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    Home » Snacks

    Easy Banana Protein Muffins

    March 26, 2020 by Chrissy Carroll 33 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    Looking for something to do with those overripe bananas sitting on your counter?  Baking is always a good option!  Try making these easy banana protein muffins for a tasty snack recipe that the whole family will love.  With less than 200 calories per muffin and 6 grams of protein each, they’re a great healthy way to satisfy the sweet tooth.

    Disclosure:  This post contains Amazon affiliate links.  As an affiliate, I earn a commission on qualifying purchases.

    How to make banana protein muffins

    These are pretty simple to make!  Don’t be fooled by the ingredient list – though it looks long, just about everything on here is something you’re likely to have on hand in your pantry or fridge.  Here’s what you’ll need to gather up to make this:

    • Bananas – You’ll want overripe ones for this recipe – they should have ample brown spots or even be turning quite brown, as in the photo below. These bananas have had more of their starch turn to sugar, which will sweeten the muffins. They are also softer and easier to mash.
    • Cinnamon
    • Vanilla
    • Oil of choice – I like avocado oil for it’s neutral flavor, but you can also use canola oil, vegetable oil, softened coconut oil, or whatever you prefer.
    • Egg
    • Brown Sugar
    • Flour
    • Vanilla Protein Powder
    • Baking powder
    • Baking soda
    • Salt
    • Milk
    • Dark chocolate chips
    a bunch of overripe bananas

    The only thing that might not be a staple in your house is the protein powder.  I used this vanilla whey protein powder but you can use any vanilla protein powder that you’d like.

    Once you’ve got all your ingredients together, it’s as simple as mixing ‘em all up in a bowl, pouring them into a muffin tin, and baking the muffins!  No special techniques or anything, easy peasy.

    Nutrition benefits

    I like these banana protein muffins because they’re a step up nutritionally from your average muffin recipe.  The bulk of the sweetener is the mashed bananas, along with a little brown sugar and a small amount of dark chocolate chips – but less of the later than you might find in a standard muffin recipe.

    And of course, you’re adding protein powder to this recipe to boost the protein content.  Now keep in mind, I wouldn’t necessarily call these “high protein” muffins.  Each muffin contains 6 grams of protein. 

    But to give comparison, most homemade muffins made with white flour and no protein powder are only going to clock in around 2-3 grams, so you’re at least doubling what would be in there.

    While there are higher protein muffin options out there, I find they often lack the taste and texture that this version has – so these are a great compromise.

    These are also the perfect serving size for a snack or dessert when you’re craving a sweet treat.  They clock in at 193 calories, and because they have that blend of carbs, fat, and protein – they’ll help you stay full longer while satisfying your sweet tooth.

    a pan full of baked banana protein muffins

    Recipe FAQ

    Here are some common questions that may arise as you prepare this recipe:

    Can you freeze banana muffins? 

    Yes!  Just place them in a freezer safe bag and pop ‘em in the freezer.  When you’re ready to eat one, defrost it for about 30 seconds in the microwave.  While they’ll be good indefinitely from a food safety perspective in the freezer, for quality purposes I’d recommend keeping them in there for up to 2-3 months.

    Can you make vegan banana protein muffins? 

    Yes.  To do that, you’ll want to use a flax egg rather than a regular egg.  You’ll also want to use a milk alternative (like almond milk or soy milk) rather than regular milk.  Double check that the dark chocolate chips you choose are vegan (i.e. Enjoy Life).  And lastly, choose a plant-based protein powder rather than a whey protein powder.

    Can you make gluten free banana protein muffins?

    I haven’t tried it, but I would imagine you can use a gluten free flour blend (like King Arthur’s or Jovial) that measures 1:1 in place of the flour here.

    How can you make a lower calorie muffin?

    For a lower calorie version, use a brown sugar substitute, reduce the oil by half and substitute the other half with applesauce or additional mashed banana, and eliminate the chocolate chips.  Note that the taste and texture will vary from the original. 

    two banana muffins stacked up next to a bowl full of muffins

    More Healthy Muffin Recipes

    Looking for more muffins that have a nutritious spin? Try one of these options:

    • Pumpkin protein muffins
    • Almond flour banana muffins
    • Coconut and watermelon muffins
    • Apple cheddar muffins

    Alright, now that you’ve got all the key info, it’s time to get baking!  I hope you enjoy these as much as my family did.  Even my kiddo is a huge fan of these.  

    If you get a chance to make ‘em, please feel free to leave a recipe rating or comment letting me know your thoughts. 

    PS – Looking for more ways to use up your ripe bananas?  Check out this roundup of 20 different overripe banana recipes!

    a bowl full of banana protein muffins

    Chocolate Chip Banana Protein Muffins

    Snacking in Sneakers
    These chocolate chip banana protein muffins are packed with delicious flavor that makes for the perfect healthy sweet treat!
    4.59 from 12 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 10 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 30 minutes mins
    Course Breakfast, Dessert, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 12 muffins
    Calories 193 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 3 ripe bananas, mashed
    • 1 tsp cinnamon
    • 1 tsp vanilla
    • 1/4 cup oil of choice (avocado, canola, coconut, etc)
    • 1 egg
    • 1/3 cup brown sugar
    • 1 1/4 cup flour (ideally whole wheat, but all-purpose flour works too)
    • 1/2 cup vanilla protein powder (I used whey)
    • 1 tsp baking powder
    • 1/2 tsp baking soda
    • 1/4 tsp salt
    • 1/2 cup milk
    • 1/3 cup dark chocolate chips

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-count muffin tin.
    • In a large bowl, combine the bananas, cinnamon, vanilla, oil, egg, and brown sugar. Mix well.
    • Add the flour, protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir the ingredients until just combined.
    • Add the milk and mix until everything is combined. Fold in the chocolate chips.
    • Pour the batter evenly into each spot in the muffin tin, filling almost completely. Bake for approximately 20 minutes, or until muffins are golden brown on top and a knife pulls out clean. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then remove from the pan and allow to finish cooling. Enjoy.

    Notes

    Notes:  For best results, spoon the flour into your measuring cup. If you scoop it in, sometimes it can be a bit denser – if that’s the case and your batter is too thick, just add a little more milk.
     
    Nutrition analysis (approximate per muffin): 193 calories, 7 g fat, 1.5 g saturated fat, 160 mg sodium, 27.5 g carbohydrate, 2 g fiber, 13.5 g sugar, 6 g protein, Vitamin A: 1%, Vitamin C: 4%, Calcium: 7%, Iron: 6%

    Nutrition

    Calories: 193kcal
    Keyword banana protein muffins, healthy chocolate chip banana muffins
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    Share:  What’s your favorite type of muffin to bake?  If you tried these banana protein muffins, what did you think?

    Feel free to pin this post to refer to later!

    A bowl with a yellow napkin filled with banana protein muffins.
    • Author
    • Recent Posts
    Chrissy Carroll
    Chrissy Carroll
    Chrissy Carroll is a Registered Dietitian and USAT Level I Triathlon Coach. She specializes in sharing nutrition and fitness tips, as well as recipes, for runners, triathletes, and active women.Chrissy holds a Bachelor's Degree in Nutrition, a Masters Degree in Public Health, and is also an ACSM Certified Personal Trainer.
    Chrissy Carroll
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    Comments

    1. Sydney

      June 25, 2020 at 3:36 pm

      5 stars
      I tried these because I would like to incorporate more protein in my diet and I expected them to maybe not taste the best because they are a healthier option. Boy was I wrong, these muffins are delicious. Such a great recipe I will definitely reuse this. Of course I put double chocolate chips because I’m a chocolate lover. 🙂

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        June 25, 2020 at 3:49 pm

        Thanks for leaving such a lovely comment Sydney! I’m so glad you enjoyed these muffins – they’re a favorite at our house too. We like to freeze a batch so we can pull them out for snacks. 🙂 And doubling up on the chocolate sounds delish!!

        Reply
    2. Courtney Caton

      March 12, 2021 at 10:56 pm

      5 stars
      These were phenomenal! I made mini muffins and the whole family raved. They were some of the fluffiest muffins I’ve ever had!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        March 18, 2021 at 8:21 am

        I’m so glad your family enjoyed them! 🙂 Thanks for taking the time to leave a review.

        Reply
    3. Amanda

      July 27, 2021 at 8:26 am

      5 stars
      Hands down the BEST banana bread muffins I’ve had – and to have a great macro ratio too- can’t beat it! I used orgain creamy vanilla protein and dark choc chips. So good, so moist and 7/7 kids loved them too!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        July 29, 2021 at 6:00 pm

        Thanks for such a great review Amanda! I’m so glad you (and the kids!) enjoyed them. 🙂

        Reply
        • Rajiv Patel

          December 13, 2021 at 11:44 am

          This sounds great! Have you tried using chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla?

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            December 14, 2021 at 7:17 pm

            I haven’t personally tried it in these muffins but I bet it would taste good!

            Reply
            • Heather

              March 7, 2022 at 10:13 pm

              4 stars
              These were actually really good! However, when I opened my brown sugar it was hard as a rock 🙁 so I didn’t add any. They still seemed to cook up good though!

            • Chrissy Carroll

              March 9, 2022 at 1:41 pm

              I’m glad they worked well even without the brown sugar! As a quick tip – if you take the hardened brown sugar and place it in the microwave with a moistened paper towel on top, then microwave in 20 second intervals, it usually can help get it back to that soft texture you need. 🙂

        • Heather

          May 10, 2023 at 8:47 am

          Can you use vanilla almond milk??

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            May 12, 2023 at 11:20 am

            Yep!

            Reply
    4. Lolly Jane

      August 8, 2021 at 1:53 pm

      5 stars
      Family fav! I make 2-3 batches at a time and put them in the freezer for before or after school snacks, kiddos love them!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        August 9, 2021 at 8:53 am

        So glad you enjoy them! We like to freeze them too; makes it really convenient to grab one for breakfasts or snacks.

        Reply
    5. Sadie

      August 25, 2021 at 3:05 pm

      5 stars
      THESE MUFFINS ARE SO GOOD, it’s so hard to make muffins with protein powder without them being super dry but this recipe achieved that! Will definitely be making again 🙂

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        August 28, 2021 at 8:18 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them Sadie!! They’re a favorite in our house, even with my 6 year old!

        Reply
    6. Kara

      September 25, 2021 at 1:24 pm

      1 star
      Sorry to say that these were terrible. Bland flavor, odd rubbery texture, and the fake vanilla taste of the whey protein powder was unpleasant. Only saving grace was the 10 or so yummy dark chocolate chips I sprinkled on the tops. I will not make muffins with protein powder again.

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        September 25, 2021 at 1:45 pm

        Hi Kara – I’m sorry to hear you didn’t have luck with this recipe – I know that can be a bummer! These are a favorite in our house and we haven’t experienced a rubbery texture. A few troubleshooting ideas that may help you or others reading this. Were the bananas ripe enough? It’s important to use bananas that have a lot of brown spots or are even potentially turning a little black on the peel. If they’re not ripe enough, the texture of the bananas will be starchier (and less sweet), which can lead to blandness and a different texture. Also, the quality may depend on the type of protein powder that you choose – different powders use different sweeteners (i.e. regular sugar vs. xylitol vs. stevia vs. splenda and so on) — if you find any particular type of sweetener off-putting, it’s probably best to choose a protein powder without that sweetener. Just some thoughts that might help! 🙂

        Reply
    7. Ava R

      January 5, 2022 at 4:08 pm

      5 stars
      Turned out great!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        January 6, 2022 at 11:48 am

        So glad to hear it! 🙂

        Reply
      • Heather

        March 7, 2022 at 10:15 pm

        Mayne try a different protein powder? I used Orgain Vanilla Protein powder. My muffins are moist and taste just like banana bread.

        Reply
        • Linda Gygax

          July 27, 2023 at 9:39 am

          Made these as pancakes this morning for a cousins sleepover of 5 boys (6-13 years old). Total win!!! A few changes we made:
          * 4 bananas not 3 (they were all frozen together and we work with what we’ve got)
          * made it eggless with a substitute bcs of an allergy
          * used 1 cup milk not half a cup to get more of that pancake consistency.
          Some blueberries were added by the 10 year old helper chef and that was fun. Thanks so much for this recipe!

          Reply
          • Chrissy Carroll

            July 28, 2023 at 7:02 am

            Awesome! Glad you got creative and made pancakes with this recipe – great idea 🙂

            Reply
    8. Donna

      February 8, 2022 at 1:49 pm

      5 stars
      This recipe was awesome! I did make one little change, instead of using oil I used applesauce and they came out excellent! I definitely recommend this recipe.

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        February 9, 2022 at 11:32 am

        I’m glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing how you modified it in a way that worked for you. 🙂

        Reply
    9. Annie

      September 9, 2022 at 9:16 am

      5 stars
      These are great. I used chocolate protein powder instead of vanilla but otherwise followed your recipe exactly. I made mine in a mini muffin tin and baked for 10 minutes. Delicious!!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        September 19, 2022 at 12:47 pm

        So glad you enjoyed them Annie! They’re definitely a favorite in our house as well. Love the sub with chocolate protein powder.

        Reply
    10. Melissa Douglass

      November 2, 2022 at 12:05 am

      This recipe work well for non baker it came out so wellI made second batch. This time blueberries

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        November 2, 2022 at 12:10 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thanks for taking the time to comment 🙂

        Reply
    11. KC

      September 7, 2023 at 9:37 pm

      5 stars
      These muffins are fabulous! My 17 yo is dairy free and tries to eat very healthy, so to accommodate his diet I made a few substitutions. I used avocado oil, Ripple unsweetened original in place of milk and Enjoy Life dairy free chocolate chips. My family loved them so much that I made 130 of the muffins for my son’s whole football team for after their morning workout. Teammates have been asking for the recipe all day! Love these, thank you!

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        September 14, 2023 at 8:02 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them! How awesome that you made ’em for the whole football team – I bet the team loves you, haha!

        Reply
    12. Sara

      October 22, 2023 at 9:26 am

      5 stars
      These were so good!! Are you able to re calculate nutrients based on substitutions? I used coconut oil instead of oil, I substituted brown sugar for the same amount of erythirol (I’m sure I butchered the spelling) and a tsp of pure maple syrup since I didn’t have brown sugar. I didn’t look at carbs before eating… I should have only had half. Any suggestions to cut down on carbs?

      Reply
      • Chrissy Carroll

        October 23, 2023 at 10:54 am

        Hi Sara. I did go ahead and do a quick calculation on your substitutions, but in the future you can use a site called Cronometer to do them yourself. 🙂 With the subs you made, each muffin = 172 cal, 7 g fat, 27.5 g carb, 2 g fiber, 8 g sugar, 6 g pro. The carbs are the same as the original recipe because erythritol still contains carbohydrates, however typically those on low carb diets don’t count those carbs since they don’t usually have a measurable impact on blood sugar and don’t contribute calories. So if you go by net carbs (total carbs minus fiber and sugar alcohols), this would be about 20 grams net carbs per muffin.

        As far as suggestions to cut carbs – You already substituted the sugar which helps cut net carbs. You could also try substituting half of the flour for almond flour and see how that pans out. I haven’t tried it yet, but imagine it might work – just can’t guarantee that, haha. I would also suggest adding an extra egg if you try making this substitution.

        Hope that helps!

        Reply

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    Welcome to Snacking in Sneakers! That's me, Chrissy, and I'm here to share all my favorite fitness, food, & wellness stories & tips. I'm a dietitian, personal trainer, runner, triathlon coach, foodie, not-so-extreme couponer, and all around fun lovin' gal.

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    several overripe bananas and two muffins stacked on top of each other

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