Banana Blueberry Muffins

These blueberry banana muffins are light, fluffy, super sweet and moist. They are made with whole wheat pastry flour, ripe bananas and juicy blueberries, and they are sweetened with honey instead of sugar.

There are no eggs and no butter. Mashed banana, applesauce and a little olive oil keep them tender, and they bake in about 17 to 20 minutes. They freeze beautifully too, so you can always have breakfast ready.

The Best Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins (Whole Wheat and Honey Sweetened)

I made a dozen of these muffins one morning before my husband left for work. He took 3 to work, and then my 2 year old daughter and I (okay, mostly me) ate the rest before he came home. He walked through the door, gave us hugs and kisses, and then quickly walked to the kitchen. When he saw the empty cooling rack, he disappointingly asked, “There are no more muffins?” I apologized and said I couldn’t resist them because they were so good. He corrected me: “Honey, they weren’t good. They were incredible!” Looks like I’ll be making 2 dozen next time.

I know, I know. You’re getting tired of me expressing how muffins bring me pure delight! How can they not? A sweet, moist, fluffy little package for breakfast would bring anyone pure joy, right? Make these banana blueberry muffins and tell me I’m not right.

To get these muffins just perfect, you need the right flour, and I’ve already figured it out for you. I’ve tried several different whole wheat flours: organic, freshly ground, white whole wheat and more. Whole wheat flour is denser than all purpose flour and can leave your muffins resembling a brick. I recommend whole wheat pastry flour. It’s the only flour I bake with now. I’m obsessed!

Why You’ll Love These Blueberry Banana Muffins

• Soft and fluffy. Whole wheat pastry flour keeps them tender instead of heavy.
• Naturally sweet. Ripe bananas, applesauce and honey or agave do all the sweetening.
• No eggs or butter. Banana and applesauce bind the batter, and olive oil keeps it moist.
• Freezer friendly. Bake a batch ahead and they taste freshly baked after thawing.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Here is what goes into these whole wheat blueberry banana muffins and why each one is there. Exact amounts are in the recipe card below.

• Whole wheat pastry flour: Milled from soft wheat, so it has less protein and forms less gluten than regular whole wheat flour. That is what keeps these muffins light and velvety instead of dense.
• Baking powder and baking soda: Give the muffins their rise. The baking soda reacts with the acidic applesauce and honey, and the baking powder adds extra lift in the oven.
• Cinnamon and salt: Cinnamon adds warmth that tastes great with banana, and a little salt makes all the flavors pop.
• Flax seeds and chia seeds: Both are optional. They add a little extra nutrition and help hold the batter together.
• Bananas: Peel and mash or blend them until smooth. The riper and more spotty the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be.
• Unsweetened applesauce: Adds moisture and natural sweetness with no butter. Choose unsweetened so the muffins don’t turn out too sweet.
• Honey or agave: The only sweetener. Use whichever you have on hand.
• Olive oil: A light olive oil keeps the crumb moist and soft, even after the muffins cool.
• Milk: Any milk of your choice works. I used vanilla almond milk, which adds a hint of extra flavor.
• Pure vanilla extract: Rounds out the banana and blueberry flavors.
• Blueberries: Fresh or frozen both work. Instead of putting whole blueberries in my muffins, I like to coarsely chop them in my Vitamix on the lowest setting. Chopped berries spread through the batter so every bite gets blueberry. If you use frozen, there’s no need to thaw them first.

How to Make Blueberry Banana Muffins

1. Heat the oven. Preheat to 375°F and lightly grease a muffin pan. A fully heated oven gives the batter a quick burst of rise for nicely domed tops.
2. Mix the dry ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, salt and the flax and chia seeds if using. Whisk well so the leaveners are spread evenly and you don’t end up with bitter pockets of baking soda.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, applesauce, honey or agave, olive oil, milk and vanilla until smooth. The mixture should look creamy and pale with no big chunks of banana left. Blending the bananas makes this step even easier.
4. Combine. Pour the wet ingredients into the dry and stir just until combined. A few small streaks of flour are fine. The batter will be thick and a little lumpy, and that is exactly right. Overmixing whole wheat batter makes muffins tough, so put the spoon down once the flour disappears.
5. Fold in the blueberries. Gently fold in the chopped blueberries with a spatula, using just a few turns so you don’t overmix.
6. Scoop and bake. Fill each cup with about 1/4 cup of batter. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes, until the tops have browned. The inside will be moist!

Ways to Customize Blueberry Banana Muffins

• Swap the berries. Raspberries, chopped strawberries or a mix of berries work in place of blueberries.
• Add some crunch. Fold in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans with the blueberries.
• Change the milk. Use any milk you like. Vanilla almond milk adds a little extra flavor.
• Top them. Sprinkle the tops with a few rolled oats or a pinch of cinnamon before baking for a bakery style look.

Blueberry Banana Muffins FAQs

• Can I make these muffins ahead of time? Yes. They are perfect for a large family get together or a special morning like Christmas. Bake them ahead and freeze them in an airtight container.
• How do I thaw frozen muffins? Leave them at room temperature for about an hour. Neither the texture nor the taste will be compromised. You can also warm them in the microwave for 20 to 30 seconds, and they’ll taste just like they were freshly baked.
• Can I use regular whole wheat flour? You can, but the muffins will be denser and heavier. Whole wheat pastry flour is what keeps them light and fluffy.
• Do I have to chop the blueberries? No. Whole berries work too, but chopping them spreads the flavor through every bite.
• Can I use frozen blueberries? Yes. Add them straight from the freezer so they don’t bleed into the batter as much.
• Do these muffins have eggs? No. Mashed banana and applesauce hold the batter together, with optional flax and chia seeds for extra help.
• How should I store them? Keep cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for a day or two, or freeze them for longer.
• How do I know when they are done? Bake until the tops have browned, about 17 to 20 minutes. The inside should stay moist.

Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins

Kami

Whole wheat blueberry banana muffins made with ripe bananas, applesauce, honey and juicy blueberries. They are light, fluffy and moist with no eggs or butter.

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Ingredients

  

• 2 cups whole wheat pastry flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp flax seeds or flaxseed meal optional
• 1 tsp Chia seeds optional
• 2 bananas peeled and mashed (or blended)
• 1/2 cup organic unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup honey or organic agave
• 1/4 cup olive oil
• 1/4 cup milk of your choice... I used vanilla almond milk
• 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
• 1 cup frozen or fresh organic blueberries I like to coarsely chop them instead of putting them in whole

Instructions

 

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.
• In a large mixing bowl combine all the dry ingredients.
• In a separate medium-sized bowl, whisk together the bananas, applesauce, honey/agave, olive oil, milk, and vanilla.
• Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients and stir to combine.
• Fold in blueberries.
• Fill lightly greased muffin pan with about 1/4 cup mixture. Bake for 17-20 minutes or until the tops have browned. The inside will be moist!

Made these muffins? Leave a star rating in the recipe card and tell me how they turned out in the comments below. Your feedback helps other bakers, and I love hearing about your swaps.

Blueberry fans, don’t miss the Jordan Marsh Blueberry Muffins with their crunchy sugar tops on our sister site, Everything Muffins.

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