When you need a no-fuss healthy banana muffin recipe, this one is my go-to. Made with whole wheat flour, dairy free, and sweetened with maple syrup. Great for Sunday baking, meal prep and freezing for later, too.
If there is one flavor of muffins I can never turn down, it’s banana. I buy bananas specifically to let them go brown (ideally, black) so I can make the most flavorful banana bread and banana muffins, whenever the craving strikes. Which is often.
This has been a Fit Mitten Kitchen go-to banana muffin recipe for awhile, with new photos and some additional notes in the recipe card for you.
This recipe works well for meal prep, lunch box snacks, the morning rush – all the things! You can even make them into mini muffins for your little ones.
Main Ingredients
- Flour – for best results, use a combination of whole wheat flour with all-purpose flour, or white whole wheat flour.
- Maple syrup – just 1/4 cup is all you need to sweeten these banana muffins. If your bananas are not overripe, you’ll likely want to add some additional granulated sugar.
- Eggs – I use two large eggs here for structure and lift. If you want to make this recipe egg-free, try my flaxseed gel recipe.
- Oil – just a little helps keep these muffins moist. I like avocado oil or a light olive oil here.
- Bananas – make sure they are overripe and mashed very well. While you can use frozen bananas (thawed), you’ll likely end up with too much excess liquid. So if going that route, make sure to drain any extra liquid from the thawed bananas before mashing.
Pro tip: mash bananas on a plate or cutting board with a fork or potato masher – you get a wider surface to work with.
Find the full detailed instructions with measurements in the recipe card below, at the end of this post.
Step-by-Step Process
Here are the step-by-step instructions with pictures to follow. This recipe is really simple. I like to start with the wet ingredients in a large bowl. Then I slowly and carefully mix in the dry ingredients, adding a little bit of milk towards the end to help everything come together (without over-mixing).
Best Add-ins for Banana Muffins
This dairy-free banana muffin recipe is the perfect base for throwing in some additional mix-ins. Here are some ideas:
- blueberries or raspberries
- chocolate chips
- chopped toasted walnuts
That being said, I also have several banana muffin recipes on my site, each a little different in their own way. Reader favorites are: Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins, Blueberry Banana Muffins, Healthy Banana Nut Muffins and even Strawberry Banana Muffins.
Storing
Refrigerator: Store in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
Freezer: Store in a freezer-safe bag, air squeezed out, and label to use within 3 months. Thaw at room temperature then store in fridge if needed.
Want my Top 5 Muffin Recipes?
If you make this banana muffin recipe, leave a comment and review in the comments below! I love hearing from you and it helps others find the recipe too! Xx Ashley
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
Ingredients
Dry Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour, see notes
- ⅔ cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon, can omit if you want to add chocolate chips
Wet Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups well-mashed overripe banana, about 3 medium bananas
- ¼ cup pure maple syrup
- ¼ cup granulated sugar*, can omit if bananas are overripe
- ⅓ cup neutral oil, avocado, light olive oil, sunflower oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ tablespoon vanilla extract
- ¼ cup milk of choice, cashew, cow, almond, oat, etc.
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ºF and line muffin pan with paper liners, or spray with oil; set aside.
- Dry ingredients: In a medium bowl whisk together dry ingredients; set aside.
- Wet ingredients: In large bowl combine well-mashed banana with maple syrup. Add eggs and oil, whisking until combined. Gently stir in vanilla and milk then slowly add in flour until just combined – careful not to over-mix or you'll end up with tough muffins.
- Bake: Evenly distribute batter into prepared pan, filling about 2/3 way full. Bake muffins for 5 minutes at 425ºF, then drop oven temperature to 350ºF and continue baking 10-15 minutes, or until inserted toothpick in center comes out with no wet batter (some crumb is okay). Allow muffins to cool in pan for a few minutes before transferring to rack to cool completely.
- Muffins best enjoyed within 3 days, served warm with a little salted butter or your favorite nut butter. Enjoy!
Recipe Notes:
Nutrition Information
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Recipe FAQs
What’s the difference between banana muffins and banana bread?
Banana muffins are specifically made to bake in a muffin pan. While a banana bread recipe may work as muffins, you may end up with too much batter for the pan. So it’s best to stick with recipes you know will work for the pan specified.
Can I use a different sweetener instead of maple syrup?
Honey can be used as a 1:1 substitute. You may notice additional browning when using honey.
Can I replace the eggs?
You can try replacing the eggs with 2 tablespoons flaxseed meal mixed with 1/3 cup water (let sit and thicken). But I haven’t tested that myself. Do not try and make this recipe both gluten-free and vegan – the texture will change too much.
Can I use frozen bananas?
You can use frozen bananas, but make sure to drain the excess liquid out after they thaw.
How do I make these muffins nut-free?
As long as you use a nut-free milk and don’t add any nuts into the batter, this recipe is nut-free.
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