Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

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This Whole Wheat Banana Muffins recipe is a quick make-ahead breakfast. It will fill you up and hold you over until lunchtime. They are perfect for busy people who need a grab and go meal.

Bananas have to be my favorite fruit of all time. They taste amazing and are incredible in baked goods.

There are so many great recipes that feature bananas here on the site. My best ever banana bread always gets rave reviews! A few other favorites are zucchini banana muffins, banana bran muffins, banana chocolate chip muffins, and this super easy banana bread.

Today’s whole wheat version calls for basic ingredients and you can mix them all together in just one bowl.

Why this whole wheat banana muffins recipe works

• There’s both butter and oil in the muffins so they stay moist.
• 1 cup of mashed ripe bananas is used! That adds even more moisture and loads of banana flavor. 1 cup is about 3 medium bananas.
• They’re made with 100% whole wheat flour.
• The muffins are baked at 400°F. This temperature is what creates those high domes on the top. There’s no need to reduce the temperature after several minutes of baking as some recipes call for.

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins Ingredients

The ingredients for today’s muffins are basically just like all my muffin recipes. You most likely already have them on hand. Let’s see what they are:

• Whole Wheat Flour: Whole wheat is much better for you than white flour. You can feel a little better eating muffins with whole grains.
• Leavening: Baking powder and baking soda are used to give the muffins rise.
• Salt: Added for flavor.
• Sugar: Granulated white sugar is used for added sweetness. Light brown sugar can be used also or you can use a combination of both.
• Butter & oil: A combination of butter and oil is used for flavor and moisture.
• Bananas: You need about 3 medium bananas. Make sure the skins are super spotty. This means they’ll be sweeter and taste amazing in the muffins.
• Eggs: Eggs are used for binding everything together.
• Milk: Use whole milk for best results but I’m pretty sure dairy-free milk will work also.
• Vanilla Extract: Use a high-quality extract for best results.
• Dried bananas: I like to garnish the tops of the muffins with a slice of dried banana. This is completely optional.

How to make whole wheat banana muffins

This recipe is super simple to make and can be made in one bowl for convenience. The muffin method is used for mixing. This is where the wet ingredients are mixed together, the dry ingredients are mixed together, then they are both combined.

The Batter – The batter is slightly thick. A thick batter will rise taller to create those domed muffin tops. Take care not to over mix because this will create a dense muffin.

Make sure to start with room temperature ingredients. Set all the cold ingredients out on the counter about 1 hour before you plan to make the muffins.

Also, preheat the oven about 30 minutes prior to mixing the batter. This will give the oven time to come to temperature and stabilize.

Step 1: Make the batter

It is crucial to use room-temperature eggs and milk. They will curdle the batter and be difficult to mix if they are cold.

To a large mixing bowl, add the sugar, melted butter, oil, mashed bananas, eggs, milk, and vanilla. Use a large whisk to mix until well combined.

Place a fine-mesh sieve over the bowl and add the whole wheat flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Gently shake the sieve until all the dry ingredients are in the bowl with the wet ingredients.

Use a silicone spatula to fold everything together just until no dry streaks of flour are visible. Take care not to over-mix the batter. It’s perfectly okay if it’s lumpy.

Step 2: Bake the muffins

Divide the batter evenly between the cups of a muffin tin. It’s okay to fill them almost full. The high temperature of the oven will prevent the batter from spilling over.

I get 12 muffins when doing it this way. You can about 14 muffins if you fill the cups only ¾ of the way full.

Place a dried banana chip on top of the batter in each muffin cup. Gently press the chip down so it adheres to the batter. Don’t press it down into the batter though. It should be sitting right on the surface.

Bake the muffins in a 400°F oven for about 14 minutes. You’ll know they are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached.

Be careful not to overbake them or they’ll come out dry. Start checking for doneness at around 12 minutes.

Tips for making the whole wheat banana muffins

1. Properly measure the flour. Don’t scoop the flour directly out of the bag with the measuring cup. Since flour compacts, this method will add too much flour to the recipe. Or weigh it for a more accurate measurement.
2. Any oil that has a neutral flavor can be used for this recipe. If you want to make them healthier, use melted coconut oil, sunflower oil, avocado oil, or grapeseed oil.
3. These muffins freeze well! They’ll keep for up to 3 months stored in an airtight container. Thaw them in the fridge overnight then warm them in the microwave for 10-20 seconds. Alternatively, you can defrost a single muffin in the microwave for 40-60 seconds.

If you like this whole wheat banana muffin recipe, try these other banana-flavored baked goods:

• Banana Cake
• Banana Nutella Cupcakes
• Peanut Butter Banana Coffee Cake

Whole Wheat Banana Muffins

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This Whole Wheat Banana Muffins recipe is a quick make-ahead breakfast. It will fill you up and hold you over until lunchtime. They are perfect for busy people who need a grab and go meal.

Jen Sobjack

Prep Time 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time 14 minutes minutes

Total Time 24 minutes minutes

Serving Size 12

Ingredients

• 2 ⅔ cups (333 g) whole wheat flour
• 2 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (76 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
• ⅓ cup (75 g) canola oil
• 1 cup (150 g) mashed ripened banana, about 3 medium bananas
• 2 large eggs, room temperature
• 1 cup (240 ml) whole milk, room temperature
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• dried bananas for garnish, optional

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Instructions

• Heat the oven to 400°F. Spray a 12 cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper liners. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir with a whisk; set aside.
• In a separate large bowl whisk the sugar, butter, oil, banana, eggs, milk, and vanilla together until well blended. Add the flour mixture and stir with a rubber spatula just until no streaks of dry flour are visible. Take care not to overmix.
• Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups. Cups will be filled to the rim. Top each muffin with a slice of dried banana, if using.
• Bake for 14 to 16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with only a few moist crumbs attached. 
• Cool the muffins in the pan on a wire rack for 5 minutes. Remove muffins and cool for 10 minutes longer.

Notes

• Properly measure the flour. Do not scoop the flour out of the container with the measuring cup. You will end up with too much for the recipe to turn out correctly. Instead, lightly spoon it into the measuring cup and level it off with the back of a knife. Avoid pressing it down into the cup!
• Any neutral flavored oil will work here. You can also use healthier options like coconut oil, avocado oil, grapeseed oil, etc.
• The riper the banana, the better. Dark-spotted bananas will be your best friend here.
• This recipe will work with non-dairy milk also. Almond milk, cashew milk, refrigerated coconut milk are a few alternatives.

Make ahead tip

1. The muffins will stay fresh stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
2. The muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. Thaw them in the refrigerator overnight and warm them in the microwave for 10-12 seconds. Or place a single frozen muffin in the microwave for 40-60 seconds.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 281kcal | Carbohydrates: 37g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 43mg | Sodium: 260mg | Potassium: 275mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 245IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 70mg | Iron: 1mg

The nutrition information provided is for convenience and as a courtesy only. It is not guaranteed to be accurate because nutrition information can vary for a variety of reasons. For precise nutritional data use your preferred nutrition calculator and input the exact ingredients and brands you used in the recipe.

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

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