Lean into the power of peanut butter powder for a banana muffin with rich peanutty flavor and extra protein. These are quick and easy to bake, ready for breakfast in 30 minutes or less.
Greek yogurt adds more protein and tenderness, while ground flaxseed, rich in healthy fats and antioxidants, enhances the nutty taste. Because bananas provide robust natural sweetness, very little extra sweetener is needed, keeping added sugars low.
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Enjoy these yummy gems in the morning, as an afternoon snack, or pack them into lunch boxes.
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💖What you'll love about these muffins
- Super quick and easy
- Deliciously pronounced peanut butter flavor
- Freezer-friendly recipe
- Surprisingly hearty and tasty for a healthy muffin with little sugar and low calories
Ingredients
- Whole wheat pastry flour
- Unbleached flour
- Peanut butter powder
- Ground flaxseed
- Baking powder
- Salt
- Plain Greek yogurt
- Milk
- Banana
- Egg
- Canola oil
- Maple syrup
- Vanilla
- Chocolate chips (optional)
Ingredient Notes
Whole wheat pastry flour: This soft flour adds whole-grain goodness but no one will know it's there.
Peanut butter powder: The most common options include PBfit, Naked PB, Peanut Butter and Co., and PB2. I usually use PBfit or PB2.
Greek yogurt: Nutrition facts are based on low-fat, plain Greek yogurt, which has no added sugars and less saturated fat. You may use 0% fat or whole milk if preferred.
🍌Banana: Best with a ripe banana. A freezer banana, which will thaw as you mash it, works well.
🍁Maple syrup: Please use real maple syrup, not pancake syrup. Honey, date paste, or date syrup are good alternative choices.
How to Make
Wash your hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water for 20 seconds, before starting.
Preheat oven and prepare a muffin tin (affiliate link) with parchment or silicone liners (affiliate links). (Read Baking Tips below.) Non-stick baking spray, oil, or butter are other ways to prevent sticking.
Place all the dry ingredients (whole wheat pastry flour through salt) in a large bowl.
Whisk (affiliate link) to combine.
Slice banana into a bowl. If very soft, break in half and mash with a small potato masher (affiliate link) or fork.
Add remaining liquid ingredients (including egg) to the banana and mix well.
Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the banana mixture.
Stir until just a few dry streaks remain being careful not to overmix.
Sprinkle chocolate chips (if using) over the batter, and gently stir to distribute.
Use an ice cream scoop (affliate link) to transfer the muffin batter to the prepared muffin tin.
Bake for about 15 minutes. Insert a toothpick in the center of the tallest muffin to check for doneness. It should come out clean, or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
Let muffins cool for 5 minutes before transferring to wire racks to finish cooling.
Tips for Baking Your Best Muffin
The number one tip for tender, delicious muffins, is not to overmix the wet and dry ingredients. Gentle mixing yields a better texture than beating the batter.
For vegan muffins, please do not replace the egg with a flax egg (the recipe already contains flax). Instead, use a chia egg: mix a Tablespoon of chia seeds with 3 Tablespoons of water, let rest 5 minutes before using.
Make sure that your muffin tin is well-greased or use silicone liners (affiliate link) for easy release and cleanup. Silicone liners make it easy to achieve a perfectly shaped muffin, are eco-friendly, and keep your baking tin clean.
Plus, they're easy to wash and dishwasher friendly.
Storage & serving
Muffins store well in the freezer. Bake a batch on the weekend for breakfast all week.
Keep them at room temperature for one day; then, refrigerate for 3 to 4 days in the refrigerator. For freezing, muffins stay fresh for up to 3 months.
♨️To thaw, microwave for 30 seconds on high.
This muffin makes an excellent breakfast with fruit and perhaps yogurt or an egg. If taking it on the go, grab a banana, tangerine, or small apple to eat with it.
A serving of two muffins is 10 grams of protein and well under 400 calories, so you can easily add fruit, a glass of milk, or a carton of yogurt to keep hunger away until lunch.
A muffin in the afternoon with some tea or coffee is a satisfying, healthy snack.
What makes this a healthy muffin?
- Low to moderate added sugars, similar to healthier breakfast cereals.
For reference, the Dietary Guidelines recommend limiting added sugars to 10% of calories per day, which is 50 grams if eating 2,000 calories per day. The American Heart Association recommends 25 grams for women and 36 grams for men.
- Ground flaxseed is rich in ALA (alpha-linolenic acid), an essential fatty acid beneficial for heart health that also supplies healthy lignans, fiber-rich phytonutrients that may reduce cancer risk.
- Peanut butter powder provides fiber and protein without the fat of regular peanut butter.
- Whole wheat pastry flour adds B vitamins and fiber.
- Bananas are a rich source of potassium; Greek yogurt and milk offer calcium, phosphorus in addition to protein.
One muffin as a snack receives a level 3 rating (good) as a snack for that supports your skeleton.
Two muffins for breakfast earn a level 4 (better) bone health rating with 10 grams of protein and a good serving of calcium (10 to 20% of daily needs).
Learn more about Practical Dietitians and recipe bone health ratings.
These muffins have a high nutrient-to-calorie ratio and a tender texture.
FAQ❓❔
This recipe was developed with powder and may not turn out well if regular peanut butter is substituted.
If you do substitute, increase flour by ¼ cup (either kind) and use ¼ cup regular peanut butter instead of ½ cup of peanut butter powder.
Chia can replace flax, but may make muffins slightly tough. If you omit flax, add an extra tablespoon of oil.
Leave out the egg and use a chia seed egg (see Baking Tips above for instructions).
Other recipes you might like...
- Love banana muffins, but have a complicated relationship with dairy? Try my Milk-Free Banana Muffins, which do not contain dairy or gluten.
- Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins with more protein and a classic blueberry muffin flavor!
- For banana lovers, Chia Banana Pudding is a healthy dessert that transforms into a healthy breakfast when made with less sweetener.
- Banana Bread with Oat Flour: Moist, gluten-free loaf, and fiber-rich loaf.
Banana-Peanut Butter Muffins with Flax
Equipment
- 1 Large batter bowl
- 1 Medium bowl
- Wooden spoons and/or spatulas
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour Can sub in gluten free or AP flour. Do not use almond or oat flour.
- ½ cup unbleached flour
- ½ cup peanut butter powder PB Fit, Peanut Butter & Friends are good brands
- 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt fine texture, not Kosher
- 1 ripe banana medium, mashed
- ¾ cup plain Greek yogurt
- ¼ cup milk 2% or choice of plant-based milk
- ¼ cup canola oil or use sunflower or olive oils
- 1 egg
- 2 Tablespoons maple syrup or honey
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- ¼ cup chocolate chips optional
Instructions Start Cooking
- Wash hands thoroughly, lathering with soap, and rinsing with running water before starting prep.
- Preheat oven to 400℉, and line a muffin tin with silicone liners or coat with non-stick spray.
- Place dry ingredients in a large batter bowl and whisk to combine.¾ cup whole wheat pastry flour ½ cup unbleached flour ½ cup peanut butter powder 2 Tablespoons ground flaxseed 1 teaspoon baking powder ¼ teaspoon salt
- Place banana into a medium bowl and mash with a small potato masher or fork. If banana is firm, slice before mashing.1 ripe banana
- Add liquid ingredients including egg to the banana, and whisk thoroughly.¾ cup plain Greek yogurt ¼ cup milk 1 egg ¼ cup canola oil 2 Tablespoons maple syrup 1 teaspoon vanilla
- In the center of the dry ingredients, make an indentation with a wooden spoon or spatula. Pour the wet ingredients into it. Mix gently, bringing the dry ingredients up from the bottom of the bowl. Do not beat the batter.Add the chocolate chips (if using) to the batter before all the dry and wet are completely unified. Continue mixing to evenly distribute the chips in the batter. There should not be any dry, floury streaks.¼ cup chocolate chips
- Transfer batter to the muffin tin, filling the cups ⅔ to ¾ full. Bake for 13 to 18 minutes, until the tops spring back lightly when touched and a toothpick inserted in the center comes our clean.
- Remove from oven and let sit in the pan for about 3 minutes before transferring to wire racks to cool completely. If using silicone liners, remove muffins from liners so they don't steam while cooling.
Notes
Nutrition
Estimated reading time: 9 minutes
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