Banana Blueberry Muffins Recipe

These banana blueberry muffins are bursting with fruit and spices. Tender and moist, you would never guess that they were healthy!

Banana blueberry muffins are on constant repeat around here. Whenever we have some bananas that are past the point of no return, my kids ask if we can use them to make this recipe. I like to eat my bananas when they are slightly green. So, anything with a brown spot is past the point of return, in my opinion. High-maintenance, huh?

If you love banana and blueberry muffins or a great skinny banana bread (with blueberries, of course) as much as my family does, then this is the recipe for you! They're lower in sugar than most muffin recipes and oil-free.

But "no oil" doesn't mean that you have to sacrifice on texture. Dry muffins wouldn't make the cut around here, so I'm swearing on my favorite baking tin that these muffins are tender as can be!

What you need for these healthy banana blueberry muffins:

These are the main components of this recipe (affiliate links included):

• Bananas: Overripe bananas are the best for banana bread, smoothies and muffins because the natural sugars intensify as the banana ripens. I use bananas that are spotted and slightly soft. Avoid fruit with large bruises.
• Flour: For higher fiber and healthier muffins and quick bread, I turn to whole wheat pastry flour. It has a lighter texture than regular whole wheat flour. You could substitute with a half and half mixture of all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour.
• Blueberries: Either frozen or fresh blueberries work here. If using frozen blueberries, there's no need to defrost them first.
• Applesauce: Unsweetened applesauce, or other fruit purees, are a great low-fat substitute for oil in baked goods. Using the unsweetened version keeps the sugar content lower overall.
• Sweetener: I've used both coconut palm sugar and brown sugar, and they work equally well.
• Spices: Cinnamon and nutmeg add just the right amount of warmth and flavor.

How to make banana blueberry muffins:

These muffins follow the same basic method as almost any other muffin recipe: dry ingredients, wet ingredients, mix-ins, bake. Easy as can be!

1. Whisk together the dry ingredients in a medium bowl.
2. In a separate, larger bowl, mash the bananas with the back of a fork until they're almost smooth. Add the applesauce, sugar, egg and vanilla extract.
3. Mix the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring until all of the flour disappears. Take care not to overmix, which can cause the batter to become stiffer.
4. Mix in about two-thirds of the blueberries and scoop the batter into a muffin tin. Scatter the remaining third of the blueberries over top of the muffins, pressing them very slightly into the batter.
5. Bake and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions:

How do you tell when muffins are done?

The easiest way to tell when muffins are done is by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done. If the toothpick is covered with batter, pop the muffins back into the oven for a couple of minutes, then test again.

When gently pressed on top, cooked-through muffins will spring back. If the muffin depresses and the indentation remains, you'll need to bake them a little longer.

How to store banana blueberry muffins:

These muffins can be stored at room temperature for 3 to 4 days.

First, remove the muffins from the baking tin and cool them completely on a wire rack.

Once cool, transfer the muffins to a ziplock plastic bag or an airtight storage container. Place a piece of paper towel underneath the muffins and another on top of them (inside of the bag or container) to stop the muffins from becoming mushy.

If using a ziplock bag, squeeze out as much air as possible before sealing the bag.

How to freeze muffins:

Once the muffins are completely cool, transfer them to a ziplock freezer bag, an airtight plastic freezer container or an airtight glass storage container.

If you're using ziplock bags, remove as much air as possible. Sucking out the air with a straw is a good trick!

Label the bag or container, and store the muffins in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Other healthy baked good recipes:

Skinny Banana Bread with Blueberries
Whole Wheat Carrot Muffin Recipe
Whole Wheat Apple Spice Muffins
Chocolate Zucchini Muffins (Grain-Free)
Sweet Keto Blueberry Bread

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Banana Blueberry Muffins

These banana blueberry muffins are bursting with fruit and spices. Tender and moist, you would never guess that they were healthy!

4.75 from 4 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breads, Breakfast

Cuisine: American, Canadian

Keyword: Banana Blueberry Muffins, Healthy Muffins

Prep Time: 13 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 17 minutes minutes

Total Time: 30 minutes minutes

Servings: 12 Servings

Calories: 133.9kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

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Ingredients

• 3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 ¼ cups) (See Note 1)
• ½ cup lightly packed coconut palm sugar or brown sugar
• ⅓ cup unsweetened applesauce
• 1 egg whisked
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 ½ cups whole wheat pastry flour (see Note 2)
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 cup fresh or frozen blueberries, divided (see Note 3)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Lightly coat a muffin tin with cooking spray.
• In a large bowl, stir together the bananas, coconut palm sugar (or brown sugar), applesauce, egg and vanilla extract.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg and salt.
• Stir the flour mixture into the banana mixture until combined. Stir in two-thirds of the blueberries.
• Spoon the muffin batter into the prepared muffin cups. Sprinkle the remaining blueberries over top, press very lightly into the batter.
• Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean, 15 to 17 minutes.
• Remove the muffins from the pan and allow to cool. Serve.

Notes

Weight Watchers Points: 4 (Blue - Freestyle SP) / 4 (Green) / 4 (Purple)

Note 1: Overripe bananas are the best for banana bread, smoothies and muffins because the natural sugars intensify as the banana ripens. I use bananas that are spotted and slightly soft. Avoid fruit with large bruises.

Note 2: For higher fiber and healthier muffins and quick bread, I turn to whole wheat pastry flour. It has a lighter texture than regular whole wheat flour. You could substitute with a half and half mixture of all-purpose flour and white whole wheat flour.

Note 3: If using frozen blueberries, there’s no need to defrost them first. 

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the Sparks nutrition calculator and Weight Watchers points are calculated using the Recipe Builder on their site. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

Nutrition

Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 133.9kcal | Carbohydrates: 33.2g | Protein: 2.9g | Fat: 1.2g | Saturated Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 15.5mg | Sodium: 252.8mg | Fiber: 3.3g | Sugar: 14.3g

Tried this recipe?If you make this recipe, I'd love to see it on Instagram! Just use the hashtag #COOKINCANUCK and I'll be sure to find it.

This post was first published on April 18, 2009 and updated on February 8, 2021.

Disclosure: I am a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for me to earn fees by linking to Amazon.com and affiliated sites.