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 loved these and so did my 3 year old! We chose to substitute half of the bananas for 1/2 cup of finely shredded carrots and went with regular whole wheat flour. We used 1/2 cup of pure maple syrup, 1/4 cup of local honey and 1 tbsp. of pumpkin pie spice. All I can say is WOW! These are as beautiful as they are tasty.
Hooray! I’m glad you and your little one could enjoy these together. Thanks for sharing your variations too, Nicholas.
Hi Kate! Can I sub out ground oats to make into oat flour in lieu of the whole wheat flour? What do you think?
I haven’t tried it and typically they don’t work well as a 1:1 substitute. Sorry I don’t have more advice for you!
This recipe is fantastic – thank you for sharing :) I love the added touch of the oats on top. Great way to get some nutritious whole foods and still feel like a treat! I warm mine up in the microwave and spread peanut butter on them – yum!
I added walnuts, chocolate chips, chia and hemp hearts. 10/10 will be making again!
You’re welcome, Samantha! Thanks for sharing you will make this one again.
Hi I got recommended this recipe by a friend who let me taste hers and they were absolutely delicious so I thought I’d try making my own and there in the oven right now the thing I notice was the batter was dry and not as liquid as the photo I’m not sure what went wrong the only thing I did different was instead of rolled oats I used normal (gluten free) oats and I used whole meal flour (don’t know if that’s the same as whole wheat ) so I’m not sure what I did I think I may have put more flour ? I’ll just have to see how they turn out
How did they turn out Carla?
I just made these and they were awesome! Just wondering if you’ve ever used almond flour instead of whole wheat flour?
I just made this recipe and my family loved it! Thank you Kate!!! I love all your recipe.
You’re welcome, Laura!
I just made this for my 1 year old and she loved it! I used flax eggs and reduced the maple syrup and the muffins still turned out great.
Thanks for sharing, Tancy!
I tried these and they came out yummmm (threw in some frozen blueberry for half the batch and chocolate chips for the other half) Can you use Oatmeal flour instead of the whole wheat flour though??
I would use a gluten free all purpose mix if you are looking to make them gluten free. I haven’t tried oat flour, but it doesn’t always work as a 1:1 substitute.
Thank you for this recipe. My 3 year old and 5 year old loved them, and so did myself and my husband! They really are moist and delicious.
I’m glad it was a hit with the littles, too!
I used olive oil and unsweetened pancake syrup (I am diabetic so needed something other than real maple syrup or honey) and also used almond milk. Also, when I went to grab the vanilla extract I realized that I had run out and forgot to replace it. Luckily I had maple extract and used that instead. I threw in about half a cup of walnut pieces too. I loved that they were made in one bowl! They turned out great, soft and light. I am eating one right now, still warm from the oven.
This recipe is awesome and tasty! I added 3 tablespoons of chia seeds as well as walnuts and the muffins turned out great! Thanks so much for the recipe, it’s now my new go to for using up over ripe bananas!
You’re welcome, Holly!
As expected, they’re perfect! Have yet to try a recipe I didn’t love.
I’m so happy to hear both those things, Maggie! Thanks so much.
I made these muffins 3 weeks ago and put them in 2 ziplocos in a freezer….. Omg they almost taste better after freezing! These are now a pre-gym breakfast staple for me. Thanks for posting this!
Fantastic! Thanks for reporting back, Melissa. :)
These are the best tasting banana muffins ever!! As is your healthy banana bread. I didn’t have vanilla so I used almond extract and they were amazing! I didn’t use any sugar on top and opted for a gluten free flour I had in the pantry. I don’t miss any unhealthy ingredients and my husband can’t get enough of them and keeps asking when I’m going to make more. Thank you!!
Oh almond extract! Thanks for sharing, Breezy.
I made these muffins with gluten free flour and added walnuts and they are amazing! Thank you for the awesome recipe!
Hooray! I’m glad they worked so well gluten free, Elise. I appreciate the review.
Another great recipe! I tried it with some added chocolate chips and raisins. It turned out delicious!
Thanks for sharing, Rocio!
Yum yum yum! I mashed an extra overripe banana and mixed it in with the coconut oil instead of any syrup or honey. Made a delicious, lower sugar treat!!!
Cooking is not my forte…so it’s not the recipe, it’s me :)
I did however recently manage to make some soft, moist and delicious coconut flour and blueberry muffins. I was hoping for similar success with these. They looked lovely out of the oven, but sadly they came out dense, quite dry with only the faintest hint of banana. I’ve read all these amazing reviews and can’t figure out what I did wrong..could it be the bananas weren’t ripe enough? I didn’t mash them – I used a blender – was this too much?
My husband suggested I use more banana next time?
Would adding apple sauce help moisten them up a bit (like the blueberry recipe)?
Grateful for any ideas, please? And thank you!
These are so delicious! I modified mine a bit but they were still great. I added about 1/4 cup of peanut butter and an extra 1/4 cup of milk to the normal milk amount, whisked together first. I used fairlife milk for extra protein, and added 1/2 scoop unflavored protein powder at this point too. I used about half the honey suggested, but added one packet of splenda. I used about 1/2 cup mini chocolate chips as a mix in.
When filling the muffin tins, I filled them about half full, then put about 1/3 tsp peanut butter into the middle of each muffin before filling to the top with batter. That added an extra smidge of peanut butter goodness :). I also sprinkled cinnamon in the middle and on top when adding the oats/sugar to the top.
Cooked for the same amount of time and they turned out great! Plus with my changes it’s about 7g protein per muffin now.
Thanks for sharing your variation, Juli!
Hello. I loved this recipe. I was looking for something that was low in sugar and had dairy free and gluten free options too. My family really enjoyed thesw muffins. I added pureed peaches in place of milk and added some sour cream to add more moisture. I used coconut oil and added chocolate chips. I will add some ginger next time. Thank you!
Intersting variation! I’m happy it worked for you, Melissa.
Hello! Would the cup measure be the same if I used Almond flour?
Hi Jess! I don’t have the best luck with almond flour with these, sorry. If needed to be gluten free, I recommend a gluten free all purpose flour instead.
I’ve made these muffins several times and they’re a huge hit! Question: has anyone tried adding cocoa powder in addition to choc chip for double choc banana muffins? If so, do I need to add more maple syrup? Thanks!!
Sounds like something to try! Thanks for sharing, Swati.
I have made this recipe at least 10 times and it comes out perfect every time! I make these and put them in a large zip lock bag for our busy family to be able to grab on the way out the door for breakfast. My teenage daughter and husband love them. I made some for my brother-in-law who LOVES banana bread and he actually ate them for his dinner one night because he “could not wait until breakfast”. Thanks for sharing this quick, inexpensive and delicious recipe.
That’s a great idea! You’re welcome, Mateo. I’m glad your entire family loves them.
My family went ape over these muffins. I added an extra 1/3 cup of oats because I like oats and the batter was a bit loose. They turned out perfectly and everyone ate them up. I like the fact that they aren’t too sweet. Next time I think I will add walnuts. Thanks for the recipe.
I love it, Dennese! Thanks for sharing.
Another great recipe. I baked these a few nights ago, and my whole family loved them. I used honey instead of maple syrup and it still turned out great. My family prefers baked goods on the less sweet side of things, so this was perfect for them.
Love to hear that, Sharon! Thanks for your review.
Love this recipe! Swapped out sprouted spelt flour for all flour. Tried the recipe with honey and maple, both excellent!
I’m glad it still worked with spelt flour! Thanks for sharing, Crystal.
I did t have any whole wheat flour so I used 1 1/4 cup all purpose, 1/4 cup cocoa, and 1/4 cup chicory root flour (which has probiotics naturally) instead of the 1 3/4 cup whole wheat. I sweetened with half honey and half pure maple syrup instead of just maple syrup, and walnuts. They were delicious!
Thank you for sharing, Renee!
These muffins are delicious and so easy to make! Made them for my family, mainly for the children, healthier and more nutritious option than shop bought ones. we all loved them,thank you for a great recipe!
I’m happy to hear that! Thanks for sharing, Justina.
These are INCREDIBLE! I’ve made them at least three times, tossing in different mixins every time. No processed sugar, high in fibre, and delicious to boot — definitely a keeper! (And my roommate loves them too! ;) )
Thanks for coming back to review, Cristalle!
Sorry, forgot to rate with my last comment! Five out of five stars, of course. :)
Thanks for coming back to review, Cristalle!
Super easy and I felt great about them! I used corn flour to make them GF and added blueberries. They were amazing! Thank you for this tasty and simple recipe!
Corn flour sounds interesting, Rachel. I’m glad it worked for you.
Hi–These are fabulous!!! I had to use what I had on hand-I only had 3/4 cup of Whole wheat flour-the rest was white flour and also I added the oats.
I also added some mini chocolate chips!
These are delicious–They are my new muffin-we are all trying to watch sugars in this house as my kids are Track Athletes right now at school-these will replace my cup of sugar(yikes ! ) recipe now!!
Thank You!! Thank You!!
I’m so glad these worked for you with your substitution, Shelia! I appreciate the review.
Random question: What kind of muffin tin do you use? I’m in the market for new baking tins and would love your recommendation! Love this recipe and your other muffin recipes. We make them often at our house.
Hi Liz! Great question. Head over to my shop page. I have a link for it there. https://asset-boost.pro/healthy-kitchen-essentials/%3C/a%3E%3C/p%3E
I love the one bowl process. I made the muffins with spelt flour, coconut oil, and sweetened with maple syrup. I also added walnuts. What a wonderful treat they were. They were moist and quite tasty. Thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes Kate.
All the best,
Maria
I have made these muffins a dozen or so times, and I agree that the spelt flour/coconut oil/walnut combo is the best! I usually use local cream honey because it’s easier for me to get in Germany than syrup, and sometimes I will add dark chocolate for a special treat. Great recipe, Kate!
Thank you, Maria! I’m glad it worked well for you with your substitutions.
These are the most delicious banana muffins. No need to look any further! Thanks so much!
Hooray! I’m happy you think so, Linda.
These are great! Will be making these again for sure!
Wonderful, Julie!
Really the best muffins I’ve ever made! I used coconut oil for the oil and honey for the sweetener; and added fresh blueberries. I also used gluten-free flour. They cooked perfectly and taste delicious! My family loves them!
Thanks for the awesome recipe Kate!!
Thanks for sharing your take, Beth! I appreciate the review.
What if I wanted to make a loaf of bread? Any tips on temp and time?
Hi Jess! I would recommend my Healthy Banana Bread recipe. :)
Made these a few times now. I use half wholemeal and half white flour and half the honey. Added some dark choc chips. Times the recipe by 0.5 and made 1 loaf and 6 large muffins. Freezes so well and my kids and husband love it. Can’t believe it’s healthy!
I love it! Thanks for the review, Rachel.
Made this Vegan with flax eggs, whole wheat pastry flour and used coconut sugar instead of reg sugar and they were fantastic! Thanks!
Thanks for sharing, Angela!
These are fantastic! So easy and quick to make. We are making these so often – the kids are loving them as an after school snack and the adults like them as a treat! I like knowing they are healthier than our usual recipe. Only downside: They don’t last long enough at this house to freeze. Haha
Thanks for sharing, Suzanne! I’m really glad you love them and your kids, too.
Just made this recipe and it made 16 large muffins and not 12. Not complaining though, they are delicous!
I’m glad you liked them, Camilla!
This is a great muffin recipe, my only variation was I reduced the allpurpose flour to 1 cup and replaced the 3/4 cup flour left with almond flour. They turned out perfect!
Thank you for sharing, Linda!
Thank you for the banana muffins recipe, the muffins were delicious. I cut the recipe in half since I live alone and I didn’t have enough bananas… it still made 8 muffins. I used almond milk and substituted sugar free maple syrup for a healthier muffin. They weren’t quite as sweet as I would like, but I did add craisins to the mix which was a delicious addition. My four year old granddaughter was visiting and she ate two of them, and she’s usually a picky eater!
Thanks for sharing your take, Irma! I appreciate the review.
This is the best banana muffin recipe ever !! My son absolutely loves helping me bake these – they are super simple and delicious !! I know the recipe off my by heart we have baked it so many times ! Thank you for sharing xx
You’re welcome, Andrea! Thanks for your review.
I love this recipe! Made a batch this evening — so quick and easy. I used the maple syrup and coconut oil. I used a non-stick muffin tin, and did not use paper cups or cooking spray; the muffins lifted out perfectly! Super easy clean-up.
Next time I will try with with the add-in, crystallized ginger.
This recipe is a keeper!
Thanks for the review, Marcelle!
These are super easy and delicious. I cut the maple syrup to 1/4 cup and it was sweet enough for me!
Sounds great, Brittany! Thanks for the review.
I’ve made these muffins at least 3 dozen times. Many variations. Excellent. Every single time. I am tempted to try chickpea flour. Any concerns???
3 dozen! That’s a lot of muffins. I love it! Thank you for your review, Kerifin.
Do you think I could make these with self raising whole meal flour?
I love these muffins, they taste great and are so much fun to cook. I play around with the add ins (chocolate, nuts and dried fruits). I also play around with the type of flour I use (white, buckweat, whole wheat, ground almonds, whole bran, flax) I just mix and match and it has always turned out great!
That’s great! Thanks for sharing the variations you have tried.