Healthy Apple Banana Muffins

 
When I wrote this Coffee Break post, I had no idea what would happen. The night before I hit publish, I called my mom and mentioned I felt a little nervous. “It isn’t my regular recipe post,” I explained. “What if everyone thinks I’m crazy?”  

The next day when I logged onto my computer, I found dozens of comments and emails from you expressing your gratitude for sharing what I had written. I felt overwhelmed as I read every word you wrote, and I even felt a few tears well up in my eyes at some of your messages. Thank you for sharing your wonderful comments!
 

 
Over the past year, I’ve realized messages like that are ones we need to hear — and practice! — every day. It’s like going to the gym. You don’t walk through the doors once a month (or once a year!) and expect to immediately become fit after one workout…

Yet that’s how many of us approach this other aspect of life. (Myself included, up until 2017!)

Psst… If you’re completely confused about what I’m talking about, here is my blog post I’m referencing!
 

 
While I hope to share more blog posts like that in the future, I’m sticking with baked treats today… Specifically these healthy apple banana muffins! They’re full of sweet fruit flavor, and they’re great for quick grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks. I’ve even been known to eat one as a pre-bedtime treat!

In other words… They rarely last long in my house! 😉
 

KEY INGREDIENTS TO MAKE HEALTHY APPLE BANANA MUFFINS

Let’s talk about what you’ll need to make these healthy apple banana muffins!

Flour. You’ll start with white whole wheat flour. It’s not a combination of white (aka all-purpose) flour and regular whole wheat flour… Regular whole wheat flour comes from a heartier variety of red wheat, but white whole wheat flour is made by finely grinding a special type of soft white wheat — hence the name! This gives white whole wheat flour a lighter taste and texture, which lets the fruit flavor truly shine in these healthy banana muffins.

Tip: If you’d like to make your healthy apple banana muffins gluten-free, then see the Notes section of the recipe. I’ve shared how to do so there!

Leavening agents. You’ll use both baking powder and baking soda to make these healthy apple banana muffins. We’ll cover why it’s important to include both momentarily!
 

 
Spices. It feels strange to bake any type of apple treat without spices… So I added two. That turned out so well! You’ll mix in both cinnamon and allspice. Although its name sounds confusing, allspice is a single spice — not a blend! It’s called allspice because it tastes like a combination of cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves. The allspice really rounds out the spice flavor and makes these healthy muffins taste so irresistible!

Tip: This is my favorite cinnamon because it tastes stronger, warmer, and a bit sweeter than the regular kind. It’s basically the only cinnamon I use in my baking now!

Greek yogurt. With just 1 teaspoon of melted butter or coconut oil, the rest of the tender texture comes from two ingredients: Greek yogurt and mashed banana. If you’ve been around my blog for a while, you know how much I love including Greek yogurt in my healthy baking recipes! It adds the same moisture as extra butter or oil for a fraction of the calories. It gives your treats a protein boost, too!
 

 
Bananas. The mashed banana actually plays 3 roles! Flavor (obviously!), moist and tender texture (just like the Greek yogurt!), and natural sweetness.

See those bananas above? That’s the minimum amount of brown spots I recommend. More is even better! That’s because the brown bananas contain more natural sweetness and a stronger flavor than the pure yellow ones. They also add more moisture to the batter. Thus, brown bananas = the key to the best banana muffins. (And banana bread! Have you tried my ultimate healthy banana bread yet??)

Secret ingredient. This healthy banana recipe includes a special ingredient… A small amount of distilled white vinegar! Just an itty bitty bit. I promise you can’t taste it! The acid in the vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help these muffins rise and achieve a more tender texture. (It’s a secret ingredient in my ultimate healthy banana bread recipe, too!)

Pure maple syrup. The ripe bananas add lots of natural sweetness, so you’ll only use a touch to boost that fruity flavor! Make sure it’s the real kind that comes directly from maple trees. The only ingredient on the label should be “maple syrup,” and it’s often sold in thin glass bottles or squat plastic jugs (like this).

Apples. For the second fruit component, you’ll need apples. (Very obvious, I’m sure!) I highly recommend red Fuji apples! They’re my favorite for baking because they have a nice firm texture and lots of natural sweetness.

And because someone always asks… I’m lazy and leave the skin on, but you’re welcome to peel your apples before folding them into the batter, if you prefer!
 

HOW TO MAKE HEALTHY APPLE BANANA MUFFINS

Let’s briefly cover how to make this healthy apple banana muffins recipe! It’s easy and straightforward, so I mainly have a few quick tips for you, starting with…

Measure correctly. It’s really important to measure all of the ingredients correctly — especially the flour and bananas! For the flour, use this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will dry out the batter, and it will also make your muffins crumbly and bland. Yet if you take a few extra moments to measure it properly, your apple banana muffins will turn out perfectly soft and moist.

For the mashed banana, measure by cups or grams — not by number of bananas! This is because not all small, medium, or large bananas are the exact same size. If yours are a bit on the big side, you’ll end up mixing too much banana into the batter… Which will add extra moisture, prevent your muffins from baking correctly, and cause them to collapse while cooling and turn out overly dense. On the other hand, if yours are a bit on the small side, your muffins will turn out dry and bland.

So pull out those measuring cups — or a kitchen scale (bonus points for fewer measuring cups to wash!) — for the best tasting muffins with a perfectly moist and tender texture!

Finely dice the apple. That’s right… Dice. Not slice, not chop, and definitely not mince! Your apple pieces should be no larger than the size of chocolate chips. This ensures that (a) your muffins bake evenly and (b) the apples soften while in the oven. (Larger apple chunks remain crisp and firm!)

Tip: I always reserve some pieces to press into the tops of the muffin batter just before baking… I think it makes them look really cute and inviting, don’t you?

Bake. These muffins finish baking relatively quickly, so don’t stray too far from the kitchen! They’re ready to come out of the oven when the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with some crumbs attached.
 

 
Ready to bake a batch? And when you make your own, remember to snap a picture and share it on Instagram using #amyshealthybaking and tagging @amyshealthybaking IN the photo itself! (That guarantees I’ll see your picture! 🙂 ) I’d love to see your healthy apple banana muffins!

Healthy Apple Banana Muffins

© Amy's Healthy Baking

Yields: 12 muffins

These healthy muffins are great for quick grab-and-go breakfasts and snacks! They’re really tender with lots of sweet fruit flavor and the perfect amount of cozy spices. Leftovers will keep for at least four days (if not closer to a week!) if stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

5 from 3 votes

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Ingredients 

• 2 cups (240g) white whole wheat flour or gluten-free* flour (measured like this)
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• ¼ tsp ground allspice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ¾ tsp baking soda
• ¼ tsp salt
• 1 tsp unsalted butter or coconut oil, melted and cooled slightly
• 2 large egg whites, room temperature
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 1 tsp distilled white vinegar
• ¼ cup (60g) plain nonfat Greek yogurt
• ¾ cup (200g) mashed banana (about 2 medium – and see Notes!)
• 2 tbsp (30mL) pure maple syrup
• ½ cup (120mL) nonfat milk
• 1 ¼ cups (156g) diced Fuji apple (about 1 large – and see Notes!)

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350°F. Coat 12 muffin cups with nonstick cooking spray. (If using liners, then line 12 muffins cups with liners and coat them with cooking spray.)
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, cinnamon, allspice, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. In a separate bowl, whisk together the butter, eggs, vanilla, and vinegar. Mix in the Greek yogurt, stirring until no large lumps remain. Mix in the mashed banana and maple syrup. Alternate between adding the flour mixture and milk, beginning and ending with the flour mixture, and stirring just until incorporated. (For best results, add the flour mixture in 3 equal parts.) Set aside 2 tablespoons of the apple, and gently fold in the rest.
• Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups, and gently press the remaining apple into the tops. Bake at 350°F for 18-21 minutes, or until the tops feel firm to the touch and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before carefully transferring to a wire rack to cool completely.

Notes

IMPORTANT MEASURING NOTE – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: It's really important to measure the flour correctly, using this method or a kitchen scale. (← That’s the one I own!) Too much flour will make your muffins turn out dry and taste bland.

 

IMPORTANT BANANA NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: For best results, use the ripest, darkest, most spottiest bananas you have! (See my photo in the blog post above for reference.) The ones that are purely brown are ideal. They have a stronger and sweeter banana flavor than purely yellow bananas. They also yield a moister texture in your banana muffins.

 

Measure the bananas by cups or grams, not by “two medium bananas.” Not all “medium” bananas are the same size!

 

The mashed banana and Greek yogurt combined need to measure 1 cup. If you have slightly more than ¾ cup of mashed banana, then reduce the Greek yogurt by the same amount, and vice versa.

 

IMPORTANT FLAVOR NOTES – READ BEFORE BEGINNING: These muffins aren't overly sweet — and that's intentional! The bananas provide the majority of the sweetness in this recipe. If your bananas are more yellow than brown, then your muffins will taste blander and noticeably less sweet.

 

For sweeter-tasting muffins, or if your bananas are more yellow than brown, then substitute 1-2 tablespoons of pure maple syrup for an equal amount of milk. (For example, use a total of 4 tablespoons of pure maple syrup, and reduce the milk to 6 tablespoons.)

 

FLOUR ALTERNATIVES: Whole wheat pastry flour, regular whole wheat flour, or all-purpose flour may be substituted for the white whole wheat flour.

 

SPICE NOTES: I prefer Saigon cinnamon (I buy it online here!) because it tastes stronger, richer, and sweeter than regular cinnamon. I don't recommend substituting for the allspice, if at all possible! It adds a richness and depth to the spice flavor. (In a pinch, you can substitute cinnamon, but you'll miss out on that irresistible flavor!)

 

EGG WHITE NOTES: These banana muffins require 2 egg whites. The protein in the whites helps prevent it from collapsing while cooling. If you'd prefer to use whole eggs, then use 2 large eggs AND reduce the milk by 1 tablespoon to compensate for the added volume from the yolks.

 

VINEGAR NOTES + ALTERNATIVE: The vinegar reacts with the baking soda to help the banana muffins rise and create a more tender texture. Don’t skip it! (And I promise you can’t taste it!)

 

If you don’t have or can’t find distilled white vinegar, try to find another vinegar with a similar pH level of around 2.5 to maintain the same texture. Lemon juice has a pH level around 2-3, so it should also work.

 

SWEETENER ALTERNATIVES: Honey or agave may be substituted for the pure maple syrup.

 

MILK ALTERNATIVES: Any milk may be substituted for the nonfat milk.

 

APPLE NOTES: I use red Fuji apples because they have a great texture for baking and are naturally very sweet. Many sweet, firm red apples should work. I do not peel my apples, but you're welcome to peel yours if you prefer!

 

The apples should be cut to be the same size as chocolate chips. I know it takes extra time and effort, but I promise it’s worth it! This size ensures that your muffins bake evenly and that the apples soften while baking. (Larger chunks remain crisp and firm.)

 

GLUTEN-FREE OPTION: For the gluten-free flour, use as follows: 1 cup (120g) millet flour, ½ cup (60g) tapioca flour, ½ cup (60g) brown rice flour, and 1 ¾ teaspoons xanthan gum. Many store-bought gluten-free flour blends (I like this one from Bob's Red Mill) will also work, if measured like this.

 

DAIRY-FREE OPTION: Use the coconut oil option, or substitute neutral-tasting oil or stick-style vegan butter (I like this one and this one). Substitute dairy-free yogurt (ie soy- or almond-based) for the Greek yogurt and dairy-free milk for the nonfat milk.

 

HOW TO STORE: Store the fully cooled muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They should keep for at least 4 days (if not longer!).

 

FREEZING TIPS: Peel off the paper liners before freezing. (It’s harder to peel them off after thawing or reheating the muffins!) I like to thaw individual muffins in the microwave on 50% power until they’re warmed all the way through. They almost taste freshly baked like that!

 

{gluten-free, clean eating, low fat, dairy-free option}

DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?I'd love to hear what you think of it in a comment below! If you take a picture, tag @amys.healthy.baking on Instagram or use the hashtag #amyshealthybaking.

View Nutrition Information + Weight Watchers Points
 
 
You may also like Amy’s other recipes…
♡  Healthy Small Batch Banana Muffins
♡  Healthy Banana Oatmeal Muffins
♡  Healthy Chocolate Chip Banana Bran Muffins
♡  Healthy Cinnamon Apple Mini Muffins
♡  Healthy Zucchini Banana Muffins
♡  Healthy Cinnamon Apple Banana Bread
♡  Healthy Carrot Cake Banana Bread
♡  …and the rest of Amy’s healthy banana recipes and healthy muffin recipes!