Healthy Banana Nut Muffins
These sugar free healthy banana muffins are loaded with nuts, warming notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, and naturally sweetened with ripe banana. You’ll love the contrast of the crunchy walnuts with the super fluffy interior! Perfect with a giant mug of tea on a cold afternoon.
Healthy banana muffins without sugar
There’s something so classic and comforting about banana nut muffins. They remind me of childhood trips to coffee shops and university study breaks in the library cafe. Of course, those muffins were never particularly healthy – but they were delicious!
Personally, I think these Healthy Banana Muffins are the perfect combination of nostalgia and good-for-you ingredients!
First, they’re completely sugar free. Similar to my Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins, we’re only using super overripe bananas to sweeten these fluffy muffins. They’re also packed with heart-happy walnuts to give you a good dose of healthy fats as well as a nice contrasting crunch! Finally, a light dose of cinnamon and nutmeg add a touch of warmth and lovely flavour.
I know you’re going to love these healthy banana muffins!
Ingredients in these easy banana nut muffins
Only 12 easy-to-find ingredients make up these healthy Banana Nut Muffins. You probably already have every one of them on hand! Let’s break them down:
- Plain flour: To provide structure – I always use unbleached.
- Baking powder & soda: These react with the acidic ingredients in the recipe and the heat in the oven to produce super fluffy muffins. Make sure you use both.
- Cinnamon & nutmeg: Adds warmth and wonderful spice to these healthy banana muffins.
- Sea salt: Helps bring out the sweetness of the banana.
- Overripe banana: Our sweetener and flavour powerhouse! Always make sure they’re as overripe as possible (the darker the better) for the best flavour.
- Plain yoghurt: Adds moisture to the muffins and reacts with the baking soda to produce fluffier interiors.
- Rapeseed oil: Helps keep the muffins from going gummy and adds a softness. I prefer cold-pressed rapeseed oil as it’s the healthiest and least processed oil on the market, but any neutral oil will do.
- Egg: Binds everything together and lends more moisture to keep the muffins from drying out.
- Pure vanilla extract: For a little extra sweetness and flavour.
- Chopped walnuts: Walnuts are a classic flavour pairing with bananas!
How to make healthy banana muffins with nuts
You can easily get these muffins in the oven in 15 minutes! There are only 4 simple steps to follow and you’ll be on your way to muffin heaven. Here’s how to make these healthy banana muffins:
1. Mix together the dry ingredients
Combine all of the dry ingredients into a bowl and whisk together well.
2. Mix together the wet ingredients
Add the mashed banana as well as the other wet ingredients to another bowl and whisk to combine.
3. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients
Tip the dry into the wet and fold them together gently. Then add your nuts and fold everything together until the flour disappears.
4. Fill the tin and bake
Divide the batter evenly between the muffin tin cups and then bake them up!
Full details are in the recipe card at the end of this post.
Watch the recipe video
More of a visual learner? Me too! Check out how I make these Healthy Banana Nut Muffins here:
Which bananas to use for healthy banana muffins
You want to use the darkest bananas you can for these healthy banana muffins.
Because bananas are the main sweetener in this recipe, you need to use super overripe bananas. Wait until they’re completely black – they’ll yield the best results in flavour and sweetness.
Tips for making this recipe perfectly
- Don’t over-mix the batter once you add the dry ingredients! Over-mixing results in tough muffins. I like to do only a couple of folds before I add the walnuts and then continue folding until the flour just disappears. It’s okay if the batter is lumpy.
- Fill the muffin cavities to the top! This will ensure a nice dome on these healthy banana muffins.
- Let the muffins cool completely before serving. I know, torture! But the muffins will continue to cook as they cool and become extra fluffy. If you eat them right out of the oven, the texture will be more gummy.
Looking for more healthy muffin recipes?
Sugar Free Banana Chocolate Chunk Muffins
Healthy Carrot Muffins
Ginger Pear Muffins
Pumpkin Chocolate Chip Muffins
White Chocolate Cranberry Muffins
If you make this recipe, let me know by snapping a picture and tagging me on Instagram @naturallysweet_kitchen. I love seeing your creations and sharing them in my Stories. Or let me know you love this Healthy Banana Nut Muffin recipe by leaving a comment and rating below!
Healthy Banana Nut Muffins
These sugar free healthy banana muffins are loaded with nuts, warming notes of cinnamon and nutmeg, and naturally sweetened with ripe banana.
Ingredients
- 180 g plain flour
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 400 g mashed overripe banana (about 4 ½ medium bananas)
- 60 g plain yoghurt
- 90 ml rapeseed oil
- 1 large egg
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 100 g chopped walnuts
Method
- Preheat the oven to 220ºC (425ºF) and line a regular sized muffin tin with 12 silicone or paper liners.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, nutmeg, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Add the mashed banana to a large mixing bowl. Whisk in the yogurt, oil, egg, and vanilla until emulsified.
- Tip the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Gently fold everything together 3-4 times, then add the chopped walnuts. Keep folding gently just until the nuts are dispersed and the flour disappears. Do not over mix the batter; it’s okay if it’s a bit lumpy.
- Divide the mixture evenly between the 12 cups. The batter should just reach the top of each cavity.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes. Reduce the temperature to 190ºC and bake for a further 11-14 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the tray for 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to finish cooling completely.
Recipe Video
Notes
- If you desire a slightly sweeter muffin, try mixing 2 tablespoons of honey into the wet ingredients in step 3.
- These muffins will keep sealed in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- These muffins can be frozen for up to 3 months. Defrost at room temperature.
