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    Home » Simple Vegan Recipes

    Vegan banana apple muffins

    Published: Apr 4, 2017 · Modified: Sep 20, 2023 by Becky Striepe · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Recipe Video Print

    Fire up the blender to make these easy Banana Apple Muffins in about half an hour! They fluffy, satisfying, and just the perfect amount of sweet.

    vegan banana apple muffins on a plate
    Jump to:
    • Making muffins with less sugar
    • What I've learned about baking with kids
    • More muffin recipes
    • 📖 Recipe

    My son is four now (ohmygoshwhat), and he loves when he can do things on his own. Lately, that's manifested in a banana apple muffin-making kick around here.

    He helps scoop and stir ingredients, and these muffins are an easy, healthy breakfast that he can grab himself.

    Making muffins with less sugar

    One thing I've noticed during our muffin-making adventures is that most muffin recipes are basically just unfrosted cupcakes.

    I'm not opposed to a sweet treat from time-to-time. But starting the day with a cupcake just leads to hanger meltdowns later (for both of us).

    These Banana Apple Muffins contain much less added sugar than a typical muffin recipe. Instead, they get most of their sweetness from the bananas and the apple pieces.

    What I've learned about baking with kids

    When you're making muffins with a younger kid, it's important to set your expectations. Here are some things I've had to come to terms with and strategies I use to make the process smoother:

    The counter whole kitchen is going to be a mess.

    I'm a pretty tidy baker when it's just me. Adding a four-year-old to the equation ups the mess factor exponentially.

    Throwing a kitchen towel underneath the bowl helps contain the mess somewhat, but definitely don't make muffins with your kid if you just vacuumed. You'll just need to vacuum again when you're done. And mopping. And maybe scrubbing.

    Kids can do more than you think.

    I was nervous about letting Darrol do some of the more precise baking tasks, like measuring, but he has surprised me with his ability. After showing him how to scoop and even out a measuring spoon or how to measure out sugar, he has picked it up and done a great job.

    Not that I can hand him dry ingredients and walk away, but with light guidance, he can do it really well on his own.

    But they can't do everything.

    You know your kid's limits. I don't let Darrol do anything close to the oven, because he is just little bit too wild to be trusted, for example. You can push your kid's limits some, but if your parenting alarm is going off about a specific task, I think it's a good idea to listen.

    Kids don't know basic hygiene.

    The first time we baked together, Darrol had to wash his hands about 1700 times, because every time I looked at him, he had his hands in his mouth or was touching the floor somehow.

    Now, before we bake, we go over basic hygiene rules. "Once you wash your hands, don't touch your face, don't touch the floor." Your reminders may vary, depending on what gross thing your kids do after they've washed their hands. The options are limitless, I'm pretty sure.

    hand holding a vegan muffin

    More muffin recipes

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    • close-up of vegan orange muffins in the baking pan after baking
      Vegan Orange Sesame Muffins
    • overhead photo of vegan strawberry muffins in the muffin tin
      Simple Vegan Strawberry Muffins
    • vegan lemon blueberry muffins on a white table with lemon slices and fresh blueberries
      Lemon Blueberry Muffins

    📖 Recipe

    Fire up the blender to make these easy Not-Too-Sweet Banana Apple Muffins in about half an hour!

    Easy vegan banana apple muffins

    Fire up the blender to make these easy Banana Apple Muffins in about half an hour! They fluffy, satisfying, and just the perfect amount of sweet.
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: Vegan
    Keyword: banana apple muffins
    Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Servings: 12
    Calories: 147kcal
    Author: Becky Striepe

    Ingredients

    • 1 ½ cups white wheat flour
    • ¼ cup brown sugar
    • 1 teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 3 ripe bananas
    • ¼ cup aquafaba
    • ⅓ cup olive oil
    • 1 apple - Peel or not - it's up to you!, chopped into pea-sized pieces

    Instructions

    • Preheat the oven to 375F.
    • In a large bowl, mix together the flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt.
    • Combine the bananas, aquafaba, and olive oil in your blender.
    • Pour the blender mixture into the flour mixture, then stir in the apple pieces.
    • Use a spoon or an ice cream scoop to scoop the batter into a lined muffin tin. You want each cup about ⅔ full. Bake for 18-20 minutes. Cool for 10-15 minutes before serving.

    Video

    Notes

    • adapted from Taste of Home
    • Most of the sweetness in this recipe comes from the bananas, but there is a little bit of brown sugar to up the sweetness. I have cut the refined sugar down as much as possible already. The recipe that I adapted this from used 1 cup of sugar. If you absolutely do not do refined sugars, I recommend adding 3-4 pitted dates and blending them with the wet ingredients.
    • We've been making these recipes about once a week and experimenting with mix-ins! Instead of the chopped apple, we've really liked these with 1 - 1 ½ cups of blueberries, 1 ½ cups frozen cherries (not thawed), or 1 cup sliced strawberries. Darrol, my son, loves that he gets to choose each week's muffin addition!

    Nutrition

    Nutrition Facts
    Easy vegan banana apple muffins
    Serving Size
     
    1 g
    Amount per Serving
    Calories
    147
    % Daily Value*
    Fat
     
    6
    g
    9
    %
    Saturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    5
    %
    Polyunsaturated Fat
     
    1
    g
    Monounsaturated Fat
     
    4
    g
    Sodium
     
    190
    mg
    8
    %
    Potassium
     
    128
    mg
    4
    %
    Carbohydrates
     
    22
    g
    7
    %
    Fiber
     
    2
    g
    8
    %
    Sugar
     
    8
    g
    9
    %
    Protein
     
    2
    g
    4
    %
    Vitamin A
     
    19
    IU
    0
    %
    Vitamin C
     
    3
    mg
    4
    %
    Calcium
     
    15
    mg
    2
    %
    Iron
     
    0.5
    mg
    3
    %
    * Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
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    About Becky Striepe

    Headshot of Becky Striepe in front of a teal wall

    Hi there! I'm Becky Striepe (rhymes with sleepy), and I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here.

    Learn more about me >>>

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

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      Recipe Rating




    1. Theresa

      September 23, 2020 at 12:45 pm

      can i use an egg instead of the aquafaba?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        September 24, 2020 at 8:40 am

        I do not recommend that you do that.

        Reply
    2. Michele Dubois

      July 09, 2019 at 6:16 pm

      Are these regular size muffins, or mini muffins?

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        July 10, 2019 at 9:30 am

        They are regular size.

        Reply
    3. Michele Dubois

      May 28, 2019 at 6:34 pm

      Hi! If I'm correct, the aquafaba replaces egg whites, right? If so, can I just use egg whites instead? I know I won't eat the chick peas since I don't like them and I hate to throw out perfectly good food.

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        May 28, 2019 at 8:13 pm

        You can also use aquafaba from other canned beans, like white beans or even pinto, if you think you'll eat those!

        Reply
        • Michele Dubois

          July 09, 2019 at 6:12 pm

          I don't eat any beans, actually, that's why I was asking if I could use egg whites instead. But thanks for the suggestion.

          Reply
          • Becky Striepe

            July 10, 2019 at 9:31 am

            Hmm ok. In that case, I'd mix 1 tablespoon flax seed meal in 1/4 cup water, and set it aside for a few minutes to thicken before adding it to the mix.

            Reply
    4. Lynn

      April 19, 2017 at 11:13 am

      This looks good as well as easy and quick. I am not vegan just trying to cut back on carbs. Can I use an egg with the same results?

      Reply
    5. Sue

      April 09, 2017 at 2:39 am

      Hi, I have just discovered Glue and glitter and live the way you interact with the people using your recipes. My teenage granddaughter is vegan so I am trying to find scrummy recipes to make for her. I would like to know if you can use the white bean water straight from the can or do the beans have to be cooked in the water then drained before using the water? I will not be buying and cooking the raw beans as she is not that keen on them so it will be canned beans that I use. Also is there an alternative to bananas? So many muffin recipes use banana and she is not keen on the flavour. Many thanks

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 09, 2017 at 8:16 am

        Yes, you can use the liquid straight from the can. Here's a video with more about aquafaba! https://m.youtube.com/watch?list=PLOUkGGKtQm1vrq03PqFMg3jk73ZzxbFXf&v=dM1DLuqur0M

        Reply
    6. Mary Ellen | VNutrition

      April 07, 2017 at 10:30 am

      Great tips on baking with kids. The last one made me lol. :)

      These look so delicious. I'm always on the lookout for lower sugar muffins - excited to try them!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 07, 2017 at 10:33 am

        Thank you, Mary Ellen!

        Reply
    7. Amy Katz from Veggies Save The Day

      April 05, 2017 at 7:54 pm

      Love the video and tips for baking with the kiddos!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 05, 2017 at 8:03 pm

        Thank you, Amy!

        Reply
    8. Dianne

      April 05, 2017 at 2:32 pm

      I'm with Jenn – I don't like my muffins too sweet, so these look perfect!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 05, 2017 at 2:34 pm

        Thank you, Dianne!

        Reply
    9. Jenn

      April 05, 2017 at 11:05 am

      These sound great. I definitely don't like my muffins too sweet, so these sound perfect to me!

      Reply
      • Becky Striepe

        April 05, 2017 at 11:34 am

        Enjoy them, Jenn!

        Reply

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    Hi! My name is Becky Striepe (rhymes with “sleepy”). I love using gadgets and shortcuts to create easy vegan comfort food recipes for busy people. Whether you love your Instant Pot, your air fryer, or just love delicious plant-based meals, stick around. You'll like it here. → READ MORE

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