Banana Gingerbread Muffins – Peanut Butter Fingers

Banana Gingerbread Muffins are the perfect breakfast or snack for the holiday season. Easy to make and kid-approved, this recipe is sweet, soft and fluffy and will make your whole house smell like gingerbread as they bake away in the oven. 

Banana Gingerbread Muffins

Ever since Chase was a toddler (7 years ago… ooph!), muffins became a staple in our home. While I’ve always loved muffins, our kids REALLY love muffins and I’ve found myself making them on a weekly basis for years now. Our boys flip for muffins and I love them because they taste delicious but also because they’re an easy grab-and-go breakfast option, a simple homemade treat I can throw in their school lunchboxes and a perfect after-school snack. There isn’t a recipe I make more often in our home than my healthy pumpkin muffin recipe but we also absolutely love these chocolate chip sweet potato muffins. (This healthy toddler muffins recipe is also a great first-muffin recipe to try if you have a little one in your home). But right now? Right now, banana gingerbread muffins are where it’s at in our house!

Since we’re smack-dab in the middle of the holiday season, these banana gingerbread muffins feel extra festive. With colder temperatures and the wind whipping outside, there’s something extra cozy about baking a batch of warmly-spiced banana gingerbread muffins as our Christmas tree twinkles in the corner. But if you’re having visions of messy kitchens, flour-dusted floors and piles of dishes after memories that center around baking gingerbread cut-out cookies, I have good news for you. This recipe is a simple one and way less messy than homemade gingerbread cookies. While these banana gingerbread muffins have all the festive flavor of gingerbread cookies, they’re much quicker to make and the ingredients combine in one bowl, making cleanup a breeze. The recipe is also a fun one for kids to help with in the kitchen, as they can help measure, mix and pour. 

While the banana flavor may throw you for a loop if you’re used to traditional gingerbread cookies or muffins, I encourage you not to shy away from these muffins. The ripe banana adds lots of moisture and a deliciously sweet flavor that balances the tanginess of the ginger. The warm spices (cinnamon! cloves!) and a sticky pour of molasses adds depth to the muffins and makes your whole house smell amazing as they bake away in the oven. 

Does Ginger Go With Banana? 

Yes! I might be biased, but banana and ginger is an excellent flavor combination, as the natural sweetness of the banana balances the sharper spice of the ginger so well. Plus, both bananas and ginger can help boost digestion and are often paired together in smoothies, breads, cakes and muffins.

Banana Gingerbread Muffin Recipe

Now let’s make the muffins! Here are all of the ingredients you’ll need:

• Butter: Use unsalted or salted butter to add richness to the batter. 
• Brown sugar: Light or brown sugar will work to sweeten the muffins while keeping them moist and enhancing the molasses flavor. Coconut sugar will also work. 
• Vanilla extract: Use high-quality vanilla extract to give the muffins a wonderfully subtle touch of vanilla flavor.
• Eggs: These act as binders, enhancing the richness of the muffins and helping them hold their shape. Allow them to come to room temperature before you begin for easy mixing. 
• Greek yogurt: For the best results, use full-fat plain Greek yogurt. This adds a tangy taste and contributes to the texture of the muffins. 
• Bananas: Use medium-sized bananas that have been mashed until smooth. Similar to my healthy banana bread, the riper your bananas the sweeter your muffins will taste! 
• Molasses: This is key to creating the classic gingerbread taste! For the best muffins, use unsulphured molasses, not blackstrap molasses. 
• Baking powder and baking soda: These act as leaveners, helping the muffins rise and keeping them fluffy as they bake.
• Spices: Salt, cinnamon, cloves, and ground ginger add lots of warmth that makes these muffins taste like your favorite holiday cookie.
• All-purpose flour: This forms the base of the batter. If needed, you can substitute a 1:1 all-purpose gluten-free flour to keep this recipe gluten-free. 

Instructions

Step 1

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. 

Step 2

In a large bowl, mix the butter and brown sugar until creamy. Then, add the vanilla and eggs, and continue to mix until well combined. 

Step 3

Add the Greek yogurt, mashed banana and molasses, and mix again. 

Step 4

Add in all the remaining dry ingredients, and mix until well combined. Be careful not to overmix! 

Step 5

Pour the batter into a muffin tin lined with muffin liners. Then, bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touched. Let the muffins cool in the pan slightly. Then, transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, and enjoy! 

Banana Gingerbread Muffins

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Banana Gingerbread Muffins

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Description

Banana Gingerbread Muffins are the perfect breakfast or snack for the holiday season. Easy to make and kid-approved, this recipe is sweet, soft and fluffy and will make your whole house smell like gingerbread as they bake away in the oven. 

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• 1/2 cup softened butter (salted or unsalted)

• 3/4 cup packed brown sugar

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

• 2 eggs

• 1/4 cup full-fat Greek yogurt

• 2–3 medium-size very ripe bananas, mashed

• 1/4 cup molasses

• 1/2 teaspoon baking powder

• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda

• 1/2 teaspoon salt

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon

• 1/2 teaspoon cloves

• 2 teaspoons ground ginger

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

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Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

2. In a large bowl, mix butter and brown sugar together until creamy. Add vanilla and eggs and continue to mix.

3. Add Greek yogurt, banana and molasses and mix again.

4. Add in all remaining ingredients (baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, cloves, ginger, flour) and mix until everything is combined.

5. Pour batter into a muffin tin lined with muffin liners. Bake for 20-25 minutes (tops of muffins should spring back into shape when lightly touched when done) and enjoy!

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How to Store

Once cool, transfer leftover muffins to an airtight container or sealable bag. Store them at room temperature for up to 4 days or in the fridge for up to 1 week. 

You can also freeze these muffins for up to 3 months. Wrap each muffin in plastic wrap or aluminum foil, and transfer them to a freezer-safe bag to store. Thaw in the fridge or at room temperature to serve. 

How to Make Muffins Healthier

Add Mix-Ins 

Gently fold chopped nuts or dried fruit pieces into the batter for a boost of extra fiber and nutrients. I love these muffins with raw (shelled) pumpkin seeds mixed in! 

Use Sugar Substitutes

Sugar substitutes may likely be used in this recipe, though I have not tested them. If you give one a try with success, please let me know! You may also reduce the amount of brown sugar in the recipe if you like a less-sweet tasting muffin. 

Omit the Butter

Swap the butter with olive oil to reduce the amount of saturated fat in the muffins and increase the heart-healthy omega fat content without impacting the taste or texture. 

Use Whole Wheat Flour

Add more fiber to the muffins by swapping the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. I’ve done this by using half all-purpose flour and half whole wheat flour and it worked well. I’d make sure to use 3 bananas (not 2) to make sure the muffins still have enough moisture. 

Question of the Day

What holiday recipes are on your must-make list this holiday season?