I’ve often said there are three kinds of people in this world: People who had that banana-flavoured antibiotic as kids, hated it, and now hate all banana flavoured candy; people who never had it; and people who mysteriously loved it and actually like banana flavoured candy. If you can’t tell, I’m part of the first camp… but I do love things baked with real banana. Overripe bananas are a baker’s best friend, because they easily add sweetness, moisture, and body to a variety of recipes. There are tons of things you can use your overripe bananas for beyond the ubiquitous banana bread, from pancakes to smoothies to my family’s go-to: banana muffins. [Skip to the recipe]

Growing up, banana chocolate chip muffins were often on rotation because they’re a crowd pleaser and a great way to use up those inevitable brown bananas. As a parent to a toddler, I love the idea of banana muffins for a snack, but I’m also conscious of nutrition in a way I never needed to be before. I’m not overly strict about food, but I do see a lot of value in finding ways to make what I’m serving as nutritious as possible without sacrificing flavour. For this reason, I’ve been experimenting with my own banana muffin recipe to get to something I can feel good about feeding to my son on a regular basis. It’s not packed with nutrients, so if you’re looking for a protein-dense snack disguised as dessert, this is not the recipe for you! But it does have no added sugar, a nice balance of all-purpose and whole wheat flours, lots of milk, and a few nuts (which can be omitted if you’re nut free!). I usually add a few chocolate chips on top of half the batch for me and my husband, but these are totally optional as the recipe really is tasty on its own!

Since I was experimenting, I thought it would be fun to play with cardamom. It’s a flavour I find is underused in baking, and since it’s a relatively subtle flavour, there’s a whole teaspoon in this recipe. If you don’t have or don’t like cardamom, you could omit it or substitute cinnamon, though you may want to reduce the amount a little. As well, this recipe has a whole cup of milk, which makes it great for the dairy ladder, as you can substitute all or some of the dairy milk for your preferred milk substitute. 

The secret really is the overripe bananas. They add all the sweetness you need, and with three packed in, you get a really moist crumb. I hope you’ll enjoy my recipe for no-sugar added banana muffins, with or without the nuts!

No-Sugar Added Banana Muffins

Ingredients:

• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup whole wheat flour
• 1 ½ tbsp baking powder
• 1 tsp cardamom
• ½ tsp nutmeg
• ½ tsp salt
• 3 overripe bananas
• 1 egg, beaten
• 1 cup milk
• ½ cup vegetable oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans (optional)
• Handful of chocolate chips (optional)

Instructions:

1. Preheat your oven to 350 and spray a muffin tin with cooking spray (or grease/line as desired).
2. Mix all dry ingredients except nuts and chocolate chips in a small bowl.
3. Mash the bananas, then add the beaten egg, milk, oil, and vanilla.
4. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet and mix until just blended; then add the nuts (if using).
5. Evenly spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin. Sprinkle with chocolate chips if desired. 
6. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until lightly brown and the tops spring back when pressed lightly with a fingertip. You can also use the toothpick test (they’re done with an inserted toothpick comes out with only a few crumbs).
7. Let rest in the pan for 15-20 minutes or until cool enough to remove without breaking. Transfer to a wire rack to cool fully before storing in a tin or sealing for the freezer.
8. If frozen, either defrost overnight on the counter or reheat from frozen in the oven at 350 for 5-10 minutes or until heated through.

Looking for more muffin recipes? Try my Zucchini Muffins. Want something a little sweeter? Why not whip up some Vegan Chocolate Cupcakes?