Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins
Here is yet another use for that bunch of ripening, speckled bananas on the counter, desperate to work their way into a delicious recipe before you toss them into the trash (cue sad violin music.) My Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana muffins are full of wholesome, nutritious ingredients, warm spices, and are lightly sweetened with honey. Bonus: These muffins come together in minutes and freeze beautifully for a quick breakfast on the go or an after school snack.
I've been making these muffins for years. When I owned my cafe, what seems like ages ago (probably because it was over 20 years ago), these gals were in the regular muffin rotation. We always had some healthier baked options available among the dozens of decadent treats. What I love about these muffins is that they are not overly sweet (since they contain no added sugar), but the batter contains SIX whole bananas, resulting in a moist, dense, satisfying muffin that has bursts of juicy blueberries in every bite!
ingredients needed to make Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins
Please check the recipe card, below, for exact quantities!
- Oats--Whole (old-fashioned) oats, not "quick oats." Quick oats are broken into smaller pieces for faster cooking, so they result in a mushier texture.
- Whole wheat flour
- All-purpose flour
- Baking powder/Baking soda
- Kosher salt
- Ground cinnamon
- Ground ginger
- Ground nutmeg
- Bananas--VERY ripe medium sized bananas are suggested for this recipe, since they result in the most pronounced banana flavor and they are easiest to mash. Ripen your bananas until they are soft and deeply speckled, as pictured in the photo above. Then mash them by pureeing them in a food processor (for a smooth result), or by using a simple potato masher or even two forks to get the job done.
- Honey--You can substitute pure (not imitation!) maple syrup for the honey. When you measure the honey, first spray the measuring cup with nonstick spray so that it doesn't stick to the cup!
- Coconut oil--Before adding it to the batter, first melt the oil over the stove or in the microwave. I like coconut oil because I feel like it has the most neutral flavor, but you can substitute vegetable, safflower, or canola oil.
- Egg
- Pure vanilla extract--imitation may be used in a pinch, but pure vanilla always yields the best vanilla flavor
- Fresh blueberries--You may use frozen blueberries for this recipe; but be extra gentle when you fold them into the batter since you don't want to end up with blue-stained muffins. Fresh berries will give you the best results, since frozen berries contain extra water which will affect the texture of the muffins.
Video Tutorial: See These Blueberry Banana Muffins in Action!
step-by-step photos and Instructions
Step 1: Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two muffin tins with nonstick baking spray (or line them with muffin liners.) Combine oats, both flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl; whisk to blend.
Step 2: Next, peel the bananas and then place them in a large bowl. Mash the bananas using a potato masher or a fork. The mixture does not need to be perfectly smooth.
Step 3: Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and then add the oil, honey, egg, mashed bananas and vanilla. Whisk until well blended. Gently mix in the blueberries
Step 4: Scoop or spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each about ¾ full. Then sprinkle the top of each muffin with oats.
Step 5: Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted into the centers of the muffins emerges clean. Let muffins cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or room temperature.
FAQ and Troubleshooting Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins
Yes! Store baked muffins at room temperature, covered, for up to 3 days. Or seal the muffins in zip top bag and freeze them for up to 3 weeks. Prepare the batter up to 1 day in advance and then cover, refrigerated, until you are ready to bake them. Fold in the blueberries just prior to baking.
A banana is ripe enough for baking when it is yellow, speckled with dark brown spots, but still holds its shape and isn't overly "mushy." The more brown speckles, the riper the bananas.
To speed up the ripening process, Place bananas in a brown paper bag and close the top. If you have an apple, slice that and place it in the bag as well. The ethylene gas will ripen your fruit within a day or so.
Fresh blueberries are the best option for this recipe, as frozen blueberries contain extra water and may result in a soggier muffin. If you do use frozen blueberries, be sure to fold them gently into the mixture, so as to not stain the batter blue.
Looking for some more delicious breakfast treats? These recipes are a great way to start your day!
- Cinnamon-Raisin English Muffins
- Spiced Apple Zucchini Bread
- Whole Grain Peanut Butter and Banana Pancakes
Whole Wheat Blueberry Banana Muffins
Equipment
- 1 potato masher (optional)
- 2 muffin tins
- Nonstick baking spray
Ingredients
- 1½ cups old-fashioned oats (not quick oats)
- 1½ cups whole wheat flour
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground ginger
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- â…› teaspoon salt
- 1 cup coconut oil melted
- 1 cup honey
- 1 large egg
- 6 bananas medium, very ripe
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups blueberries fresh
- Extra oats for sprinkling
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Spray two muffin tins with nonstick baking spray (or line with muffin liners.)
- Peel the bananas and place them in a large bowl. Using a potato masher or a fork, mash the bananas. The mixture does not need to be perfectly smooth.
- Combine oats, both flours, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and salt in a large bowl; whisk to blend.
- Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add the oil, honey, egg, mashed bananas and vanilla. Whisk until well blended. Gently mix in the blueberries.
- Scoop or spoon the batter into prepared muffin tins, filling each about ¾ full. Sprinkle the top of each muffin with oats.
- Bake the muffins for 20-25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick or knife inserted into the centers of the muffins emerges clean. Let muffins cool in the pans for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a cooling rack. Serve warm or room temperature.
Hi Lara! Thank you so much for your message and for telling me about your substitutions. I am so glad that you enjoyed the muffins. These have always been one of my favorites. They freeze great, and I think that the flavors even improve the next day. Have a great week 🙂
Hi Julie,
I decided to make these muffins because I was looking for a recipe that didn't call for egg or butter, used natural sugar (ether honey or maple), were no fuss and used ingredients I had on hand or could easily substitute with. With all this in mind I was delighted to come across your recipe!
My changes were:
-used quick oats instead of rolled outs
-used canola oil instead of safflower oil
-used flax seeds instead of almonds in the mixture and on top
-used frozen mashed up bananas (did mine with a fork- I like the chunks)
-used frozen blueberries
Thanks so much for taking the time to put up the pictures and the recipe. With all the little changes I made they still tasted great! Thanks again!
I recently found your blog and Oh My Goodness! These are delicious!!! My picky eater 4 year old loves them and my husband, who does not care for muffins in general (too sweet) LOVED them! The BEST whole grain muffins I have ever had. Thank you for sharing! p.s. I have NEVER posted a comment on a food blog before and have tried many recipes from them, so that tells you how impressed I was with these!
These look fabulous and perfect for non-breakfast eating husbands. Yum!
Fabulous, daaaaling...fabulous!
My cat doesn't help matters any -- instead of waking me up (unless there isn't food left from the previous night) they'll jump on my bed and sleep some more!
I love the sound of these muffins, especially the heartiness compared to other recipes.
I do wish dogs would come with snooze buttons too, don't you? These muffins look fantastic!
Yum! These sound great! I'm big on breakfast and am always trying to get my hubby to get something in the morning. I'll have to try out these muffins!
I love banana muffins. These look great. Just may have to make them in the morning, I've got some ripe nanas ready to use. Thanks.
Julie- These sound wonderful, especailly with the maple syrup. I have never thought of pureeing the bananas before, I usually just mash them when I make breads, etc. I'll have to try that next time. Thanks for the great tip!
These look like the perfect thing for an on-the-go breakfast! So, your dogs can tell time but they can't read a calendar, eh? LOL