Moist and tender with the most perfect dome I’ve ever seen, these Honey Banana Muffins are a banana muffin recipe that delivers! I love the delicate, floral sweetness that honey adds to these hearty muffins.
Aside from white whole wheat flour, these honey banana muffins rely on ripe bananas for some of their sweetness, with the remainder coming from – you guessed it – honey instead of refined sugars. I also like how the honey helps contribute to a nice, moist banana muffin.
2cupswhite whole wheat flour(can sub all-purpose flour)
1tablespoonbaking powder
1teaspoonground cinnamon
1/2teaspoonfreshly ground nutmeg
1/4teaspoonground ginger
1/2teaspoonsalt
3medium very ripe bananas
1/4cupunsalted butter(1/2 stick, melted (can sub melted coconut oil))
1/3cuphoney*
1egg
1cupmilk
2teaspoonspure vanilla extract
Instructions
Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease 12 standard-cup muffin tins or line with liners.
In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger, and salt.
In a medium bowl, mash the bananas. Stir in the butter, honey, and egg. Mix well. Add the milk and vanilla and mix until blended.
Pour the wet ingredients over the dry ingredients and, with a wooden spoon or spatula, mix just until incorporated.
Divide batter between muffin cups, about 1/3 cup of batter each.
Bake until the tops spring when you touch them and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean, 14-18 minutes.
Muffins keep in an airtight container or zipper bag at room temperature for 3-4 days. They also freeze well!
Notes
Gluten-free option:
For gluten-free banana muffins, sub in your favorite 1-to-1 GF flour blend.
Dairy-free option:
To make these dairy-free, opt for coconut oil and a dairy-free milk.
Vegan option:
For vegan muffins, make the dairy-free substitutions and leave out the egg. I haven’t yet tested them this way, but the banana should be enough of a binder to hold them together.3/23/2024 recipe update: Based on reader feedback and additional testing, updated the baking temp from 400 to 375 and changed the cooking time from about 12 minutes to a range 14-18 minutes.
We’re huge into muffins around here. I probably come up with a new muffin recipe every week. Seriously! Muffincrazytown, I tell ya.
In fact, I actually make an active effort to not post too many muffin recipes. So I try to pace myself, blog-sharing-wise. Except it looks like I went too far in the opposite direction last year – I only posted four new muffin recipes for the entire year! So this year, more muffin recipes are clearly in order. First up: Honey Banana Muffins!
I chose an unrefined sweetener and whole wheat flour for these honey banana muffins to make them wholesome yet still delicious.
(No no! That’s not really how I measure my flour. I just wanted to share a photo of the fluffiness.)
Honey Banana Muffin Ingredient Specifics
White whole wheat flour: White whole wheat flour is made from white wheat, so when it’s milled, it’s whiter in color without needing to be bleached or otherwise refined. I also like how fine and fluffy it is. Perfect for baking. Feel free to sub in your favorite flour, be it all-purpose, whole wheat, or a one-for-one gluten free blend.
Baking powder: This leavening agent helps lift honey banana muffins, giving them a tender crumb and perfect dome.
Cinnamon, nutmeg, & ginger: I really like these warm, cozy spices in my banana muffins. You can leave out one or more, or add another cozy spices to the equation if you like.
Salt: To highlight the flavors and balance out the sweetness.
Bananas: Use very ripe bananas for the best sweet banana flavor.
Butter or coconut oil: For moist and tender muffins.
Honey: Use your favorite honey.
Milk: You can use dairy milk or your favorite unsweetened dairy milk.
Vanilla: For an extra boost of sweet flavor.
Substitutions & Adaptations
If you prefer not to use honey, pure maple syrup is a great substitute.
For gluten-free banana muffins, sub in your favorite 1-to-1 GF flour blend.
To make these dairy-free, opt for coconut oil and a dairy-free milk.
For vegan muffins, make the dairy-free substitutions and leave out the egg. I haven’t yet tested them this way, but the banana should be enough of a binder to hold them together. Or, try my vegan banana bread muffins!
How to Store Honey Banana Muffins
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. They will keep for up to 4 days.
Freezing Honey Banana Muffins
Honey banana muffins freeze really well! Place them in an airtight container or freezer bag and place them in the freezer. Thaw at room temperature for 30 minutes to an hour.
I love how these honey banana muffins contribute to a hearty breakfast or make a nice snack in and of themselves without making you feel like you just ate a cupcake for breakfast.