I’ve missed banana muffins. But every “keto banana muffin” recipe I found was either weirdly eggy, dry, or relied on actual bananas—which spiked my blood sugar faster than you can say “I’ll just eat one.”
So I tweaked, tested, and retested until I landed on these. They’ve got the soft bite, the golden tops, the nutty crunch… and zero banana guilt. All the flavor comes from banana extract—not the fruit—so the carbs stay low and your ketones stay steady.
What Makes This Feel Like Real Food
This recipe hits different because:
- Banana extract delivers the flavor without the fructose. I taste banana, but my glucose monitor stays chill.
- Almond flour + allulose keeps them moist, not gritty or dry.
- Walnuts add that old-school banana bread texture (and healthy fats to keep you full).
No weird aftertaste. No dense brick muffins. Just that nostalgic banana bread vibe—in a tidy, keto-friendly muffin form.
What I Used (And Why It Worked)
- Blanched almond flour (2 ½ cups / 250g) – Soft texture, gluten-free, and low in net carbs. Avoid almond meal—it makes the muffins gritty.
- Allulose (½ to ¾ cup / 100–150g) – Zero net carbs, no blood sugar spike, and it keeps baked goods super moist.
- Baking powder (1½ tsp) – Gives lift without messing with your macros.
- Sea salt (¼ tsp) – Just enough to balance the sweetness.
- Unsalted butter, melted (⅓ cup / 75g) – Adds richness. Coconut oil works for dairy-free, but the texture changes slightly.
- Unsweetened almond milk (⅓ cup / 80ml) – Keeps the batter from being too thick.
- Eggs (3 large) – Helps bind and rise. Room temp is key!
- Banana extract (1 tsp) – The star. Smells like banana bread without the sugar spike.
- Chopped walnuts (¾ cup / 75g total) – Texture, flavor, and fat. Half goes in, half on top.
Keto Swaps That Actually Work
| Swap This | For This | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Butter | Coconut oil | Great for dairy-free. Slightly less rich, but still good. |
| Allulose | Erythritol or Monk Fruit | Works, but muffins may be less moist. Adjust sweetness to taste. |
| Walnuts | Pecans or no nuts | Pecans = slightly sweeter. Skipping nuts drops the fat + crunch. |
| Almond flour | Coconut flour | Not a 1:1 swap! Try ⅔ cup coconut flour + 1 more egg—but expect a denser texture. |
What Went Sideways (And Why)
| What Went Wrong | Why It Happens | How to Fix It |
|---|---|---|
| Muffins collapsed | Overmixed or oven too hot | Mix gently and use center oven rack |
| Gritty texture | Used almond meal or packed flour | Use blanched almond flour and spoon-scoop it |
| Too eggy | Not enough flour to balance eggs | Stick to the ratios—and banana extract helps mask |
How to Make It (Step-by-Step)
- Preheat oven to 180°C / 350°F. Line a muffin tin with 10 silicone or parchment liners.
- Mix dry: In a large bowl, stir almond flour, allulose, baking powder, and salt.
- Add wet: Stir in melted butter, almond milk, banana extract, and eggs. Batter should be thick but scoopable.
- Fold in ½ cup walnuts (50g).
- Fill muffin liners evenly. Top with remaining ¼ cup walnuts (25g).
- Bake for 20–25 minutes, until golden and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Cool in pan for 10 minutes, then move to rack. Don’t skip this—almond flour muffins are fragile hot!
🧠 Keto Cooking Tricks That Help:
- I portion the batter with an ice cream scoop—same size every time = easier tracking.
- I use room temp eggs—cold eggs = lumpy batter and flat tops.
- I make these in silicone liners for easy removal and no sticking.
Freezing + Reheating Without Ruining It
- Fridge: Keep in an airtight container up to 5 days.
- Freezer: Freeze cooled muffins in a sealed bag or container for up to 3 months.
- Reheat: Microwave for 20–30 seconds or warm in the oven at 300°F for 5–7 minutes. Still fluffy!
Keto Cooking What-Ifs (Answered)
Can I use real bananas?
One medium banana = ~27g net carbs. So… not really. Banana extract does the job with zero carbs.
Will these spike my blood sugar?
Not in my experience—and I wear a CGM. Allulose is blood sugar-neutral and there’s no actual banana.
Can I make these sweeter?
Yep. Use up to ¾ cup (150g) allulose if you want them closer to bakery-sweet.
Can I use muffin paper liners?
Sure, but silicone liners are keto magic—no sticking, no waste, no drama.
Nutrition Facts
Serving size: 1 muffin (1/10 of recipe)
| Nutrient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Calories | 295 kcal |
| Total Fat | 27.4g |
| – Saturated Fat | 6.0g |
| Cholesterol | 71.9mg |
| Sodium | 213mg |
| Total Carbohydrate | 7.7g |
| – Dietary Fiber | 3.6g |
| – Sugars | 1.3g |
| Net Carbs | 4.1g |
| Protein | 9.3g |
Check out More Recipes:
- Low Carb Keto Pumpkin Spice Latte (Sugar Free)
- Low Carb Keto Almond Flour Blueberry Bread Recipe
- Low Carb Keto Flourless Waffles
Low Carb Keto Banana Muffins
Description
Fluffy, nutty, low-carb banana muffins with zero sugar and no actual bananas—just all the flavor, minus the spike. Perfect for keto breakfasts or snacks.
Ingredients
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F / 180°C. Line muffin tin with 10 liners.
- Mix almond flour, allulose, baking powder, and salt.
- Stir in butter, almond milk, banana extract, and eggs until smooth.
- Fold in ½ cup walnuts.
- Divide into liners. Top with remaining walnuts.
- Bake 20–25 mins until golden and toothpick-clean.
- Cool 10 mins in pan, then transfer to rack.
Notes
- I portion the batter with an ice cream scoop—same size every time = easier tracking.
- I use room temp eggs—cold eggs = lumpy batter and flat tops.
- I make these in silicone liners for easy removal and no sticking.
