Prep your pan and oven: Heat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners, or lightly grease each cup.

Blend the dry base: Add 2 cups of rolled oats to a food processor or high-speed blender. Pulse until the oats look like a coarse flour. A few tiny flakes are fine.

Add the wet ingredients: To the ground oats, add 1 cup pumpkin puree, 1 ripe banana (peeled), 2 large eggs, 1/4 cup maple syrup, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

Season and lift: Add 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1 1/2 to 2 teaspoons pumpkin pie spice, and 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt.

Blend until smooth: Process the mixture, scraping down the sides as needed, until the batter is thick and mostly smooth. It should pour slowly but not be runny. If it’s very thick, add 1–2 tablespoons milk or water to loosen slightly.

Fold in extras: If using add-ins, stir in 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or raisins. Don’t blend these—fold them in by hand to keep texture.

Fill the cups: Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups. Sprinkle a few oats or seeds on top if you like.

Bake: Bake for 18–22 minutes, or until the centers are set and a toothpick comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs. The tops should spring back lightly when touched.

Cool: Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then move them to a wire rack to cool completely. This helps them set and keeps the bottoms from getting soggy.

Enjoy: Serve slightly warm or at room temperature. They’re great plain or with a swipe of almond butter or Greek yogurt.