Tony and I like carbohydrates for breakfast, and we definitely like to enjoy something a little sweet. But neither of us likes a sugar rush first thing int he morning. We also like our breakfast to keep us energized. Which is why I lean toward healthy baked goods, like these cinnamon raisin whole wheat banana muffins. I adapted this recipe from Food.com back in 2010. But today I’m giving this post and recipe a big update!
Dairy-Free Whole Wheat Banana Muffins to Bake any Day Special
Despite being 100% whole grain, these muffins are pretty darn fluffy. They aren’t overly sweet, and are perfect (in my opinion) for early morning taste buds or with afternoon tea. They’re a wonderful treat on any lazy Sunday, but also a powerhouse on-the-go breakfast for busy days.
I added raisins to the recipe for an extra jolt of natural sugar, but you can make them raisin-free if preferred. I’ve included several options with the recipe.
Healthy Banana Muffin “Frosting”
For a heartier breakfast, I usually “frost” these cinnamon raisin whole wheat banana muffins with nut or seed butter. If I’m feeling fancy, I’ll blend leftover mashed banana with nut or seed butter, ground flaxseeds, and a wee bit of molasses, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Tony likes them “frosted” with all-fruit jam.
Reader Raves for these Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
I originally posted this recipe on my old blog, and received the following feedback:
Pausing long enough from eating these muffins to say they are amazing!! Moist and fluffy and just sweet enough with the raisins. Yum! ~ Lauren
I made these muffins tonight and used chocolate chips and pecans in place of raisins. Also to make them go farther I made them into mini muffins and baked them for about 15-17 minutes. Huge hit! They’ll be wonderful to go with breakfast in the morning! ~ Emmeline
Special Diet Notes: Whole Wheat Banana Muffins
By ingredients, this recipe is dairy-free / non-dairy, nut-free, peanut-free, soy-free, refined sugar-free, and vegetarian.
For gluten-free cinnamon raisin banana muffins, substitute certified gluten-free oat flour for the wheat flour, and ground flaxseed or chia seeds for the wheat germ.
I haven’t yet tested these whole wheat cinnamon raisin banana muffins egg-free and vegan, but they should perform well with an egg substitute. See my Egg Substitute Guide for the best egg-free options.
- ½ cup raisins (see below for No Raisin Option)
- Boiling water (about 1 cup should do)
- 1¾ cups whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoons wheat germ
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup mashed ripe banana
- ½ cup honey or maple syrup
- 2 eggs (see my egg sub guide for egg-free options)
- ¼ cup oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Place the raisins in a small, heat-safe bowl, and cover them with the boiling water.
- Preheat your oven to 325ºF and grease or line 12 muffin cups.
- In a medium-sized bowl, stir together the flour, wheat germ, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt.
- In a large mixing bowl, blend the banana, honey or maple, eggs, oil, and vanilla until relatively smooth.
- Carefully drain the raisins, reserving the liquid. Add 5 tablespoons (1/4 cup + 1 tablespoon) of the hot raisin water to the banana mixture and stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients in your large mixing bowl, and stir just to combine. Do not over mix; a few lumps are okay. Fold in the plumped raisins.
- Divide the batter evenly between your 12 muffin cups.
- Bake for 20 to 24 minutes, or until the muffins just begin to take on a golden hue, and a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool for a few minutes in the muffin cups, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Banana Walnut Option: Fold ½ cup chopped walnuts into the batter.
Banana Topping Option: Slice 1 small banana into 12 slices. Top the batter for each muffin with 1 slice before baking.
For More Dairy-Free Recipes, Get Eat Dairy Free!
