Healthy Banana Muffins

Healthy Banana Muffins are the perfect way to up any ripe bananas you have sitting on the counter. They bake up light and fluffy, so you’d never know they are made with healthier ingredients!

Inspired by my famous Oat Flour Banana Bread, they have the perfect amount of banana flavor, with a touch of warming cinnamon. Serve a muffin with a glass of almond milk, for the perfect after-school snack, or an easy breakfast on the go.

Need a vegan recipe? Be sure to check out my Vegan Pumpkin Muffins, which are also made with oat flour. You can swap the pumpkin puree for mashed bananas, instead!

Why You’ll Love Them

Here are a few reasons why you’ll love this delicious banana muffin recipe.

• They’re made with oat flour, so they’re naturally gluten-free and a good source of fiber. Did you know you can make homemade oat flour? All you have to do is grind rolled oats in a blender– it takes about 60 seconds!
• They’re naturally sweetened with coconut sugar. The granulated sugar gives these muffins a better texture than using honey or maple syrup, in my opinion, but be sure to check out the substitution suggestions below if you need to.
• They’re nut-free. That means you can send them to school as a healthy snack!
• They freeze well. If you can’t eat the whole batch this week, save some for later in your freezer. You can thaw them in the fridge overnight when you need something easy to grab in the morning.
• All you need is one bowl to make them, using simple ingredients! It takes less than 10 minutes to stir this batter together.

Ingredients You’ll Need

What’s inside?

• Ripe bananas
• Oat flour
• Eggs
• Coconut sugar
• Olive oil
• Baking powder
• Cinnamon
• Salt

Be sure to use bananas with lots of brown spots on their skin, for the best results. The riper the bananas are, the sweeter the muffins will turn out, without having to add too much extra sweetness from added sugar.

If you only have frozen bananas on hand, you can use those, too. Just make sure to thaw the bananas first, and include the liquid that releases from them as they thaw.

How to Make Healthy Banana Muffins

1. Mix.

Peel the ripe bananas and add them to a large bowl. Mash the bananas with a fork until they are relatively smooth, then add in the oat flour, coconut sugar, eggs, olive oil, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.

Stir well, until the batter is thicken and looks relatively uniform.

2. Bake. 

Preheat the oven to 350ºF and prepare a muffin tin by lining it with paper liners (or silicone liners), for easy removal later. Divide the batter between the muffins cups, then sprinkle on any extra toppings you like, such as chopped nuts, sliced almonds, or chocolate chips. (This is totally optional! You can also fold these into the batter, if you’d like to.)

Bake until the muffins rise in the center, about 22 to 24 minutes. You can also test the middles with a toothpick, to make sure it comes out clean.

3. Enjoy!

Let the muffins cool for at least 30 minutes, then they are ready to eat. Enjoy one warm with a pat of butter on top, or try spreading it with some peanut butter, for a snack with extra protein.

Leftovers can be stored at room temperature for up to 3 days, or you can store them in the fridge for up to 1 week. You can also store muffins in the freezer for up to 3 months, as long as they are tightly sealed.

Substitutions

Need to make a swap? Below you’ll find my best guess when it comes to making substitutions.

Can I use a different flour? If you would rather use whole wheat flour or all purpose flour, I would start with slightly less than this recipe calls for, since those two options are more dense. I’d probably start with just 1 cup and see how they turn out.

Can I leave out the eggs? Eggs are key to the structure of these muffins, so I don’t think flax eggs would give you a similar result. I’d recommend starting with one of my vegan muffin recipes, like carrot cake muffins, so you have a little more guidance.

Can I use baking soda? If you don’t have baking powder on hand, you can use 3/4 teaspoon of baking soda instead. In that case, I recommend also adding 1 teaspoon of vinegar to the recipe, to make sure no baking soda flavor remains in the final baked muffins.

Can I use a different oil? If you’d like to use something other than olive oil, melted butter or coconut oil should also work similarly. Keep in mind that they will change the texture of the muffins slightly when they are cool, since coconut oil and butter are both solid fats. For a softer muffin, use a vegetable oil like olive oil or avocado oil.

Can I make them oil-free? Typically, you can swap the oil in a recipe for applesauce or Greek yogurt, with slightly different results. (Oat flour is slightly gummier in the middle, when you skip the oil.)

Can I leave out the cinnamon? Sure! This recipe is easy to customize, so you could swap the cinnamon for a teaspoon of vanilla extract instead. Or add in some chopped walnuts or pecans, for a different variation. I like to add a few nuts on top, once the batter is in the muffin pan, for a little added crunch.

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

• Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins (made with coconut flour)
• Flourless Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
• Almond Flour Muffins
• Spinach Muffins (made in a blender!)
• Apple Spice Paleo Muffins

Healthy Banana Muffins

5 from 13 votes

These fluffy banana muffins are made with whole grain oat flour, and taste like banana bread! All you need is one bowl and a few simple ingredients to make them.

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Prep Time: 10 mins

Cook Time: 22 mins

Total Time: 32 mins

Servings: 12

Ingredients

• 1 cup mashed banana (2 medium ripe bananas)
• 1 1/4 cups oat flour
• 3 large eggs
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts (optional topping)

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Instructions 

• Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with 12 paper liners. In a large bowl, combine the mashed banana, oat flour, eggs, coconut sugar, olive oil, cinnamon, baking powder, and salt. Mix well, until the batter looks relatively smooth.
• Use a 1/4 cup measure to pour the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Top each muffin with a few chopped walnuts, if desired. (Or omit for a nut-free recipe.) Bake the muffins at 350ºF for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the tops of the muffins feel firm in the center.
• Let the muffins cool in the pan for at least 20 minutes, then they are ready to serve. You can store leftover muffins at room temperature for up to 2 days, or they will last longer in an airtight container in the fridge, for up to 1 week. You can also freeze leftover muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

Video

Notes

Nutrition information is for 1 of 12 muffins, including the optional walnut topping. This information is automatically calculated, and is just an estimate, not a guarantee.

Nutrition

Calories: 181kcal, Carbohydrates: 20g, Protein: 4g, Fat: 10g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 5g, Cholesterol: 47mg, Sodium: 129mg, Potassium: 220mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 7g, Vitamin A: 79IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 51mg, Iron: 1mg

Author: Megan Gilmore

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Keyword: healthy banana muffins

If you try this healthy banana muffin recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below letting me know how you like them!