Peanut Butter Banana Muffins shine with natural sweetness! Full of creamy peanut butter, banana and mini chocolate chips as well as wholesome flaxseed and oats. They are a flavor-packed satisfying start to the day.
Muffins are favorite for breakfast or to have on hand for snacks.
They tend to be dessert-like (Christmas Chocolate Chip Muffins) or healthy (Morning Glory Muffins). It’s hard to find muffins that are a perfect cross of both.
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins are THAT muffin. Full of great flavors, just the right amount of sweetness, some wholesome ingredients in a rustic little muffin.
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Wholesome Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
There are a number of great things about these muffins.
When you take a bite you’ll enjoy a natural sweet flavor. There is sugar in them but what comes forward is the sweetness from ripe banana and the peanut butter.
They are hearty thanks to ground flaxseed. Flax seed is full of hearty healthy Omega-3 acid. Great for a nutritional boost.
Oats give substance and also make the muffins filling and satisfying.
Creamy peanut butter, sweet banana and rich chocolate chips create the perfect flavor combination. They satisfy a morning sweet tooth without being over the top.
This recipe contains no butter or oil. All the fat comes from the protein rich peanut butter and flax seed.
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins are the perfect match for your morning coffee. A great snack choice too!
Recipe Ingredients + Notes
All purpose flour. Regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend can be used. The gluten-free version of all our recipes are tested with Bob’s Red Mill gluten-free 1-to-1 Baking Flour.
Quick cooking oats. Regular or gluten-free quick oats can be used. Rolled oats are not recommended for this recipe.
Flax seed. Use pre-ground flax seed, or grind whole flax seed in a food processor to form fine powder.
Baking powder. Helps the muffins rise.
Salt. A pinch enhances the sweetness in the muffins.
Creamy peanut butter. Shelf-stable creamy peanut butter or natural peanut butter can be used. If using natural peanut butter be sure to fully stir the peanut butter to incorporate any excess or separated oil.
Bananas. The bananas should be fully ripe and just soft enough to mash. Spotted bananas work too! We have not tested completely over ripened black bananas.
Brown sugar and Granulated sugar. A combination of two kinds of sugar AND only 1/4 cup of each rounds out the natural sweetness.
Eggs. Provides structure and allows the muffins to rise.
Vanilla extract. Adds a flavor homey flavor.
Milk. We’ve made the muffins using dairy milk but plant-milk should also work.
Mini Chocolate chips. Using mini chocolate chips ensures they will not all fall to the bottom of the muffins. Instead there will be small bites of chocolate all through the muffins.
Variations
Omit the chocolate chips. For a straightforward peanut butter banana muffin make the recipe without the chocolate chips.
Peanut butter chips. If you want the ultimate peanut butter banana treat, swap out chocolate chips for peanut butter chips!
Other nut butters. Substitute almond butter, sun butter or cashew butter for the peanut butter. Different nut butters are delicious in this recipe!
Mini muffins. Make peanut butter banana mini muffins by dividing batter evenly into mini muffin tins.
How to Make it – Step-by-Step
STEP 1. Combine dry ingredients
Whisk together the oats, flour, flax seed, baking powder and salt (photo 1).
STEP 2. Combine wet ingredients
In a different bowl, beat together the peanut butter, sugars, and banana. Add the eggs and vanilla to mix (photo 2).
Mix the milk into the butter mixture (photo 3).
STEP 3. Mix dry and wet ingredients
Add the flour mixture to the bowl with the wet ingredients (photo 4). Mix to combine.
Fold in the chocolate chips (photo 5).
STEP 6. Bake Muffins
Fill each cup of a muffin tin 3/4 of the way full.
Bake 20 – 15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
STEP 7. Cool the muffins
After baking, allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes.
Then, transfer the muffins to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling completely.
Make Mini Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Make the batter as directed. Instead of a full size muffin pan use a mini muffin pan (spray with non-stick spray or use mini muffin liners).
For mini muffins, reduce baking time to 18 to 22 minutes.
Pro Tips
Use a muffin scoop. Using a cookie or muffin scoop is a fast, mess free way to add the batter to the muffin tin.
I used this muffin scoop for these peanut butter banana muffins. One scoop was the perfect amount to fill one muffin cavity.
Do not overmix. When mixing the wet and dry ingredients mix just until combined. Overmixing can cause the muffins to become tough.
The muffins do not change shape during baking. The shape of the muffin that goes into the oven will be what comes out (check photos 6 and 7 above).
Frequently Asked Questions
Make sure to bake the muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Muffins made with natural peanut butter may take a bit longer to bake, as the peanut butter is runnier, with oils that separate.
Storing Them
Keep leftover Peanut Butter Banana Muffins in an airtight container at room temperature. They taste best if eaten within 2 -3 days.
Can you freeze Peanut Butter Banana Muffins?
Yes, these muffins freeze wonderfully! Once cooled, transfer the muffins to freezer safe bags and freeze for up to 3 months.
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Recipe
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour regular or gluten-free measure-for-measure flour blend
- 1 cup quick cooking oats
- ¼ cup ground flax seed
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 cup creamy peanut butter
- 2 medium bananas mashed
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup milk
- 1 cup mini chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees and grease a muffin pan with nonstick cooking spray or add liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, flax seed, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, beat together the peanut butter, bananas, brown sugar, and sugar.
- Add the eggs and vanilla and beat until combined. Mix in the milk.
- Add the flour mixture to the peanut butter mixture and mix until combined.
- Fold in the chocolate chips.
- Fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way full with batter and bake in the preheated oven. Bake for 20 to 25 minutes for full-size muffins or 18 to 22 minutes for mini muffins.
- Allow to cool in pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely before serving.
Notes
Nutrition
Peanut Butter Banana Muffins have that sweet and salty flavor you crave! Whether you make these with regular flour or gluten free, they’re sure to be a hit!
Ashley Presciutti says
There’s nothing better than the combination of peanut butter and banana!
Allyson Zea says
I can’t make these muffins fast enough, they seriously disappear right after I cook them!
katerina says
Such an incredible muffin!! I had these for breakfast and they were SO GOOD!! I love the peanut butter banana flavor!
Chenée says
These are so perfect for a sweet and wholesome breakfast treat!! Thanks for an amazing recipe!
Marie-Charlotte Chatelain says
PB and Banana will just always be the best combination – I want to make these with butterscotch chips!
Toni Dash says
Yum! Sounds like a great idea.
Chris Collins says
I’m crazy for peanut better anything, so these muffins are right up my street! Great recipe.
Julie says
One of my favorite sandwiches made into a muffin. These are divine!
Emily Flint says
These were the perfect muffins for our camping trip! I made them ahead and they lasted all weekend. So good!
Angela says
Yum! I love the mixture of peanut butter and banana. Throw in some chocolate chips and I am sold. My family loved them!
cathy says
Absolutely the best muffins, the peanut butter comes shining through in every bite!