Name: Whole Wheat Caramelized Banana Mini Muffins
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 30 min
Ingredients: 1 medium banana; 1 tsp butter; 1 ½ cups whole wheat flour ((180 g)); ½ tsp cinnamon; 1 ½ tsp baking powder; ¼ tsp baking soda; ½ tsp salt ((kosher)); ⅔ cup mashed banana ((200 g)); ⅓ cup neutral oil ((70 g)); ¼ cup maple syrup ((80 g)); 1 whole egg; 1 tsp vanilla

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These whole wheat caramelized banana mini muffins are a wholesome bake that combines the goodness of whole wheat with the sweetness of caramelized bananas and maple syrup.

Perfect for a quick and tasty snack, these mini muffins are moist and flavorful, making them a great option for breakfast or an on-the-go, one bite mid-day pick me up.

With each bite, you’ll enjoy the rich caramelized flavor of the bananas paired with the wholesome goodness of whole wheat.

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banana mini muffin with a bite out of it

Here’s what you’re gonna love about these whole wheat caramelized banana mini muffins

These mini banana muffins with caramelized banana slices on top are such a joy to bake up and eat for so many reasons. Here’s why you’ll love these wholesomely delicious mini muffins:

Naturally sweetened – Rather than calling for granulated sugar, this recipe uses the natural sweetness from the bananas along with pure maple syrup to sweeten these little guys up. The flavor combination of maple and banana is perfect.
Made 100% with whole wheat flour – Incorporating more whole grains into your diet is important. These tasty, bite sized snacks make getting those whole grains in super easy.
Topped with caramelized bananas – These muffins have bananas incorporated into the batter as well as a delicious, perfectly caramelized banana slice on top of each one. Trust me, once you bite into one of these, you’ll see that the little extra step of caramelizing bananas to put on top is *worth it.*
Ready in 30 minutes – You’ll love these mini banana muffins because you can make them in just 30 minutes!

Let’s get to baking!

unbaked mini banana muffins topped with a caramelized banana slice

Ingredients

Ripe bananas and whole wheat flour are the back bone of this recipe, but a few more ingredients are needed to whip up these healthy caramelized banana muffins.

Whole wheat flour – The recommended type of flour for this recipe is white whole wheat flour (flour ground from hard white wheat berries). Traditional whole wheat flour can be used as well (which is ground from hard red wheat berries), but there will be a more wheaty flavor.
Cinnamon – To me, it’s just natural to pair bananas with cinnamon. To get the most flavor out of your cinnamon, make sure it’s fresh. If your ground cinnamon isn’t fragrant, than it’s probably time to replace it with some fresh stuff.
Baking powder and baking soda – These leaven the muffins, making them light and fluffy.
Salt – You’ll want to use kosher salt in this recipe.I develop my recipes using kosher salt because of it’s neutral flavor and the amount of saltiness it imparts.
Bananas – We’re asking a lot from these bananas. They’re contributing moisture, sweetness, and flavor to the muffins.
Maple syrup – To boost the sweetness, you’ll add some maple syrup to the batter. Not pancake syrup, we’re looking for pure maple syrup.
Vanilla extract – It adds an additional layer of flavor to the muffins.
Egg – You’ll need one whole egg for this recipe.
Neutral oil – My favorite neutral oil is avocado oil, but you can use your favorite neutral oil. I like to use oil in this recipe because oil keeps things moist longer. Recipes with just butter tend to be dry the following day.
Bananas caramelized in butter – Each muffin is topped with a slice of banana that has been caramelized in a little bit of butter on the stovetop. Caramelizing bananas is simple to do and tastes so good.

How to make whole wheat banana mini muffins with caramelized bananas on top

Caramelize the banana slices. Place banana slices in a nonstick pan over medium heat. Caramelize both sides until golden brown. Remove from the pan and let cool on a plate.
Whisk dry ingredients together. Combine flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together. Whisk to evenly combine.
Combine wet ingredients. Mash two medium bananas in a bowl. Add maple syrup, vanilla extract, an egg, and oil. Whisk everything together.
Combine wet and dry. Add the flour mixture in with the banana mixture. Mix until there isn’t anymore dry flour.
Top each with a caramelized banana slice. Portion out the batter between a 24 cup mini muffin pan. Top each mini muffin with a caramelized slice of banana.
Bake. Place the muffin pan in the oven and bake for 15 minutes.
Cool and enjoy. Let the muffins cool completely on a wire rack then enjoy!

whole wheat banana muffin with a caramelized banana round on top

Baking tips for the best muffins

Be careful not to burn the banana slices. When caramelizing the bananas, keep an eye on them. Don’t walk away “for just a second” and then come back to find you’ve accidentally burned the banana slices. Caramelizing banana slices needs you to pay attention, but don’t worry, they caramelize quickly.
Use ripe bananas in the batter. The bananas don’t need to be totally black, but generously speckled bananas have more natural sugars in them, which will ultimately make the muffins tastier.
Add the dry ingredients in with the wet. I find that adding the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients makes mixing the two together better. Having the wet ingredients in the bowl already prevents dry pockets of flour hiding out in the bottom of the bowl which could happen if you add the wet to the dry ingredients.
Heat your oven all the way. Things bake better if you place them in a preheated oven. I know it’s tempting to just pop things into the oven even if it isn’t up to temperature yet, but you’re going to have to resist that temptation.
Peel the paper muffin liner off the muffins only after they’re completely cooled. This may be the hardest thing to do, but I think it’s worth it. The paper liners peel off the baked muffins much easier when the muffins are totally cool. If you try to peel them off before they’re all cooled, you may end up losing half of the muffin because it sticks to the paper as you pull it off. Cooled muffins don’t stick to the paper liners.

Conclusion

Whole wheat caramelized banana mini muffins are a delicious and nutritious treat that is easy to make and perfect for breakfast or snacking.

With the goodness of whole wheat and the sweetness of caramelized bananas, these mini muffins are sure to be a hit with both kids and adults alike.

Whether you enjoy them on their own or with a cup of milk, these mini muffins are a tasty way to start your day. Try making a batch today and enjoy a wholesome treat that is both satisfying and good for you.