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, or 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
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 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): Stand Mixer or Handheld Mixer | Glass Mixing Bowls | Whisk | 12-Count Muffin Pan | Muffin Liners
- 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. 🙂
Keywords: banana muffins
These muffins are perfect and only take 20 min to put together. My granddaughter’s favorite banana muffins and a great way to get rid of some the Easter chocolate!
Thank you Sally
★★★★★
I just took these out of the oven. My husband and I shared a very hot and delicious muffin. Once again, I followed your recipe exactly and they were perfect! I added mini chocolate chips to these, only because my grandchildren are requesting chocolate chip muffins. A winner in my book. Thank you for the recipe.
★★★★★
I added 1 cup sultanas to the mix, and in each muffin I put a chocolate melt in each. Was so so so so delicious and moist!!!! Thanks.
★★★★★
WOW!!!!! I just took these from the oven. Soft and moist is unbelievable. I used all spelt flour, buttermilk, and Smart Balance oil. Love the idea of mash the bananas with the mixer.
THANK YOU for all your hard work!
★★★★★
I followed directions, but for some reason mine started to burn on the edges before the time was up. They are a little over done, but they taste delicious still! Just not sure why they burned.
★★★★★
Sally! I made these today but added some flaxseed and subbed some honey for some of the sugar. I also use 1 cup all purpose flour and 1/2 cup whole wheat flour. They were absolutely amazing! I want to keep eating them. Thanks for yet another amazing recipe.
★★★★★
Followed this recipe to the T and it came out beautifully! So delicious!
★★★★★
Amazing – thanks!
I added blueberries, raspberries and walnuts…. Going to be great breakfast muffins 🙂
I didn’t have any eggs but subbed a flax egg and it worked a treat in this recipe. Though they did need longer in the oven (over 25 minutes, all told, and they are skinny mini muffins).
Thanks for sharing,!
★★★★★
Thank you for this banana muffins recipe! I’ve made so many and this one is always our favorite. I like to add a handful of chocolate chips.
★★★★★
Absolutely simple recipe. Muffins turned out perfect
★★★★★
Wonderful recipe. Rised perfectly. Tastes very nice. I added a little extra sugar and 1 more egg and 1 banana as mine were quite small. I baked the last 2 muffins at 180 celcius and they came out just as perfect.
★★★★
I love the tip about starting with the higher temperature. The muffins were delicious. I used half monk fruit sweetener as a sugar substitute and it came out great! Thanks!
★★★★★
Just made a batch using sultanas, without doubt the best banana muffin recipe I’ve made. So light and fluffy, not too sweet, I’ll definitely make them again. Thank you
★★★★★
My son and his friend devoured the entire batch while playing video games and both commented on how good these were. I managed to try one and loved how soft and light it was. I personally do not like chocolate chips in anything (except chocolate muffins, brownies and chocolate chip cookies… thats all). So for me the 1 cup of chips was way overpowering. I cannot wait to make a batch with walnuts or pecans. Thanks for sharing this recipe.
★★★★★
Hello, I am cooking one now, will see. I am total “0” in the kitchen, but I had 3 old bananas 🙂 Just to ask about cooking regime – which one? 2 sides, fan, bottom only? Thank you for using also grams in to your recipe.
I made them with honey and also added raisins. They are delicious. I will try with brown sugar next time. I’m sure that will be good too.
These are the MOST flavorful, moist muffins I have ever made. It must be the brown sugar (and all that butter :)). Wow. I always have over-ripe bananas and my kids love muffins for breakfast. I used my mini-muffin tin and threw chocolate chips on some and blueberries on others to please everyone. Congrats-saving this one!
★★★★★
These are wonderful – I’ve made several times already! One question – is there a way to make the muffin tops crunchier/firmer? Right now they stay pretty soft, even after they have cooled.
Try sprinkling the tops with coarse sugar before baking for a crunchier top!
This recipe is delicious! I’ve made many banana breads and muffins and this one is the best. These are so moist and it’s nice not having to cream the butter and sugar.
★★★★★
I make these all the time now! They are so delicious! I’d like to try them next time with coconut sugar as well. What is your favorite brand of coconut sugar?
★★★★★
Hi Ashley! I really like Wholesome brand coconut sugar.
I used flour oatmeal, put blueberries, strawberries and chocolate chips, I loved the 3 versions. Thank you very much for each tip.
★★★★★
Forgot to rate! 5 stars for sure 🙂
★★★★★
This was easy to follow while my two youngsters were nagging me and distracting me.. Thank you for all your helpful tips! The kids loved them, as did hubby and I! Going to check out your other recipes 🙂 Also appreciate the Celsius temps as I’m in Australia. Thanks again!
I halved this recipe because I only had one banana, and they turned out wonderful! I made 18 mini muffins with the batter and they puffed up so much— almost half the muffin is the dome! I also added some nuts and chocolate— delicious (and they only took me half an hour to make)! Thanks for the awesome recipes and clear instructions
★★★★★
This was delectable!!!!!! I didnt have nutmege so I subbed pumpkin spice that I had in the cabinet which worked good. Even my picky daughter and picky husband ate them. I didn’t have baking soda either so I had to leave it out. Next time I’ll try it with the baking soda. I may just keep using the pumpkin spice since it was a hit the first time.
★★★★★
I had some over ripe bananas and just made these. The texture before baking is amazing. They are in the over and they grew so so big. I am sure the taste is amazing too.
★★★★★
Will definitely try it out
Can I add in chocolate chips? Or will that kill the flavour?
★★★★★
Yes, you can add chocolate chips – YUM!
I have made these muffins so many times since the recipe was first posted. I do half brown sugar/half coconut sugar and also applesauce instead of the egg due to my sons egg allergy. They are my most requested bake item from my little boy, he loves a muffin as a treat after Montessori, thank you so much Sally for all your delicious recipes, they never let me down xx lots of love from rainy Ireland
★★★★★
Made these this morning, and they are so good! Thank you Sally! I am so pleased with the height on them. So pretty
★★★★★
Kid approved! They said they are “gooder than usual ;)” Moist, light. I added chocolate chips and it made 26 mini muffins. Baked at 400 for 14 minutes. Delish!