Healthy banana muffins are made with nutritious ingredients and are sugar & butter-free too! They’re moist, tender, fluffy, and lightly sweetened and make a perfect snack or grab-and-go breakfast.
If you’ve tried my healthy banana bread, then you’re going to enjoy these healthy banana muffins even more. They’re all my kids ask for and I’m happy to make them because they’re super healthy and are butter & sugar-free!
These delicious healthy muffins are moist, tender, fluffy, and lightly sweet. They’re perfect for a snack or grab-and-go breakfast and they’re freezer-friendly, too. My kids love them as a lunchbox treat, which is a huge plus!
How To Make Healthy Banana Muffins
To make healthy banana muffins, Whisk together your dry ingredients (whole wheat flour, baking soda, and salt). In another bowl whisk together your wet ingredients (eggs, coconut oil, honey or maple syrup, milk and vanilla, bananas).
Combine the wet and dry ingredients and add chocolate chips or nuts if desired. To keep these muffins healthy, use dark chocolate chips.
Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick insert comes out clean. Transfer to a cooling rack and be sure to cool for at least 5-10 minutes before enjoying!
Why these Banana Muffins are Healthy
To make these delicious banana muffins, I’ve experimented with many ingredients over the years and this is my all-time favorite combo of healthy and delicious!
The first and most important ingredient is bananas which act as a natural sweetener. The secret to making these delicious muffins is to use extra-ripe bananas. The darker the better. The riper the bananas are, the sweeter they’ll be and that will make the muffins moist and naturally sweet.
Pro Tip: If your bananas are not yet brown or soft then you can place them in a 300F degree oven for 15-20 minutes or until dark brown. This will ripen them in minutes and make them perfect for baking.
Another important step to making these healthy muffins is to replace the sugar with honey or pure maple syrup.
For the butter, that is replaced with olive, coconut, or avocado oil. Coconut or avocado oil is my personal favorite here but feel free to experiment with other oils or even applesauce!
If you want to go the extra step and treat yourself, add in 1/2 cup of your favorite add-in to the batter. Nuts or chocolate are a great addition. I like to use dark chocolate chunks because dark chocolate is healthy and tastes delicious with bananas.
For the flour, I use white whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour is just as nutritious as whole wheat flour, it bakes better and tastes more like the regular all-purpose flour. Now, you may be asking yourself if you can replace the white whole wheat flour with regular whole wheat flour and the answer is no. Both white and regular whole wheat flours are 100% whole grains but the difference is the type of wheat.
The Difference Between Whole-Wheat and White Whole-Wheat Flour
- Whole-wheat flour is made with red wheat, which is darker in color. It has a slightly bitter taste and a coarser texture.
- White whole-wheat flour which lacks bran color. It also has a milder flavor and a softer texture.
How to Freeze Banana Muffins
I like to make a double batch of these delicious healthy banana muffins and enjoy one or two right away. Then, I freeze the extras. They’ll keep for up to 3 months in the freezer. To thaw one, just pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds and you are done!
More Delicious Healthy Muffins
- Healthy Peanut Butter Muffins
- Healthy Carrot Muffins
- Healthy Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Healthy Pumpkin Muffins
- Healthy Banana Oat Muffins
Best Healthy Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cups white whole wheat flour , or plain all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 2 eggs
- 1/2 cup melted coconut oil or olive oil
- 1/2 cup honey or maple syrup
- 1/4 cup milk or Greek yogurt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas about 2-3 medium bananas
- 1/2 cup dark chocolate chunks or nuts , optional
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 350F. Grease or line a 12 cup muffin pan with muffin liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, beat eggs, oil, honey, milk and vanilla for 1-2 minutes. Stir in the bananas, flour mixture and chocolate chips (or any other add-ins of choice.
- Pour batter into muffin pan. Bake for 20-22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean. Cool for 10 minutes and enjoy!
Video
Equipment
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I have never commented on a recipe in my life but absolutely loved the way these muffins turned out. I used 10%vanilla yogurt and substituted the chocolate chips with fresh blueberries. Perfect texture! I’m going to try with avocado oil next time and oat flour to make them gluten free
Your comment makes my day! So glad you enjoyed these muffins 🙂
This sounds amazing, but it is there a way I could make these with fresh blueberries? Or would they add to much water into the batter?
I’m also considering doing a batch with the dark chocolate chips but also dried cranberries.
Made them last night. Used full fat TJ’s greek honey yogurt (leftover), little less than honey than asked for, 3 bananas. Adjustments included: 1/3 cup walnuts, 1/3 cup chocolate chips, 2/3 tsp cinnamon. They came out very moist, not too sweet (IMHO). They’re not low fat, obviously, but the flavor is delicate
The best
If I wanted to make blueberry muffins can I just substitute a cup of blueberries?
Mine turned out too dense? I only had white all purpose flour to use though. Hubby still loved them though. I think I would reduce the honey next time.
How much carbs?
I made these muffins today and they were delicious!
These came out a little dry for me but still have good flavor.
FYI for those interested:
I calculated some of the nutrition facts using olive oil, 1/4 cup of honey and the white whole wheat flour and came up with appx 188 calories, 10 g fat and 8 g sugar per muffin.
I think “healthy” refers to them being made with natural ingredients, not necessarily for dieters.
Edit*
That is also with 2 bananas and no chocolate chips.
These are definitely not sugar free. Honey is basically pure sugar and is processed by the body exactly the same way as any refined sugar……
Not true. Honey is comprised mainly of digestive enzymes. Your body does NOT process it the same way as refined sugar. Honey is has a much lower GI rating than refined sugar. Get your facts straight before making negative comments.
I made these today with four roasted bananas and 1/2 the amount of maple syrup. They turned out perfect and delicious. They were lighter than I expected so even better.
Yum! Thanks! Kid approved!!!
Want to try these as cupcakes… What would I need to change? Just the cooking time? Have you ever make them as cupcakes? TIA
It should be the same 🙂
I see in big letters, gluten free. But until you look at nearly the last line to see “To make gluten-free: Use Bob’s Red Mill gluten free flour” someone who is unaware of making gluten free goodies for friends and family could be delivering a medical emergency.
Eric. Someone like that probably shouldn’t be in the kitchen without supervision any way. X
Really tasty!!! I used sugar instead of maple syrup.
i really loved them but my son found them too bland. Next time i would add a 1/2 cup of brown sugar. I used just maple syrup.
I wanted to make these muffins, but I could not exit the video ad and it was overtop of the instructions. Just FYi for the future.
Thank you so much for sharing this recipe..it was lovely . I didn’t have white whole wheat flour and I had to add a little bit more milk to bring the batter together. Halved the honey because the bananas were so sweet. Thank you for all the effort you put in!
Hi what are the calories of each one
These were amazing! by far the best banana muffin recipe! my younger siblings enjoyed these and were very surprised to know that they had no sugar! all ages and preferences will love this!
forgot to rate them!
These are not sugar free, they are full of syrup/honey – definitely sugars!
Don’t forget… bananas are also NOT sugar free.
Have made these twice and absolutely love them! Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Recipe came up grEat
Used molassess and addedd
Cinnamon sugar used sr flour instead of baking powder
Added walnut
Delicous good recipe
lookS GOOD.
My husband thought thIs was store BOUGHT because it was amazing!!
In the fourth paragraph you SAId dark “Chipotle” instead of I presume chocolate or cacao.
Thanks for pointing that out, I’ve updated it! Guess I always have chipotle in my head 😉
I made these tonight. To me it was waaaaay too sweet, like sickening cotton candy sweet. I don’t think it was just me either because my husband ate them by sprinkling some sea salt on top to dilute the sugary taste. The honey was very overpowering. If I make again I’d cut the honey in half.
What to do?! Comments above say too little sweetness and yours says too much! I’ll maybe try as it is written anyway.
Hi such a great recipe, thank you 😀 COULD these be frozen?
Yes, they can be. Wrap them in plastic wrap and microwave for a few seconds to re-heat.
Best banana muffin I’ve ever had and I’ve ever baked! I subbed our the flour and used equal parts ground oats. Amazing!!
Thanks for the great review and insights!
Made these this morning with regular whole wheat flour. Added a little extra oil, vanilla and CHOCOLATE chips. They were deliscous and disappeAred quicKly. Even the Picky ones loved them. This recipe is a keeper!
I made these WITH MY SON AND THEY TURNED OUT GREAT. LOTS OF FLAVOUR AND SMELT DELICIOUS. THANKS FOR THE RECIPE, WILL BE MAKING AGAIN.
Made these today. They were
awesome. Can you let me know the calories and nutritional information per muffin.
Thank you
Just made these today and they are perfection! Thanks so much for an amazing recipe! My 2 year old love them too!
Very delicious, soft and moist. I bake them for my grandsons. I alter the recipe a little. I used 1/2 cup semolina to replace 1/2 cup all purpose flour, 1 Tabsp honey. Thank you for sharing the recipe.
What are the cal in one muffin added two table spoons per muffin cup??
OMG… second time makINg these and they are the Bomb. Working out and trying to loose weight these are my go to sweet snack. Love theM like i love donuts And chocolate (except i cant eat thOse But these, these i csnt eat two and still feel good!
*Can eAt more thAn two
HOLY MOLY these are so delicious! Light and fluffy – perfect balance with the Chocolate! Ive been searching for the BEst minimal sugar, no oats recipe and THese take the cake! Yummmmmm
Hi, what is baking soda? Is it the same as baking powder? or do you mean bicarb soda?
This recipe calls for baking soda but if you do not have baking soda you can use baking powder.
baking soda is bicarb soda.
Yum! I cooked These for mY sons kinder class, so i altered the recipe slightly.
RemoVed all sugar (risky i know!)
Added extra banana (2 cups total)
Reduced oil to 1/4 cup
And to jazz them Up for a gRoup of 4Yr olds, brushed the cooked & cooled muffins with yogurt and topped with sprinkles
Enjoy!
So good, im a very picky eater and these are really good without the sugar. big fan.
These Were awesome! I’M PLANNING TO make These GF And DF For a Friend WITH SENSITIVITIES WHO JUST HAD a baby. Thanks FOR a GREAT recipe.
Beautiful ! How on Earth do you manage to avoid sinking all the chocolate to the bottom ?
COAT THEM IN FLOUR BEFORE ADDING THE MIX.