These healthy banana muffins are moist, fluffy, and flavorful! Made with whole wheat flour and maple syrup, they’re a delicious breakfast or snack.
I’ve been making this banana muffin recipe on repeat lately! Adapted from my healthy banana bread, it’s made with whole wheat flour and naturally sweetened with maple syrup. But even though these muffins are healthy, they’re super moist, fluffy, and full of sweet banana flavor. Kids and adults (well, at least Ollie, Jack, and me) can’t get enough of them.
I love these healthy banana muffins for breakfast or as a snack. We’ve been going through them pretty quickly in our house (I’ve made them 3 times this month already!), but if you have more restraint than we do, they’re great for meal prep. Bake them on the weekend and store them at room temperature for a couple of days, or freeze them for months. You’ll love being able to grab them on busy weekday mornings.
This recipe is easy to make with basic equipment and simple ingredients. If you have ripe bananas on hand, let’s get baking!
Healthy Banana Muffins Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to make this healthy banana muffin recipe:
Ripe bananas, of course! Like my banana bread, these muffins are packed with banana. The recipe uses 2 cups mashed, about 4 large bananas. If you’re a little short, you can top off the measurement with whole milk Greek yogurt to keep the muffins moist.
All-purpose flour and whole wheat flour – I like using a mix of these two flours in healthy baked goods. You get some of the benefits of whole grains (more fiber, more protein), without the muffins coming out dry or dense.
Baking soda and eggs – They help the muffins puff up as they bake. The eggs add protein too.
Pure maple syrup – It sweetens the muffins naturally.
Melted coconut oil – For moisture and richness. A neutral oil like vegetable oil, or even olive oil, would work here too.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract – For warm, spiced depth of flavor.
Walnuts – For crunch.
Whole rolled oats – For sprinkling on top of the muffins. They become lightly crisp and toasty in the oven!
And sea salt – To make all the flavors pop!
Find the complete recipe with measurements below.
How to Make Banana Muffins
This banana muffin recipe is easy to make in about 30 minutes! Here’s how it goes:
Start by making the batter. Mix together the dry ingredients in one mixing bowl and the wet ingredients in another.
Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.
Evenly divide the batter into a 12-cup muffin pan that’s lined with muffin liners or lightly oiled. Sprinkle with the oats.
Bake at 350°F until the tops spring back to the touch, 20 to 25 minutes. Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring the muffins to a wire rack to cool completely (or devouring them warm!).
Recipe Tips
The riper the bananas, the better. Brown, spotty bananas will give these muffins the sweetest banana flavor.
Spoon and level your flour. One of the most common baking mistakes I see people make is accidentally using too much flour. Because flour can easily become compacted, this happens when you scoop it up directly with your measuring cup. To measure accurately, fluff up the flour in its canister or bag, then gently spoon it into your measuring cup and level the top with a knife.
Don’t overmix the batter. Stirring the batter too much will start to develop the gluten in the flour, making the muffins chewy and dense. For the best fluffy texture, mix the dry and wet ingredients until just combined.
Recipe Variations
Change up the mix-ins. Replace the walnuts with another type of nuts, like pecans, or swap them out for dried fruit like raisins. Of course, chocolate chips would be great too!
Make vegan banana bread muffins. These muffins are naturally dairy-free. For a vegan option, see my vegan banana muffins recipe.
Turn them into quick bread. See my healthy banana bread recipe!
How to Store and Freeze
These healthy banana muffins keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To freeze: These muffins freeze well. Allow them to cool to room temperature before sealing them in an airtight container or bag and storing them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
To thaw: Let frozen muffins sit on the counter for about an hour to thaw, or defrost one in about 30 seconds in the microwave!
More Muffin Recipes to Try
If you love these healthy banana muffins, try one of these muffin recipes next:
Healthy Banana Muffins
Serves 12
These healthy banana muffins are made with wholesome ingredients like whole wheat flour and maple syrup, but tasting one, you’d never guess it. They’re soft, moist, and full of sweet, spiced banana flavor. A delicious breakfast or snack!
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Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin or line it with muffin liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, maple syrup, coconut oil, eggs, and vanilla.
In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose and whole wheat flours, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and nutmeg.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Don’t overmix. Fold in the walnuts.
Evenly divide the batter among the prepared muffin cups, adding about a heaping ⅓ cup to each one. Top with the oats.
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, or until the tops spring back to the touch. A toothpick inserted should come out with just a few moist crumbs attached. Let cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.
