Easy Banana Protein Muffins

Need a deliciously sweet, sneakily healthy grab-n-go treat? My easy Banana Protein Muffins are just that! These moist, peanut buttery, chocolate chip-laced muffins taste like dessert but boast 14 grams of protein and only 9 grams of net carbs per serving. They're chock full of healthy ingredients and naturally gluten-free to boot!

this recipe

Why You’ll Love These Healthy Protein Muffins

• Legitimately Good For You - With zero butter, oil, grain flour, or added sugar, these are actually healthy banana protein muffins you can feel good about eating.
• Quick & Easy - Forget spending your whole afternoon in the kitchen. My banana chocolate chip protein muffins are made with just 11 ingredients, 2 bowls, and under 30 minutes total kitchen time! 
• Actually Delicious - Let’s be real; if food doesn’t taste good, do we even care how healthy it is? These protein powder muffins are made with real, clean ingredients, but much like my homemade protein bars and apple oatmeal bars, they have incredible flavor too! Melty chocolate chips, salty peanut butter, and sweet bananas make the ultimate tasty combo.
• Staying Power - A super-sugary traditional muffin might not keep you full for long, but this recipe is different! These high protein banana muffins are loaded with casein powder, a slow-digesting form of protein that keeps you full longer than whey protein. Plus, peanut butter, eggs, and almond flour contribute healthy fats to this recipe, so you can be assured these muffins will actually satisfy your hunger.

Recipe Ingredients 

As promised, you only need a handful of simple ingredients for these chocolate and peanut butter banana protein muffins. Here’s what you should know:

• Vanilla Casein Protein - I prefer using vanilla protein powder in this banana muffin recipe, but you could certainly swap in chocolate protein powder if you’d like. Flavored protein powder is best since we’re using enough of it to contribute to the overall taste of these muffins. I've only tested this recipe with Levels 100% Micellar Casein Protein, which is a milk based protein powder made with minimal ingredients. I can't guarantee that other brands will yield the same results, but if you opt to use something different, I'd suggest sticking to casein protein.
• Almond Flour - This is the perfect flour for gluten-free protein muffins since it helps keep baked goods moist and tender. For the best results, don't use almond meal. Almond flour has a milder flavor and finer texture that’s better for baking.
• Unsweetened Powdered Peanut Butter - Powdered peanut butter is amazing for contributing extra peanut butter flavor to healthy recipes without adding tons of calories, but always read the ingredients! Use one that’s made with solely with peanuts to keep this high protein muffin recipe refined sugar free. 
• Baking Powder - Baking soda requires an acidic ingredient to activate it (something we don’t have in this recipe), so baking powder is the perfect leavener to give these muffins a fluffy, tender crumb. 
• Ripe Bananas - These can be fresh or previously frozen and defrosted, but remember: the spottier, the better! There’s no added sugar in this recipe, so we need the sweetest bananas we can get. They don’t need to be completely puréed; just mash them with a fork.
• Unsweetened Creamy Peanut Butter - We do need some fat in this recipe to keep our muffins soft and tender, and that's where the real deal peanut butter comes into play! To keep these chocolate banana protein muffins as healthy as possible, use natural peanut butter made with just peanuts and salt. You should be able to swap this for a different natural nut butter (e.g. almond butter, sunflower seed butter), but peanut butter boasts the highest protein content!
• Eggs - Medium or large will work for this recipe.
• Milk - I use whole milk for my banana protein muffins, but you're welcome to use any kind you'd like (dairy-based or otherwise). Keep in mind that the nutrition facts will change slightly depending on which one you choose. 
• No Sugar Added Dark Chocolate Chips - These keto chocolate chips taste like the real deal thanks to a blend of sugar alcohol and stevia, and I've found that they don't have the cooling sensation some erythritol-sweetened chocolate has. If you’d rather stick to classic chocolate chips, use dark chocolate to keep the added sugar to a minimum.

How to Make Banana Protein Muffins With Protein Powder

Making these high protein breakfast muffins is a snap - so easy that I’ve kept this recipe on a weekly rotation at my house! Here’s how it’s done:

1. Step 1: Prep. Preheat oven to 350ºF. Line a standard-size 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners, or grease with nonstick cooking spray.

2. Step 2: Dry Ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the protein powder, almond flour, powdered peanut butter, baking powder, and salt until well combined.

3. Step 3: Wet Ingredients. In a separate, medium bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, peanut butter, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract until evenly combined - the mixture will be a bit chunky because of the bananas.

4. Step 4: Mix Wet & Dry. Add the wet mixture to the dry ingredients along with the chocolate chips (reserving a tablespoon or so if desired to sprinkle on top of the muffins before baking). Use a rubber spatula to fold together just until everything is incorporated into a thick batter with no dry streaks visible. This will be thicker than your average muffin batter - closer to the consistency of cookie dough.

6. Step 6: Bake muffins in the preheated oven for 12-15 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of one comes out clean. Set the pan over a wire rack and let the muffins cool completely before storing.

Storing & Reheating

• Nobody likes a soggy muffin, so make sure you let your protein powder banana muffins cool completely to room temperature before storing.
• Store cooled muffins in an airtight container or zip-top storage bag. They'll keep well for up to 3 days at room temperature or up to 10 days in the refrigerator, so they're a great meal prep option!
• To freeze these healthy breakfast muffins, store them inside of a freezer-safe zip-top bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can also wrap individual muffins in plastic wrap before storing inside of a freezer bag to maximize freshness. 
• Transfer to the refrigerator to thaw an entire bag, or thaw individual protein muffins at room temperature before eating.

Recipe Tips

• Weigh your ingredients! This is a thick batter as-is, which means being a little too heavy handed with the dry ingredients could mess up the final consistency of your muffins. For best results, use a kitchen scale to accurately measure your ingredients. If that’s not an option, make sure you spoon the dry ingredients into your measuring cups and level them off with a knife for the most consistent measurements.
• Stir your peanut butter well. Since we’re using natural peanut butter, it will have a tendency to separate if stored at room temperature. Make sure to stir it until the peanut butter is uniform and there are no hard spots at the bottom of the jar.

• Bananas not-so-ripe? Here’s a trick. To speed up the ripening process, pop them in a paper bag and fold the top to seal it. Let them sit for 1-2 days, and they should ripen up quickly! You can also add an apple, avocado, or other ethylene-producing fruit to the bag for an extra boost.
• Use a spring-loaded cookie scoop to evenly portion the muffin batter into each muffin cup quickly and with minimal mess. 
• For the prettiest presentation, reserve 1-2 tablespoons of chocolate chips to press into the tops of the muffins before baking. 
• Add your own twist by swapping the chocolate chips for white chocolate chips, switching up your protein powder flavor (I’m thinking chocolate or peanut butter!) or using a different type of nut butter. You can even use nuts instead of chocolate chips to make banana nut protein muffins.

Serving Suggestions

• I like to start the day with one of these breakfast protein muffins and a cup of coffee (obviously). An iced Spanish latte or caramel iced coffee pairs perfectly!
• If you’re eating one as an afternoon snack and need a little pick-me-up, pair it with a chai latte. 
• For an extra boost of protein, you can also cut these in half and slather them with homemade peanut butter!

FAQs

More Healthy Muffin Recipes

If you’re loving these easy protein muffins, I have a few other great muffins recipes for you to try that are on the more nutritious side!