Spelt banana muffins come together easily and turn out moist, tender, and perfectly sweetened. Packed with ripe bananas, crunchy walnuts, and topped with a buttery cinnamon crumble, they make the perfect breakfast treat.
Heather's recipe summary
Flavor/texture: Tender banana nut muffins topped with sweet cinnamon crumble. Made with 100% whole wheat spelt flour.
Yield: 12-14 muffins
Similar to: Banana Nut Muffins and Apple Crumble Muffins
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About spelt flour
Spelt is an ancient form of wheat, with a unique genetic makeup that makes it easier to digest and more nutrient-dense than modern wheat.
- Higher in protein, minerals, and fiber.
- Delicate gluten structure makes it easier to digest.
- Has a subtle earthy, nutty flavor that's more flavorful than modern wheat.
- Requires less kneading (in bread recipes) due to its fragile gluten structure.
For more information: Grand Teton Ancient Grains - What is Spelt?
Ingredients and substitutions
- Bananas - You'll need about 2 large or 3 medium bananas, or about 1 cup of mashed banana. Any bananas will work, but it's best to wait for a few brown spots to appear. Ripe bananas are softer, sweeter, and mash easily with a fork to incorporate into the batter.
- Spelt flour - This recipe is written specifically for spelt flour. Modern whole wheat can work as a substitute. If you'd like to use all-purpose flour instead, follow my recipe for Banana Nut Muffins
- Cinnamon - Can be substituted with similar spice blends like apple pie spice or Chai Spice Blend.
- Nuts - Walnuts or pecans work great in this recipe, or can be omitted if desired.
- Crumble - The entire crumble topping can be omitted for a less sweet muffin.
How to make spelt banana muffins
- Add bananas to a bowl and mash with a fork.
- Add remaining wet ingredients and stir to combine, then stir in the dry ingredients and nuts.
- Divide into 12-14 muffin liners (12 muffins will have a slight muffin top, like shown).
- Mix crumble ingredients in a bowl until small, sandy crumbles form.
- Divide crumble across the muffins.
- Bake until the top pops back when gently pressed, or when they reach 200F in the center.
Heather's Top Tip
To test for doneness, gently press the top of your baked good. If it springs right back, it's done. If an indent is left, it needs more time. For accurate results every time, use an instant read thermometer. Quick breads (baked goods made with chemical leavening) are done when they reach 200F in the center.
Tips and tricks
Crumble consistency - Does your crumble look dry? Add an additional tablespoon of melted butter. Does your crumble look wet? Add an additional tablespoon of flour. Continue until you have small crumbles that hold together. Crumble consistency can depend on the time of year and humidity in your home.
How to ripen bananas in 24-48 hours - Place your bananas in a brown paper bag and fold closed. Leave them on the counter for 24-48 hours.
How to ripen bananas same day - Set your oven to 300F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your unpeeled bananas. Bake for about 15-30 minutes, or until skins look shiny and black. Allow bananas to cool before handling.
Frequently asked questions
There are several spelt farmers and millers in the US and abroad. Here are my favorite vendors for purchasing whole wheat spelt flour:
- Barton Springs Mill
- Amazon - Bob's Red Mill
- Central Milling
No, spelt is a type wheat and forms gluten. However, spelt has a weaker gluten structure than modern wheat and is often easier to digest for most people.
Recommended
📖 Recipe
Spelt Banana Muffins
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 large ripe bananas, 1 cup of mashed banana
- ¾ cup (150 g) granulated sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (200 g) spelt flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (56 g) chopped walnuts
Crumble topping
- 1 cup (100 g) spelt flour
- ⅓ cup (70 g) brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 5 tablespoons (70 g) unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
Muffins
- Preheat oven to 350℉ and line a muffin pan with liners (or grease pan) and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add bananas and mash with a fork or potato masher.
- Add granulated sugar oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Stir until combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together the dry ingredients: spelt flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined. Fold in chopped nuts.
- Distribute batter between 12 muffin cups and set aside. For smaller muffins without muffin tops, divide into 14 muffin cups instead.
Crumble
- In a bowl, add crumble ingredients: flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, salt, and melted butter. Mash with a fork to combine - mixture should look like wet, clumpy sand.
- If your crumble looks wet, add more flour, 1 tablespoon at a time, until the mixture comes together and creates small clumps.
- Spoon crumble on top of each muffin, pressing down lightly to adhere crumble to batter.
- Bake for about 20-22 minutes, or until the muffins pop back when gently pressed on top.
- Allow pan to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cooled muffins in a sealed container.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Storage: Banana muffins will keep for about 3-4 days at room temperature, up to a week in the refrigerator, or 3 months in the freezer.
- To ripen bananas quickly: Set your oven to 300F, line a baking sheet with parchment paper, and lay out your unpeeled bananas. Bake for about 15-30 minutes, or until skins look shiny and black. Allow bananas to cool before handling.
- Whole wheat spelt flour measurements: 1 cup = 100 grams
I had so much fun creating this recipe! I hope you give it a try and love it as much as I do. If you have a question, check out the post above, which is packed with information about the recipe. Tried the recipe? I'd love to hear your thoughts — leave a comment and a star rating to share your feedback!