We all need a healthier banana muffin and these are the best! Made with coconut oil, they are moist, delicious and out of the oven in less than 40 minutes.

There are a million (probably an accurate number) banana muffin recipes out there. Maybe even more than brownies? Mmm… no, I don’t think so, but still. A lot of them.

And for good reason. Or reasons really. They are amazing and, let’s be honest, we buy more bananas than we eat and they turn brown quickly. And fruit flies invade our kitchen. So before we realize, it’s time for another banana muffin or bread recipe.

And I bet you have favorite, don’t you? I do and it’s this one.

Don’t be fooled by the word healthy today, because that’s part of the reason why this is my favorite banana muffin recipe. It’s a very versatile recipe. Very.

So, are banana muffins healthy?

I think it depends on what you consider healthy. For starters, eating bananas is pretty good for you.

My regular banana muffin recipe is an all butter, white sugar, refined flour situation. So, this recipe today definitely qualifies as healthy. Or healthier, hence the wording in the title.

But, I’m no nutritionist or specialist. So,

How can I make banana muffins healthy?

Well, in comes this fabulous, and oh so easy, recipe. So easy.

Turns out that butter can be substituted for coconut oil just like that, equal volumes – that is cups or spoons, not grams -, and white sugar for muscovado, and a part of the refined white flour for whole wheat and a few tablespoons of wheat germ (or seeds or chopped nuts) can be thrown into the batter. And that makes them even more nutritious.

By the way, the oil makes them super moist!

So yes, it’s easy to turn your regular favorite ones into healthier banana muffins.

This is particularly a versatile and amazing recipe. I’ve tried many through the years. I always do with traditional, loved-by-all recipes (like brownies, or a birthday chocolate cake).

Freezing banana muffins

In theory any muffin can be frozen. What I find to be tricky is getting a good texture after defrosting them.

So, you can freeze banana muffins, well wrapped (first in plastic wrap, then in foil is my suggestion) and then defrost them by unwrapping completely but wrapping them again just in the aluminum foil, and placing them in a medium/low oven for a few minutes.

Why wrapped in aluminum? So they don’t dry out while warming. This way they will be soft and warm. Make sure you do this when you intend to eat them, otherwise they will not be as good.

Related recipes you might like:

Healthier Banana Chocolate Chip Loaf Cake
Banana Chocolate Quinoa Muffins gluten free
Roasted Banana Bread (no more waiting for bananas to ripen!)
Banana Muffin Cake with Dulce de Leche and Cream (pure heaven)
Banana Cake with Chocolate Bourbon Glaze

Healthier banana muffins

Author: Paula Montenegro
Prep Time: 10
Cook Time: 25
Total Time: 35 minutes
Yield: 8 1x

Print Recipe

Description

Easy to make and delicious, you will love this healthier version. Perfect for a brunch, breakfast or as a snack, this muffin recipe will become a favorite.

Scale

Ingredients

2/3 cup (170g) mashed ripe bananas
1/3 cup (80g) coconut oil
1 egg, room tº
1/2 cup (100g) fine muscovado sugar
1 cup (140g) all-purpose or cake flour (or use 1/3 fine whole wheat flour of the total amount)
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon baking soda
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 cup (45g) chopped walnuts or pecans
2 Tablespoons wheat germ (optional)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 350ºF / 180ºC.
Have ready a muffin mold lined with 8 paper cups.
In a bowl put mashed bananas and beat while adding coconut oil and sugar. There will be some chunks of banana still.
Add egg and vanilla and beat to mix.
Over this batter sift flour, baking powder, soda, and salt.
Mix just until combined but be careful to not over mix (as this will make your muffins tougher).
Divide batter among paper cups and bake for 20-25 minutes, until a tester inserted in center comes out clean, Be careful not to overcook as they will dry more than necessary.
Let cool on wire rack some minutes and eat warm or on the same day.
For freezing instructions go to post above.

Notes

You can make regular muffins, mini muffins (I guess it will yield about 3 times), or a loaf cake.

You can use olive oil and they will turn amazing too.

Using some whole wheat flour and adding wheat germ will make them coarser and less moist.

Category: Breakfast/brunch
Method: Baking
Cuisine: American

Paula Montenegro

A baker for more than 30 years, I love testing recipes and sharing the best of what I find. I'm mostly self-taught with some time spent in baking school. I believe we can all be bakers and cooks with the right instructions and simple ingredients. If you're craving easy recipes with amazing results, you're in the right place. Let's get into the kitchen!

Banana muffins (healthier version)