Mini Banana Muffins (No Refined Sugar)

Raising four growing boys requires that I keep a lot of snacks in my house at all times. I do my best to have healthy options on hand, and these mini banana muffins have become a family favorite real-food snack. In fact, everyone on our team and in our families loves them, from the adults and teenagers even down to Stacie’s one-year-old son. 

Sweetened only with maple syrup and ripe bananas, they’re free of refined sugar-free. My boys gobble them up and claim they taste like the popular GoNanas banana muffin mix, which is a huge win in my book.

Video: Making Mini Banana Muffins

Ingredient Notes for My Mini Banana Muffins

After several tests, here are my notes about a few of the key ingredients for this recipe:

• Ripe bananas – Make sure to use overripe bananas. The darker and softer they are, the easier they’ll be to mash and the sweeter the muffins will taste. Usually, 2 large bananas are enough to make 1 cup of mashed banana, and you don’t have to be super exact on this measurement, as long as it’s close to 1 cup. 
• Maple syrup – I prefer to enhance the sweet banana flavor with pure maple syrup to keep these muffins refined sugar-free. You can also use brown sugar or coconut sugar. 
• Flour – you can use either regular all-purpose flour or make these gluten-free muffins by using a gluten-free flour blend. My gluten-free flour go-to is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. You could also use whole wheat flour. 

Find the full ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.

Ingredient Spotlight: Bananas

Not only are bananas one of the world’s most popular fruits, but they’re also full of nutrients. Here are just a few health benefits of this easy-to-access, a-peeling fruit:

• Good source of fiber – bananas contain both soluble fiber and resistant starch, which (together) help slow down and blunt the impact of quick rises in blood sugar. Soluble fiber may also aid with constipation
• Good source of potassium and magnesium – these minerals are important for balancing body fluids and supporting heart health
• Rich in antioxidants – these compounds help reduce oxidative damage to cells caused by free radicals
• Fat replacer – in many baked good recipes, bananas can be used as a fat replacer to cut down on cholesterol and saturated fat

How I Make My Mini Banana Muffins

I use a silicone mini muffin pan for this recipe and so many others so my muffins pop out easily. Before I begin, I grease it well with nonstick spray or line it with mini muffin liners. Then, the recipe is a breeze fro there:

1. Combine the wet ingredients. Stir the mashed bananas, maple syrup, melted butter, large egg, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract in a large bowl.
2. Add the dry ingredients. In the same mixing bowl, stir the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and ¼ teaspoon salt just until smooth.
3. Portion. Use a 2-tablespoon scoop to scoop the muffin batter, and fill the muffin pan.
4. Bake. Transfer the mini muffin tin to the preheated oven, and bake just until the muffins are lightly browned on the edges. A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs.
5. Cool. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for a few minutes. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.

Make Them Dairy-Free

I don’t always tolerate dairy well and neither do a few of my boys. So, I often make these banana mini muffins dairy-free by using coconut oil in place of the unsalted butter. I still get a rich flavor and tender crumb, and they taste great. In fact, my boys don’t even notice a difference. When making chocolate chip muffins, I use dairy-free mini chocolate chips, too.

How to Store

In my house, these muffin snacks never last long. So, I typically store them in an airtight container at room temperature where they stay fresh for up to 5 days. For a longer-lasting option, store them in the fridge for up to 10 days.

These banana mini muffins also freeze well for up to 3 months. To keep them from clumping together, I freeze them on a baking sheet until solid before transferring them to a freezer-safe bag. Thaw the frozen muffins in the fridge overnight or at room temperature and they’ll taste as good as new.

We previously published a version of this recipe that is grain-free using coconut flour and almond flour. If you’re looking for that recipe, you can find it here: Grain-Free Mini Banana Muffins.

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The photos in this blog post were taken by Casey Colodny of The Mindful Hapa.

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