This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.
Healthy Banana Bread Muffins are the perfect healthy on-the-go breakfast or snack! They are made from healthy whole wheat flour, honey, and ingredients found in your pantry!
I’ve recently been buying so many bananas with the intention of baking up some crafty banana baked goods, but I always end up turning to my typical banana bread recipe. I spent some time on Pinterest last week trying to find new overripe banana recipes, and ultimately decided that it was time to make some healthy muffins with a dash of chocolate.
If you have a lot of overripe bananas after making these muffins, you can also make my Vegan Gluten-Free Banana Bread afterwards.
Ingredients needed to make banana bread muffins
This recipe calls for simple, easy ingredients. You probably already have most of these in your pantry and refrigerator!
- Whole wheat flour
- Salt
- Cinnamon
- Baking soda
- Coconut oil
- Honey
- Eggs
- Bananas
- Milk of choice
- Vanilla extract
- Chocolate chips
Kitchen tools required to make healthy muffins
These muffins require typical baking tools. To prepare these delicious treats, you’ll need a muffin tin, muffin liners (or grease/oil), 2 mixing bowls, a whisk, and a mixing spatula or spoon.
Healthy banana bread that everyone will enjoy
Last weekend, my usual bananas were ready to be transformed into something magical, so I chose to turn them into muffins. Something about muffins just makes me so happy.
I kept two for myself and ate one straight out of the oven, drizzled with melted peanut butter. The rest of the batch came with me to work (I’m always looking to pawn off goodies), and my co-workers ate them all within an hour of putting them out. Someone even left me a note that said they were delicious!
My coworkers were shocked to learn that these banana bread muffins were made with healthier ingredients. I love being able to show people that baking with healthier ingredients doesn’t have to be tasteless. Everyone loved them, which was a great sign!
A healthier muffin option
To make these banana bread muffins a bit healthier than what you’d typically find, I used a few special ingredients.
- Whole wheat flour: Whole wheat flour is a great option to use in place of all-purpose. It provides more fiber and nutrients without altering the taste!
- Coconut oil: I prefer using coconut oil over other oils and fats, as it contains more nutrients and is better for cholesterol, blood sugar, and more.
- Honey: Honey is an all-natural sweetener that tastes amazing. It’s worlds healthier than granulated sugar, making it my go-to sweetener option!
How to make easy banana bread
These are seriously the easiest muffins ever. They only require about 35 minutes, and they taste fantastic!
To start making these muffins, preheat the oven to 325F and prepare the muffin tin by greasing or lining.
Then, mix the flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda in a large bowl. Set aside.
In a separate bowl, mix the oil and honey together.
Add in the whisked eggs and stir. Then, add in the mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla.
Add the dry ingredients to the wet and stir to combine. Additionally, you can add chocolate chips.
Divide the batter into greased or lined muffin tins and bake for 23-25 minutes. You can use a toothpick to test.
Finally, enjoy!
Tip: Drizzle warm peanut butter on top for an extra delicious banana muffin!
Tips for achieving the perfect healthy banana bread muffins
Here are some little tricks for making the best muffins ever!
Preheat the oven
Make sure your oven is fully heated before putting the batter in the oven. If it’s not, it may cause the muffins to cook poorly as it heats up. If you’re like me you’re probably often tempted to throw the batter in as soon as it’s ready. However, it pays to hold off!
Measure the ingredients
Be sure that you measure out your ingredients closely, as too much or too little of something can completely change the end result. If you use too much liquid, for example, your muffins may wind up feeling dense and “heavy.”
Avoid over mixing
Be sure your muffin batter is mixed just enough, but not too much. As long as everything is incorporated, they’ll turn out just fine. Over mixing can result in hard muffins.
Storing muffins
These muffins can be stored in an airtight container and kept at room temperature for up to 4-5 days. Similarly, they can be frozen in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Optional substitutions
Here are some commonly used ingredient swaps. Feel free to customize this recipe to make it your own!
- Whole wheat flour: Use one cup of all purpose flour for every 3/4 cup of whole wheat flour.
- Coconut oil: You can use any oil that you’d like, including canola, olive, or vegetable. Each oil will have a slightly different taste.
- Almond milk: You can use the milk of your choice, including cow, coconut, oat, etc.
- Chocolate chips: Feel free to use dark or white chocolate, fruit, dried cranberries, or whatever you’d like!
How to make vegan banana bread muffins
As long as you use a plant-based milk, the only non-vegan ingredient in these muffins are the eggs. As an egg substitute, you could try a number of things. Here are some ideas:
- Applesauce: You can use 1/4 cup of applesauce in place of each egg. You’ll need 1/2 cup for this recipe. As a bonus, applesauce adds a dash of sweetness that tastes great.
- Flax seeds: To use flax seeds, you’ll need to mix them with water until they’ve absorbed all or most of it. Mix 1 tbsp of seeds with 3 tbsp of water for each egg.
- Chia seeds: These seeds work the same way as flax seeds. Mix 1 tbsp of chia seeds with 3 tbsp of water for each egg, and stir until the seeds fully absorb the water. You may need to let them sit for a few minutes.
Try these muffin recipes from Erin Lives Whole!
Everyone loves a great muffin recipe. That being said, I thought I’d include some more ideas below. Enjoy!
- Gluten Free Chocolate Zucchini Muffins
- Banana Blender Muffins Four Ways
- Healthy Strawberry Banana Muffins
- Healthy Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Healthy Banana Bread Muffins
Healthy Banana Bread Muffins are the perfect healthy on-the-go breakfast or snack! They are made from healthy whole wheat flour, honey, and ingredients found in your pantry!
Ingredients
- 2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1/2 tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 1 tsp. baking soda
- 1/3 cup melted + cooled coconut oil
- 1/2 cup honey
- 2 eggs, whisked
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
- 1/4 cup milk of choice (I used almond milk)
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 325F and prepare muffin tin.
- In a large bowl mix flour, salt, cinnamon, and baking soda. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, mix oil and honey together.
- Add in whisked eggs and stir.
- Add in mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla.
- Add dry ingredients to wet and stir to combine.
- If desired, add in chocolate chips.
- Divide into greased or lined muffin tins and bake for 23-25 min or use toothpick to test.
- Enjoy!
There may be affiliate links in this post! By purchasing a product I recommend, I may receive a small compensation. However, I only recommend products I absolutely love and use myself. Thank you for supporting Erin Lives Whole, it helps keep this blog afloat 🙂
Brianna says
I made these for meal prep and they’re UNREAL. I subbed molasses for honey since I didn’t have honey on hand and used water instead of milk (also none on hand) and they still turned out so pillowy and delicious!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Brianna, so happy you enjoyed them and made them your own!!
Allie says
Just made these and they came out perfect! So simple and yummy 🙂
Erin says
Hi Allie, so glad you loved the muffins!!
Erica says
I’ve made these with regular white flower and my fiancé absolutely raves about them! They’re great with mini chocolate chips mixed in or with a cinnamon brown sugar crumble on top.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Erica, so glad you both loved them!! Thanks for sharing!
Lise says
These are seriously the best banana muffins ever! I love that they are delicious and also healthier. My kids are obsessed with them, too! They each ate 3 of them in one sitting! Thanks for a great recipe!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Lise, so happy you and your family enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Kellen says
This recipe never disappoints, so easy and do delicious! I’ve added other mix-ins, switched up the flours, and made other minor alterations depending on what I have available. And they always turn out amazing!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kellen, I am so happy you loved them!!
Jenny Hsu says
My go-to recipe for using bananas that are about to go bad! I’ve even cut the recipe in half and used two small bananas. You seriously can’t mess this recipe up. I’ve added chocolate chips, nuts, or blueberries. So easy and muffins are delicious!
Erin says
Hi Jenny, thanks for sharing! SO glad you love it and make them your own!!
HD says
These banana bread muffins are perfection! It’s a no-fail recipe that always makes perfect muffins.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi! So happy you liked them!!
Becca says
LOVE LOVE LOVE these muffins and so do my friends, family and husband! I have made then 10X already. I highly recommend using applesauce instead of egg to enhance the fruit flavor and dust with turbino sugar. Also add extra choco chips!! So good 🙂 I love Erin’s blog.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Becca, thanks for your kind words! I am so happy you love them and made them you own! 🙂
Alyssa says
My two year old son and I make these every week! They are our favorite banana muffins!!
Erin says
Hi Alyssa, I love hearing that! So glad you two enjoy making these together! 🙂
Grace says
Made these with my little cousins (ages 9 and 3) while babysitting and they got a thumbs up all around! Love that they’re refined sugar-free and still delicious. I’ve been eating them as my after-dinner sweet toasted with some peanut butter and they hit the spot.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Grace, thanks for sharing! I am so happy everyone loves them!
Marie says
I make these all the time! They are a go-to when I am making goodies for others. I’ve had multiple people ask me for the recipe and shared the site with them!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Marie, I am so happy you love the muffins!
Julia says
Loved these muffins so much I had to make them again! (My roommates ate them all!)
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Julia, I am so glad everyone enjoyed them!
Ally says
I’ve been making these weekly. They’re such a nice afternoon snack/treat with coffee!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Ally, I’m so happy the muffins have become part of your weekly routine! Thanks for your support! 🙂
Kate says
I made these as a snack for my toddler, but I had to sneak one for myself they smelled so good. Delicious!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Kate! I’m so happy you both enjoyed the muffins!!
Sarah says
I made these muffins and they turned out perfect!! They were so moist, and cooked to perfection! I have made a lot of Erin’s Recipes and they turn out great every time!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Sarah, I’m so glad you enjoyed them!! Thanks for your continued support! 🙂
Carissa says
Erin, you did it again! These were delicious and so is every single recipe I have tried of yours. You are my go-to for dairy free anything and always suggest to check out your site to my family + friends first!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Carissa, I am so happy you enjoyed the muffins! Thank you so much for your kind words and support!!
Lexi says
So yummy! I made them vegan by using unsweetened applesauce and didn’t add chocolate chips and they were so good!
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Lexi! Thank you so much for the kind words and so happy you made them your own! 🙂
Christine says
My favorite snack or on-the-go breakfast! I always keep a few of these in my freezer for busy mornings.
★★★★★
Erin says
Hi Christine, I am thrilled you love them so much!!
JK says
What do you suggest to use as a substitute for coconut oil?
Erin says
any other oil will work. You could also try applesauce but I haven’t tried it!
Zoe says
Hi Erin! Can I substitute whole wheat flour with almond flour or coconut flour? If yes, what should the portions be?
Thank you so much!! 🙂
Erin says
You could probably do about 1 cup almond flour plus a few tablespoons! Or just wait until a few more weeks until my paleo banana bread muffin recipe comes out 🙂 hint hint!