Banana Nut Protein Muffins
Lovely flavored Banana Nut Protein Muffins that will fill you up for hours and give you the energy to start your day right! These healthy muffins pack a major protein punch and they’re loaded with warm flavors of cinnamon, banana and maple syrup.
Making Easy Banana Nut Protein Muffins:
Using extra ripe bananas when baking is the BEST! They’re naturally sweet, so you don’t have to use a huge amount of sugar in your banana recipes. Take these Banana Nut Protein Muffins – the bananas naturally sweeten the muffins and make them insanely moist without needing too much butter or oil.
You can totally use a fork to mash up your bananas, but I like to add them to my blender and blend them up until they’re nice and smooth. For this recipe, simply add the bananas plus the other wet ingredients to the blender and mix them all together – so easy!
Tips, Tricks, Variations
- It is not a must to add cornstarch in this recipe, but it will yield the best results. Cornstarch softens the harsh proteins of flour, making a more tender baked good.
- My favorite muffin trick! These Banana Nut Protein Muffins will rise beautifully! Start the muffins baking at a high temperature of 425 degrees F. That bit of high heat will help the tops of the muffin rise up. Then reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. and cook the center of the muffin. Such a simple trick that makes such a difference to the appearance of these yummy muffins.
- Cutting the flour to just 1 cup and then adding 1/2 cup of protein powder, lowers the carbs and increases the protein. Use any favorite protein powder that you like to use for baking. I used IdealLean Multi-Purpose Protein.
- As with any banana bread-type recipe, the key is to use very ripe bananas. Like, so ripe your kids or husband or whoever is questioning your sanity in using such a nasty looking banana. The riper it is, the better your banana bread (or muffins in this case) will taste. If your bananas aren’t ripe, try this banana ripening trick.
Be sure to try out some of my other favorite banana muffin recipes too!
Flourless Banana Apple Muffins
Best Healthy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
Blueberry Banana Power Muffins
Easy Banana Muffins from I Am Baker
Healthy Banana Muffins from Well Plated
I’d love to know if you make this (or any) recipe! Tag @kimscravings on Instagram and be sure to subscribe to our mailing list to receive more healthy delicious recipes straight to your inbox.
- 1 cup spelt, whole wheat, whole wheat pastry or all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup protein powder*
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- 3 large extra ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1 tablespoon oil**
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup pancake or maple syrup or honey
- 1/4 cup chopped raw pecans or walnuts (optional, for topping)
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Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F. Prepare a muffin pan with cooking spray, if needed.
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In a large mixing bowl, combine mashed bananas (I mashed mine in my blender) with egg, oil, maple syrup and vanilla. Stir vigorously until the mixture is smooth.
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In a separate bowl, combine the dry ingredients- flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and cornstarch. For best results, spoon flour into cup (rather than scooping with cup) and then level using a butter knife. Make a well in the center of the flour mixture and add wet ingredients. Gently stir until just combined. Don't overmix.
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Spoon batter into the prepared muffin tins filling each one completely full and top with chopped nuts. Bake muffins for 5 minutes at 425 degrees F. and then with muffins staying in the oven, reduce heat to 350 degrees F. and bake muffins for 13-15 minutes more. The high heat will cause muffins to rise and then you will lower heat to cook the center of the muffin.
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Remove from oven and allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. You might need to run a butter knife along the outer edge of the muffins to loosen them from the pan.
*Use an additional 1/2 cup flour, if not using protein powder.
**Use any oil variety that you have on hand. I like olive oil, coconut oil or avocado oil.
STORAGE: These muffins will keep at room temperature for up to 2 days, or in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. They keep well in the freezer in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months (just defrost individual muffins as needed).
CHANGE IT UP: You could really go crazy with add-ins here. Fold in up to ¾ cup chocolate chips, fresh blueberries, diced strawberries, chopped dried cranberries and/or an additional 1/2 cup chopped pecans.
SERVING SUGGESTIONS: These muffins are great on their own, with a pat of butter, or spread with almond butter or jam.
MAKE IT EGG FREE: I’m confident that these muffins will turn out well with flax eggs!
MAKE IT VEGAN: Substitute flax eggs for regular eggs and use maple syrup instead of honey.
MAKE IT GLUTEN FREE: Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free all-purpose blend works well.
Did you make this recipe?
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Yum!! These look like a great snow day project 🙂
Thanks! Perfect for a snow day! 🙂
Wow, all of these look YUMMY! I’m going to have to pin it, and try some later. <3 pinterest. :)))
These muffins are awesome! I like my Sun Warrior vanilla protein. In a smoothie it is a little gritty but I like the flavor.
Banana Nut muffins were delicious! Just made a batch and wish I made 2! Thanks for sharing.
I’m so glad you loved them! Thanks so much for your comment!
These were very delicious! I mixed for two batched and was able to yield 23 muffins! You are right, they rose very well with the 425 5-minute start and cooked through with the 12-minute cook on 350. I used all purpose flour and the honey for my batch (Everything else as instructed). The kids gobbled them up! They are sweet enough to entice them to eat them, yet not overly sweet to cause a bellyache if you eat two or three, LOL! I used cupcake paper for the kids and didn’t spray with oil. You lose some of the muffin when pealing so I may try spraying with oil or just skip the paper next time. I have been buying protein bars for my kids and growing tired of spending so much money and really they sometimes cause stomach upset. So, I am trying to find a snack to send to school with them that is homebaked and healthy.
Thank you so much for sharing this wonderful recipe. All the tips really helped too!
I’m thrilled that you (and the kiddos) enjoyed these muffins! Thanks so much for your suggestions and taking time to comment!
Kim
I’m just wondering about the nutritional macros on these. Can’t wait to make them!
Look near the recipe ingredients and you should see the nutritional breakdown. Let me know if you have any questions about it.
This is a perfect recipe for banana muffins— I don’t think I’ll ever use another!! I had 7 very ripe bananas so I doubled the recipe. I also used lite maple syrup and Bowmar Nutrition’s Protein Frosted Cookie protein powder (using your flour/protein ratio) which added the perfect amount of sweetness in addition to the bananas. Love the oven-temp trick… these muffins turned out looking beautifully golden on the outside and moist and flavorful on the inside. It’s impossible to just eat one. Thank you Kim!!
Thanks so much for your feedback!! I’m so glad that you enjoyed the recipe and it worked perfectly for you!
These muffins are wonderful. Honestly so very much better than I was expecting from a healthy muffin! They baked up with a beautiful crown, and they are moist and delicious. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Thanks so much for taking time to comment!! I’m so happy that you enjoyed!
These are yummy! I made a few changes with ingredients I had on hand: vanilla essence instead of extract (sub 2 for 1), omitted the cornstarch, added in blueberries, used walnuts on the top, used vegetable oil, a bit of extra cinnamon and GF plain flour. I also used a natural non flavoured protein by True protein. Turned out great! Highly recommend putting blueberries in.
Love the idea of adding in blueberries! So glad you enjoyed! Thanks for leaving your feedback!
The first “protein powder” recipe I’ve done that actually works and tastes great. Please keep doing more of this type of recipe.
Yay! So glad they worked out great for you! Thanks for taking time to leave feedback!
Can I use vanilla flavored protein?
Yes! That will work!
Made this today and they were delicious! Thank you!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed!
Loved!!!