A high protein twist on everybody's favourite muffin. These banana chocolate protein muffins are perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or healthy snack. They're packed with protein, low in sugar, and come in at just 205 calories per muffin.
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Why you'll love this recipe
- Less than 5 grams of sugar per muffin
- No refined sugars
- High in protein
- Easy to make
What makes this recipe healthy?
Muffins don't have to be terrible for you. Here's why these chocolate banana protein muffins are better for you than the store bought alternative:
- They're high in protein. Thanks to the eggs, almond butter, almond flour, greek yogurt and protein powder, these homemade muffins come with a healthy dose of protein. That means they'll keep you full for a long time after you eat them, unlike store bought muffins, which are primarily made from refined carbohydrates and sugars.
- They're low in sugar. When making this recipe, I kept the sugar to a minimum. Not only that, but the sugar I did use comes from natural sources like banana, maple syrup and dark chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate (like 85%+ from Lindt). That matters because the fibre in natural sweeteners prevents large blood sugar spikes that leave you feeling sluggish shortly after eating.
If you're looking for another healthy muffin, try my pumpkin protein muffins.
Scroll down to see the printable recipe with nutritional information.
Ingredients
Here's what you'll need for these delicious protein banana chocolate chip muffins:
- Bananas: Mashed bananas are the star ingredient in this recipe. They're used for flavour, and as a healthy replacement for fat and sugar.
- Eggs: The binding agent. Eggs add structure and stickiness to keep your muffins from crumbling apart. If you don't eat eggs, feel free to replace with an egg substitute.
- Coconut oil: Adds richness to the flavour and helps the muffin come out more tender.
- Greek yogurt: This protein-packed ingredient adds nutrients and moisture. Again, it prevents your eggs from being crumbly and dry.
- Almond butter: Fills the muffins with a rich, nutty flavour. Be sure to use creamy almond butter, not crunchy almond butter.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a warming flavour to the recipe.
- Maple syrup: I replace refined sugars with natural sugars in all of my recipes. While they are still sugar, they are a better option because they have a lower glycemic index and offer up some vitamins and minerals. That means your blood sugar rises more slowly after consuming them and you'll avoid that dreaded post-sugar crash. Be sure to choose 100% pure maple syrup. If you don’t have this in your cupboard, feel free to substitute with one of these sweeteners.
- Spelt flour: A higher protein flour with a nutty, slightly sweet flavour.
- Almond flour: A low-carb alternative to wheat flour. It gives the muffins extra nutrients, a touch of sweetness, and a slightly denser texture.
- Vanilla protein powder: Increases the protein content in the muffin and adds a bit of flavour. If you don't have vanilla on hand, you can use chocolate too.
- Baking powder and soda: Help the muffins rise.
- Salt: Enhances the flavour of every other ingredient.
- Dark chocolate chips: A low sugar alternative to milk chocolate chips. I like to use Pascha 85% dark chocolate chips. But, if the flavour is too bitter for you, go for 70% or higher. Also, if you don't have chips on hand, you can roughly chop dark chocolate instead.
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Scroll down to find the printable recipe with ingredient measurements.
Instructions
Let’s break it down step by step to take any guesswork out of this chocolate banana protein muffin recipe.
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add wet ingredients to bowl and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to a second bowl and stir until combined. Set chocolate chips aside.
- Make a well in the dry mixing bowl, then pour the wet ingredients inside. Mix ingredients until just combined.
- Once mixed, fold in chocolate chips. Keep ⅛ cup aside for topping.
- Line a muffin pan with muffin tin liners (I like reusable silicon baking cups).
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way.
- Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top of the muffins.
- Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until a fork comes out clean. Note that almond flour burns easier than wheat flour, so be sure to keep an eye on the muffins in the remaining minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before eating.
Recipe Notes
- Use the brownest bananas you can: The more ripe a banana is, the sweeter it is. I know it's tough to wait, but I promise it will make your muffins better.
- Let cool completely before serving. The cohesiveness of low-carb baked goods improves after being cooled. So, please resist digging into the muffins too soon or you'll end up with a pile of crumbs.
- Don't over mix when baking with almond flour or it will create a very dense texture.
For the full ingredient list and step-by-step directions, scroll down to view the recipe card.
How to store
Want to enjoy these later? Here's how to store your freshly baked protein muffins.
- Counter: store in airtight container at room temperature for 5 days
- Fridge: store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 7 days
- Freezer: store in an airtight container in the freezer for 3 month
Recipe variations
This protein muffin recipe didn't quite hit the mark for you? No worries. There are plenty of easy customizations you can make to satisfy your needs. Here are a couple.
- Swap the mix-ins: I'm a huge chocolate chip fan. But, sometimes I like to swap them out for walnuts, pecans, raisins, or another dried fruit. Pick whatever suits your taste buds.
- Make these muffins vegan: You'll have to make a few swaps, but it can be done. Replace the egg with a vegan egg substitute (like a flax egg), the greek yogurt with a non-dairy yogurt (like coconut yogurt), and ensure you use a plant-based protein powder and vegan chocolate chips.
Equipment
Here's what you need to make these banana chocolate protein muffins.
- A hand mixer or stand mixer
- A muffin tin
- Muffin tin liners (my favourite are reusable silicon baking cups)
- Mixing bowls
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FAQs
Here are some of the most frequently asked questions about these healthy banana chocolate chip muffins.
Protein powder can be used to increase the protein content in muffins. However, too much protein powder will cause baked goods to become very dry and rubbery. So, it's best to use a mix of high protein ingredients like protein powder, greek yogurt, spelt flour, almond flour, almond butter and black beans.
No, it doesn't. Heating will denature protein powder, but not damage it. Whether we cook it or not, the protein powder's nutritional value remains intact and our body absorbs the exact same amino acids.
Please note that almond flour is denser than traditional flours, so muffins baked with this kind of flour will be more dry and crumbly. That said, they shouldn't be so dry that you hate them. If your batch turned out that way, consider how long you mixed the batter. The main cause of dry muffins is over-mixing. This is especially true when using almond flour, like in this recipe.
How To Serve
Now that you have freshly baked banana chocolate protein muffins, it’s time to sit down and enjoy them. I suggest:
- Pairing your muffin with a warming drink like my creamy matcha chai latte or golden milk.
- Adding a little “icing”. My favourite healthy icing ideas are drizzling almond butter, coconut yogurt or healthy whip cream on top of the muffin. You can find my homemade almond butter recipe here.
Similar Recipes
Still hungry? If you enjoyed this recipe for banana chocolate chip protein muffins, I invite you to check out my collection of other healthy snacks or check out some of my other high protein recipes below.
If you make these banana chocolate protein muffins, please consider leaving a star rating and a comment. Don't forget to tag @caiteyjay on Instagram or @caiteyjay on Pinterest so I can see your creations.
Print
Banana Chocolate Protein Muffins
- Prep Time: 10
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 15 1x
- Category: Muffins, Snacks
- Method: Stand Mixer, Hand Mixer
- Cuisine: American
Description
A high protein twist on everybody's favourite muffin. These banana chocolate protein muffins are perfect for an on-the-go breakfast or healthy snack. They're packed with protein, low in sugar, and come in at just 205 calories per muffin.
Ingredients
- 3 x ripe bananas
- 2 x eggs, lightly beaten
- 4.5 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- ½ cup greek yogurt
- 2 tablespoons almond butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon maple syrup
- 1 cup spelt flour
- ½ cup almond flour
- 2 scoops vanilla protein powder
- 1 ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup dark chocolate chips (I use Pascha 85% chocolate chips)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
- Add wet ingredients to bowl and mix until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to a second bowl and stir until combined. Set chocolate chips aside.
- Make a well in the dry mixing bowl, then pour the wet ingredients inside. Mix ingredients until just combined.
- Once mixed, fold in chocolate chips. Keep ⅛ cup aside for topping.
- Line a muffin pan with muffin tin liners (I like reusable silicon muffin cups).
- Use an ice cream scoop to fill each muffin cup ¾ of the way.
- Sprinkle remaining chocolate chips on top of the muffins.
- Place in oven and bake for 30 minutes or until a fork comes out clean. Note that almond flour burns easier than wheat flour, so be sure to keep an eye on the muffins in the remaining minutes.
- Remove from the oven and let cool completely before eating.
Notes
- Don't over mix when baking with almond flour or it will create a very dense texture.
- Use the brownest bananas you can: The more ripe a banana is, the sweeter it is. I know it's tough to wait, but I promise it will make your muffins better.
- Let cool completely before serving. The cohesiveness of low-carb baked goods improves after being cooled. So, please resist digging into the muffins too soon or you'll end up with a pile of crumbs.
Keywords: Muffins, Snacks
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