These banana blueberry muffins are one of my favorite breakfasts or snacks any time of the year, but especially for spring. The blueberries add bright, juicy bursts of flavor in every bite, providing a fresh seasonal twist in place of chocolate. Sweet, fluffy, moist, and lower in sugar than standard muffin recipes, these muffins are delicious any time of the day and are always enjoyed by my whole family.
My daughter likes to pack one in her lunch, which reminds me of when I used to enjoy blueberry muffins during school snack times. Nowadays I like to enjoy one in the morning with a protein coffee.
Recipe Highlights
Delicious fresh fruit flavor: I almost always have fresh bananas on the counter. While I have good intentions of eating them right away, I always seem to end up with a few overripe ones. I use them to make banana bread and other banana baked goods, but these banana blueberry muffins are one of my favorite new recipes for using up overripe bananas. They’re a fun way to switch things up, adding a little extra fruity flavor while providing the convenience of a single-serving, handheld snack with nourishing carbohydrates and healthful fats.
Simple steps and minimal ingredients: These muffins are made with nine simple ingredients, most of which I almost always have on hand, and everything is combined in one bowl for a foolproof treat.
Store and freeze well: Once cool, leftover muffins keep well on the counter, in the fridge, or in the freezer. One of the best easy breakfast meal prep ideas, I like to make an extra batch of muffins to store in the freezer and quickly thaw for quick grab-and-go breakfasts or easy snacks.
Ingredient Notes And Substitutions
- Bananas: Mashed bananas are the base of this recipe, providing potassium and fiber while adding natural sweetness, moisture, and structure to the muffins. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful the muffins taste.
- Eggs: Eggs help bind the ingredients together and give the muffins structure and a soft, fluffy texture.
- Brown sugar: This enhances the sweet blueberry and banana flavor and adds a subtle molasses taste while keeping the muffins soft and moist. Light or dark brown sugar both work well. Or, substitute coconut sugar for a slightly richer, caramel-like flavor while keeping the recipe refined sugar-free. I don’t recommend using granulated sugar, which will create slightly denser muffins. Also, honey or maple syrup will not work, as they make the batter too moist.
- Blueberries: Blueberries add bursts of bright flavor to each bite. They’re a high fiber food and a good source of antioxidants, vitamin A, and vitamin C. I use fresh blueberries most often, but frozen wild blueberries also work. Toss them lightly with flour to prevent them from sinking, and fold them into the batter straight from the freezer.
- Oil: I prefer to use avocado oil or olive oil in place of melted butter to limit the saturated fats and keep the muffins moist without overpowering the fruity flavor. Melted coconut oil can also be used as a substitute, though it may add a subtle coconut flavor.
- Flour: All-purpose flour forms the foundation of the muffin batter.
- Baking soda and salt: Baking soda helps the muffins rise and creates a light, tender crumb, while salt enhances the overall flavor.
Find the ingredient list with exact measurements in the recipe card below.
Make These Egg-Free
To make these muffins egg-free, I recommend using flax eggs in place of the regular eggs. To do so, mix 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 5 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes to thicken. Then, follow the recipe, combining the wet and dry ingredients in a mixing bowl and transferring the batter to a muffin tin as usual.
Make These Gluten-Free
Personally, I don’t follow a gluten-free diet, but I always make a gluten-free blueberry banana muffin recipe when baking for my loved ones who do. To do so, I swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. King Arthur 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour is my go-to, but any brand will work.
Pack In Lunches, Enjoy On Slow Mornings, Or Have On-The-Go
An easy recipe, these muffins are one of my favorite kid-friendly recipes to have on hand and make a frequent occurrence in my freezer breakfast meal prep routine. I like to bake them in cupcake liners and pack them in lunches for my kids, but they’re just as perfect for busy days when I need something quick to grab and go.
On slower days, I like to warm one up slightly and enjoy it with a cup of high-quality coffee for a morning pick-me-up. I enjoy them on their own or with a bowl of Greek yogurt for a boost of calcium and protein. They’re also delicious with honey butter, cherry chia jam, or nut butter.
Store On The Counter, In The Fridge, Or Freeze
Leftover banana blueberry muffins store really well, making them a great prep-ahead option to keep on hand for busy weeks.
- Store: For short-term storage, keep them in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. For a slightly longer shelf life, store them in the refrigerator in an airtight container for up to 10 days. Just note that refrigeration can dry them out a bit, so warming before eating helps bring back the soft texture.
- Freeze: For longer storage, freeze the muffins in an airtight container or freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. I like to freeze them in a single layer first, then transfer them to a bag to prevent sticking.
- Serve: To thaw, let muffins sit at room temperature for about 30-60 minutes, or microwave them for 20-30 seconds just until warm.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, to do so, prepare the batter as usual. Then, portion it into a greased mini muffin tin, filling the muffin cups ¾ of the way full, and bake in a 350-degree preheated oven for 9 to 11 minutes.
The key is not overmixing the batter and using enough moisture-rich ingredients. In this recipe, the bananas and oil help keep the muffins soft and tender. Overbaking (baking for too long) can also cause the muffins to become dry.
Overmixing the batter is one of the biggest mistakes, as it can lead to dense muffins. In addition, overbaking the muffins is a common mistake, causing them to dry out.
I recommend baking them at 375°F for 13-16 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The exact baking time may vary slightly depending on the pan and oven. Start checking for doneness around the 13-minute mark.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email below & we’ll send it straight to your inbox. Plus you’ll get great new recipes from us every week!
Banana Blueberry Muffins Recipe
This banana blueberry muffins recipe combines in one large bowl and is ready to eat in less than 30 minutes. Lightly sweetened, dairy-free, nut-free, and gluten and dairy-free-friendly, the muffins are soft, moist, and perfect for busy mornings, packed lunches, or afternoon snacks that both kids and adults enjoy.
Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas, mashed (1 heaping cup)
- 2 large eggs
- ¼ cup lightly packed brown sugar (may sub coconut sugar)
- ¼ cup avocado oil or olive oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour (use gluten-free flour, if needed)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon fine salt
- 1 cup fresh blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F. Line a muffin tin with paper liners and spray each liner with cooking spray to prevent sticking, or use a silicone muffin pan.
- In a bowl, combine the mashed banana, eggs, brown sugar, oil, and vanilla. Mix until combined.
- To the bowl, add the flour, baking soda, and salt. Mix until just combined
- Fold in the blueberries.
- Fill each muffin well half to ⅔ full with batter.
- Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Time will vary depending on the kind of pan used.
- Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes, then remove muffins from pan to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container on the counter for up to 5 days. Alternatively, store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 10 days or freezer for up to 3 months.
Last Step! Please leave a review and rating letting us know how you liked this recipe! This helps our business thrive so we can continue providing free recipes and high-quality content for you.
Notes
For gluten-free muffins: Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour in place of the all-purpose flour.
For egg-free muffins: Replace the eggs with flax eggs. Mix 2 tablespoons of ground flaxseed with 5 tablespoons of water. Let the mixture sit for about 5-10 minutes to thicken. Then, add the flax mixture to the batter along with the other wet ingredients, and follow the recipe as written.
Nutrition Information
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 148
- Fat: 5 g
- (Sat Fat: 1 g)
- Sodium: 197 mg
- Carbohydrate: 23 g
- (Fiber: 2 g
- Sugar: 9 g)
- Protein: 3 g
- Cholesterol: 24 mg
Dietary
Recipe Changelog
- May 2026: We previously published a version of this recipe with similar ingredients, but they were baked into muffins bars. That recipe featured blueberries, banana, and walnuts and was sweetened with maple syrup, made with melted butter, and contained vanilla and cinnamon. Download the previous version here.
The photos in this post were taken by Kaitlin of Creating Kaitlin.
For ultimate success, we highly recommend reading the tips in the full blog post above. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please do not use our photos without prior written permission. If you wish to republish a recipe, please rewrite the recipe in your own unique words. Link back to the source recipe here on The Real Food Dietitians. Thank you!
Hi! Can you use frozen blueberries?
Yes, you can.
I made this with regular flour (same amount), and honey instead of maple syrup. Nice!
Hi! I realize egg was a key part of this post, but we have a little guy with an egg allergy. I have had some epic baking fails trying to decide whether a flax egg, a starch based egg replacer or aquafaba would work best in recipes. Any advice?
Hi Anne,
We haven’t tested this without the egg or with any egg replacers so we can’t say for sure by my guess is that since it calls for 2 whole eggs, a starch egg replacer like Bob’s Red Mill or aquafaba may be your best bet. My experience is that flax eggs are best suited for gluten-free recipes that use just 1 egg.
I subbed a little unsweetened almond milk for the maple syrup and cassava flour for the gluten free flour. It took a little while longer to cook but still delicious!
Loved this recipe. I like that it’s not too sweet, my husband liked that it reminded him of pancakes, so of course added a drizzle of maple syrup. So good!