WIC Oatmeal Banana Muffin Squares

Name: WIC Oatmeal Banana Muffin Squares
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 28 min
Total time: 43 min
Yield: 12 squares
Cuisine: American
Ingredients: 2 cups old-fashioned oats; 2 cups all-purpose flour; 3/4 cup brown sugar; 2 teaspoons baking powder; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon; 1 teaspoon kosher salt; 3 very ripe bananas, mashed; 2 large eggs; 1 1/2 cups milk; 1/2 cup vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons vanilla extract; 1/2 cup raisins

Soft banana oat breakfast squares that use common pantry staples, bake in one pan, and hold up for breakfasts, snacks, and lunchboxes.

Cuisine: American
Dietary: Vegetarian

Prep: 15 min
Cook: 28 min
Total: 43 min
Yield: 12 squares

Filed under

Equipment

mixing bowls
whisk
9x13 baking dish

Storage

Store covered at room temperature for 1 day or refrigerate for up to 4 days. For longer holding, freeze the cut squares and thaw as needed.

Large Family Scaling

Planned scaling target: 18 servings.

Double the recipe in two pans instead of one oversized pan so the center still bakes through before the edges dry out.
Rotate the pans halfway through baking if your oven colors unevenly.
Two standard pans hold moisture more evenly than one extra-deep pan.

Troubleshooting

The squares baked up heavy: The batter was likely overmixed. Warm a square slightly before serving to soften it, and mix the next batch only until the flour disappears.
The center stayed damp: Return the pan to the oven for a few more minutes and tent loosely with foil if the edges are already well colored.

Ingredients

Dry ingredients

2 cups old-fashioned oats
2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup brown sugar
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1 teaspoon kosher salt

Wet ingredients

3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup vegetable oil
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
1/2 cup raisins

Method

Heat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit and grease a 9x13 baking dish so the squares release cleanly once cooled.
In a large bowl, whisk together the oats, flour, brown sugar, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt until the leavening is evenly distributed.
In a second bowl, whisk the bananas, eggs, milk, oil, and vanilla until the bananas are mostly smooth and the mixture looks fully blended.
Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, fold just until no dry flour pockets remain, then stir in the raisins.
Spread the batter evenly in the pan and smooth the top into the corners so the center and edges bake at the same pace.
Bake for 26 to 30 minutes, until the center springs back lightly and a tester in the middle comes out with moist crumbs instead of wet batter.
Cool in the pan for 15 minutes before cutting so the squares hold together instead of crumbling apart hot.

Notes

These squares are built for the kind of week where breakfast needs to already be in the kitchen before the day starts pushing. The oats help them stay satisfying, the bananas keep the crumb tender, and the pan cut means you can portion them fast without standing over a muffin tin.

They are not meant to taste like a bakery cupcake. They are meant to taste warm, steady, and worth eating again tomorrow.

Recipe Rescue

The bananas were not sweet enough and the pan tastes flat

Likely cause:The fruit was not fully ripe, so the batter lost both sweetness and aroma.

Fix now:Serve the squares warm with a thin swipe of peanut butter or a spoonful of yogurt to bring back richness and flavor.

Next time:Use heavily speckled bananas so the batter gets full banana sweetness without needing more sugar.

Substitutions

Raisins

Swap:Use diced apple or chopped dates.

If you use fresh apple, keep the pieces small so they soften before the batter overbakes.

Carryover / Next Meal Ideas

Breakfast parfait cups

Crumble a square into a bowl or jar with yogurt and fruit for a fast second-day breakfast that still feels like something put together on purpose.

If the squares have dried slightly in the refrigerator, warm them for a few seconds before crumbling.