Posted Aug 11, 2021, Updated Feb 24, 2024 I buy extra bananas to bake with every week. And since my kids love muffins, but I believe it’s important to start the day with a hearty and nutritious breakfast – over the years I have tweaked and perfected our recipe for the best Healthy Banana Muffins. They are easy to make in 20 minutes with a handful of nutritious ingredients like applesauce, Greek yogurt and whole wheat flour. These healthy banana muffins are sweetened with honey (no refined sugar) but no one can tell they are good for you! Toss in some chocolate chips or your favorite mix-ins for an extra-special treat.
Healthy Banana Muffins: Ingredients & Substitutions
Let’s discuss the ingredients in this healthy banana muffin recipe, as well as possible substitutions.
Bananas. Make sure the bananas are overripe for the best flavor and maximum sweetness. If you use frozen bananas, let them thaw to room temperature before using in this recipe – and don’t drain off any liquid that forms in the thawing process. Honey. Maple syrup is a great substitute for honey, and imparts a delicious maple flavor. Unsweetened applesauce. Cinnamon applesauce is also a great choice. I prefer unsweetened but you can use any variety you’d like. Vanilla greek yogurt. You can use plain Greek yogurt or sour cream if you’d prefer, just note you may want to add a little bit more honey. Salted butter. Unsalted butter, coconut oil, canola oil and ghee all work well as substitutes for salted butter. Whole wheat flour. White whole wheat flour, whole wheat pastry flour or regular all-purpose flour all can be used in place of whole wheat flour. Mix-ins. there are so many possible mix-ins that can be added to this healthy banana muffins recipe. Chocolate chips, dried cranberries, raisins, dried cherries, coconut, pecans, walnuts, almonds, etc.
How to Make Healthy Banana Muffins
As always, we’ll walk through this recipe step-by-step, and don’t forget to watch the video. Begin by combining flour, baking soda, cinnamon and sea salt, in a medium bowl, then set it aside to use later. In a large bowl, combine bananas, eggs, vanilla, honey, applesauce, Greek yogurt and melted butter. Stir until the mixture is smooth, with only a few lumps of banana. Next, add the dry ingredient mixture and stir until combined. Once the batter is smooth, add mix-ins if desired. These muffins are is delicious without add-ins, however we usually prefer to make them healthy banana chocolate chip muffins – because chocolate for breakfast is always a good idea!
Healthy Banana Muffins: Mix-ins
If you’d like to add some mix-ins, here are some suggestions:
Chocolate Chips (milk, dark, light, etc.) Walnuts Pecans Cinnamon chips White chocolate chips Blueberries Dried fruit (cranberries, rasins, etc.) Swirl of peanut butter or Nutella Unsweetened coconut
Bake & Cool
Pour the muffin batter into prepared muffin tin and bake in preheated oven for 15-20 minutes, or until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out with moist crumbs. Remove the healthy banana muffins from tin and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Serve
Serve these healthy banana muffins slightly warm or at room temperature! I suggest serving them with a slather of this cinnamon honey butter, homemade peanut butter or this homemade vanilla almond butter.
Store
Store them in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Freeze
These muffins freeze very well. Let them cool, then transfer them to an airtight container in the freezer and store for up to 2 months. To thaw, warm in the microwave for 30-60 seconds. If you make and love our recipes, it would mean so much to me if you would leave a comment and rating! And don’t forget to follow along with us on Instagram, Pinterest, Facebook, and Youtube – be sure to tag @joyfoodsunshine and use the hashtag #joyfoodsunshine so we can see your creations!
