I try to avoid superlatives when I can but I’d be remiss not to declare: these are the BEST Healthy Banana Muffins! I’ve been baking them for more than a decade, and they are a reader favorite too. Made with whole grains, pure maple syrup, and Greek yogurt, they are magnifically moist, fluffy, and packed with banana flavor!
Why You’ll Love This Moist Banana Muffins Recipe
- Tried and True. Since their publication date (many years ago), these healthy banana muffins with yogurt have received dozens of glowing reviews and been viewed millions of times. (They’ve even inspired Healthy Banana Bread and Oatmeal Banana Bread.)
- The Best Thing to Make with Ripe Bananas. While Chocolate Banana Bread and Pumpkin Banana Bread are delish, it’s these classic healthy banana muffins that I turn to most. They’re timeless and great for kids too!
- Wholesome and Nutritious. These healthy banana muffins with yogurt are wholesome without being too wholesome (for a more wholesome option, check out my Banana Bran Muffins). They’re made with whole wheat flour, yogurt, and sweetened with maple syrup, but they taste the most reminiscent of the sky-high banana muffins you’d find at a bakery. They even have that coveted shiny bakery muffin top!
- You Only Need ONE BOWL. While these aren’t 4 ingredient banana muffins, they are super simple. You only need one bowl and a spoon to make them. And OK, maybe a fork if your mashed bananas are particularly stubborn. Due to their ease and simple cleanup, these are the banana muffins I make most from my site (and I have a LOT of healthy muffin recipes).
5 Star Review
“These banana muffins are the best I have ever made in all my 40 plus years of baking! Moist & delicious, and my family loves them as well.”
— Donna —
How to Make Healthy Banana Muffins
The Ingredients
- Bananas. Naturally sweet, healthy, and an unbelievably scrumptious addition to muffins. Since bananas are packed with fiber and antioxidants and the other ingredients in the recipe are more nutritious, these healthy banana muffins are good for you.
- White Whole Wheat Flour. Using white whole wheat flour adds extra nutritional value.
- Greek Yogurt. Yogurt adds moisture and protein to the muffins.
- Oil. While these are banana muffins with oil, the amount is minimal compared to most recipes because of the Greek yogurt.
- Light Brown Sugar + Maple Syrup. The maple syrup tames the whole wheat flour, giving these banana nut muffins a pleasant taste and rich flavor profile. A moderate amount of brown sugar gives the muffins moisture and a hint of caramel flavor that pairs wonderfully with the banana.
- Vanilla. Gives these muffins depth and enhances their flavor.
- Cinnamon. For that classic banana bread warmth and coziness.
- Walnuts. This recipe contains an inordinate amount of walnuts (1 full cup, where most banana nut muffin recipes call for a mere 1/4 or 1/2). I love the nuts’ deep, toasty flavor and crunch, but if you are not as nut crazy as we are, you can certainly reduce that amount or omit them.
The Directions
- Mash the Bananas. Until mostly smooth.
- Prepare Batter. Whisk in the rest of the ingredients except for flour and walnuts.
- Fold in Walnuts and Flour. Gently stir in flour and fold in walnuts.
- Bake the Muffins. Scoop into muffin tin and bake banana muffins for 20 to 22 minutes at 350 degrees F. DIG IN!
Recipe Variations
- Gluten Free Healthy Banana Muffins. If you need these muffins to be gluten free, you can try replacing the whole wheat flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend.
- Almond Flour Banana Muffins. While I don’t recommend making these into healthy banana nut muffins with almond flour (a 1:1 swap won’t work), you can use my Almond Flour Banana Bread to make muffins instead.
- Coconut Flour Banana Muffins. Add bananas to my Coconut Flour Muffins recipe or try these Gluten Free Muffins, which already call for it.
- Healthy Banana Muffins with Chocolate. Try my Healthy Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. You also can swap the walnuts for 1/2 cup chocolate chips in this recipe. (For a more indulgent chocolate option, these Chocolate Banana Muffins are the move.)
Storage Tips
- To Store. Store muffins in a paper towel-lined airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- To Freeze. Freeze muffins in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
What to Serve With Healthy Banana Muffins
- Eggs. What you eat with banana muffins is up to you, but in our house, eggs are the clear winner. We love pairing ours with an Egg White Frittata, Easy Quiche Recipe, or Egg Muffins.
- Bacon. Banana muffins and Air Fryer Bacon or Baked Bacon in the Oven are a dream combination.
- Hash Browns. Whether you serve these muffins with my Hash Brown Casserole or Sweet Potato Hash Browns, the combination will be delish!
- Smoothies. For a light and nutritious start to the day, serve the muffins alongside a Green Smoothie, Peanut Butter Banana Smoothie, or Apple Smoothie.
Recommended Tools to Make this Recipe
- Muffin Pan. Enjoy these easy banana muffins anytime a craving strikes.
- Mixing Bowls. Perfect for preparing these yogurt healthy banana muffins.
- Whisk. This small whisk is ideal for keeping mixing messes to a minimum.
Recipe Tips and Tricks
- Store Your Muffins Properly. Yes, how you store your muffins does matter. Lining your container with paper towels helps absorb moisture, keeping your muffins from turning soggy. Check out my How to Store Muffins guide for all my best storage tips.
- Don’t Overmix. One of the most important ways to make your muffins fluffy is to avoid overmixing. Overmixing the batter can cause your muffins to become tough and dense. When you’re preparing the batter, only stir until just combined and do it as gently as you can.
- Get Creative! While we’re major fans of walnut-packed banana muffins, you can adapt the mix-ins however you please. Omit the walnuts entirely, toss in some peanut butter chips, add a swirl of Nutella, or use any flavor combination that you enjoy.
Healthy Banana Muffins
Healthy banana muffins with yogurt, whole wheat, and maple syrup. So moist and fluffy! This easy muffin recipe takes just one bowl.
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
Servings: 12 muffins
Ingredients
- 3 large overripe bananas about 1 1/2 cups mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup nonfat plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons canola oil or melted and cooled coconut oil
- 1/3 cup light brown sugar
- 1/4 cup maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 1/2 cups white whole wheat flour
- 1 cup walnut halves toasted and coarsely chopped
Instructions
- Place rack in the upper third of the oven and preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper or foil liners, or lightly grease with nonstick spray.
- Mash bananas in the bottom of a large bowl until mostly smooth.
- Whisk in the egg, and then the yogurt and oil. Whisk in the brown sugar, maple syrup, and vanilla. Sprinkle the baking soda, salt, and cinnamon over the top, and then stir until combined.
- Gently stir in the flour until barely combined, and then fold in the walnuts.
- Scoop the mixture into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup nearly to the top. Bake for 20 to 22 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean and the muffins spring back lightly when touched in the center.
Video
Notes
- TO STORE: Store muffins in a paper towel-lined airtight storage container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
- TO FREEZE: Freeze muffins in an airtight freezer-safe storage container for up to 3 months. Thaw and enjoy as desired.
- TO MAKE GLUTEN FREE: Swap the white whole wheat flour for a gluten free 1:1 baking blend.
Nutrition
Serving: 1muffinCalories: 211kcalCarbohydrates: 28gProtein: 5gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 3gCholesterol: 16mgFiber: 3gSugar: 14g
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I have everything from vegan healthy banana muffins to healthy banana muffins with applesauce to healthy banana oatmeal muffins.
Love these muffins. I am really cheating a bit on my sugar but once in a while is nice.
randy
Hi Randy! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Used a few substitutes still worked
KID APPROVED
ADULT APPROVED
Cooking again now
Thank you for sharing
I’m so happy that you enjoyed them, Kellie! Thank you for sharing this kind review!
Just a comment. When you double the recipe the amount in cups of mashed bananas does not change. It should say 3 sups. Making them tonight.
Hi Cher! Yes definitely check the recipe over when using the 2x or 3x button. The recipe card doesn’t always convert properly and unfortunately this is not something I can fix on my end! Hope you enjoyed them!
If I’m using frozen bananas, will it affect the texture as it may have more moisture/water after thawing?
Hi Eunice! I’ve only tested the recipe as written, but it likely should be okay. If you decide to experiment, let me know how it goes!
Made these muffins this morning- they were delicious – this recipe is a keeper!
Hi! So glad to hear you enjoyed it! Thank you for your kind review!
Delicious recipe! A real keeper. Here is what I did to bring the calorie count down to 150 per muffin: subbed Splenda brown for brown sugar (kept maple syrup as is), replaced half the flour with Fiber Gourmet flour blend, reduced walnuts to 1/2 cup, substituted walnut oil for canola oil to amp up walnut flavor. I used fage 5% Greek yogurt cuz that’s what I had. Super yummy!
Glad it worked out for you Robyn!
It’s too sweet for us even after cutting the sugar out and using half portion of honey! But most people probably like it sweet.
I’m sorry to hear that it wasn’t to your taste Josh. The recipe has worked well for myself (and others) but I know how frustrating it can be to try a new recipe and not have it work out, so I really wish you would’ve enjoyed it!
Very tasty and best of all, I didn’t have to search for a bunch of off the wall ingredients. I threw in 1/2 cup of semisweet chocolate chips in addition to the walnuts called for in the recipe.
Hi Kelli! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
This recipe is excellent. The only thing I changed is instead of flour, I used two cups of oat flour. Still delicious and super moist!
Hi Kesha! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
These turned out great! I made them vegan by using a flax egg and oat yogourt. I also used Einkorn flour and added chocolate chips. Super yummy!
Hi Christine! So glad you were able to make them vegan with success! Thank you so much!
This healthy banana muffin recipe is my go-to favorite. I add dark chocolate chips, but the muffins are delicious without them, too. My favorite thing about this recipe (besides being healthy and delicious)? It’s a one-bowl recipe! LOL!
Hi Nena! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
Best banana muffins I’ve ever made or tasted!! I used 1/3 cup maple syrup and no sugar and they were definitely sweet enough. 🤩
Hi Leanne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I made these muffins but found 22 mins was not long enough, wasn’t sure if the temp was correct as lots of recipes are a higher temp than this
Hi Tony! Yes the temperature is correct. Hope you enjoyed them!
My daughter and I make these all the time and use gluten free flour. Today I made them with regular AP flour but for some reason they didn’t rise and seem a flat. Still taste delicious but any ideas why so I can prevent this again? Congrats on cookbook #2!!
Hi Suzanne! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! I’m not sure why you would get a different result using the AP flour. Try to fluff the flour before measuring, that might help.
Delicious, moist, easy to make muffins. Will definitely make again!
Hi Valerie! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
SO GOOD!! I doubled recipe and used chocolate chips instead of nuts. Mine were done in 18 minutes even with both pans in the oven. I followed the instructions about putting them in the top 1/3 of the oven and was nervous about it, but they were perfect (for me this meant the rack was in the second position from the top). Definitely a keeper!
Hi Karin! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
I used gluten free flour and added a 1/2 cup of dark chocolate chips. Baked them to an internal temp of 200 degrees. These things are scrumptious.
Hi Rick! So glad you enjoyed the recipe! Thank you for this kind review!
These were good but too sweet for my taste. Perhaps it is because I packed the brown sugar. Next time, I would use only 2 tbsp. up to 1/4 cup packed brown sugar. I used sour cream instead of Greek yoghurt and sunflower oil for the oil.
Thanks Stpehanie!
Easy to make, tasty, healthy
All ingredients I had in my pantry. I doubled the recipe because I had bananas to use up. I think they are better the 2nd day
Yay! Love that!
The best endorsement I can give is that my toddler ate 3 of these in a row while they were still warm. Really yummy! And much lighter than most whole wheat muffins. We subbed allspice for the cinnamon, which gave a very gingerbread-y, winter spice flavor.
Makes me so happy to hear, Thank you Mary Ellen!