will “hold up” well (ex: won’t get squished in a pocket during a field trip).

These are dense, chewy, bars that are a much healthier alternative to storebought granola bars – and far more satisfying. They keep in the fridge for over a week, and can also be frozen.

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (6)

4) Oat Snackles and Pumpkin Oat Snackles

These are what I bake when I feel like I have literally 10 minutes toget something in the oven. When you make them regularly, they are that quick. The kids love them, and you can customize with dried fruit, chocolate chips, seeds, etc.

The Pumpkin Oat Snackles offer a fall twist on the classic, flip to page 59 of PPF!

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (7)

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5 from 11 votes

Wholesome Oat Snackles

Sometimes muffins and snacks can be a little on the sweet side for parents and adults who are looking to reduce the amount of added sweeteners in their diet. While most of my baked goods such as muffins are pretty healthful, these little snackles are particularly low in sweetener. They are great for packing in lunches, or to curb midmorning cravings. It’s like having your oatmeal without the bowl!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats use certified gluten-free for that option
  • 1 cup oat flour use certified gluten-free for that option
  • 1/3 cup raisins or cranberries, or combination of both
  • 1/4 cup unsweetened finely shredded coconut or hemp seeds
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1 tsp lemon or orange zest optional, but adds beautiful essence
  • ¼ tsp sea salt
  • few pinches freshly grated nutmeg optional, but adds extra flavor if not using zest
  • 1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce see note for substitution
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup see note
  • 2-3 tbsp non-dairy chocolate chips optional if needing sugar-free

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, raisins, hemp seeds, baking powder, cinnamon, zest, salt and nutmeg, stirring to mix well. Add the applesauce, maple syrup, and chocolate chips. Stir until well incorporated. Use a cookie scoop (or take spoonfuls, about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons in size) to transfer mounds of the batter to the baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool on the pan for about a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12-14 snackles!

Notes

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. In a large bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, raisins, hemp seeds, baking powder, cinnamon, zest, salt and nutmeg, stirring to mix well. Add the applesauce, maple syrup, and chocolate chips. Stir until well incorporated. Use a cookie scoop (or take spoonfuls, about 1 1⁄2 tablespoons in size) to transfer mounds of the batter to the baking sheet. Bake for 14 to 15 minutes, remove from the oven, and let cool on the pan for about a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack. Makes 12-14 snackles!

5) Power Cookies: More so oil-free cookie treats than oil-free vegan muffins, but still healthy and chock with good stuff! I’ll be putting this new cookie in rotation this year.

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (8)

6) BF Blueberry Muffins: These I make less often just because the prep is a wee bit longer (not much, just slightly).

Also because we have one girl that doesn’t like berries. Hence the “BF”! With or without blueberries, they are delicious and quite a treat for oil-free vegan muffins.

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (9)

BF Blueberry Muffins

BF stands for “blueberry-free” (not ‘best friend’ blueberry muffins, though that could work too)! Confused? One of our daughters doesn’t like blueberries, which baffles me. So, when I make these healthy vegan muffins, I first fill a couple of muffin liners with the batter on its own, and then the remaining with the blueberries. I don’t include this step in the directions below, but feel free to make a couple ‘BF’ blueberry muffins yourself if needed! These muffins are delicious – tender, lightly sweet, and with a hint of lemon that accents the blueberries so nicely.

Course baking, Breakfast, Snack

Ingredients

  • 1 1/4 cups oat flour
  • 3/4 cup spelt flour
  • 1/3 cup unrefined sugar (light best for color, but any can be used)
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 1/4 tsp baking soda
  • 1/4 tsp sea salt
  • 1 tsp lemon zest (amazing, don’t omit!)
  • 2 tbsp non-dairy yogurt (vanilla or plain)
  • 2 tbsp pure maple syrup or agave nectar
  • 1 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • 1/2 cup + 3-4 tbsp plain non-dairy milk
  • 1/4 cup applesauce
  • 3/4 cup frozen or fresh blueberries (tossed in 1-2 tsp extra oat flour)

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a large bowl, add flours, sugar, baking powder, baking soda (sift in the powder/soda), salt, and lemon zest. In another bowl, first combine the yogurt with the maple syrup/agave, lemon juice, and applesauce, stirring well, and then add in the milk and stir through until well combined. Add wet ingredients to the dry, and mix through until just well combined. Then, quickly but gently, fold in the blueberries. Pour mixture into lined muffin tins (filling 10-12). Bake for 20 – 23 minutes (longer for larger muffins, less time if entire 12 muffins are filled), or until muffins are set in the centre (test by inserting a toothpick or skewer in the centre of a muffin). Remove from oven, cool for a couple of minutes in the pan, and then transfer muffins to cool on a cooling rack.

Notes

Notes:

  • Add blueberries at the very last moment, to limit the ‘bleeding’ of the blueberries into the batter.
  • Chocolate chips are wickedly good with blueberries try adding a few tablespoons to the batter.
  • Makes 10-12 muffins.

7) Berry Scuffins: Oil-free vegan muffins meet scones!

When you want a baked berry fix that’s a little quicker, this is your recipe. For the fall and winter, you can use frozen berries or substitute apple or pear – just toss in a little lemon juice first to help prevent discoloring if using these fall fruits.

8) Oatmeal Banana Bites I’ve been making these since my 13 year old was a wee babe!

They are the perfect grab ‘n go snack, for lunches or anytime of the day. Like the snackles, these are quick and like a mini-muffin without the muffin paper. These wee vegan oil-free muffins have been a reader favorite for many years.

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (12)

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (13)

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5 from 11 votes

Oatmeal Banana Bites

These muffin-like bites use only pureed banana as a sweetener, and can be prepped in just minutes. Super for on-the-go breakfast – but also a great evening snack!

Course baking, Breakfast, Snack

Keyword banana, muffins, oatmeal, oats

Prep Time 15 minutes minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1 cup oat flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 – 1/2 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • 1 cup pureed overripe banana roughly 2 large bananas; see note
  • 1 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 3 tablespoons nondairy chocolate chips (optional can substitute dried fruit; see note

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 350°F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper.

  • In a mixing bowl, combine the oats, oat flour, baking powder, cinnamon, sea salt, and nutmeg.

  • Stir through until well combined.

  • Add the banana, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips (if using) to the dry mixture, and stir through until combined.

  • Using a cookie scoop, place 2-tablespoon mounds of the batter onto the prepared baking sheet.

  • Bake for 13–14 minutes, until just rm to the touch and a light golden on top.

  • Remove from oven and let cool on pan for a minute, then transfer to a cooling rack.

Notes

Banana Note: Use an immersion blender and a deep cup to puree your bananas (this is easiest, but a blender or small food processor will also work). It produces a very liquefied mixture, not like what you can get through mashing.

Idea: Try adding raisins, chopped dates, or chopped dried banana in place of the chips.

Recipe reprinted from Plant-Powered Familiesby Dreena Burton.

10. NO-Bake Granola Bars. Do they hold together? Yes.

Are they easy to make?Yes!

Tasty? YES!

Healthy ingredients? Yes, yes, yes!

Not a muffin, obviously, but these are perfect for school and work lunches so make it on this list!

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (14)

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5 from 11 votes

No-Bake Granola Bars

These bars are perfect for school lunches because they are nut-free and pack very well. Plus, they are pretty simple to put together!

Course baking, Snack

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup brown rice syrup
  • 1/4 cup (packed) coconut butter see note for substitution
  • 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
  • 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
  • 1 cup rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup oat flour
  • 2 tbsp unsweetened shredded coconut optional
  • 1 1/2 cups natural brown rice crisp cereal
  • 3 tablespoons nondairy chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions

  • Line an 8” × 8” pan with parchment paper.In a medium saucepan over medium/medium-low heat, add the brown rice syrup, coconut butter, vanilla extract, sea salt, and cinnamon. Stir until well combined and the coconut butter has melted. Add the rolled oats, and stir through, allowing to cook for 2–3 minutes in the low heat. Add the oat flour and shredded coconut and stir through. Remove the pot from the stove. Then, quickly stir in the cereal, and transfer the mixture to the pan. Press the mixture evenly into the pan (using a nonstick spatula or piece of parchment paper to press the mixture without sticking). Wait just a minute or two, and then sprinkle on the chocolate chips (you can choose to cover whole bars, or just a portion), and press those into the base. Refrigerate until fully chilled (at least 1/2 hour), then cut in squares or bars.

Notes

  • Coconut Butter Note: Coconut butter works well here because it is so dense and helps bind the bars. Because coconut is not botanically a nut, these are also perfect for school lunches. However, if you want to substitute a nut butter, choose one that is very dense, like cashew butter.
  • Idea: Try some of these flavor variations:
    • • Raisin-spice: Try substituting raisins for the chocolate chips (and adding them with the coconut and oat flour, rather than at the end), increase the cinnamon to 1/2 teaspoon, and add 1/4teaspoon of nutmeg and 1/8 teaspoon of allspice.
    • • Cranberry–pumpkin seed: Try substituting dried cranberries for the chocolate chips (and adding them at the same time as the oat flour), and substitute 2–3 tablespoons of pumpkin seeds for the coconut.
    • • Cocoa-hemp: Substitute 2 tablespoons of hemp seeds for the coconut, and add 2 tablespoons of cocoa powder when mixing in the oat flour and hemp seeds. Keep the chocolate chips, and add in raisins if you like!

There you have it! My favorite healthy vegan muffins and healthy goodies for packing into lunches.All of these recipes freeze well, so if you’re energized to double batches, go for it!

Oh WAIT. I have another… these Lemon Cranberry Muffins and my all-new Chocolate Zucchini Bread!

Whatare your favorite vegan oil-free muffins?

Oil-Free Vegan Muffins and Baking Recipes for Back-To-School (nut-free) (2024)

FAQs

Can you make muffins without vegetable oil? ›

Instead of vegetable oil, you can use melted margarine, butter or shortening.

Is milk or water better for muffins? ›

Can I Use Milk in Place of Water? You technically can, but it's not recommended. MUFFINS AND CUPCAKES ARE NOT THE SAME! If your box mix calls for water, it's probably because adding milk will make them TOO MOIST.

What is a vegan muffin made of? ›

A basic vegan muffin recipe requires just 7 simple ingredients. You'll need flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, and egg replacement, non-dairy milk and oil. That's all!

How does oil affect muffins? ›

Oil, being a liquid, distributes easily in the quick-mix batter and is readily absorbed into the baked muffin, producing a light non-greasy texture. Vegetable oil is ideal because its mild flavour doesn't compete with the main flavour of the muffin.

What is a good substitute for oil in muffins? ›

Greek yogurt, sour cream and buttermilk

Using some full-fat dairy products in place of vegetable oil works great in baked goods. Vegetable oil can be replaced with a 1:1 swap of Greek yogurt or sour cream — just keep in mind that the tartness of these products might alter the flavor profile of the baked goods.

What can I use instead of oil in muffin recipe? ›

  1. Melted Butter.
  2. Avocado.
  3. Unsweetened Applesauce.
  4. Greek Yogurt.
  5. Shortening.
  6. Coconut Oil.
  7. Bacon Grease.
  8. Nut Butters.
Nov 3, 2023

What is the secret to moist muffins? ›

How to Make Homemade Muffins Moist: Our Top Tips
  1. Tips to Make Homemade Muffins Moist.
  2. Keep Wet and Dry Ingredients Separately.
  3. Add All Flavorings Last.
  4. Consider Paper Liners.
  5. Don't Overfill the Muffin Cups.
  6. Check the Temperature of Your Oven.
  7. Test if Muffins Are Fully Cooked.
  8. Top Your Muffins with Flavor.
Aug 9, 2021

What type of milk is best for muffins? ›

The more fat you have in milk, the more the texture of the bake will change. You want bakes to be moist, so this means you should choose milk with a higher fat content to achieve this. Therefore the best milk to use during baking is in most cases whole milk.

What does egg do in baking? ›

What Eggs Do in Baking Recipes. Eggs play an important role in everything from cakes and cookies to meringues and pastry cream — they create structure and stability within a batter, they help thicken and emulsify sauces and custards, they add moisture to cakes and other baked goods, and can even act as glue or glaze.

Why are my vegan muffins gummy? ›

If your ingredients, even vegan ingredients, aren't all room temperature (i.e. some are cool, some are warm, some are hot), the cake will come out gummy. Another reason is that you might have been checking on your cake in the oven…by opening the door! Try to keep the oven door closed as much as possible.

Why use vinegar in vegan baking? ›

In vegan baking applications, vinegar is often used for it's leavening and flavor enhancing properties.

What do vegans use for baking? ›

You're in luck! Applesauce, aquafaba, and flax or chia seed eggs are the best vegan baking ingredients for the job. Additionally, both The Neat Egg and Bob's Red Mill make eggcellent baking alternatives.

Can I omit oil in muffins? ›

The most common way to replace oil in baked goods is by using applesauce or mashed banana. Other fruit purees work too, but most of them add more flavor – apple and banana are neutral enough to not overpower other flavors.

Can I skip the oil in muffins? ›

You may substitute the following cup-for-cup for vegetable oil in baked goods: Applesauce, preferably unsweetened. Avocado, unseasoned, mashed. Banana, ripe and mashed.

What can I use instead of oil? ›

So, if you're stuck without this ingredient, here's some alternatives:
  • Butter and margarine. Butter and margarine are glorious for adding flavour, richness and colour to meals so a great swap for oil. ...
  • Ghee. ...
  • Vegetable shortening. ...
  • Bacon grease. ...
  • Schmaltz. ...
  • Mashed bananas and apple sauce. ...
  • Tahini. ...
  • Sunday roast fat.
Apr 26, 2022

What can I use instead of vegetable oil in cupcake mix? ›

Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce can be used to replace oil in baking. It adds moisture and sweetness, resulting in a softer texture. Use an equal amount of applesauce as the amount of oil called for in the recipe.

Can you replace oil with water in muffins? ›

You cannot replace oil in a recipe with liquid. Oil, or fat, is what makes baked goods moist and gives them their signature “crumb”. Water, or milk, will evaporate during baking and the remaining dry ingredients in the recipe will bake into a hard, dry lump.

What can you bake without vegetable oil? ›

Instead of oil, I use fruit purees, veggies, dairy-free yogurt, nut butters, almond flour or other nuts, sometimes coconut butter. This gives lot of moisture and the fats still give that texture and richness that oil or butter normally give. Sometimes applesauce or pumpkin can be used interchangeably.

Can I substitute butter for vegetable oil in muffins? ›

It couldn't be easier to substitute butter for oil using a 1:1 ratio. This should work with olive, canola, vegetable, and coconut oils. Simply melt and cool the butter to room temperature, then continue with your recipe. (If the recipe calls for ½ cup oil, use ½ cup melted and cooled butter.)

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