6 baked protein banana muffins in a metal baking tin.

If you’re searching for the perfect healthy breakfast or snack that satisfies your sweet tooth while packing a serious punch of nutrition, these vegan protein muffins are exactly what you need. Combining the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with wholesome whole wheat flour and a boost of vegan protein powder, these high-protein banana muffins achieve the ideal balance of flavor, texture, and nutrition. This recipe delivers about 10 grams of protein per muffin, making it a delicious way to fuel up on busy mornings!

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

I tested this recipe many times to get the texture just right, and I share all my tips and tricks in the ingredients section.

Perfect for meal prep! These muffins stay fresh in an airtight container to enjoy throughout the week, and make a great post-workout snack.
Made with simple ingredients you can find in any plant-based kitchen.
They are delightfully moist and perfectly tender.
A perfect healthy snack or breakfast option for those wanting plant-based protein without compromising taste on the go.

❤️ More Vegan Muffin Recipes: Our all-time family favorite One Bowl Lemon Blueberry Muffins, Cardamom Carrot Zucchini Muffins, and Double Chocolate Zucchini Muffins.

Ingredients & Substitutions

Unsweetened Soy Milk: I love using unsweetened soy milk to boost the protein content, but you can swap for almond or oat milk for a soy-free muffin if that meets your dietary needs.
Avocado Oil: I appreciate the neutral flavor of avocado in baking, and it's great for folks avoiding seed oils.
Whole Wheat Flour: Muffins are a great place to sneak in a bit of whole wheat flour to boost our whole grain intake—just enough to add some extra nutrition while still maintaining a tender crumb. If you prefer, you can use all-purpose flour exclusively for a lighter, classic muffin texture.
All-purpose flour: I use a majority of all-purpose flour to create a fluffy banana protein muffin.
- If you’d like to make this recipe gluten-free, simply substitute both the all-purpose and whole wheat flours with a 1:1 or "cup-for-cup" gluten-free flour blend. When shopping for gluten-free flour options, choose a blend specifically formulated for baking—these are designed to replicate the structure and moisture of regular flour, giving you the best results. While I haven’t tested this recipe with gluten-free flour yet, the 1:1 blends are your best bet for an easy swap.
  - Pro Tip: For the best texture, make sure your gluten-free blend includes a mix of starches (like potato or tapioca starch) and a binding agent such as xanthan gum. Let the batter rest for 20–30 minutes before baking to help hydrate the flours—this helps prevent any grittiness and results in a fluffier muffin.
Plant-Based Protein Powder: I use unsweetened pea protein to add extra protein to this recipe. Unflavored protein powders work here with the addition of sugar and vanilla extract, though vanilla protein powder works beautifully too.
- Pea protein is my favorite for baking because it's gentle on the digestive system—no tummy troubles here! It’s also one of the most easily digestible plant-based protein options, which means everyone in our family can enjoy these muffins without any issues.
- I highly recommend weighing your ingredients—especially the protein powder—to ensure your muffins turn out perfectly every time. Protein powders can vary widely in scoop size and density, so using a kitchen scale helps guarantee accuracy and consistent results.
- If you decide to try another kind of protein powder in this recipe, keep in mind that results may vary. Different protein powders absorb liquids differently, which can impact the texture and moisture of your final muffins.
Sugar: I use easy-to-find cane sugar, but coconut sugar or date sugar are also healthy ingredients to use here if you are looking to lower your refined sugar intake.
Vegan Chocolate Chips: I use non-dairy mini chocolate chips because I love to get a little bit of chocolate in every bite. You can omit them or swap for regular chocolate chips - your muffin, your choice!

How to Make It

Start by getting all your ingredients ready and preheating your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-muffin tin with paper liners or give it a light coating of oil so your muffins don’t stick.

To create a light, tender crumb, begin by making your vegan buttermilk. Just combine your unsweetened non-dairy milk with apple cider vinegar and let it sit for a few minutes. This simple step mimics the acidity of traditional buttermilk, enhancing rise and flavor.
While the buttermilk curdles, mash your ripe bananas in a medium mixing bowl until smooth. I like to measure my mashed bananas at this stage to make sure I have the recommended 1 1/3 cups. Add in the avocado oil, sugar, and vanilla extract, then pour in the buttermilk. Stir until everything is well mixed.
In a separate, large mixing bowl, whisk together your dry mix: all-purpose flour, weighed pea protein powder, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. The key here is to make sure there are no clumps of protein powder—break them up as you whisk so the muffins bake up evenly.
Pour the wet mixture over the dry ingredients and mix until just combined. You don’t want to overwork the batter—mix gently just until you see no streaks of flour. The batter will be slightly thick, which is perfect.
Fold in your mini chocolate chips for little pockets of sweetness in every bite. Then, scoop the muffin batter into your prepared muffin tin, filling each cup right to the top for those bakery-style domes. I like to use a large cookie scoop for this - it's fun and it ensures that the muffins are roughly the same size, so that they bake evenly.
Slide the tin into your preheated oven and bake for about 28–32 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs are okay).
Once baked, let the muffins rest in the pan for about 10 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. The aroma will be hard to resist, but letting them cool helps lock in that moist, tender crumb.
Enjoy your homemade vegan protein muffins warm or at room temperature, and don’t forget to store any extras in an airtight container for grab-and-go breakfasts or snacks throughout the week! We love them post-workout.

Storage & Meal Prep

How to store: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for 5–6 days.
Freezing: Individually wrap muffins and freeze for up to 2 months.
Reheat:
- When warming Muffins from the Refrigerator: Place a muffin on a microwave-safe plate and heat on medium power for about 15–20 seconds. Check the temperature and add a few more seconds if needed. The muffin should be warm but not hot or dry. Avoid Overheating! Heating too long can dry out the muffin or cause a tough texture. For extra moisture, you can loosely cover the muffin with a damp paper towel before microwaving.
- Enjoy Warm: Warmed muffins pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea and bring out the delicious flavors and tender crumb.
Meal Prep:
- Turn this into meal prep by storing these healthy banana protein muffins in individual containers.

What to Serve With This Recipe

Warmed muffins pair perfectly with a cup of coffee or tea and bring out the delicious flavors and tender crumb. For even more protein, serve with a soy latte or plant-based smoothie, yogurt or chia seed pudding.

High-Protein Banana Muffins (Vegan, Dairy-Free)

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Ingredients & Substitutions

How to Make It

Storage & Meal Prep