This year, I flew to Northern California the weekend after Mother’s Day for a belated celebration. As usual, we hopped in the car and drove to our favorite brunch spot an hour away, just outside of San Francisco, despite the rainy weather.
When we arrived, we found a sizable crowd waiting in the restaurant’s lobby, slightly unusual for the late morning. We put our name down on the hostess’s list, then found a bench on which to sit and wait for her to call our name and lead us to a table.
While in the entryway, we scanned the walls, which were completely covered in photos from patrons. For a long time, the restaurant offered a free breakfast to anyone who snapped a photo of themselves wearing the restaurant’s t-shirt at a landmark anywhere outside of California. We spotted places all over the world, including the Grand Canyon, the Eiffel Tower, Times Square in Manhattan, and Buckingham Palace.
In between pointing out fun vacation pictures, we also scanned the small chalkboard menu board right next to the hostess stand. It shared their seasonal and daily specials: a three-egg omelette with sun dried tomatoes, salmon, spinach, and goat cheese; an egg scramble with chicken sausage, green apples, and Brie; and lemon pancakes with fresh blueberries and lemon cream cheese drizzle.
Yet the most tempting option was the seasonal coffee cake: a towering slice of supremely moist and tender white cake topped with sweet cinnamon sugar streusel and filled with fresh peaches and…
Walnuts.
When I spotted that last detail, I internally winced a little bit. I go crazy during peach season and eat as many as I can in any form (fresh, in pies, in crumbles, in bars, in oatmeal cookies, you name it!) but…
I’m rarely a fan of nuts in my baked treats. Especially when it comes to cake.
So I opted for the standard blueberry coffee cake that morning instead (still positively magical and worth every bite!), but when I returned home after my weekend visit with my family…
I baked these Healthy Peach Oatmeal Muffins the very next day to get my peach fix! They’re incredibly moist and fluffy with lots of soft oats, juicy peaches, and cozy cinnamon. Yet unlike the restaurant’s coffee cake… These healthy peach oatmeal muffins are lightened up and made with wholesome ingredients — and no nuts!
Even better, they’re great for meal prepping or quick grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks. They also freeze really well, which I love…
It means I can thaw one and enjoy a taste of summer any time of year!
KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY PEACH OATMEAL MUFFINS
Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make a batch of these healthy peach oatmeal muffins! Since you’re probably familiar with common staples like baking powder, vanilla extract, and salt, we’ll stick with the more interesting and key ingredients.
Oats. You’ll start with instant oats. No, they’re not the kind that comes in those individual packets with flavors like apple cinnamon or maple brown sugar!
Instant oats are also called “quick cooking” or “one minute” oats. Just like traditional old-fashioned rolled oats, they only contain one ingredient: oats. They’re smaller and thinner than old-fashioned rolled oats, which means they soften faster. That results in supremely moist and fluffy oatmeal muffins!
Hint: You can usually find instant oats in containers right next to the old-fashioned rolled oats at the grocery store!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy peach oatmeal muffins gluten-free, then use certified gluten-free instant oats. They work perfectly!
Flour. You’ll use white whole wheat flour to make these healthy peach oatmeal muffins. As confusing as it may sound, white whole wheat flour is not a combination of regular whole wheat flour and white (aka all-purpose) flour!
Here in the US, white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat (hence the name!), whereas regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat. They both have the same health benefits (like extra fiber!), but white whole wheat flour has a lighter taste and texture, which lets the moist and fluffy texture of your healthy peach oatmeal muffins truly shine.
Hint: It’s similar to the difference between red and green grapes. Noticeably different appearance, slightly different flavor, yet the same health benefits!
Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy peach oatmeal muffins gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve shared how to do so there!
Spices. You’ll also add cinnamon and nutmeg to your muffins. I absolutely love the pairing of peaches with cinnamon! My grandma always added a little nutmeg to her famous peach pie filling, and I’ve started including it in almost all of my peach-flavored baked goodies too. It gives their flavor a lovely richness and depth!
Unsalted butter or coconut oil. Whereas many traditional recipes call for ¼ to ½ cup of oil to keep the muffins moist, you only need ½ tablespoon for this easy recipe. That really helps keep your healthy peach oatmeal muffins low calorie and low fat!
Egg whites. The egg whites act like glue and bind together the other ingredients. Since they contain the majority of eggs’ protein, the whites also provide structure and help your muffins stand nice and tall as they cool — just like bakery-style ones!
Greek yogurt. The rest of these muffins’ tender and fluffy texture comes from Greek yogurt. It’s one of my favorite ingredients in healthy baking recipes! Here, it adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil but for a fraction of the calories. It also gives your healthy peach oatmeal muffins a protein boost!
Sweetener. Instead of granulated sugar, you’ll sweeten your muffins with another one of my favorite ingredients: liquid stevia. Stevia is a plant-based, sugar-free, no-calorie sweetener that contains nothing refined or artificial (aka it’s clean eating friendly!). It’s also highly concentrated. You just need 1 ½ teaspoons for all 13 muffins, which is the equivalent of nearly ¾ cup of sugar!
This is the liquid stevia that I use because I love its sweet flavor and don’t notice any strange aftertaste like with some other stevia products. Although you can find it at many health oriented grocery stores, I buy mine online here because that’s the best price I’ve found. (And you’ll use it in all of these recipes of mine too!)
Tip: Many stevia brands and products have different sweetness levels, so they’re not necessarily 1-for-1 substitutes for each other. For the best flavor and texture, I highly recommend using the same one that I do!
Milk. Almost any type will work. I tend to use nonfat milk and unsweetened vanilla almond milk the most, and both perform equally well. Feel free to reach for whatever you already have in your fridge!
Peaches. Of course, it’s impossible to make these muffins without the fruit… So you’ll also need peaches! Both fresh peaches and peaches canned in 100% juice work wonderfully in these healthy oatmeal muffins. (And using canned peaches means you can bake them all year round!)
HOW TO MAKE THE BEST HEALTHY PEACH OATMEAL MUFFINS
Let’s go over how to make these healthy peach oatmeal muffins! This easy recipe is straightforward, and I also have some tips to ensure your batch turns out perfectly soft, moist, and flavorful.
Measure correctly. It’s extremely important to measure the oats and flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much of either ingredient will dry out your muffins. This is especially true of the oats because they act like little sponges and absorb lots of moisture from the batter!
Prep the peaches. I like to do this first — before I even pull out my mixing bowls or other ingredients! To begin, try to cut your peaches to be about the size of chocolate chips. This ensures your muffins bake evenly and every bite contains a juicy bit of fruit!
Next, before adding them to your muffin batter, you must drain your diced peaches. Yes, this is mandatory! I typically dice my peaches first, set them in a colander, turn to the instant oats (more on that momentarily!), and finish by measuring and mixing together everything else. This lets the peach juice drain as long as possible, which is key!
Ripe peaches typically contain a lot of juice, which they release into the batter as the muffins bake. Too much liquid will cause your muffins to collapse while cooling, and sometimes it can also prevent the insides from fully baking. But if you thoroughly drain the peach juice, you end up with really fruity and flavorful peach oatmeal muffins with the perfect moist and fluffy texture!
Soak the oats. Speaking of those instant oats, this is my #1 secret trick that makes these healthy peach oatmeal muffins incredibly moist and fluffy…
You’ll mix the oats with the Greek yogurt, some milk, and vanilla extract! By doing this now, before you measure or mix together the remaining ingredients, it allows the instant oats to begin soaking up the moisture and softening ahead of time. That leads to the best tender texture in your peach oatmeal muffins!
Prep the muffin cups. Low fat muffin batters like this one tend to stick to muffin liners like superglue, which means it’s nearly impossible to peel away those liners… However, I have another special trick for you!
Thoroughly coat your muffin liners with nonstick cooking spray first. If you do this before dolloping in the muffin batter, the liners should peel away from your fully baked muffins much more easily!
Tip: If you don’t coat your liners well enough and can’t tear them away from your muffins after baking, then seal your muffins inside of an airtight container and refrigerate them for 24+ hours. This will help loosen the liners so it’s easier to remove them!
Bake. Once you’ve nestled the batter into your muffin cups, slide them in the oven and set a timer. They don’t take very long to bake! Your muffins are done when the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with some crumbs attached.
Now the only question left is… Would you be able to stop at one? Or would you be tempted to reach for a second (or third), like me? 😉
And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy peach oatmeal muffins!
Healthy Peach Oatmeal Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup (75g) instant oats (gluten-free if necessary and measured like this)
- ½ cup (120g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1 cup + 2 tbsp (270mL) nonfat milk (divided)
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
- 2 ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tbsp (7g) unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
- 2 large egg whites (room temperature)
- 1 ½ tsp liquid stevia (see Notes!)
- 1 ¼ cups (250g) diced peaches, thoroughly drained (see Notes!)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F, and coat 13 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If using liners, then line 13 muffin cups with liners and coat them with cooking spray.)
- In a medium bowl, stir together the oats, Greek yogurt, 6 tablespoons of milk, and vanilla extract. In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, nutmeg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a third bowl, whisk together the butter or coconut oil, egg whites, and stevia. Stir in the oat mixture, mixing until no large lumps remain. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and remaining ¾ cup of milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 4 equal parts.) Gently fold in the peaches.
- Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups. Bake at 350°F for 23-26 minutes or until the top feels firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few crumbs attached. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡ Healthy Classic Peach Muffins
♡ Healthy Peach Mini Muffins
♡ Healthy Peach Pie Bran Muffins
♡ Healthy Peach Scones
♡ Healthy Peach Pie Pancakes
♡ Healthy Peach Pie Banana Bread
♡ Healthy Peach Oatmeal Breakfast Cookies
♡ Healthy Peach Oatmeal Snack Cake
♡ …and the rest of Amy’s healthy muffin recipes and healthy peach recipes!
If I use liquid stevia with vanilla, should I eliminate the vanilla? Will it make a difference?
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe Kelly! If you’re using this liquid vanilla stevia, then you shouldn’t need to omit the vanilla extract. (Most liquid vanilla stevia products only have a very faint vanilla flavor!) 🙂 I’d love to hear what you think if you try making these muffins!
Sorry, but I thought recipe for peach muffins was confusing to follow to many steps in the mixing of ingredients? I missed on a measurement s, not right,unfortunately they didn’t turn out! I will try another recipe maybe I will have better luck with it! Lol. Mary
I really appreciate your interest in my recipes Mary! I’d love to help make this recipe easier for you. What was confusing about the ingredients, measurements, and/or instructions? If you can provide me with more details about what was confusing, that will allow me to provide you with more detailed and explanatory information! 🙂
Looking forward to trying this. Your recipes have never let me down
You’re such a sweetheart Carol — that means the world to me! I’m so excited to hear what you think of these muffins! ♡
Can I use powdered Stevia? I always have it on hand, it’s easier to find on stores, and I won’t/don’t use Amazon for anything. Thanks as always for your great care.
I really appreciate your interest in my recipe, Roz! What’s the exact powdered stevia (brand + product name!) that you’d like to substitute? Many stevia products have different sweetness levels, so the amount that you’ll need and any other recipe modifications will depend on the exact stevia you have on hand. 🙂
These are GREAT! Well, I did accidentally leave out the peaches, but split in half with Ollalieberry jam, they were delicious.
Will try again with peaches! 🙂
I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins, Barbara! That still sounds like a delicious accident to me. My grandpa loved olallieberries and olallieberry jam, so I’m sure he would’ve approved! 🙂 I hope you enjoy your next batch made with peaches just as much!
Hi Amy! Love your healthy recipes. Want to make this one but substitute the liquid stevia with monk fruit/erythritol granular sugar substitute that I have in hand.
What adjustment will I need to make?
Tia
Kim
You’re so sweet, Kim! We love to hear that you are enjoying our recipes, and that you’d like to make these oatmeal muffins! Can you let me know the exact brand and product name of the sweetener you have? That will help us make sure we get you the right measurement to work in this recipe best!
The brand is volupta
Great, thank you so much for that information, Kim! You’ll need ½ cup + 2 tablespoons (120g) of Volupta’s erythritol & monk fruit zero calorie sweetener (the white granular one!) to replace the liquid stevia. You’ll also need to reduce the milk to 1 cup (maybe 1-2 teaspoons more!) to compensate for the different sweetener as well.
Some people notice a slight minty aftertaste with erythritol, so that’s just something to keep in mind if this is your first time baking with this sweetener! I’d love to hear what you think of these muffins if you decide to make some!
Made the muffins yesterday and they are delicious! I didn’t actually measure the peaches but I cut up 3 small and the proportions worked. I think this recipe would work with many different fruit! Going to save it to my favorites 😃 thanks for another great recipe!!
I’m so happy to hear that, Kim! It’s such an honor to hear that you are saving this to your favorites! That’s the best compliment we could ask for! Thanks so much for letting us know and rating this recipe. It really means a lot! I’d love to hear if you try these muffins again with other fruit! 😉