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This healthy apple banana muffins recipe is really easy to make — and tastes amazing! They’re soft, moist, full of flavor… And really wholesome too. A great healthy breakfast idea! (clean eating, low calorie & no refined sugar!) ♡ cinnamon apple banana muffins. banana apple muffins no sugar. healthy apple muffins clean eating. healthy banana muffins with greek yogurt. apple muffins healthy easy. healthy muffins for kids. easy breakfast muffins recipe.

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.