These whole wheat banana walnut muffins are easy, wholesome, and satisfying. They’re just as moist and flavorful as classic banana muffins, but they’re made with whole wheat flour, pure maple syrup, coconut oil, and whole oats.
I originally published this recipe in 2018 and have made them dozens of times since. I began adjusting the leaveners so the muffins rise a little taller, taste a little fluffier, and no longer have a chemical aftertaste from excess baking soda. I also slightly increased the milk so the muffins don’t taste as dense. The written printable recipe below includes these slight changes. I know you’ll love the muffins even more now!
Why You’ll Love These Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Muffins
- Wholesome, healthy, and satisfying
- 100% whole wheat
- Moist and delicious
- Not overly sweet so the banana flavor shines
- Oats add a delicious whole grain and chewy texture
- Flavored with cinnamon
- No refined sugar—just pure maple syrup and bananas
- Dairy free if using a dairy free milk
Big sugar-filled muffins are great (looking at you, double chocolate muffins!) but a healthy muffin that’s also an easy and delicious muffin is wonderfully useful. Just like my healthy blueberry banana muffins and whole wheat banana bread, today’s muffins are moist, hearty, and flavorful. They’re also kid-friendly. In fact, whenever a reader asks me for kid-friendly recipes that are also a little healthy, I always suggest muffins. Muffins are quick, manageable, portable, acceptable for breakfast and snack time, and usually require very little clean-up. Today’s whole wheat banana walnut muffins are no exception!
Simple and healthful ingredients can produce delicious-tasting baked goods if we use them right. I used my morning glory muffins as the starting point for this whole wheat banana muffins recipe. I added some oats and mashed banana, as well as a few other small changes.
If you love chocolate you’ll also appreciate my healthier chocolate banana muffins. Peanut butter aficionado? Try my peanut butter banana muffins (also made with whole wheat flour). Or if you’re not into banana, you’ll love these similar applesauce muffins or healthy apple muffins instead.
Overview: Ingredients in Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
Here’s a run-down of the ingredients you need and why they’re important:
- Whole Wheat Flour: We use 2 cups of whole wheat flour as the base of these muffins. You can switch out with all-purpose or white whole wheat flour if needed. I have not tested this recipe with any gluten free flour alternatives.
- Oats: Oats are an add-in and leave a wonderful texture. I wouldn’t compare these to blueberry oatmeal muffins, though. In that recipe, oats are more like the base of the recipe as opposed to a small add-in.
- Cinnamon, Salt, & Vanilla Extract: All add flavor.
- Baking Powder + Soda: Help the muffins rise.
- Bananas: Use 1 and 1/3 cups of mashed banana, which is about 3 medium or 2 large size bananas. If you’re ever looking for an easy way to mash bananas, just use your mixer. It’s what I do whenever I make regular banana bread. Peel and break up the bananas, place in a large bowl, then use your mixer to blend them. You could also use a blender. If your bananas are soft enough, you could easily mash them with a fork.
- Eggs: Eggs add structure and help bind everything together.
- Oil: Oil replaces butter and adds moisture. I love using melted coconut oil like we do in bran muffins, but vegetable oil works if that’s all you have.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Maple syrup replaces refined sugar in this muffin recipe and pairs wonderfully with the sweet bananas! You can use honey instead of the maple syrup, but the flavor will be different.
- Milk: I typically use unsweetened vanilla almond milk in this recipe. The whole wheat banana muffins will be dairy free if you use dairy free milk.
- Nuts: Use any kind of chopped nuts in this recipe or leave them plain. I usually use chopped walnuts, but we also love them with chocolate chips if we’re craving a sweeter treat. Speaking of, if you love chocolate chips in your banana muffins, try banana chocolate chip streusel muffins or raspberry chocolate chip banana muffins next!
Optional Toppings
For some flair, top the muffins with oats and/or a sprinkle of coconut sugar. Both are optional, but I think you’ll enjoy the extra caramelized crunch from the coconut sugar on top. Instead of oats and coconut sugar, add some sprinkles on top of each before baking. Boom! A healthy muffin that seems *almost* like a sprinkle cupcake!
Print
Healthy Whole Wheat Banana Walnut Muffins
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 22 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These whole wheat banana walnut muffins are easy, wholesome, and satisfying. They’re made with whole wheat flour, pure maple syrup, coconut oil, and whole oats.
Ingredients
- 2 cups (260g) whole wheat flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1/2 cup (43g) old-fashioned whole rolled oats
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 and 1/3 cups (306g) mashed banana (about 3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas)
- 2 large eggs
- 1/3 cup (70g) coconut oil, melted (or vegetable oil or melted butter)
- 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup*
- 1/3 cup (80ml) milk (any kind)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup chopped nuts (any kind—I use 120g walnuts)
- optional: 3 Tablespoons oats and/or coconut sugar for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder, and salt together in a large bowl until combined. Set aside. In a medium bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, mash the bananas. Then whisk in the eggs, oil, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla together until combined. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients, stir a few times, then add the nuts. Fold everything together gently just until combined and no flour pockets remain.
- Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Top with oats and a light sprinkle of coconut sugar, if desired. Bake for 5 minutes at 425 then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 15-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 20-21 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 11-13 minutes at 350°F (177°C) the whole time.) Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire rack to continue cooling.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days, then transfer to the fridge for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: For longer storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Allow to thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): Stand Mixer or Handheld Mixer (optional) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners
- Oats: This recipe uses whole rolled oats, but you can use the same amount of quick oats if needed. You can also skip the oats if desired, but I recommend adding a little more flour to help soak up some liquid, such as 3 Tablespoons (about 24g).
- Maple Syrup: You can use honey for the maple syrup, but the flavor will be different.
- Initial High Temperature: The hot burst of air will spring up the top of the muffin quickly, then the inside of the muffin can bake for the remainder of the time. This helps the muffins rise nice and tall.
- Nutrition Information: Using VeryWellFit calculator and calculated using coconut oil, skim milk, and walnuts, these muffins come out to 190 calories, 8.5g fat, 25g carbs, 2g fiber, 5g sugar, and 4g protein each.
Keywords: whole wheat banana walnut muffins
Can I substitute sugar for the maple syrup? Can you use the fake pancake syrup or does it need to be the pure?
Hi Sydney, you can use brown sugar instead of the syrup. Enjoy!
These Muffins are so healthy, delicious, and easy to make! I sprinkled the oats on top of the muffins and they looked so inviting on the nicely risen muffin tops. My husband loved these as they are not overly sweet. Every time I use a recipe from Sally’s Baking Addiction, I get great results and lots of compliments!! 🙂 Thanks, Sally!
★★★★★
These are perfect! I couldn’t believe how well they rose in the tin.
★★★★★
I have these in the oven now. My only derivations were using raisins and mini semi-sweet chocolate chips in lieu of nuts and adding 2 tbs of ground flax seed. I used coconut oil, maple syrup and whole milk. I can’t wait to taste them!
This is a great recipe. I have made them twice and used applesauce instead of oil both times – they turned out great. Thank you for a terrific way to use up older bananas without overindulging!
★★★★★
This recipe is very dry will try with half whole wheat and white flour, banana were very ripe , with no banana taste, temperature at 425 is ok but baking time needs to be adjusted.
Made these today to use up a few bananas that were about to spoil. I used whole wheat pastry flour, coconut oil, unsweetened almond milk, honey instead of maple, and 1/2 cup pecans, 1/2 cup choc chips. I stirred honey into warm melted coconut oil so it would incorporate well. They are so delicious!! I have made countless recipes from your collection and they always turn out wonderfully. My boys have been gobbling them up and hubby will be so happy to have a couple with coffee on his way to work. Thanks again!!
★★★★★
Hi, I have a family member who is allergic to oats. Should I add extra flour to compensate in the recipe or can I simply skip that ingredient?
Thanks!
Hi Susan, Feel free to skip the oats if desired, but add a little more flour. See the recipe note on oats for details.
Big winner here. Adding this to my personal cooking journal.
★★★★★
Saw some comments asking for an eggless version. I got a pretty decent, if a little inconsistent, rise by using two flax seed eggs and then adding applesauce a little at a time until the batter achieved the desired consistency. Otherwise, I followed all directions as listed. Make one flaxseed egg by combining 1 tablespoon flaxseed meal with three tablespoons water, then let sit 15 to 30 minutes. Flaxseed eggs can make baked goods a little more dense then the original recipe, but I barely noticed on these muffins.
This recipe has leaveners (baking soda/powder) and a common vegan egg substitute (mashed bananas) in it already, so I wouldn’t be surprised if you could take out the eggs entirely and still get a decent result by playing around with the amounts of baking powder and milk.
★★★★★
How do I make these eggless? What an I sub eggs with and how much?
Hi Aviva! We haven’t tested this recipe with egg substitutes, so can’t give any advice. Let us know if you try any! Here are all of our egg free baking recipes if you are interested in browsing there.
What could I use to replace the eggs (my kid is allergic to eggs). Would flax-egg work?
We haven’t tested that but let us know if you do!
Great recipe! Apparently you did not have the home economics teacher I had in junior high school. She insisted that our muffins should be stirred 22 times (no more, no less), and the proof that you had not overmixed was that your muffins were lightly rounded on top, not “peaked.” It’s crazy that I remember things like this. I love your process for making them rise higher. Anything that makes a muffin look bigger is all right. I’ve made these with regular whole wheat flour and white whole wheat. My first batch (whole wheat) was a bit dense, but I loved it (my husband didn’t). The second batch (white whole wheat) rose higher and was less dense. That in itself might have convinced my husband to eat one, but the addition of chocolate chips was what sold him. I only added 1/2 cup, but it was enough to find a few chocolate surprises in every muffin. Thank you!
★★★★★
Delicious, moist and light, full of flavor. I had only two bananas, so I added a little homemade applesauce to get to 1-1/3 cups. Also, I have some flax meal in the fridge, and I regularly add a few tablespoons to cookies and breads to make them healthier. It also added to the texture and flavor. Baked them exactly as written and they are out perfectly. Wow! Can’t say enough about how good these are!
★★★★★
I used the vegetable oil option, everything else the same. 5 minutes on high temperature, then 15 on lower.
Absolutely a keeper!!! T
Thank you!
★★★★★
These came out perfect. I will make these over and over.
★★★★★
Much healthier than my grandmother’s passed-down recipe! I actually forgot the coconut oil in the microwave, but the muffins turned out just fine. I’d imagine they’d be a smidge more moist with oil, but if you’re looking to lessen the fat you could probably do without.
★★★★★
If I don’t have whole wheat flour, can I just use all purpose?! Thanks
Hi Lily, absolutely — same amount.
Hi Sally!
I made this recipe and some others and they’re all absolutely delicious. Thank you! I would love to make this one gluten free. Which kind of flour would you try first?
Thank you!
★★★★★
Hi Geraldina, We haven’t 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!
This recipe is AMAZING!!! It’s healthy and tastes so great. It’s moist and looks so pretty. I replaced the coconut oil with applesauce and didn’t add walnuts. This made them come out to only 140 calories!! I absolutely love this recipe and I will definitely be making it again in the future.
★★★★★
How much apple sauce did you use?
I did not fully read about the temperature change and baked them at 425 for 17 minutes-dry! My bad. I do question the true need to do the two temps and I do not think it’s necessary except in the case of baking pies.
★★★
The higher temperature gives you a ‘muffin top’ which Sally mentions if you read the notes! If you baked them for the same temperature, you’ll get a flatter top – cupcake style which for most isn’t appetising unless you add a topping
Hi Sally
Is there anyway to make these without bananas? Have to make it for someone who doesn’t like them. Or would you have any other healthy recipe like this which doesn’t use bananas?
Secondly can bake these in a loaf pan?
Thank you
Hi Vandana, for a healthier muffin recipe without bananas, we’d recommend these applesauce muffins or morning glory muffins. Both could be made in a loaf pan, although we’re unsure of the exact bake time. Here are all of our healthy sweet recipes, if you’re interested.
Just made the whole wheat banana muffins, they are so good ,I didn’t have walnuts but I did use pecan nuts and they are so delicious.
Thank you for this recipe.
These were really delicious! I think the people who had poor results did something wrong in their cook time or temperature. I followed the recipe exactly and topped with oats and a bit of sparkling sugar. Mine were perfectly done (moist and delicious) after 5 minutes at 425 and 15 minutes at 350. I got 12 muffins out of the batch, which happens to me often with Sally’s recipes. I think I must have a slightly larger muffin tin. These are going into the freezer for postpartum snacking!
★★★★★
Hi Sally!
I can’t find old fashioned oats at all! Do you think instant/ quick oats will be ok?
Thank you !
Hi Irina, quick oats will work in a pinch.
Made these this morning on a whim. Easy and delicious. My kids (5, 9, and 10) helped make them and loved them. We had to use brown sugar instead of maple syrup and it worked out just fine. I ended up baking 5 minutes at 425 and 15 at 350 and they were gorgeously domed and cooked perfectly. My bananas were pretty big, so that may have contributed to them being nice and moist. We loved them!!
★★★★★
Hi Beth, We are so glad you loved them.
Yum! Love these! Question: Is there a way to make them gluten free? Thanks!
★★★★
Hi Leah, we’re so glad you love these muffins. We haven’t tested them with GF flour, but let us know if you do!
HI sally would it be already to make these in a mini cupcake pan? I think I would be super cute to have little muffins for a family gathering next week! If so would how much would I lower the baking time?
Thank you!
Hi Klailea, you sure can! For mini muffins, bake 11-13 minutes at 350°F.
I just made these today and they are delicious! I added 1/2c semisweet chocolate chips and highly recommend! 🙂
★★★★★
I would echo Jess’s comment above–these absolutely DO NOT NEED to be baked at 425 for 22-25 minutes! They’d be lumps of coal! I baked mine at 400 for about 12 minutes and they were perfect. Also, I take issue with the leavening–and I’ve made this comment before on this site. Using all baking soda, especially this much, doesn’t work well for me. I will admit that I live in Denver and so am baking at a higher altitude, but HA problems would be more of a function of amount of leavening, not type. I used 1 tsp. soda and 1/2 tsp. baking powder and these muffins rose perfectly, with beautiful round domes. I wonder if you could consider making these changes. This recipe is so, so good–in spite of all my carping, that’s really my ultimate comment here. They come out with this lovely almost caramelized outside and moist insides. The oats and walnuts add great texture and nutrition.
Debi, these notes are very helpful. We take feedback very seriously and when I review recipes each year for possible updates, I take it all into consideration. So thank you. Just a note– these do not bake at 425 for that long. (Only 5 minutes before you lower the temperature.)
Thank you, Sally! And yes, I did realize later that you only have it at 425 for 5 minutes. Interestingly enough, Cook’s Illustrated magazine has an article in its latest issue on popovers, and they address the issue of the starting-out-high/lower-the-temp technique, and they say that it’s kind of iffy since every oven is different–loses heat at a different rate, etc., and that they found that a consistent temp worked better. I know you develop your recipes very carefully and that this two-temp idea works well for you, but it might not for everyone. Anyway, I plan to make these muffins again soon.
Very good! I used half maple syrup and half honey, olive oil, quick oats, and a sprinkle of shredded coconut instead of nuts. I also only baked them for 15 minutes after turning down the temperature, and they were cooked through. I like them with a little butter, but they’re great on their own! Cream cheese icing would make these a lovely dessert.
★★★★★