Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins
These whole wheat, maple-sweetened banana muffins are the best! So fluffy and moist, I bet no one can guess they're healthy muffins. Easy to make, too.
Updated by Kathryne Taylor on August 30, 2024
Meet the banana muffins of my dreams. They’re fluffy, whole grain, naturally sweetened, totally delicious banana muffins. They’re also about as healthy as muffins can be. The recipe calls for basic ingredients and you can mix them all together in one bowl. Too much to be true? Nope.
These muffins are a derivative of my super popular banana bread and pumpkin muffin recipes. If you love these, you certainly don’t miss the blueberry muffins in my cookbook.
Muffins aside, can I tell you what else is exciting? I got a new camera! Can you tell? Bueller? Bueller? Well, that’s ok. I can, and I’m thrilled about it. I bought my old camera during my last year of college and it was the best investment I ever made. Eight years and 88,000 (that’s eighty-eight thousand) photographs later, it was time to upgrade.
My new camera and I are still getting acquainted. I haven’t found the best settings or figured out all the fancy-pants features just yet (anyone want video?). We’ll get there. Photographing these banana muffins was a learning experience. A very tasty learning experience.
The Best Banana Muffins
Here are a few reasons to love this banana muffin recipe (which happens to be more nutritionally redeeming than most):
- These muffins are easy to make with basic ingredients. Only one bowl required!
- They’re made with 100% whole grains, yet they’re fluffy and delicious. No one will know the difference.
- They’re also naturally sweetened with maple syrup or honey, rather than loaded with refined sugar. The maple syrup (or honey) offers a touch of extra flavor, which I love.
- A touch of cinnamon offers some warming spice flavor. These muffins will make your house smell amazing!
- These muffins freeze well, too. Just defrost individual muffins in the microwave for 30 to 60 seconds, or until gently warmed through. You don’t want to overdo it.
Please let me know how your muffins turn out in the comments! I love hearing from you, and hope these banana muffins are your new favorite.
Craving more wholesome banana treats? Don’t miss my banana oat pancakes, vegan banana scones, healthy banana bread and banana cake with cream cheese frosting.
Watch How to Make Banana Muffins
Maple-Sweetened Banana Muffins
These whole wheat, maple-sweetened banana muffins are so fluffy and moist, I bet no one can guess they’re healthy muffins. They’re easy to make, too, with basic ingredients and only one mixing bowl! Feel free to add mix-ins of your choice, like chocolate chips or toasted nuts. Recipe yields 12 muffins.
Ingredients
- ⅓ cup melted coconut oil or extra-virgin olive oil*
- ½ cup maple syrup or honey
- 2 eggs, preferably at room temperature
- 1 cup packed mashed ripe bananas (about 3 bananas)
- ¼ cup milk of choice or water (I used almond milk)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon, plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1 ¾ cups white whole wheat flour or regular whole wheat flour
- ⅓ cup old-fashioned oats (optional), plus more for sprinkling on top
- 1 teaspoon turbinado (raw) sugar or other granulated sugar, for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit (165 degrees Celsius). If necessary, grease all 12 cups of your muffin tin with butter or non-stick cooking spray (my pan is non-stick and didn’t require any grease).
- In a large bowl, beat the coconut oil and maple syrup together with a whisk. Add the eggs and beat well. Mix in the mashed bananas and milk, followed by the baking soda, vanilla extract, salt and cinnamon.
- Add the flour and oats to the bowl and mix with a large spoon, just until combined. If you’d like to add any additional mix-ins**, like nuts, chocolate or dried fruit, fold them in now.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups, filling each cup about two-thirds full. Sprinkle the tops of the muffins with a small amount of oats (about 1 tablespoon in total), followed by a light sprinkling of sugar (about 1 teaspoon in total). Bake muffins for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into a muffin comes out clean.
- Place the muffin tin on a cooling rack to cool. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan. These muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).
Notes
Recipe adapted from my healthy pumpkin muffins.
*Oil options: I love coconut oil here. I used unrefined coconut oil and can hardly taste it in the final product. Olive oil might lend an herbal note to the muffins, if you’re into that (although, I tested with California Olive Ranch’s “Everyday” variety and couldn’t even taste it). Vegetable oil has a neutral flavor but the average vegetable/canola oil is highly processed, so I recommend using cold-pressed sunflower oil or grapeseed oil if possible.
**Change it up: You could really go crazy with add-ins here. Fold in up to ¾ cup chocolate chips, chopped dried cranberries or crystallized ginger and/or chopped nuts like pecans or walnuts. With add-ins, your muffins might require the full 25 minutes in the oven. Another idea? You could top your muffins with my maple glaze from my pumpkin scones recipe to make them more decadent.
Serving suggestions: These muffins are great on their own, with a pat of butter, or spread with almond butter. They would also be fantastic with homemade pecan butter or coconut butter.
Make it egg free: Substitute flax eggs for the regular eggs.
Make it vegan: Substitute flax eggs for regular eggs, use dairy-free milk like almond milk and use maple syrup instead of honey.
Make it gluten free: Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose blend works well instead of the whole wheat flour.
Make it nut free: Use a nut-free milk.
Make it oat free: Simply omit the oats.
Make it lower in fat: I would argue that this bread contains a healthy amount of fat, but you can replace the oil with applesauce if you’re following a low-fat diet.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice. See our full nutrition disclosure here.
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I followed this recipe exactly then added some semi-sweet chocolate chips – they were absolutely fantastic. I’ve experimented a lot with different banana muffin recipes and this is by far my favorite- and everyone else’s who I have shared them with. Excellent, guilt-free recipe.
I’m glad you liked them, Analise! I really appreciate the review.
Just made this and I love it! This is a far healthier muffin recipe than most and I love the simplicity of the ingredients and using only a single bowl. These muffins will be in my weekly rotation.
That’s great to hear, Kim!
Just made these with my four year old. They’re great!
Wonderful! Thank you, Mary.
I was a bit skeptical at first for 2 reasons. 1. No baking powder, and 2. all ingredients mixed in 1 bowl versus the usual, dry ingredients in one and wet ingredients in an other. Turns out I was concerned for no reason at all, and in fact, no second bowl made for easier cleanup. These muffins turned out phenomenally. I added peanut butter chips and chopped pecans. Very moist, not overly sweet. I will certainly be making these again.
I’m happy you were pleasantly surprised! Thank you, Anne for your comment.
LOVE these muffins! Making them for a second time right now :)
Great! Thank you, Alaina.
Made them for my dairy free mom as she recovers from minor surgery. She loved them, and I did too! Neither of us really like cinnamon, so I used nutmeg and it was really a good addition. Used the maple syrup and it was a good level of sweetness. Great recipe!lesley
Thanks for sharing your variation, Lesley!
Delicious! I make banana bread all the time but so far this recipe is my favorite. I made them for a preschool class that had to be egg and gluten free so used flax eggs, almond milk and spelt flour and I think I liked them even better than with regular flour. I’ve also made a version where I add some butternut squash in place of some of the banana (getting more veggies into my kids = win :)) and it was just as good. Thank you!!
Butternut squash, very interesting! Thank you for sharing your version. I appreciate the review, Sara.
I made this recipe and the muffins turned out fantastic! I used thawed bananas which were frozen in the skins. They were more “liquidy” than mashed ripe bananas so I omitted the milk. Add-ins were chopped walnuts and dark chocolate chunks. Also, I doubled the recipe and made 12 jumbo muffins which took 30 minutes to bake thoroughly.
Thank you, Kim for sharing your experience and for your review!
Hello Kate!! This is the first time I used a recipe on your website. I had some rather ripe bananas that needed to be used. I typed in Healthy Banana Muffins and voila there you were!!!
These muffins are FABULOUS. My husband said ‘that recipe’s a keeper”. They’re moist and have a tender crumb, PLUS they’re good for us. I added some walnuts which took them over the top!!
Thank you for your healthy recipes. I’m looking forward to making more of them.
P.S. Cookie is very cute!!
Winning over the husband is key, from what I understand. :) Thank you for sharing! I’m happy you enjoy it. I appreciate the review and comment.
I just made these and they are delicious! I added dried raisins. Want to make them with less maple syrup next time to make them a bit healthier. And I made 15 out of that better! Thank you for this delicious recipe.
Sounds wonderful!
These were WAY too sweet for me, and I started by only adding 1/3 c maple syrup, not 1/2 cup! I winced when tasting the mix! (Granted I have been trying to do no added sugar, so am used to healthy eating, but I am also a total sweet tooth). I ended up adding extra flour and yogurt, but I think they might still be too sweet to give my 1 year old, or possibly myself. I would not call them super healthy, and next time I would try with zero added sugar (syrup). The banana is probably enough.
I’m sorry you weren’t happy with the overall flavor! If you want to cut back on the amount of sweet, go for it. :) Let me know what you think when you do!
I have made plenty of your recipe ….We ALL loved them!!
I have to say this….Wow ,you have gorgeous,beautiful hair!
Well, thank you Olympia! :)
So glad I found this recipe. I added a handful of pecans and chocolate chips. I annaforgot to add 1/3 cup flour by accident. Baked them a tad longer and they were excellent. Thank you!
You’re welcome, Anna!
I just made these… they are sooo good!
We didn’t have whole wheat flour, so I used plain flour and added 2 tablespoons of crunchy peanut butter to it. I thought the olive oil would be too strong but it adds a nice nutty herbal note to the muffins.
Thank you for sharing this recipe and now that I’ve found your website, I’ll have to try them all!
I’m glad you liked them. I appreciate the comment and review.
This is honestly the best ‘healthy’ Banana muffins I have ever made. I am on Dr. Ornish’s plant-based diet which is similar to vegetarian but also low fat. I used EVOO for the oil and egg whites in place of the eggs. I also added crushed pineapple to add moisture and sweetness. After the walnuts, cranberries and a few chocolate chips, it came out jam packed with goodness. I normally don’t eat things that I bake but I saved some of these for my guilt-free snacking. Thank you!
Hooray! I’m really happy you think so, Debbie. I appreciate your comment and review.
This recipe was amazing! Used 1/4 cup honey/1/4 cup maple syrup and it was heavenly. Made it twice already for snacks during the week!
Thank you! I appreciate it, Meredith.
This was great, tasted sweet, so happy to not have sugar, I’m trying SO hard to find new recipes and muffins are a staple and we needed a muffin as equally tasty as the delicious toxic white sugar ;) before I could ditch that recipe. I have to consider the expense of the maple syrup but this is a keeper.
Thank you!
Just made a batch! Had to use white flour instead of whole wheat as my flour expired. So maybe a bit more indulgent but so fluffy and yummy! I only needed two large bananas and it was more than enough. Yum!
Thank you, Cindy, for your comment and review!
I made these muffins came out delicious. My sister made them also and loved them!!!
Great!! I’m glad they are a hit with both you and your sister. Thanks, Jean for the review.
Made this today, turned out super yummy! My daughter loved it too, so it’s toddler approved :)
Toddler approved?! That’s great. :) I appreciate the review.
Just finished making these! They’re so delicious, moist and fluffy on the inside. I substituted the maple syrup for about 10 chopped dates. This recipe is so easy to make. Thank you, thank you for sharing!
You’re welcome! Thank you, for the review.
You did great with the camera!
Great pics.
Can you easily switch white/wheat flour with healthier flour like almond flour? Or will it be a disaster.
Thanks so much! I do love photography. And unfortunately, they aren’t a 1-to-1 substitute. More times than not, it will not work how you would like.
Hi Kate!
I work in a mental health unit at a children’s hospital and have recently started a weekly healthy cooking club with the kids :) We talk about nutrition and cooking as a coping skill while making delicious foods….Thank you for making so many budget-friendly, simple, nutritious and tasty recipes! We made the banana muffins with whole wheat flour and honey yesterday and they were amazing.
If you have any suggestions for kid-friendly recipes that require minimal chopping (as we can’t have knives on the unit, so I usually chop ahead of time), I’d love to hear your advice! Thanks again!!
Thank you for thinking of me! I recommend my salad recipes, or even oatmeal recipes. Or my chia pudding recipes. Checkout my breakfast and salad section of the blog. Hope this helps!
These are baking as I’m commenting!! Smell delicious!!
I made these muffins with maple syrup that my husband just finished
bottling.,.yummmmmm
Thanks
Homemade maple syrup?! That sounds amazing! Thank you, Judy for sharing.
I used butter instead of coconut oil and I used a little less honey, substituting it with unsweetened applesauce. I used a little more cinnamon plus a dash of nutmeg. I put about a cup of ground walnuts in. I didn’t put oats or sugar on top. The muffins were a hit with my 2-year-old and my husband and I love them too. This will be a regular recipe in my house from now on :)
I love this recipe…one of my new found favourites. the muffins are moist and rose beautifully. I used olive oil and I don’t really taste an off flavour. very good, this will be my new go to….just like your banana bread!!!
Hello, Mariella! I’m happy to hear you loved the muffins! Thank you so much for your sweet comment and review.
I Forgot to mention that I doubled the recipe and it was perfect….
These are quite simply the best banana muffins I’ve ever made. They are so moist and tasty. My 2.5 year old helped me make them (love that it’s 1 bowl!!) and I then watched her and her 10 mth old sister eat one and it’s the only muffin they’ve ever eaten the whole thing of! I made them
As mini’s for their lunchboxes for daycare and therefore am also loving that they are sugar free! Thank you.
What a fun thing to make together! I’m so happy to hear your family loves the muffins. Thank you so much for your review!
Really delicious. Made these this morning and everyone in my family (including my ultra picky almost 4 year old) devoured them in seconds. I used grapeseed oil (upped to 1/2 cup) and used 2 cups of whole wheat. Perfect! Will definitely make again.
Hi, Chrissy! I’m glad you all like them!
These are delicious!
I made them with GF flour and doubled the recipe and it they came out perfectly!
Thank you so much
xo
Yay! I’m so glad they worked for you. Thank you for the comment and star review!
Oh. My. Goodness. These were the BEST muffins! What a perfect recipe!!!! They are moist, and the amount of sweetness…the oats and sugar on top are an added bonus! My husband and I absolutely loved them! There will be no other banana bread/muffin recipe needed in my kitchen besides this one! I was sooo excited! The only thing I changed, was the flour. I used brown rice flour–because that’s what I had, and the only thing I use.
Does anyone know how many calories these are per muffin?
Have made these twice now, im obsessed!!
Hi Natalie! If you go below the notes section of the recipes, I have the nutrition information. One muffin is a serving and it is 208 calories. Hope this helps! I’m glad you are obsessed with them. :)
I made these for my coworkers today and they were delicious! Thanks for the recipe.
You’re welcome!
I have made these 5 times now and my picky 9 year old has said these are the best muffins she’s ever had!! I use EVOO and I don’t think it affects the taste at all in my opinion. I also use ½ white and ½ wheat flour so my kids don’t complain and gobble them up!
I’m glad the kids love them! Thank you, Marsha for your comment.
We’re trying to cut down on cholesterol and saturated fat so I made these with olive oil and flax eggs and they were wonderful. The whole family loved them!
Thank you, Lisa for sharing!
Delicious muffins!!! My daughter (5) loves them!! My only change was to reduce the honey to 1/4 cup. Thank you!!
Thank you! I love when kiddos get excited about my recipes. I appreciate your review, Elena!
Hi, I made the muffins and they were delicious. My kids(2&10 yr old) loved it too. Adding the recipe to my favorites. Thank you for sharing.
Wonderful, Lalit!
Made the recipe last night and the muffins are very good. I’ve added chocolate chips to half of the batch. It’s a keeper. Thanks for sharing.
You’re welcome! Thank you for the review, Johanne.
I’ve been making these muffins for years, every time I have bananas that are starting to get overripe. They come out great every time, no matter what I mix in or substitute for milk, etc. I love Kate’s carrot muffins too.
Thank you, Amanda for the love! I appreciate the review.
I’ve made these several times and they are always so delicious. Thanks for sharing a muffin recipe I don’t feel guilty feeding my kids for breakfast. The recipe is so forgiving too. I sometimes add ground flax powder to replace some of the whole wheat and sometimes I’ll toss in some chia seeds. Thank you! I’ve got some bananas defrosting right now to make another batch!
You’re very welcome, Megan! I’m glad it’s a family favorite. I appreciate the comment and review.
Delicious!! Doubled the recipe to use up some very ripe bananas and made 24 standard and 24 mini muffins. Froze half to enjoy as desired these are so yummy! Thanks for the recipe!
What a great idea, Jessic! Thanks for sharing!
These are incredible Kate! I gave these a try after looking for some healthier snacks for the kids and they went down a storm. I’ll definitely be trying some of your other muffin recipes after these were such a success. Lovely blog!
Great snack for kids! Thank you, Sophie.
This recipe turned out amazing, even though I substituted nonfat Greek yogurt for the milk/water and did 1 cup rolled oats (put through the food processor along with 3/4 cup walnuts) and 1 cup whole wheat flour. My previous experience with whole grain muffins wasn’t great and I was ready to throw in the towel but this recipe turned everything around. I’m glad to have found a light and fluffy whole grain muffin recipe that has texture.
That’s wonderful, Lauren! I’m happy you didn’t throw the towel in. Thanks for the review!
I just made these muffins. I’m eating a nice warm muffin right now. I added chocolate chips for my girls that love chocolate. Also added chopped walnuts on top along with the oats and brown sugar. They are delicious! my daughters are going to love them. Thanks for another great recipe!
You’re welcome! Thanks for your review.
These turned out delicious! They were very moist too. I added shredded coconut to the recipe as well.
Wonderful! Thank you, Annie.
Just made these and followed the recipe to the letter…well, almost. Instead of bananas I had two large ripe plantains to use up. Because these are more fibrous in structure than bananas, had to put them in the food processor before adding to batter. I also used olive oil and went with regular whole wheat flour (not white whole wheat). Can’t taste the olive oil and I am thrilled at how moist and delicious these are! It’s my little secret as to how “healthy” these are compared to other similar muffins. These babies are going to fly off the plate tomorrow morning…thanks for the great recipe!
I’m glad plantains worked for you! I appreciate you sharing. Thanks for the review.
These muffins are superb! They are so moist and they allow the banana to be the star in flavor. They could compete with regular muffins in my opinion! I’ll definitely make these again.
That’s great to hear, Rachel! Thanks so much for sharing.
Hey! I recommend using avocado oil for this recipe. It is fabulous and has a high smoke point and neutral flavor! Chosen Foods Avocado Oil or Chosen Blend are my favorite!!
Thanks for sharing, Kels!
I’ve just made this recipe with added choc chips & walnuts and put it in a loaf pan, it already looks and smells gorgeous! Love that it’s made using maple syrup instead of sugar x
Great combination! Thank you, Mel for sharing.
Just made this today! So good! Swapped out the oil for applesauce, used honey, and it made 18 muffins using a cupcake tin. With that, verywellfit puts these at 108 per serving. Thank you!
Thank you for sharing! I appreciate the review, Cristina.
I made these today (used applesauce instead of oil and added chocolate chips). So good! Thank you for posting this recipe!
You’re very welcome. Chocolate chips, tasty! Thank you for your review, Jenny.