Indulge in a delightful fusion of flavors with these moist and delicious banana blueberry muffins! Made with whole wheat flour and flaxseed meal, these homemade muffins are perfect for breakfast or an afternoon treat.
The information provided on this site is based on my personal experience living with alpha-gal syndrome. I consistently cite and link to expert sources, but nothing published on this site should be perceived as medical advice.
Alpha-gal sensitivities vary by person. You should understand your dietary restrictions, making any adjustments needed, and directing any questions to your physician.
Are your bananas way past their prime? I’m talking about the kind of bananas that are so ripe that all you see is brown spots and not even a hint of yellow on the peel. Instead of tossing them in the trash or on the compost pile, use them to make these healthy blueberry banana muffins. Not only will they hit your sweet tooth right where it counts, but you’ll also consume the nutritional goodness of whole grains and fresh fruit – it’s a sneaky healthy treat!
This fast and easy recipe combines the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with the antioxidant superpowers of juicy blueberries and the fiber of flaxseed meal, creating a mouthwatering treat that’s perfect for breakfast, a midday snack, or dessert. These muffins are so easy to make that even a baking newbie could nail it, and they’ll soon become a family favorite that’s requested more often than Taco Tuesday or pizza night.
In This Article
When is Blueberry Season?
Fresh blueberries are widely available in the United States from April through October. And thanks to produce grown south of the equator, you can also typically find imported blueberries during North American winter, as well.
Key Ingredients and Substitutions
Here’s how to whip up delicious blueberry banana muffins, even if you’re navigating a high alpha-gal sensitivity or your kitchen is missing a few ingredients.
Flaxseed Meal
Made from ground flaxseeds, flaxseed meal is an excellent source of omega-3 fatty acids, fiber, and protein. If flaxseed meal is playing hard to get at your local grocery store, you can substitute an equal amount of wheat germ.
Sugar
I use organic cane sugar that is both unrefined and vegan friendly so I can sleep peacefully knowing that the sugar hasn’t been processed with any sneaky bone char, which could potentially trigger an alpha-gal reaction. Although I have not tested this recipe with sugar alternatives, like coconut sugar, if you are a pro at swapping granulated sugar for another sweetener, it will probably work here.
Bananas
The riper the bananas, the better these muffins will taste. So if you have extra-ripe bananas – I’m talking about the kind with all black and no yellow left on the peel – don’t toss them. Make these muffins! Not only are they easy to mash and incorporate into the muffin batter, but they also add a natural sweetness and richer banana flavor.
Sage Advice: Looking for other ways to use up overripe bananas? You’ll also love these banana bread muffins, this banana bread with dates and walnuts, and these healthy pumpkin muffins that can be made with vegan buttermilk. And if you’re a chocoholic (like me), you’ll enjoy these chocolate banana muffins made with both cocoa powder and chocolate chips.
Milk
You can use just about any type of milk in this recipe. If you’re team cow’s milk, then nonfat milk, 2% milk, and whole milk all work well. Or you can use plant-based milk like almond milk, soymilk, or oat milk, to suit your dietary preferences.
Related Article: Dairy Free Baking: Proven Tips for Beginners
Blueberries
These banana blueberry muffins truly shine with in-season fresh berries. But sometimes you have to go the frozen route and that’s okay! You can still make these delicious muffins with frozen blueberries. For optimal results, check out these tips for using frozen berries in baking before making this substitution.
Sage Advice: Looking for more delicious ways to enjoy blueberries? You’ll love this blueberry crumb cake, this blueberry French toast casserole, and these gluten free blueberry pancakes.
To Make This Banana Blueberry Muffin Recipe Dairy-Free
For a dairy-free version of these banana blueberry muffins, use these ingredients and then follow the same instructional steps in the regular recipe below:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 overripe bananas
- ⅓ cup plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries
Related Article: Best Milk Alternative for Alpha-Gal Syndrome
How to Make Vegan Blueberry Banana Muffins
For a vegan version of these banana blueberry muffins, use these ingredients and then follow the same instructional steps in the regular recipe below:
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted vegan butter, softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- vegan egg substitute equivalent of 2 large eggs
- 2 overripe bananas
- ⅓ cup plant-based milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries
How to Make Banana Blueberry Muffins
This banana blueberry muffin recipe is simple to make:
- Preheat the oven to 350 F.
- Mix the dry ingredients together and set aside.
- In a separate large bowl, cream the softened butter and sugars until light and fluffy. Add the eggs one at a time.
- In a separate bowl, mash the bananas and stir in the milk and vanilla.
- Gradually add the flour mixture and banana mixture to the butter mixture, alternating between the two. Mix until just combined.
- Gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
- Pour the batter into a paper-lined muffin tin.
- Bake for about 20 minutes.
How to Store Leftover Muffins
If you don’t devour all of these scrumptious banana blueberry muffins in one sitting, they’ll stay fresh at room temperature for up to three to four days. To keep them in tip-top shape, store them in an airtight container. But if that’s not an option, a big ol’ Ziploc bag with a layer of paper towels will do the trick. The towels will soak up any sneaky moisture and stop your muffins from going soggy. Just swap out the paper towels daily to maintain peak tastiness.
Can You Freeze Banana Blueberry Muffins?
Got a surplus of banana blueberry muffins? No worries! You can freeze these delicious treats for up to three months in an airtight container. And who wouldn’t want to discover a stash of these muffins in the freezer on a dreary day?
When you’re ready to enjoy them, remove the desired number of muffins from the freezer and let them sit at room temperature for 1-2 hours or microwave for 20-30 seconds on the defrost setting.
Banana Blueberry Muffins (with Dairy-Free and Vegan Options)
Ingredients
- 1 cup whole wheat flour
- ¾ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup unsalted butter softened to room temperature
- ⅓ cup sugar
- ⅓ cup packed brown sugar
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 2 medium bananas, overripe
- ⅓ cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup blueberries
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 F.
- Grease a muffin tin with cooking spray or line a muffin pan with paper liners. (This recipe makes 14 regular muffins, so you will likely need to use a second muffin pan or bake them in batches.)
- In a small bowl, gently mix flours, flaxseed meal, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large bowl, beat butter and sugars with a mixer until light and fluffy.
- Add eggs one at a time to the butter and sugar mixture, beating well after each addition.
- In another small bowl, mash bananas with a fork or potato masher. Then, stir in the milk and vanilla. The mixture will be a bit chunky.
- Using an electric mixer set at low speed, alternately add about one third of the flour mixture and one third of the mashed banana mixture to the butter mixture. Mix until just combined.
- Fold in blueberries.
- Spoon the batter into muffin pans, dividing evenly among 14 muffin cups.
- Bake for about 10 minutes, then rotate the pan and cook until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean and the muffin tops are golden brown (about 10-15 additional minutes).
- Let the banana blueberry muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a wire rack to cool for 10 minutes more.
Great muffins. I picked out blueberries and had bananas, so this was the perfect recipe to use up all the fruit. Tastes great and the recipe was super easy.
These banana blueberry muffins turned out super delicious, tender and moist. Very quick and easy to make too!
Super good! I really liked the addition of the flaxseed to these muffins. Perfect for a grab-and-go snack.
These muffins are amazing! I made them last night and they were gone within an hour. My husband loved them so much that he ate two in one sitting.
Go hubby! 🙂
This was such a delicious recipe – we had some ripe bananas and I had just bought a box of blueberries from the farmers’ market and it was a perfect dessert / breakfast combo!
Oh, so glad you liked it!
Banana and blueberries go together so well! I just love the flavor combo in these muffins. SO GOOD!
Thanks so much!
These muffins had a wonderful taste and texture. I froze half for later and can’t wait to enjoy them again.
I’m glad you enjoyed them. They do freeze well, and we often make a double batch just so we can freeze extra.
such a srcummy combination of flavours, I am really looking forward to baking these again. Thanks for the recipe.
I love the addition of the flax in these! Sometimes muffins can feel so indulgent as a breakfast food, but knowing that these are so packed with good stuff might just make me eat two instead of one lol
Sounds like a plan to me!
This was delicious! I love the dairy free option since my son can’t have dairy. Add blueberries is a nice touch, they are my favorite spring fruit.
I’m with you, blueberries are the best!
Banana and blueberry!?!? I’ve been missing these muffins for years! What a great flavor combination – the muffins were moist and delish and loaded with fruit flavor! Yum!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them!