Sweet, dense banana bread batter gets swirled with plenty of cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and a hint of molasses to make a muffin that’s full of fall spice and everything nice. 
Last week I rode around with a bag of bananas in my car, thinking that the heat from the car would help ripen them more quickly. What I didn’t consider was that I would leave them in there for a solid 3 days longer than planned and that they would become the blackest, mushiest, most ripe bananas known to mankind. It was a good idea in theory, but clearly lacking in execution. I might have also left them on top of my car for a few hours one day, too. Maybe. But let’s not talk about that right now.
Luckily, bananas that look more closely related to a slug than a fruit can still be turned into banana bread; unfortunately my car still smells like ripe bananas with no signs of ever smelling normal again. Apparently bananas are the world’s most potent car freshener- who knew?
On the plus side, I now have a kitchen full of whole grain banana spice muffins, so I guess having a banana-scented car is a small price to pay for these delectable breakfast morsels.
To make these muffins, I took my favorite banana bread recipe and loaded it up with spices. I’m talking cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg, and lots of it. I then drizzled in some molasses for an extra smoky, dark, bold spice flavor. Not too much molasses- then we’d have gingerbread- just enough to give it another layer of flavor. To add a little extra texture and whole grain goodness, I also swapped out some of the white whole wheat flour in the original recipe for oats. The end result? A perfectly moist, dense, fall-spiced muffin that’s just sweet enough for breakfast and a perfectly good receptacle for a smear of peanut butter. 
I think you’re going to love these muffins! They’re:
dense
moist
maple-sweetened
loaded with spices
made in 1-bowl
perfectly portable
and great for a lazy weekend breakfast.
What’s not to love? If you make this recipe, let me know how it turns out! Leave a comment below, or take a picture and share it with me on Instagram. Happy baking, friends!
Don’t forget to check out my PANTRY STAPLES page for links to my favorite brands of flour, oats, maple syrup, and oil used in this recipe!
Whole Grain Banana Spice Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 large ripe bananas*
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup maple syrup
- 1/3 cup olive oil or melted butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1 Tablespoon molasses
- 1 cup white whole wheat flour**
- 1/2 cup oats
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon ginger
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- Topping: 1/2 Tablespoon cane sugar + 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners (or grease with butter or nonstick spray). Set aside.
- 2. Peel bananas and add them to a mixing bowl with the egg, maple syrup, oil, vanilla, and molasses. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash the bananas and fully incorporate them with the wet ingredients. Then, add all remaining ingredients and stir with a wooden spoon just until combined.
- 3. Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin cups (I used a 1/4 cup measuring cup to help keep them all the same size). If desired, slice another banana into 12 and add a slice to the top of each muffin. Mix the sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl, then sprinkle it over the top of the muffins.
- 4. Bake for 16-18 minutes, or until muffins are golden and cooked through. Let cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a cooling rack to continue cooling. Leftover muffins can be stored in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days.
Notes
**White whole wheat flour is a more mild-tasting variety of whole wheat, and my preferred baking flour. You can find a link to my favorite brand of white whole wheat flour on my PANTRY STAPLES page.
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