Healthy Banana Muffins

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Healthy Banana Muffins yield delicious muffins with a light and tender crumb. This recipe uses everyday ingredients and contains no added butter or refined sugars.

Looking for a specific type of banana muffin? Here is a tried-and-tested recipe for Banana Crumb Muffins and one for Flourless Banana Muffins. For a healthy chocolate version, try these Chocolate Banana Muffins.

A stack of scrumptious healthy banana muffins.

 

Healthy Banana Muffins

My kids inhale muffins so I’ve started making big batches and freezing them. These Healthy Pumpkin Muffins have been on repeat for the past couple of weeks, but with some overripe bananas, I thought it was time to try a healthy approach to banana muffins.

These muffins are made with good-for-you ingredients. More on those ingredients below, but they have no refined sugar, healthier oils, protein-packed Greek yogurt, and plenty of bananas.

Ingredients in Healthy Banana Muffins

  • Ripe bananas: About 2 medium to large bananas equals one cup. Thoroughly mash the bananas with a fork in a separate bowl and then pack them tightly in a measuring cup to get an accurate measurement.
  • Large egg: The egg not only contributes protein to these muffins, but also adds flavor, color, and richness.
  • Coconut oil: This oil is better health-wise than many oils and adds a subtle coconut flavor. Read up on coconut oil benefits here!
  • Honey: Instead of using refined sugar in these muffins, we use honey. The honey sweetens these muffins perfectly in a more natural way.
  • Greek yogurt: We add yogurt to these muffins for protein, probiotics, great texture, and moistness. I highly recommend Greek Gods® honey vanilla yogurt (not sponsored).
  • Vanilla extract: Vanilla adds a nice subtle flavor; this ingredient is optional.
  • Flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt: All the usual dry ingredient muffin essentials. 
  • Ground cinnamon: I love the flavor the cinnamon adds to these muffins. If you don’t love cinnamon, it can be left out, or you can substitute pumpkin pie spice or apple pie spice for a more spiced muffin.

Mixing the wet and dry ingredients for the healthy banana muffin recipe.

How to make Healthy Banana Muffins from scratch

  • Combine wet ingredients in a bowl: Whisk the honey, melted coconut oil, mashed bananas, egg, vanilla, and Greek yogurt in a large bowl until combined.
  • Whisk together dry ingredients: The cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and flour are all combined in another large bowl.
  • Add wet to dry: Pour the wet ingredients on top of the dry and mix until just combined. Avoid over-mixing the batter as that will yield drier muffins.
  • Bake: Add batter to a well-greased muffin tin. Bake for 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the centers comes out clean or with just a few moist crumbs. 

How to mash bananas quickly

People typically mash bananas with a fork, but it’s important to make sure the banana is mashed really well so you don’t end up with big chunks in your muffins. To ensure smooth bananas, mash them with a hand or stand mixer instead.

Peel the bananas, break them into large chunks, and beat them with the mixer until well mashed. Then add in the rest of the wet ingredients.

Variation ideas

  • Chocolate chips: Add some miniature chocolate chips to the dry ingredients; use 1/2 to 1 full cup. We toss the chocolate with dry ingredients first so they’re covered in flour and don’t sink to the bottom.
  • Nuts or seeds: Sprinkle finely chopped pecans, walnuts, almonds, old-fashioned oats, or sunflower seeds on the tops of the muffins– about 1 teaspoon per muffin. 
  • Coconut: Sprinkle about 1 teaspoon of unsweetened coconut flakes on top of each muffin before baking. The baking process with nicely toast that coconut!
  • Add a crumb topping: In a small bowl, whisk together 2 tablespoons of light brown sugar, 2 tablespoons of white sugar, 6 tablespoons of flour, 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon, and 3 tablespoons butter. Mix until a thick crumb topping is formed and sprinkle on top of the unbaked muffins. While this does detract from the healthy aspect of the muffins, sometimes a special treat is in order!
  • Dried fruit: Add dried cranberries, raisins, or golden raisins to the Healthy Banana Muffin batter. Toss 1/2 to 1 full cup with the dry ingredients.
  • Make mini banana muffins: Add batter to a miniature muffin tin and bake for 12-14 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.

How many calories are in a banana muffin?

There are 152 calories in one full-sized Healthy Banana Muffin. Check out the nutritional information below the recipe card to see other health stats on these muffins.

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Healthy Banana Muffins

5 from 17 votes
Healthy Banana Muffins with no added butter or refined sugars. These muffins are delicious, light and tender, and use natural ingredients!
A stack of scrumptious healthy banana muffins.
Print Recipe

Healthy Banana Muffins

A stack of scrumptious healthy banana muffins.
5 from 17 votes
Healthy Banana Muffins with no added butter or refined sugars. These muffins are delicious, light and tender, and use natural ingredients!
Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
Cuisine American, Healthy
Keyword Healthy Banana Muffins
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 18 minutes
Total Time 38 minutes
Servings 12 muffins
Chelsea Lords
Calories 152kcal
Cost $3.35

Ingredients

  • 1 cup very ripe bananas (~2 bananas)
  • 1 large egg
  • 1/2 cup melted & cooled coconut oil
  • 1/2 cup honey
  • 1/4 cup honey vanilla Greek yogurt (I recommend Greek Gods yogurt)
  • 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract
  • 1 and 3/4 cup white all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • Optional: 1/2 cup nuts or 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips or 1/2 cup coconut flakes (Note 1)

Instructions

  • PREP: Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spray all 12 cavities of a muffin tin with cooking spray and lightly flour. Shake out any excess flour and set aside.
  • WET INGREDIENTS: Mash 2 very ripe bananas to get 1 level cup of mashed banana (See Note 2). Mash well to get rid of any/all chunks. Add to a large bowl. Add in the large egg, 1/2 cup melted and cooled coconut oil, 1/2 cup honey, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, and 1 and 1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract. Whisk until combined and smooth.
  • DRY INGREDIENTS: In a separate bowl add the 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, and 1/2 teaspoon sea salt to a large bowl. Add in the 1 and 3/4 cup flour (spoon flour into the measuring cup and level the top) and optional 1/2 cup nuts or miniature chocolate chips. Stir until combined. Add wet into dry ingredients. Mix until just combined. Do not overmix; this will cause deflated or dense muffins.
  • BAKE: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups. Each muffin cup should be pretty much filled to the top and all the batter should be used. IF desired, add a sprinkle of coconut on top of each muffin. Bake for 18-23 minutes or until a toothpick when inserted into the center comes out dry or with a few moist crumbs. Remove and allow to cool for 5 minutes before removing the muffins from the pan and transferring to a cooling rack.

Video

Recipe Notes

Note 1: Add-ins: We love these muffins and have tried them so many different ways! We've made them plain without anything added in or on top, with miniature chocolate chips mixed through, with chopped nuts mixed through, and with coconut on top. The step by step pictures in the post show the process for making these muffins plain. The first and last shot in the post showcase the muffins with coconut flakes added before baking.
Note 2: Bananas: To make sure the banana is mashed really well and you don't end up with big chunks in your muffins, mash the ripe bananas with a hand or stand mixer. To do this, peel the bananas, break them into large chunks, and beat them with the mixer until well mashed.

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 12muffins | Calories: 152kcal | Carbohydrates: 16.9g | Protein: 0.9g | Fat: 9.5g | Cholesterol: 15.7mg | Sodium: 9.1mg | Fiber: 0.5g | Sugar: 14.3g

We do our best to provide accurate nutritional analysis for our recipes. Our nutritional data is calculated using a third-party algorithm and may vary, based on individual cooking styles, measurements, and ingredient sizes. Please use this information for comparison purposes and consult a health professional for nutrition guidance as needed.

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Recipe Rating




38 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    Thanks for the awesome muffin recipe, made them this morning for my family! Lots of good ingredients – will be making again!

  2. 5 stars
    I have made these muffins twice in 4 days. They were that good and I am not a baker! Plus, my kids and the neighborhood kids loved them! Thank you so much for posting this yummy recipe. It is definitely a keeper.

  3. What a hearty recipe. Mine’s in the oven now and my 2 yo is asleep.. We sure are in for a treat once he wakes up. The house smells inviting already!

  4. I’ve been scouring the Internet looking for a muffin recipe with no button and here it is! Yay.

    Banana muffins……….here I come!!!

  5. 5 stars
    Thank you so, so much!
    These are absolutely the best muffins I’ve ever made! And I don’t even feel guilty eating them!

    1. SO glad to hear that! Thanks so much for taking the time to comment Christina 🙂

  6. 5 stars
    These are amazing! I made them once; they were perfect. I made them again and took them camping; everyone loved them! The third time, I had 1/2 can of pumpkin leftover from a failed muffin recipe (don’t ask), so I substituted the pumpkin for the banana and added nutmeg & cloves. Once again, exceptional. Thanks!

  7. 5 stars
    I made these muffins today and they are absolutely delicious! I subbed it with 3/4th cups each of buckwheat flour, oat flour and 1 cup of white pastry flour. Rest was the same. Got 24 awesome muffins out of these and they didn’t last long. Very yummy and filling. Perfect for breakfast or snack for my kids with a glass of milk.

  8. Mine are in the oven hoping for the best the batter tasted delcious.. my husbands not allowed eggs and sugar in his diet so I dint add those the rest is the same really hoping this turns out gud:)..will update once hes had em!:)*) thanks for the recipe!<3

  9. 5 stars
    I made the healthy banana muffins today, with currants and pecans and they are delicious!! What a great recipe,with healthy additions to eat anytime. THANKS!

  10. 5 stars
    Just made these for my 2 year old and myself and they are delicious and filling! Lately when I do a search for a recipe I type it in google images and browse the photos. So today I typed in healthy banana muffins and when I find the one that looks like what I want, I go check it out! I lucked out and picked yours first, it had all the stuff I wanted and didnt have the stuff I dont want! Anyway, thanks for sharing!

    1. Yeah!! That is so great to hear 🙂 It’s the best when you don’t have to make a grocery store run! 🙂 Thanks Gretchen!!

  11. Hi Chelsea! I love your recipes specially the healthier versions. Would love it if you could indicate the calorie count per serving ? More power to you! Keep ’em coming!

  12. 5 stars
    These were amazing! Made them this morning, and even minus the vanilla extract, they came out perfect. My toddler is scarfing them down for breakfast. I also didn’t bother completely mashing up the banana, so they came out a bit chunkier, but still delicious.

  13. I am going to try to make these for my 13 month old baby girl, but she is allergic to eggs. Do you know if they will still work out if I just omit the eggs? Or is there anything I should add in place of the egg?

    1. They won’t work without the eggs, but you could try replacing it with a “flax egg”. I’m not really sure how that will perform without trying it first though. Wish I could be of more help!

  14. 5 stars
    I made these muffins tonight and they are delicious! These are so moist and light and will definitely make these again.

    1. Ahh i’m so glad to hear! Those sound like some awesome substitutions! Glad you enjoyed! 🙂

  15. I just made these muffins and they are the best muffins I have ever had and so few calories. I am going to add raisins next time. I would have like to have had the nutrition facts though.

  16. 5 stars
    Great muffins! Followed the recipe and they turned out delicious. Very moist, not too dense, and subtle flavor. I might add a little more cinnamon next time. Nutritious too! Thanks for recipe!

    1. I’m so glad you enjoyed these! You should definitely try it with more cinnamon if you’d like more flavor! 🙂 Thanks Carol!

    1. I haven’t tried either in this recipe so I’m not really sure. I know both absorb a lot more liquid than regular flour so the muffins would need some tweaking

  17. These muffins sound delicious. Just wondering if I could substitute apple sauce for the yogurt. My family has a dairy sensitivity.
    Thanks for the healthy recipe!

    1. I’m sorry I haven’t ever tried that, I don’t think the two are a great substitute for each other though (yogurt is going to be thicker and more substantial while applesauce would act more like an oil). Wish I could be of more help.

  18. 5 stars
    These are delicious! Our family tries our best to eat sugar-free and while my toddler enjoys everything, my husband instantly can tell when I bake “healthy”. Nothing taste as good as when it is loaded with sugar right?? Not this time! These taste amazing!! There is no “healthy” taste to these muffins. They just taste darn good! After trying this recipe, my husband thought I made traditional sugared muffins. He was pleasantly surprised to find out these were naturally sweetened. Best muffins ever!
    How should I store these? Are they fine left on the counter in an air tight container? Or do they need to be refrigerated?
    Thanks for a wonderful recipe!

    1. I am SO thrilled to hear this! Thanks so much! You can keep them our on the counter covered or in an air tight container and they’ll keep great but for a longer life you can keep them in the fridge! 🙂

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