Here’s something for those busy mornings when you’re craving something sweet yet protein-packed.
These Low-Calorie Protein Banana Muffins are not only easy to make but packed with protein – all without the need to mess with protein powder.
And the best part? They’re just 125 calories each!
Everyone loves a good muffin, but these banana muffins are in a league of their own. They’re made with my own Protein Pancake Mix, which makes high-protein baking a breeze without needing to add any additional protein powder.
I formulated this mix in my kitchen, ensuring it’s packed with protein and perfect for baking. Trust me, you’d never know these low-calorie banana muffins were made with a pancake mix!
Ingredients Needed for Healthy Banana Protein Muffins
These delicious banana protein muffins come together with just 5 simple ingredients, so there is very little barrier to making these as soon as possible.
- PEScience Protein Pancake Mix: This isn’t just any mix; it’s a formula I created in my own kitchen and partnered with PEScience to bring to life. It’s packed with protein and has the perfect balance of ingredients for a fluffy muffin texture. By using this mix, we don’t need to mess with extra whey protein powder, a leavening agent, or any other dry ingredients. If you’re using another baking mix, the results might vary, but you should be able to get away with it.
- Ripe Bananas: The riper, the better. They bring natural sweetness and moisture to the muffins, meaning we don’t have to add much sweetener at all. Plus, they’re a great way to use up those bananas that might otherwise go to waste. In the photo above, you’ll see that the bananas are still a little bit green; opt for using bananas that are as brown as possible for the softest texture and best flavor.
- Vanilla Extract: Just a little goes a long way here. When it comes to baking dessert, almost everything is elevated by a touch of vanilla extract. If you use the recommended baking mix, there is a touch of vanilla from some vanilla protein powder, so you can get away with omitting the vanilla extract if necessary.
- Honey: I tend to use sugar substitutes in my recipes to save some calories, and you can certainly do that here, but I love the flavor combination of honey and bananas. We only need one tablespoon, so the calories are negligible, but the added hint of honey is a welcomed addition. You can use maple syrup here, or if you want to use a sugar-free substitute, that will also work just fine.
- Milk: Use whatever you have on hand. It helps to bind all the ingredients together and adds a bit of moisture to the muffins.
- Optional – Mini Chocolate Chips or Nuts: For that extra touch of indulgence or texture, you can mix chocolate chips or nuts into these muffins. I happen to love banana muffins on their own, but I know many people prefer chocolate chip banana muffins or banana nut muffins.
A quick additional note on using the baking mix: this is a very easy way to make things simple without needing to measure out additional ingredients such as wheat flour, oat flour, almond flour, etc. If you want to make your muffins from scratch with wheat flour (or any flour of your choice) check out my Protein Banana Bread recipe.
And don’t feel limited by these ingredients, either. You can add additional flavor profiles and textures by mixing in peanut butter or almond butter, folding in oats to make banana oat muffins, or anything else you can think of.
How to Make Protein Banana Muffins
Get the oven preheated to 350 degrees F while you prep the muffin batter.
To kick things off, let’s get mashing the ripe banana. You want them well mashed, but a few chunks won’t hurt – they add a nice texture. When you get a chunk of melty banana in your muffin, is works extremely well, so don’t sweat it.
If your bananas are not ripe enough, you may find it tougher to fully mash the banana. Remember, a riper banana will be softer, so it will be much easier to mash up.
We’ll mix the wet ingredients right into the mashed banana, and then it’s time to introduce the star: the Protein Pancake Mix.
Once you mix everything together, you’ll be left with a thick batter – that’s exactly what we want. If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, now’s the time to fold them in gently.
Grab your muffin tin and place a muffin liner in each muffin cup to prep 6 banana muffins. I prefer silicone liners for their non-stick quality, but paper liners or a simple spray of nonstick cooking spray work just fine as well.
Spoon the batter into the pan, filling each about three-quarters full. This ensures each muffin has room to rise without overflowing.
I added some mini chocolate chips onto the top of some of my muffins for the aesthetic, but that part is optional. When you mix the chocolate chips into the batter, they tend to sink towards the bottom, so I like adding a few extra chocolate chips right on top.
Since this muffin recipe makes 6 muffins, I like to space them out in the pan, but you can easily double this recipe to make a full dozen.
Bake these protein banana muffins are 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. My oven does the job right at 13 minutes, but it’s always good to do a quick check since oven temperatures can vary.
You’re looking for a golden top and a skewer coming out clean (minus any melted chocolate chips, of course).
Once out of the oven, give these beauties a good 5 minutes to cool. This rest time helps them set up and will make them much easier to remove from the pan.
The interior of your protein muffin should contain a delicate crumb with pockets of gooey banana inside. You will not be disappointed!
If you find yourself with leftover banana protein muffins, you can keep them stored in an airtight container to enjoy a banana muffin at any time throughout the week. My muffins did not last longer than 24 hours, but I can vouch for them still being delicious the next morning!
More High-Protein Breakfast Ideas
Breakfast is my favorite meal of the day, and I’ve got lots of high-protein breakfast recipes to check out. If you prefer bananas, be sure to check out my Protein Banana Bread after you enjoy this muffin recipe.
Instructions
This recipe makes 6 banana muffins. Double the ingredients to make 12.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- In a large bowl, mash up your ripe bananas. It’s okay if there are some chunks left, but mash them up as much as you can.
- Add the wet ingredients to the bowl (vanilla extract, honey, and milk) and give it a quick mix.
- Add the protein pancake mix to the bowl and mix until you have a thick spoonable batter. If you want to add dark chocolate chips or nuts to your banana muffins, you can fold them as well.
- Line a cupcake pan with silicone liners, or paper liners, or omit the liners and spray with nonstick cooking spray.
- Spoon the batter into the pan to fill 6 muffins, filling each about 3/4 to the top.
- Bake the protein banana muffins at 350 degrees for 12-15 minutes. The exact oven time will vary, and I actually found 13 minutes to be perfect for my oven.
- Remove the banana muffins from the oven and allow them to cool for 5 minutes before enjoying.
Notes
- Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container and enjoyed throughout the week for easy breakfast meal prep.
- I cannot guarantee the same results with other protein pancake mixes, although another mix should work. The PEScience protein pancake mix is a high-protein baking mix that I formulated and I cannot recommend it enough! If you want to support me and my recipes, buying the mix is a great way to do so. Just note that this mix measures out all the dry ingredients for you, which is why we don’t need to use any wheat flour or other powders in this muffin recipe.
- I tend to use a lot of sugar substitutes in my recipes, but honey works very well here and I recommend it. It’s only one tablespoon, so the calories are negligible, and the flavor it adds is great. Maple syrup or a sugar-free alternative will also work.
- Remember: the more ripe a banana is, the sweeter and softer it will be. If your bananas are under-ripe, you’ll notice a difference in flavor and texture. Once the bananas seem too brown to eat, they are perfect for baking.
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Nutrition Information
Yield 6
Serving Size 1 Muffin
Amount Per Serving
Calories 125Total Fat 2gCarbohydrates 22gProtein 5.5g
