Perfectly tender and moist, these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins are a wholesome addition to the breakfast table. They're made in one bowl and they're freezer-friendly.
Muffins are often part of breakfast in my home (that and all the renditions of oatmeal), and these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins are usually it since we often have bananas getting way past their prime on the counter. Because they're served so frequently, I like to make them a little bit more nutrient-dense while still being super delicious (similar to these Healthy Apple Oat Muffins). This banana muffin recipe uses whole wheat flour and maple syrup to make it a bold breakfast contender.
These muffins are hearty, come together in one bowl, and freeze really well.
So let's get to making it! You can jump around the article using the menu below, or you can head right to the bottom for the complete recipe.
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Ingredients Needed and Substitutions
Here is a brief overview of the ingredients needed for this recipe. The recipe card lists the full recipe with quantities below this text.
- ripe bananas (we're talking brown and speckled- that type of ripe!)
- whole wheat flour (you can use traditional whole wheat flour or white whole wheat flour--this can also be replaced with regular all-purpose flour but you will have to increase the amount to 2 cups or 240 grams)
- maple syrup (you can replace this with ¾ packed cup or 150 grams brown sugar with great success, but I don't recommend white sugar because it doesn't have as nice of a depth of flavor as maple syrup or brown sugar)
- butter (this can be swapped with any oil suitable for baking)
- egg
- baking powder + baking soda
- coarse kosher salt (this recipe was tested using Diamond Crystal coarse kosher salt. If you use Morton's kosher salt or fine salt, decrease by about half for volume, or use the same amount by weight.)
- cinnamon
- coarse sugar (this is for sprinkling on the top before baking)
Optional Add-Ins
Do you want to add chopped nuts, chocolate chips, or dried fruit? Go for it. Stir in about ½ cup at the very end after the flour has been added.
How to Measure Bananas and Flour
I hate to be finicky, but I will be finicky about measuring the bananas and flour. And this is why: If you throw three bananas into this, regardless of their size, it could change the outcome. And, if you measure flour with a cup measurement, it could also change the outcome depending on how you measure it (whether you dip and sweep or spoon in).
So, if you want to ensure your recipe comes out just as intended, I recommend actually measuring out the 1-⅓ cup of mashed banana that the recipe calls for.
Lastly, to measure the flour, either weigh it with a kitchen scale, or lightly spoon it into a cup measurement until it is overflowing, and then sweep off any excess.
How to Make it a One Bowl Muffin
Many quick bread and muffin recipes can easily be made using only one bowl. The trick is to add the dry ingredients that need to be evenly distributed (we are talking about the baking soda and baking powder) in with the wet ingredients, and then, after they are all mixed thoroughly together, add in the flour.
And as always, once you add your flour to the wet ingredients, do not over-mix it. Overmixing will result in gluten build-up, resulting in a tough muffin. And no one wants a tough muffin.
Step-By-Step Recipe Overview
This is a quick visual overview of the steps needed to make this recipe. If you are looking for the full recipe, keep scrolling!
Step 1: Mash the bananas and ensure to only use 1-⅓ cups (or 300 grams).
Step 2: Whisk together the wet ingredients, along with the leaveners and salt.
Step 3: Mix in the flour and cinnamon.
Step 4: Do not overmix the batter. Combine just until there are practically no streaks of flour remaining.
Step 5: Scoop into the muffin tin and sprinkle with turbinado sugar.
Step 6: Bake for about 18 minutes, or until fully cooked.
How to Store and Freeze Muffins
These muffins will keep well, covered in an air-tight container for a 1-2 days at room temperature. As the days go on, they will become moister.
They also freeze extremely well, which is the preferred storage method. Store in an airtight container or plastic bag in the freezer for up to 3 months. When ready to eat, let it defrost at room temperature for a few hours.
More Muffin Recipes
Making the recipe? Be sure to leave a comment with a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review on your experience! Have a question? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you as quickly as I can!
PrintFull Recipe
Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
- Prep Time: 00:10
- Cook Time: 00:18
- Total Time: 28 minutes
- Yield: 12 Muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Description
Perfectly tender and moist, these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins are a wholesome addition to the breakfast table. They're made in one bowl and are freezer-friendly.
Ingredients
- 1-⅓ cups (300 grams) overripe mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
- ½ cup (160 grams) pure maple syrup
- ½ cup (113 grams) unsalted butter, melted, and slightly cooled
- 1 large egg
- 1-½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- 1-½ cups (228 grams) whole wheat flour
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- Coarse sugar (for topping)
- Salted butter, softened (for serving)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and place a rack in the center of the oven. Place parchment paper liners in a 12-cup muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, maple syrup, butter, egg, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until smooth.
- Add in the flour and cinnamon and mix until no dry flour is visible. Do not overmix.
- Scoop ¼ cup batter into each parchment liner and sprinkle coarse sugar over the tops of the batter.
- Bake in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean.
- Let cool slightly before transferring the muffins to a cooling rack.
- Serve warm with a pat of salty butter or at room temperature.
Notes
Weighing your flour is the most accurate way to measure. If you aren’t going to weigh it, make sure to spoon it into the cup, and then level it off. If you scoop the flour out with the measuring cup and then level, it could change the outcome of the muffin.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for 2 to 3 days.
Angie
I recently introduced gluten back into my diet and so I tried these and they were so easy to make and delicious .
Kelli Avila
So happy you made them Angie! Glad you enjoyed -Kelli
Catharine
Super delicious muffins! I added in some walnut pieces and a bit of grated apple. Will be keeping this recipe as an easy "go to"..thank you
Dva
Enjoyed the recipe-extremely moist (although I did add another banana), added walnuts and a little allspice. Liked that they were not super sweet-didn't add much sugar on top and the maple syrup is a nice touch. Easy to make-not a lot of clean up. Overall a success.