These healthy blueberry banana muffins are better than ever! They’re wonderfully wholesome and soft, and are quick and easy to make without a mixer. Every bite is filled with juicy blueberries and sweet banana flavor, and you can use nondairy milk to keep the muffins dairy free.
I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos and made a few small updates to the recipe, so the muffins are more moist and flavorful. These changes are reflected in the printable recipe below; see recipe Notes for old version.
When it comes to muffins, do you have a favorite flavor? There are so many different varieties out there, from egg muffins to chocolate muffins, that it’s pretty much impossible to choose. It’s part of the reason I developed this muffin recipe as a base batter for infinite flavors! But if banana muffins and blueberry muffins are both in your Top 5, let me tell you…
Why You’ll Love These Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Quick and easyโno mixer required
- Wholesome and satisfying
- A kid-friendly baking recipe
- Packed with plump, juicy blueberries
- A glorious combination of banana muffins and blueberry muffins
- Dairy-free recipe if using nondairy milk
- Nut-free recipe, so perfectly acceptable for school lunchboxes!
One reader, Nicki, commented: “These yummy muffins are excellent! They are not too sweet, full of flavor, and soft and moist… just perfect! โ โ โ โ โ “
Big, sugary dessert-like muffins are a wonderful treat (looking at you, pumpkin crumb cake muffins!) but a healthier muffin that’s also easy to make and fabulously delicious is the type I choose on a weekly basis. Today’s recipe is a favorite kid-friendly baking recipe (easy to mix & quick to bake), and they freeze wonderfully.
On the same note, whenever a reader asks me for kid-friendly recipes that are also on the healthier end of the baked goods spectrum, I always suggest muffins. Muffins are quick, manageable, portable, acceptable for breakfast and snack time, and usually require very little clean-up.
These blueberry banana muffins fit the bill. They’re just sweet enough so kids gobble them up, but are made with better-for-you ingredients like whole wheat flour, coconut oil, and bananas.
Key Ingredients You Need & Why:
- Flour: I suggest using white-whole wheat flour or a combination of all-purpose and whole wheat flour (I usually use a cup of each). If you use ALL whole wheat flour, expect a denser texture.
- Mashed Banana: Banana naturally sweetens the muffins. Just like when you’re making banana bread, it’s best to use super brown, speckled bananasโthe riper, the better. You can use frozen and thawed bananas, too. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking for some tips.
- Brown Sugar: The taste and texture benefits from a little brown sugar. If you want to skip all refined sugars, you can substitute coconut sugar.
- Honey or Pure Maple Syrup: Honey or maple syrup finishes up the job of sweetening these muffins, and adds some moisture as well.
- Coconut Oil: Instead of butter or vegetable oil, use melted coconut oil. You can always rely on oil to keep your baked goods moist, especially when theyโre made with drying ingredients like whole wheat flour.
- Egg: The egg acts as a binder for the ingredients, and also helps keep the muffins soft.
- Milk: You can use any kind of milk, dairy or nondairy, you have on hand. I usually use almond or oat milk to make these muffins.
- Blueberries: Can’t have blueberry banana muffins without blueberries! You can use either fresh or frozen berries here. If using frozen, do not thaw.
You also need these baking basics: baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt, and vanilla extract.
Don’t like banana? Try these blueberry oatmeal muffins instead.
Today’s muffin batter comes together in just minutes with simple kitchen tools: a couple mixing bowls, a whisk, a spatula, and a muffin pan. (If you need a recommendation, this muffin pan and this muffin pan have both held up well with very regular use.)
Expect a thick batter. As with ALL muffin recipes, do not over-mix it! Only mix the batter until the wet and dry ingredients are *just combined* and no more flour pockets remain. Over-mixing your batter will activate the gluten in the flour and overdevelop it, deflating the air bubbles in the process. This results in a tough, hard, dense muffinโnot soft and fluffy like you are aiming for.
Let’s not forget those blueberries. Add a heaping cup (more like a cup and a quarter) of fresh or frozen blueberries to the batter. If you’re using frozen blueberries, don’t let them thaw, or else you will have some muddy-purple muffins that look a bit less appealing! Fold them in gently with a spatula, so they’re evenly distributed in the batter.
I love sprinkling the tops of the muffins with a little coarse sugar before baking, a finishing touch I always add when making these healthy apple muffins, too.
3 Helpful Tips
- Expect a semi-thick batter. Thick batter helps ensure the muffins lift UP rather than spread OUT.
- Add an optional coarse sugar topping. You can use coconut sugar, something like Sugar in the Raw, or sparkling coarse sugar (usually sold as sprinkles). Or don’t add anything at all, the muffins are plenty delicious without a topping!
- Bake at an initially high oven temperature. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes in a very hot oven. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, lower the oven temperature. This initial high oven temperature quickly lifts up the muffin top. Once the temperature is lowered, the centers of the muffins bake. I do this in all my muffin recipes.
Are These Blueberry Banana Muffins Healthy?
I’d say these are a healthy-ish muffin. Like my flourless peanut butter oatmeal cookies, they are made with some healthier alternatives to traditional baking ingredients, but still include sugar. When it comes to labeling recipes as healthy, use the best judgment for YOU.
I Have Plenty of Healthier Muffin Recipes:
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Muffins
- Applesauce Muffins
- Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Blueberry Almond Power Muffins (GF)
- Healthy Bran Muffins
Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These are soft and moist blueberry banana muffins made with a few healthier ingredients like whole wheat flour, mashed bananas, coconut oil instead of butter, and a little honey. See Notes for freezing instructions and how to make mini muffins.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (250g) all-purpose flour or whole wheat flour, or a mix of both (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (230g) mashed banana (aboutย 3ย medium orย 2ย large ripe bananas)
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)
- 1/4 cup (85g) honey or pure maple syrup
- 1/4 cup (56g) coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil/avocado oil)
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup (160ml) milk (dairy or nondairy), at room temperature
- 1 and 1/4 cups (175g) fresh or frozen blueberries (do not thaw)
- optional: 1 Tablespoon coarse sugar for sprinkling on top
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425ยฐF (218ยฐC). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or line with cupcake liners. (If you need a recommendation, this muffin pan and this muffin pan have both held up well with very regular use.) Set aside.ย
- In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Once mashed, whisk in the brown sugar, honey/maple syrup, coconut oil, egg, vanilla, and milk until combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and whisk until everything is just combined. Fold in the blueberries. Expect a semi-thick batter. Spoon the batter evenly into the muffin cups, filling them all the way to the top.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425ยฐF (218ยฐC); then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce heat to 350ยฐF (177ยฐC) and continue baking for another 15โ18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20โ23 minutes, give or take. (For mini or jumbo muffins, see Notes for baking instructions.)
- Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, and then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Freezing Instructions: For longer storage, freeze the muffins in a freezer-friendly container or bag for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan (like this one or this one) | Cupcake Liners | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Silicone Spatula | Cooling Rack
- Why the initial high oven temperature? Like I recommend for most muffin recipes, bake the muffins for 5 minutes at a very hot temperature. Then, keeping the muffins in the oven, switch to a lower temperature for the remaining bake time. This initial high temperature will quickly lift the muffin tops so theyโre extra high, then the centers will bake during the lower temperature bake time. This trick makes beautiful bakery-style muffins every time.
- Milk:ย You can use any milk, dairy or nondairy.
- For a jumbo muffin pan: 425ยฐF for 5 minutes, then reduce to 350ยฐF for 22โ25 minutes for a total of 27โ30 minutes. Makes about 6. For mini muffins: 350ยฐF (whole time) for 12โ14 minutes. Makes about 36โ40.
- Loaf Pan: I haven’t personally tested it this recipe as a loaf, but the volume of batter is enough for a 9×5-inch loaf pan. I’m unsure of the best bake time, but you can follow this zucchini bread recipe as a guide.
- Updated in 2023: I made a couple small updates to the recipe, so the muffins are more moist and flavorful. To make the old version, leave out the baking powder, vanilla, and coconut oil. Add 1/4 cupย (60g) Greek yogurt and another 1/2 cup (about 63g) of flour.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 195
- Sugar: 17.7 g
- Sodium: 171.4 mg
- Fat: 5.7 g
- Carbohydrates: 35.3 g
- Protein: 3.6 g
- Cholesterol: 15.5 mg
Reader Comments and Reviews
Made these exactly as written with half white and half whole wheat flour and fresh blueberries. Came out perfect!!
Hi I. Followed this recipe exactly and I have to say the worst muffins ever sorry the were tasteless and not light and fluffy at all very disappointing
I must say, these are the BEST muffins I’ve ever had. I wanted to make something a little healthier to take to book club with me last night since I just let myself enjoy Sally’s chocolate peanut butter cake for my birthday. These blueberry banana muffins are perfectly moist and flavorful with a nice puffy top. I can envision myself making these time and again to use up ripe bananas. Thanks again, Sally!
We love these muffins! I’m making them again today! Thanks for the top to start in a very hot oven! They come out beautiful and tasty! You are my go to for baked goods! Thank you!
Everyone loves these blueberry muffins. Made them lots and never disappoint. Sallyโs carrot cake is a winner too. Loved by my grandchildren and everyone that has tasted it.
They came out really great! I put the temperature high for the first 5mins, and did not overmix, but folded the wet and dry leaving abit of floury parts before throwing in the blueberries. Far better to undermix than over mix. It all came together and the muffins rose well and came out, large and tasty!
Do you have a banana oat muffin recipe I can follow?
Hi Jenny, here are our whole wheat banana muffins that also use oats in the batter. Enjoy!
Awesome! Perfectly moist and wonderfully flavorful!
The high dome is just like a bakery muffin.
I used the same technique with Sallyโs apple spice muffin yesterday but did not get the same kind of rise..very tasty..but not as pretty as theseโบ๏ธ
If I only have one banana to use, can I add 1/2 cup of Greek yogurt to complete the recipe ?
Many thanks
Hi Patricia, You might like this Greek yogurt apple blueberry bread instead (and there are instructions on how to bake it as muffins in the recipe notes below the recipe).
Officially the first healthy muffin my 3 yr old loves. Have tried other variations in the past and she rejected them all. This is a keeper!
These turned out good but the flavour is meh. Not really banana not really blueberry. This muffin needs to decide what it wants to be lol
This recipe works well with gluten free flour. It was delightfully delicious.
Added semi chocolate chips to the last six for a chocolate treat. So yummy
Filling batter to the top of muffin tins and the 450 for five minutes were great secrets shared. Thank you
Instructions were well written
This goes into my recipe book for sure!!
Excellent muffin!
I would suggest adding your *update about leaving ingredients out at the beginning of the instructions. Also it needed to bake for almost 20-22 minutes in regular muffin pan for me. Very greasy but we served it warm with a lemon glaze and it was well liked by everyone.
Hi dear , can I substitute the flour with gluten free flour ? And also can I skip any sugar ?
Hi Sondos we havenโt tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but some readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Delicious & a great way to use super ripe bananas!!
What if I only have 1 banana? Good I sub applesauce?
Absolutely!
So full disclosure, I wanted to make the banana bread again but realized I did not have 5 bananas ๐
These overflowed (in a good way!) from the tins, meaning I got huge bakery-style puffy tops!
I used only half the brown sugar, but still did a top layer of coconut sugar before putting in the oven.
Perfect as expected.