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These healthy banana nut muffins are so moist and indulgent, you’ll forget all about the healthy part!
Loaded with ripe bananas, heart-healthy pecans and luscious dark chocolate, these mighty muffins are unbelievably gluten free, dairy free and refined sugar free!
There was a time in my life when I was more than willing to sacrifice flavor and texture for something healthier. Something that tasted “close enough” to the real thing but was lower in fat or calories was totally acceptable.
These days, not so much. I would rather eat less of something than eat a “fake” version of the real thing.
I think it’s most difficult to modify the ingredients in baked goods and have them taste the same. But I am thrilled to say that we’ve accomplished the mission with these healthy banana nut muffins that contain whole ingredients and nothing artificial.
Trust me, I wouldn’t be eating them or sharing the recipe with you if they weren’t delicious.
How are these banana nut muffins made healthier?
Here are some modifications I made to these healthy banana nut muffins in order to keep great flavor and texture but healthify them a little:
- swap gluten free flour in for all-purpose flour
- replace refined sugar with raw honey
- use coconut milk instead of buttermilk
- mashed bananas fill in for vegetable oil for moisture
Ingredients for Healthy Banana Nut Muffins
Here’s what you’ll need to make these incredibly moist and healthy banana muffins:
- Gluten free flour. Choose a 1-to-1 blend that you can use in equal amounts as regular flour.
- Ripe bananas. Even overripe bananas will work, and will give these healthy muffins an even deeper banana flavor.
- Coconut milk. I recommend canned coconut milk over the kind you find in a carton because it’s richer and has a lower water content.
- Raw honey
- Eggs
- Chopped pecans. They’re a great source of protein, fiber and healthy fats.
- Dark chocolate. A powerful antioxidant that’s also rich in iron and magnesium.
- Vanilla extract
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Vegetable oil. Just a couple of tablespoons to ensure the perfect texture in this easy banana muffins recipe.
How to Make this Healthy Banana Muffin Recipe
Make these muffins just as you would regular muffins.
First, whisk the dry ingredients in one bowl. Your dry ingredients are flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.
Then, combine the wet ingredients in a separate bowl. The wet ingredients are bananas, coconut milk, honey, eggs, vanilla extract and vegetable oil.
Now, fold in the nuts and chocolate. It really couldn’t be easier!
Bake these muffins in a standard size muffin pan or a jumbo one. I love making bakery-style muffins in my jumbo muffin tin. This recipe will give you about 10 big guys.
If you’re using a standard size muffin tin, you can get almost 2 dozen out of this recipe!
Substitutions for this Healthy Banana Muffin Recipe
1. The flour. If you don’t mind gluten or want to increase your intake of whole grains, try substituting other flours like oat flour, almond flour, coconut flour or whole wheat flour.
2. The honey. Alternatives would be pure maple syrup or coconut sugar.
3. The nuts. Change things up by incorporating chopped walnuts or almonds into the muffin batter. Or, go for a smoother muffin texture by using peanut butter or almond butter instead of chopped nuts.
4. The bananas. No extra bananas lying around? Grab some pureed pumpkin and use that instead!
Variations on this Healthy Banana Nut Muffin Recipe
1. Blueberry Banana Muffins: Switch out the chocolate chips for fresh blueberries for a burst of juicy flavor.
2. Coconut Banana Muffins: Trade the chocolate chips or pecans for shredded coconut and add a tropical twist to this delicious recipe.
3. Protein Banana Muffins: Add your favorite protein powder to the muffin batter to boost the protein content in these muffins.
4. Peanut Butter Banana Muffins: The combination of bananas and peanut butter is irresistible! Swirl some peanut butter or other nut butter into the muffin batter instead of using whole nuts.
How to store these Healthy Banana Nut Muffins
Keep these delicious muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. They will stay fresh for several days.
For longer storage, seal the muffins in a large freezer bag. Try to remove as much air from the bag as possible, and then freeze.
Pop a muffin out of the freezer for an easy breakfast or afternoon snack! The next time you want to enjoy one, defrost it in the microwave for 30 seconds.
I like to toast my muffins lightly, to give them a crusty exterior while keeping the insides moist and tender.
When you make these healthy banana nut muffins, I’d love to hear about it! Drop a rating or leave a comment below. Enjoy!
For more muffin recipes, try these:
- Panera-Style Cranberry Orange Muffins
- Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
- Bakery Style Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins (Gluten Free Option)
For more banana recipes, try these:
- Best Ever Chocolate Chip Banana Bread
- Bananas Foster Layer Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Banana Bread
Healthy Banana Nut Muffins (Gluten Free Dairy Free)
Ingredients
- 2 cups gluten free flour
- 1 can (14 oz.) coconut milk
- 3/4 cup raw honey
- 2 eggs
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 cup pecans chopped
- 1 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
- 1 1/2 tsp. baking powder
- 1/2 tsp. baking soda
- 1/2 tsp. salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Coat a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray.
- In a large bowl, combine the coconut milk, eggs, honey, bananas, oil and vanilla.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the dry ingredients together: flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the flour mixture and stir to combine. Fold in the nuts and chocolate chips.
- Fill the muffin tin 2/3 of the way full. Bake 25-28 minutes. If using a jumbo muffin tin, increase baking time to 35 minutes.
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