Low Fat Banana Muffins

These Low Fat Banana Muffins are sweet, nutty and filled with juicy blueberries. If you love a healthy, grab-and-go breakfast, you need to give these skinny banana muffins a try soon!

No need to feel guilty when you eat these Low Fat Banana Muffins

Many times, muffins are basically dessert for breakfast. But not these!

These muffins are packed with fiber and low in fat. They're also filled with fruit for an extra dose of nutrition.

The fiber comes from the wheat bran, which gives these skinny banana muffins a satisfyingly nutty flavor without being overpowering. They are sweet, but not overly sweet like those coffee shop muffins (AKA dessert for breakfast).

These are great with Greek yogurt or eggs for a protein-packed breakfast, but I think they're yummy and filling on their own too.

This low fat muffin recipe makes a delicious breakfast that you can feel good about eating!

Skinny banana muffin ingredients

These muffins may be low in fat, but they are loaded with healthy ingredients. Here are the key components in these low fat muffins, and why they work in this recipe.

Wheat bran - for fiber and nutrients

Wheat bran is a bit unusual for a muffin recipe. You might be wondering what exactly it is.

Bran is the outer part of the wheat kernel that normally gets stripped and discarded during processing. However, this layer of wheat is highly nutritious. It provides:

• fiber
• B vitamins
• magnesium
• phosphorus

This wheat bran adds a sweet, nutty flavor to these muffins, as well as a bit of texture.

Banana and applesauce - for moisture and sweetness

Ripe banana and applesauce make great replacements for oil in baking recipes. They add moisture, flavor and make great natural sweeteners.

TIP: Choose applesauce with no added sugar - it's sweet enough on it's own!

Blueberries - for a burst of flavor

Everyone knows blueberries are delicious in muffins. Not only are they sweet and juicy, but they're also packed with:

• Antioxidants
• Fiber
• Vitamins/minerals

No oil or butter in these low fat muffins

You won't find oil or butter in the ingredient list for this recipe. Therefore, these muffins are very low in fat!

Applesauce and banana replace the fat need in low fat muffin recipes. Together, they prevent these muffins from becoming dry.

However, keep in mind that the lack of oil or butter makes these muffins a bit tricky to make. Don't be intimidated - just follow the tricks below so your low fat muffins don't stick to the paper when they bake.

Why are my muffins sticking to the liner?

These muffins tend to stick a little because they are low in fat. Fat usually helps coat the paper so the muffins can pull away from the liners easily (that's why cupcakes often don't have the same problems).

Don't worry! You can prevent this from happening, even with low fat muffins.

Most importantly, be patient and give these muffins time to cool before you peel the paper away from them. Muffins tend to stick to the paper while they are still warm.

The good news is, unlike many other muffins, these skinny banana muffins actually taste the best the following morning. Therefore, I like to bake them in the evenings and have muffins ready for the next day.

The other reason why your muffins might be sticking to the paper is because you are using muffin liners that aren't suitable for low fat muffins.

How can you prevent muffins from sticking to the liner?

First, let these muffins cool completely to prevent sticking. They will simply come away from the paper more easily. The muffins will settle, and slightly shrink together as it cools.

If you let these Low Fat Banana Muffins cool overnight and peel them slowly, you shouldn't have any problems with sticking.

Here are some other easy ways to avoid muffins sticking to liners:

Skip the liner

Yep, you can just skip the liners completely when you make these skinny banana muffins if you like. Just use a well-greased non-stick pan instead of a paper liner.

Use foil liners

If you're like me and you prefer to use a liner just out of habit or convenience, that's okay too!

Foil baking cups might be a better option than paper liners for low fat muffins. Why you might ask?

Paper liners can't be easily coated in a layer of grease. But, you can easily oil the foil liners before putting in the batter to prevent sticking.

An easy way to grease foil liners is to use an oil mister. This is the oil mister we use at home. I've had it for a couple years now, and no clogging!

Choose quality paper

If you are set on using paper liners like me, quality is important. Cheap, thin paper liners break down more easily with the moisture from the muffins.

These liners are my go-to, especially for low fat muffins. They don't require any grease and they are environmentally friendly.

I ran out of these liners while I was making these muffins, but you can see what they look like in my Skinny Blueberry Muffins post.

If you are interested to read more, this article has some great tips on how to choose the best muffin pans and liners.

This low fat muffin recipe is great for kids

I love making easy, healthy recipes that my toddler also loves. This low fat muffin recipe is one of them!

These skinny banana muffins always come in handy on busy mornings because my son can easily grab and eat it on his own. I also love to pack them in his lunch for school, or have them ready for him as an after school snack.

We all look forward to the mornings when these muffins are ready for us at breakfast. If you have kids around, we also love these toddler muffins that are healthy too. You can use one batter to make 4 different varieties.

Storing Low Fat Banana Muffins

These Low Fat Banana Muffins will keep for a few days in an airtight container on the counter. They will keep a little longer if you refrigerate them.

If you do want to heat them up before eating them, peel the paper away first. Then pop the muffin in the microwave for about 20-30 seconds to gently warm it up.

Love these Low Fat Banana Muffins? Try these other healthy banana breakfast recipes

Love this recipe? Here are some other healthy banana recipes I think you will enjoy for breakfast:

• Egg Free Banana Muffins - this is a very popular recipe on the blog - they are delicious!
• Eggless Banana Bread - you really can't tell that this recipe doesn't contain any egg
• Banana Oatmeal Pancakes - light and fluffy although they are flourless!
• Vegan Banana Pancakes - use up your ripe bananas in this sugar-free recipe.

Skip the guilt but not the flavor with these skinny banana muffins

When you try these low fat muffins, I think you'll be surprised that they can be so healthy while tasting delicious. And I hope that you enjoy them as much as my family does.

Any questions? Feel free to ask in the comments below or email tina@theworktop.com. And I’d love to hear how you like these Low Fat Banana Muffins in the comments below.