These banana muffins are soft, buttery, and spiced with cinnamon. They’re wonderful plain, with chopped walnuts, or even chocolate chips. You need 3 large ripe bananas and a few basic kitchen ingredients to get started.
Banana bread is wonderful, but muffins are quicker, more convenient, easily portable, and taste just as good. I’ve been searching for the perfect EASY banana muffin recipe since my daughter began eating solids. We always have bananas in the house which means we eventually have spotty bananas ready for baking!
These quick and easy banana muffins bake in 30 minutes, so if you need to be in and out of the kitchen FAST (um, don’t we all?), this recipe is your savior.
Banana Muffin Ingredients—Each Is Important!
This banana muffin recipe requires a handful of basics like flour, sugar, and milk. That’s what I love about baking—it’s the same base ingredients for basically everything.
- Flour: I tested the recipe with both all-purpose flour and whole wheat flour and LOVED both variations. See recipe Note below.
- Melted Butter: We’ll use melted butter as the fat, though melted coconut oil works too. I love using melted butter in baked goods, and though I was afraid these banana muffins would taste too dense without creaming softened butter (which incorporates air), that’s not the case at all.
- Bananas, vanilla, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg: The flavor team.
- Egg: 1 egg gives the muffins structure.
- Milk: A common ingredient in some muffin recipes including pumpkin muffins, milk provides necessary moisture. Dry muffins… the worst.
- Sugar: Sweetens. When I make these for my daughter, I use half brown sugar and half coconut sugar. You can use all brown sugar, all coconut sugar, or a mixture of the two. Keep in mind that coconut sugar isn’t quite as sweet as brown sugar, so the flavor will change. See my recipe Note. 🙂
Do these banana muffins taste like banana bread? Yes, totally! But they have a lighter, softer, and more buttery texture. You’ll love it.
How to Make Banana Muffins Moist
There’s a fine line between a moist banana muffin and a dry banana muffin, aka sandpaper in a cupcake wrapper. To make banana muffins moist, make sure you’re using a solid ratio of dry to wet ingredients. I found the muffins to be dry without the addition of liquid, but a couple Tablespoons of milk solved the problem. Use a little fat (butter), brown sugar, and plenty of bananas for lots of moisture and flavor.
How to Mash Bananas
So I started doing this last year and it’s been a total game changer whenever I make banana cake, these breakfast cookies, banana bread, or chocolate banana bread. Just use your mixer to mash bananas! Peel and break them into chunks, place in your mixer, and beat until mashed. Beat the rest of the wet ingredients right into this bowl, then beat in the dry ingredients. So easy.
Can I Use Frozen Bananas?
Yes and I do this often. Thaw the frozen bananas at room temperature. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe below. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking. Try not to mash too much or else you’ll be left with 2 cups of banana-y liquid; some chunks are great.
This banana muffin recipe is perfect if you:
- Have 3 large spotty bananas
- Love banana bread
- Need a quick homemade breakfast, snack, etc.
- Don’t feel like creaming butter and sugar together
- Don’t feel like dirtying 100 pans
And, to turn these into a scrumptious treat, you could dip the tops of the cooled muffins into chocolate ganache and add sprinkles. (Affiliate link: I love these naturally colored sprinkles.) You can also add the streusel topping from these banana chocolate chip streusel muffins.
More Muffin Recipes
These easy banana muffins have been my default for awhile, though I usually switch between these and a couple other muffin recipes previously published. I consider these muffins on the healthier side and they’re each toddler & adult approved. 🙂
- Baby Apple Oat Muffins
- Bran Muffins
- Whole Wheat Banana Nut Muffins (these include oats)
- Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins
- Healthy Apple Muffins & Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Morning Glory Muffins
- Lemon Blueberry Muffins
- Zucchini Muffins
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Would love to know if you try any of them!
Print
Quick & Easy Banana Muffins
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 10-12 muffins
- Category: Muffins
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Description
These banana muffins are soft, buttery, and spiced with cinnamon. They’re wonderful plain, but taste fantastic with 1 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips. You need 3 ripe bananas and a handful of basic kitchen ingredients.
Ingredients
- 1 and 1/2 cups (188g) all-purpose flour (spooned & leveled)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 1 and 1/2 cups (345g) mashed bananas (about 4 medium or 3 large ripe bananas)
- 6 Tablespoons (85g) unsalted butter, melted (or melted coconut oil)
- 2/3 cup (135g) packed light or dark brown sugar (or coconut sugar)*
- 1 large egg, at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 Tablespoons (30ml) milk*
- optional: 1 cup chopped walnuts, pecans, or chocolate chips
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F (218°C). Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use cupcake liners.
- Whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg together in a medium bowl. Set aside. In a large bowl or in the bowl of your stand mixer, mash the bananas. On medium speed, beat or whisk in the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and milk. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, then beat or whisk until combined. If adding nuts or chocolate chips, fold them in now. Batter will be thick.
- Spoon the batter into liners, filling them all the way to the top. Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F, then, keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (177°C). Bake for an additional 16–18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. The total time these muffins take in the oven is about 21–23 minutes, give or take. (For mini muffins, bake 12–14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C).) Allow the muffins to cool for 5 minutes in the muffin pan, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to continue cooling.
- Muffins stay fresh covered at room temperature for a few days or in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Notes
- Make Ahead Instructions: For longer storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, then bring to room temperature or warm up in the microwave if desired.
- Special Tools (affiliate links): 12-count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners | Electric Mixer (Handheld or Stand) | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | Cooling Rack
- Why the initial high temperature? The hot burst of air will spring up the top of the muffin quickly, then the inside of the muffin can bake for the remainder of the time. This helps the muffins rise nice and tall.
- Whole Wheat Flour: Feel free to substitute whole wheat flour for all-purpose flour or use a mix of both as long as you use 1 and 1/2 cups total. If using all whole wheat flour, add another Tablespoon (15ml) of milk.
- Frozen Bananas: You can use frozen bananas here. Thaw the frozen bananas. Drain off any excess liquid, mash, then use as instructed in the recipe. See How to Freeze & Thaw Bananas for Baking.
- Sugar: You can use 2/3 cup of packed brown sugar or coconut sugar. Or a mixture of these to yield 2/3 cup. If using 2/3 cup coconut sugar, the muffins won’t be as sweet. I find they taste best with 2/3 cup brown sugar or 1/3 cup of each. 2/3 cup of honey or pure maple syrup works too, though the muffins will taste a little more moist in the centers. I’m unsure about sugar substitutes, but let me know if you try any.
- Milk: Use your favorite variety of dairy or nondairy milk.
- Banana Bread: Here’s my favorite banana bread recipe. 🙂
Reader Comments and Reviews
Excellent receipe! Thank you!
My favorite morning muffins!
I just want to make sure I understand the mini-muffin bake times correctly. Do I still do the 5 minutes initially at 425 and then drop to 350 for 12-14 minutes?
Thank you!
Hi Alice! No, skip the 5 minutes at 425 for mini muffins. Bake at 350 for 12-14 minutes total!
Does anyone know the nutritional facts for these muffins made following the recipe.
Hi Wendy, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
These are very good! Any recipes I make of yours always get so many compliments and I always tell them they are your recipes!
These are wonderful, bake so high! I’d become disillusioned with banana anything but fresh because they became boring. These are SO good!
I baked these today using 3 real ripe bananas, gluten free flour, and lactose free skim milk. I even forgot to turn down the heat from 425° and they turned out great!
I’m keeping this recipe, thank you!
After trying many recopies for banana muffins these were absolutely the best ever – I used Greek yogurt as had no milk – perfect .
We make these weekly, they are so so so good. If anyone is curious I sub out the butter for the same weight in applesauce and cut the sugar pack to 100 grams and they are still the best muffins. Almost any warm spice works here, we’ve used them all. Thank you for this recipe!
Made these today and omg I have been baking for years and this recipe was so simple yet delicious!! I melted some Lotus spread and drizzled my muffins once the cooled <3 thank you for sharing!!!
I’ve made these muffins about 30 times for our family so I thought I should finally leave a review! I use wholemeal spelt flour and coconut sugar and they always come out brilliantly. I freeze them and warm them up for my son’s school lunchbox. Thanks for this delicious and fail-safe recipe!
Spontaneous baking on my part tonight. Forgot the milk. Didn’t matter. These are fantastic as written! I topped each before baking with a bit of chopped pecans. Just wonderful. Thank you!!
Made this recipe with half brown and half coconut sugar, tasted great a definite hit with the hubby too.
Could you substitute grated carrots for bananas with the same other ingredients?
Hi Lisa, You may enjoy our Morning Glory muffins which uses shredded carrots and no banana.
So delicious. Very moist. My favorite banana muffin recipe! I love that the weights are included because I find weighing the fastest and easiest method.
i completely agree!
Great alternative to banana bread. I usually follow recipes exactly the first time, but made an error and used all spice instead of cinnamon. Actually liked it slightly better 🙂 The original recipe is very good (coconut sugar and brown sugar both taste the same), but I eventually omitted the milk and added 1/2 cup of Greek Yogurt to add some protein. This was also very good. Great go-to staple recipe!
I love these muffins. I’ve made them about 4 times, without any problems. The cinnamon and nutmeg make them a step above regular banana muffins. So yummy!!!
Have you ever sprinkled some type of sugar on the top to add a little crunch to it?
That would be a great addition! We like to use sparkling sugar for muffin tops.
Wondering if you could substitute buttermilk for the milk in this recipe?
Hi Marcie, You can use buttermilk without any other changes – use the same amount (2 Tablespoons (30ml).
Thank you, Trina!
This is my go-to banana muffin recipe. I honestly make it once a week! That little hint of nutmeg is absolutely perfect and adds so much flavour!
We have a gluten intolerant family member. I have recently discovered measure for measure gluten free flour. Has your team used this and do you have any thoughts on making these gluten free?
Hi Tracy! We haven’t tested this recipe with gluten free flours, but many readers have reported success using 1:1 flour substitutes (like Cup4Cup). If you try it, let us know how it goes!
Thanks Sally. Can’t wait to make these this weekend. I make conventional banana bread once a week. These units look like they’ll be perfect for packing in my lunch for workdays. Keep up all your delicious work. Tom
These were so good! I added a mix of milk and dark chocolate and sprinkled oats on top before baking – would 100% make again!
Hey sally! Do we need to use bananas for banana bread?
Bananas are a big part of a banana bread recipe, so we wouldn’t recommend leaving them out.
I’ve made your banana muffins three times. First was perfect, second I screwed them up (wrong texture, great flavour), and third perfect again. I used gf supplies, easy. Thank you. KA
these turned out so amazing!! i ran out of brown sugar so just did half brown/half white and they were still soft! will 100% be making them again 🙂
Hands down, the best recipe I’ve tried! They came out tasting like I picked them up from a bakery.
These are great and so easy,
I wonder if we can you almond flour instead
Hi Jessy, we don’t recommend almond flour here, as it isn’t a 1:1 swap with all-purpose flour. You might try these blueberry almond power muffins instead!
Does using a silicone muffin pan change cooking time?
Fantastic! These have such a nice texture. Perfect with dark chocolate chips.
Does granulated sugar work as a substitute?
Hi Elaine, yes you can! Use the same amount. The brown sugar makes the muffins a little softer and has a little deeper flavor from its higher moisture content and the molasses in it, but white sugar will work fine here too. Enjoy!
Amazing muffins!! They were very moist and had a wonderful flavour, I will definitely make these again! Thank you so much!
I love everything banana so does my family. they are quick and easy to make. I love your recipes keep them coming.