Fuel your day with my deliciously moist, superbly satisfying Banana Protein Muffins! These sweet treats might taste like dessert, but are designed with your health in mind—they’re chock full of protein, whole grains, and heart-healthy fats so you can enjoy every bite without any guilt!
When it comes to snacktime, there are few things I enjoy more than a good muffin. Unfortunately, though, so many muffin recipes out there are really just cakes in disguise —loaded with sugar and fat, but lacking in any real nutritional substance. As such, I’ve taken it upon myself to revamp the muffin makeup using healthier swaps.
If you were to visit my house on any random day, there’s more than a 50% chance you’d find some kind of muffins on the counter. Whether they’re warmly spiced pumpkin protein muffins or apple cinnamon protein muffins for fall, lemon zucchini muffins for sunshiny spring, or blueberry banana oatmeal muffins for summer, muffins are always in season.
These delightfully simple protein banana muffins are some of my favorites. Not only are they made with just 10 basic ingredients, they’re ALSO super easy to customize with your favorite mix-ins. You can easily make banana chocolate chip protein muffins, banana nut protein muffins, or blueberry banana protein muffins using the same recipe!
Jump to:
- What are banana protein muffins?
- What do they taste like?
- Why You’ll Love This High Protein Banana Muffins Recipe
- Ingredients Needed
- Substitutions
- How To Make Banana Muffins With Protein Powder
- Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Serving Suggestions
- Recipe Success Tips
- Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins Nutrition
- Pricing Info
- FAQs
- Other Protein-Packed Recipes
- Recipe
What are banana protein muffins?
Imagine your favorite bakery-style snacks, except healthified. They’re banana muffins with protein powder for added heft, helping to keep you satiated for longer. Whole wheat pastry flour adds whole grain goodness and without weighing them down, while greek yogurt adds moisture and an extra bump of protein.
Using coconut sugar instead of traditional brown sugar lessens the glycemic impact, emphasizing the natural sweetness of bananas. In short, they’re the perfect sidekick for when you’re feeling snacky but don’t want to eat a sugar bomb!
What do they taste like?
These healthy banana protein muffins are surprisingly light and fluffy with a deliciously tender crumb. Sweet chunks of banana play beautifully against the faintly nutty flavor of whole wheat pastry flour, while the warmth of cinnamon and vanilla adds a banana bread vibe.
Despite my RDN credentials, I’m still a sweet tooth at heart, so I love to add a little extra yum. Chocolate chip banana protein muffins are my favorite rendition, adding melty pockets of chocolatey goodness throughout!
Why You’ll Love This High Protein Banana Muffins Recipe
- Quick & Easy – With my easy recipe, you’re just 45 minutes or less away from a trayful of delicious treats. All you have to do is mix up a basic batter, divvy it into a muffin tin, and bake. It couldn’t be simpler!
- Perfectly Portable – As a busy working mama of two, it feels like every minute of every day is spoken for—I’m always go-go-going! These healthy banana protein muffins are already pre-portioned and ready to grab on my way out the door, making them the ideal snack for my most chaotic days.
- Nutritious & Delicious – While I’m all about making healthy decisions, if something doesn’t taste good, I’m not gonna eat it. Luckily, these tasty little treats don’t fall into the “all hat, no cattle” category—they’re just as yummy as they are wholesome!
Ingredients Needed
As promised, you don’t need a ton of ingredients to make these protein powder banana muffins. Here’s what to grab:
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – This light whole-grain flour is my secret weapon for sneaking fiber and nutrients into baked goods. It acts similarly to all-purpose flour, but retains all the goodness that gets bleached out of AP!
- Protein Powder – This is the easiest way to add a high dose of protein to any baking mix. I recommend using either plain or vanilla.
- Baking Soda – Not to be confused with baking powder, this leavener is what helps our muffins rise to gloriously fluffy heights.
- Cinnamon – This warming spice is one of my favorites, adding a natural sweetness to everything it touches.
- Mashed Bananas – Remember, the spottier, the better!
- Coconut Sugar – This less-refined sweetener adds a similar caramelly undertone you’d get from brown sugar, but it scores much lower on the glycemic index—35 compared to brown sugar’s 64. This means it won’t cause your blood sugar to spike as much, while still providing yummy flavor!
- Large Eggs – If possible, let them stand at room temperature for about 30 minutes before baking to make them easier to mix into the batter.
- Avocado Oil – This neutral-flavored, fairly unrefined oil is my favorite heart-healthy option—it’s loaded with carotenoids and antioxidants!
- Plain Greek Yogurt – I recommend using full-fat yogurt for the most tender results, but low-fat works too.
- Vanilla Extract – For rich, aromatic warmth.
- Mini Chocolate Chips or Chopped Pecans – Totally optional, but excellent for adding texture and variety.
Substitutions
Need to make some swaps? No worries! Here are some you can try:
- Whole Wheat Pastry Flour – You can use a 50/50 blend of all-purpose flour and regular whole wheat flour, or just use all AP flour (though you’ll miss out on the whole grain goodness if you do).
- Cinnamon – Feel free to experiment with other warming spices or spice blends (e.g. pumpkin pie spice or chai spice).
- Mashed Bananas – It won’t taste the same, but using applesauce, plain mashed sweet potato, or 100% pure pumpkin purée can all be used as 1:1 substitutes for mashed banana.
- Coconut Sugar – You can use regular brown sugar if needed, though the glycemic impact will be higher if you do.
- Avocado Oil – Canola oil is a close second in terms of heart-healthiness, and comes at a much cheaper price!
- Plain Greek Yogurt – Only have regular yogurt? Line a mesh strainer with cheesecloth and scoop about 1.25x as much as the recipe calls for into it, then place over a bowl. Pop the whole thing in the fridge for about 12 hours to allow the whey to leak out, leaving you with perfectly thick Greek-style yogurt!
- Vanilla Extract – You’re welcome to use an equal amount of vanilla paste or vanilla powder instead, or you can experiment with other flavoring extracts (e.g. almond or maple). Just note that some extracts are more potent than others, so start small and add more flavor as needed.
- Mini Chocolate Chips or Chopped Pecans – Feel free to omit these, or experiment with your preferred mix-ins!
How To Make Banana Muffins With Protein Powder
These satisfying little snacks come together in no time. Here’s how:
Step 1: Prep & Dry Ingredients. Preheat your oven to 375° and line a 12-count muffin tin. In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, protein powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
Step 2: Wet Ingredients. In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed banana, coconut sugar, eggs, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until no clumps of yogurt remain.
Step 3: Mix Wet & Dry. Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined.
Step 4: Fold in the mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans (if using).
Step 5: Divvy & Bake. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffins. Sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips or more chopped pecans on each muffin, then bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool, then serve!
Optional Variations & Dietary Adjustments
- Added Sugar-Free – You’re welcome to use your favorite cup-for-cup brown sugar alternative, ensuring the only sugars are the naturally occurring ones in bananas and plain yogurt.
- Dairy-Free – Use your favorite plant-based yogurt to keep these moist muffins blissfully dairy-free. Make sure to check your chocolate chip labels if you decide to use them.
- Gluten-Free – I haven’t tried it, but I *think* this recipe should work with your favorite cup-for-cup gluten-free flour. Just make sure to let the batter rest for 30 minutes before baking to allow the flour time to rehydrate and prevent a grainy consistency.
Serving Suggestions
These crave-worthy high-protein banana bread muffins are the perfect snack, any time of day, any time of year. Here are some ways to add them to your routine:
- Breakfast Success – Split open a muffin, toast it lightly in the toaster oven (or on a dry non-stick pan over medium-low heat), and slather with almond butter before sandwiching it shut for an extra satisfying, protein-packed start to your day. Looking for extra gains? Pair it with protein powder coffee!
- After School Snack – When my daughter gets home from school, the first thing she wants to do is eat. (Like mother, like daughter!!) She and I like to sit down and snack together—one of these muffins and a side of fruit is just the right amount to tide us over til dinnertime.
- Post-Workout Yum – After any good sweat sesh, I’m always ravenous for something naughty. Having a batch of banana chocolate protein muffins on hand helps me make smarter decisions—it’s sweet enough to scratch my itch and keeps me from undoing all my hard work.
- Sweet Croutons – Cube the muffins, spray lightly with oil, and bake until crispy for delightfully crunchy little bits you can use for topping everything from oatmeal to ice cream.
- French Muffin Toast – Cut the muffin into thick slices, dip into a basic egg and milk french toast batter seasoned with cinnamon, then pan fry in butter for a decadent treat.
Recipe Success Tips
- Precision is key. When it comes to baking, I always recommend using the spoon and sweep method for measuring dry ingredients. Fluff your flour or protein powder with a fork, spoon it into your dry cup measure until overflowing, and level it off with a butter knife. This will ensure you don’t accidentally add too much, which could result in dry muffins! Similarly, make sure to use liquid measuring cups for liquid ingredients; using dry measuring cups can result in using too much or too little!
- Don’t overbake. Dry muffins are sad muffins. Avoid this fate by keeping a close watch on your oven—make sure you verify the oven temperature with an oven thermometer, and begin to check for doneness at the 17 minute mark!
- Measure your mash. It’s tempting to just toss two bananas in a bowl and hope for the best, but make sure to accurately measure how much banana you’re adding to ensure the best results.
- Save some for sprinkles. Mixing in your favorite add-ins (e.g. mini chocolate chips, toasted nuts, seeds, dried fruit, etc.) is a great way to level up your muffins. But to take them over the top in terms of presentation? Save a few tablespoons worth of your mix-in to sprinkle on top (or sprinkle the tops with a bit of turbinado sugar) before baking.
Banana Chocolate Chip Protein Muffins Nutrition
Each of these chocolate banana protein muffins clocks in at about 223 calories—perfect for a snack between meals. With 8 grams of protein and 9 grams of fat per muffin, they’ll go a long way towards keeping your tummy feeling comfortably full.
There are 32 grams of carbs per serving, 3 of which are fiber—so 29 net carbs, if you prefer to count that way. Most of the carbs come from the whole grain flour and bananas, though the added coconut sugar does contribute. Hop up to the optional variations section for ideas on how to cut back on the sugar, which will also cut back on carbs and calories!
There’s also a modest 187 milligrams of sodium per serving—not enough to derail most diets. All in all, these banana bread protein muffins are an excellent treat for when you’re craving something sweet but want to be mindful about it. Enjoy every bite!
Total nutritional content per serving (including chocolate chips!) is:
- Calories: 223 calories
- Total Fat: 9 grams
- Protein: 8 grams
- Sodium: 187 mg
- Carbohydrates: 32 grams
- Fiber: 3 grams
*This nutritional information is an estimate and calculated based on the ingredients used to create the recipe. The nutritional value of your ingredients may differ slightly. Furthermore, this food is not intended to prevent, diagnose, cure, or treat any disease.
Pricing Info
This is what I personally paid to make this recipe:
- 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour: $0.33
- ½ cup protein powder: $1.76
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda: $0.02
- 1 tsp cinnamon: $0.02
- 1 cup mashed banana: $0.32
- ¾ cup coconut sugar: $0.63
- 2 large eggs: $0.90
- ¼ cup avocado oil: $0.89
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt: $0.25
- 2 tsp vanilla extract: $0.08
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips: $0.83
The total comes out to be around $6.92 or $0.58 per muffin!
FAQs
It honestly depends on the recipe—many traditional banana muffins are made without much protein, aside from the eggs used to bind the batter. Here, however, we use eggs, greek yogurt, and protein powder to amp up the protein content, so each muffin has a whopping 8 grams!
Allow the muffins to cool completely to room temperature before storing—this will prevent condensation from making them soggy. Once cooled, transfer to an airtight container, zip-top bag, wrap them in plastic wrap, or place under a heavy pastry cloche. They should keep well at room temperature for about 5 days.
For longer storage, wrap the protein muffins individually in plastic wrap before transferring to a freezer bag or freezer-safe container, removing as much air as possible. They’ll keep in the freezer for up to 2 months. To serve, allow to defrost at room temp for a few hours, or gently warm in a toaster oven.
Other Protein-Packed Recipes
Tried this recipe? Please leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating in the comments below! I would really appreciate your feedback!
Recipe
Banana Protein Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ cups whole wheat pastry flour
- ½ cup protein powder plain or vanilla
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1 cup mashed banana (about 2 large bananas)
- ¾ cup coconut sugar (or brown sugar)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup avocado oil
- ¼ cup plain Greek yogurt
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- ½ cup mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans (optional), plus more for topping (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 375° and line a 12-count muffin tin.
- In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, protein powder, baking soda, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together mashed banana, coconut sugar, eggs, oil, Greek yogurt, and vanilla. Whisk until no clumps of yogurt remain.
- Add the dry ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in the mini chocolate chips or chopped pecans (if using).
- Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffins. Sprinkle a few mini chocolate chips or more chopped pecans on each muffin, then bake for 17-19 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow to cool, then serve!
Nutrition
If you end up making this and loving it, take a photo and tag me on Instagram! I’d love to see your versions of my recipes! And feel free to rate it down below in the comment section. I would really appreciate it!
xoxo Megan
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