I originally published this recipe in 2013 and have since added new photos, a video tutorial, and more helpful success tips. I also made a few small changes to the recipe, which are reflected in the printable recipe below. I’m bringing back a favorite! Hard to believe these muffins have been a repeated staple in my kitchen for so long. I now exclude the added brown sugar and sweeten them exclusively with honey, which improves the taste and means there isn’t any added refined sugar. Except for those chocolate chips… a necessity! 😉
Why You’ll Love These Healthier Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Made from basic ingredients Super moist with loads of peanut butter flavor Quick and easy, just like regular banana muffins Nutritional boost from whole wheat flour and Greek yogurt Naturally sweetened with bananas and honey Like banana bread, they’re a delicious way to use up your spotty bananas
Ingredients You Need & Why
Bananas: Bananas naturally sweeten the muffins. Make sure you’re using super-brown-speckled bananas—the riper, the better. Same goes for regular banana muffins. You can use thawed frozen bananas in this recipe—read about how to freeze and thaw bananas for baking. Honey: I love honey and peanut butter together, and try to combine the two as often as possible. Feel free to swap maple syrup or agave in its place. Using liquid sweetener, as opposed to dry like granulated or brown sugar, also keeps the muffins extra moist and tender. And if you have any leftover, make a batch of homemade honey butter to enjoy with your muffins! Greek yogurt: I love to add protein-packed Greek yogurt to muffin recipes because it gives them a soft interior without all the fat from butter. Coconut Oil: Just a smidge! The muffins taste a little rubbery without some oil. Egg: An egg helps to bind the ingredients together. (Plus adds a little more protein!) Almond milk: Or any type of milk, dairy or nondairy, you prefer. Creamy peanut butter: You can use natural (with the oil stirred in) or processed peanut butter in these muffins, but stick to the smooth creamy kind. Crunchy peanut butter makes for crumbly baked goods. Cinnamon, vanilla extract, salt, baking powder, & baking soda: Flavor and rising essentials. Whole wheat flour: I like to use whole wheat flour when I can, particularly when I make healthier versions of my favorite treats, like this whole wheat banana bread. These muffins can also be made with all-purpose flour, or a mix of both. I usually make them with a mix of both, as pictured. Chocolate chips: Optional, but recommended! Grab a bag to make these muffins and then make a batch of Nutella swirl peanut butter banana bread to use up the rest.
Using Whole Wheat Flour Instead of All-Purpose
Whole wheat flour has a big nutritional advantage over refined white flour—it’s richer in protein, fiber, and minerals. It’s also heavier and heartier than white flour, so it works especially well in muffin recipes, which naturally have a denser texture than cake—take these morning glory muffins, bran muffins, or these applesauce muffins, for example. Whole wheat flour absorbs a lot of liquid, so it can dry out your baked goods. But in this recipe we’re canceling that out with the super moist content of the mashed banana.
How to Mash Bananas
I started doing this a while ago and it’s been a total game changer whenever I make banana muffins, breakfast cookies, banana bread, or chocolate banana bread. Just use your mixer to mash bananas! Peel and break the bananas into chunks, place in your mixer, and beat until mashed. Beat the rest of the wet ingredients right into this bowl, then beat in the dry ingredients. So easy. If you’d rather not use the mixer (it really isn’t necessary for this recipe), just mash the bananas in a big bowl with a fork or even a potato masher. You need 1 cup (230g) of mashed banana, which is about 3 medium or 2 large ripe bananas.
How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
The process is really easy. Whisk the wet ingredients and dry ingredients together in separate bowls, then combine it all. Fold in the chocolate chips, if using. The batter is pretty thick. Success Tip: When you fill your muffin liners, make sure you fill the cups until practically full. They won’t overflow (like if you overfill the liners for vanilla cupcakes), because you’ll bake them at two different temperatures. This is my high-temperature trick for sky-scraping muffin tops. Start baking the muffins in an extra-hot oven; the initial burst of high heat raises the muffin tops straight up. After 5 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to cook the centers of the muffins for the remaining bake time. It’s such a simple trick that produces beautiful, bakery-display-case-worthy muffins. You are just going to love these muffins. They are PACKED with flavor, moisture, and warmth. Lightly sweetened, cinnamon-spiced, and enough peanut butter flavor to make a peanut butter cup jealous.
Are These Peanut Butter Banana Muffins Healthy?
I’d say these are a healthy-ish treat. Like my banana chocolate chip breakfast cookies, blueberry banana muffins, or these peanut buttery no-bake chocolate fudge oat bars, they are made with some healthier alternatives to traditional baking ingredients, but still include sugar. When it comes to labeling recipes as healthy, use the best judgment for YOU.
