Blueberry banana muffins are a classic for a reason – it’s the perfect pairing, with sweet-tart blueberries cutting through the sweetness of the banana muffin base. Because this is a fruit-filled option and muffins make a great breakfast, this vegan version is made healthy-ish with whole grain spelt flour and sweetened with coconut sugar.
Muffins are a great snack for work or school, and these can be made with frozen blueberries when they’re not in season fresh. So if you’re working away from home this autumn or sending kids (or yourself) off to school, they’re a good option for on-the-go or at home snacking, too.
With just 10 ingredients and one bowl, these easy vegan banana muffins are about as simple as it gets. For a similar summery recipe, try my raspberry yogurt muffins.
Why You Should Try This Recipe
Muffins are our go-to snack or second breakfast, and these whole grain blueberry muffins fit the bill of being sweet enough to feel like a treat while nutritious enough to last until the next meal time. They’re also:
- A one-bowl recipe: despite using spelt flour, this can all be made in one bowl if you’re careful not to over mix. Gently fold in the berries and you’ll be fine.
- Made with whole grain flour: this recipe calls for whole grain spelt flour, which adds extra protein and fibre along with a nice nutty flavour.
- Minimal ingredients: you only need ten total ingredients, including salt and baking powder. Always a good thing!
Ingredients
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
- Bananas: they should be a bit riper than those pictured – mine were damaged in transport and needed to be used, but they should be a bit spotted.
- Non-dairy Milk: I use oat milk. Any thinner (i.e. not canned coconut) milk will work.
- Spelt Flour: light (white) spelt flour can be used in the same quantity. I haven’t tried this but whole wheat, whole wheat pastry flour, and white flour should all be fine. These haven’t been tested with GF options.
- Blueberries: frozen blueberries can be used in place of fresh in the same quantity, though they may result in purple muffins. This is more the case with wild berries rather than cultivated.
Step-by-Step
1. Mix wet ingredients: mash the bananas and mix with the oil and milk in a large bowl.
2. Add dry ingredients: you can sift them into the bowl if preferred to avoid a chance of over mixing.
3. Mix: use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix until just combined.
4. Add blueberries: gently fold the blueberries into the batter.
5. Scoop into muffin tin: evenly divide the batter and then top with extra berries (optional).
6. Bake: for about 20 minutes, or until they pass a skewer test.
Recipe Notes
Baking the muffins at 200C makes for a higher dome – this isn’t a typo, it’s the correct baking temperature.
The ripeness of your bananas will make a difference in the sweetness of the muffins. If your bananas are ultra-ripe, you may want to consider reducing the amount of coconut sugar slightly to make up for it.
How to Store
Storage: since the muffins contain a lot of fruit, they’ll only keep for a day or two at room temperature. I recommend storing them in a sealed container for up to a week in the refrigerator.
Freezing: freeze in an airtight container for up to three months. For best results, thaw in the refrigerator.
Expert Tips
- Don’t make unlisted substitutions: a really common one is almond flour. It doesn’t contain any gluten and doesn’t absorb much liquid like other flours do, so it can’t be subbed 1:1.
- Try not to over mix: as spelt flour contains gluten, when over-mixed it can make for tough muffins. Mix until just combined – a few small streaks of flour are fine.
- Check oven temperature: this is a common problem. Home ovens often run 10-20°C off from what they’re set at (I’ve had an oven that was often 50°C too hot!) so a small oven thermometer works wonders. If you find that your bakes are often failing despite following the recipe exactly, you may need to check this.
More Vegan Muffins
Blueberry Almond Muffins
Chocolate Beet Muffins
Morning Glory Carrot Muffins
Chocolate Raspberry Muffins
If you make these Blueberry Banana Muffins or any other snack recipes on Occasionally Eggs, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment below. It’s such a help to others who want to try the recipe. For more OE, follow along on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest, purchase the Occasionally Eggs cookbook, or subscribe for new posts via email.
Banana Blueberry Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas ~400 grams, weighed with peel
- 120 ml oat milk
- 60 ml olive oil
- 260 grams whole grain spelt flour
- 80 grams coconut sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- 150 grams blueberries, plus extra for topping
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 200°C (400°F) and grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin tin.
- Peel the bananas and place them into a large mixing bowl. Mash with a fork, then add the milk and olive oil. Stir to combine fully.3 large ripe bananas, 120 ml oat milk, 60 ml olive oil
- Add the flour, coconut sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt to the bowl. Use a wooden spoon or spatula to mix until just combined, being careful not to over-mix.260 grams whole grain spelt flour, 80 grams coconut sugar, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
- Add the blueberries to the batter and carefully fold in to evenly incorporate.150 grams blueberries, plus extra for topping
- Scoop the batter evenly between the cups of the prepared muffin tin. Top each with more blueberries if you’d like.
- Bake for 18-22 minutes, or until golden and a wooden skewer comes out clean when inserted into the middle of a muffin.
- Cool for ten minutes before removing the muffins to cool fully on a wire rack. These will keep for a day or two at room temperature but should be refrigerated or frozen for longer storage.
* For American cup measurements, please click the pink link text above the ingredient list that says ‘American’.
Nutrition
Nutrition is provided as a courtesy and is an estimate. If this information is important to you, please have it verified independently.
Newsletter
This recipe was first shared in July 2014. It has been updated most recently as of August 2022.
Alex says
Hi, thank you so much for recipes, I make them a lot, and they always turn out great:))
I have a question about this recipe, if you could perhaps help me. I have recently moved and I don’t have a muffin tin yet, so I would like to bake this as a quick bread, in a bread tin. I would reduce the temperature and bake it longer, but is there something else that I should change, do you perhaps have some advice about that?
Thank you,
Alex
Alexandra Daum says
Hi Alex, so glad you like the recipes! I would recommend following this recipe instead and using blueberries instead of chocolate, rather than trying to figure out how to bake this in a loaf tin.