These Whole Wheat Banana Muffins are soft and fluffy in texture, made with less sugar and butter than most banana muffins, and are full of delicious banana flavor.
Preheat the oven to 350℉. Spray a 12-count muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray.
In a medium bowl, beat together the butter and brown sugar with a handheld electric mixer on medium speed until creamy, about 30 seconds, add the vanilla, applesauce, mashed bananas, and eggs and beat until combined.
Add the flour, baking soda, and salt and beat on low speed until all the flour is mixed in. Fold in chocolate chips or nuts, if using.
Scoop the batter into the prepared muffin tins filling each cup almost to the top. Bake in the preheated oven for 25-30 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool for 10 minutes before taking them out of the tin to finish cooling on a wire rack.
Notes
You could reduce the sugar to ¼ cup or use coconut sugar in place of brown sugar, but be advised that the texture will likely be less soft and moist if you do reduce the sugar.
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw for a few hours before serving.