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
- Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
- Healthy Blueberry Banana Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
Would love to know if you try any of them!
PrintQuick & 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. 🙂
I really like this recipe as it’s so simple to do. However I have a question, when you say to bake with 425F is that with fan or not? Sorry maybe it’s implied no fan? I just like to make sure. Thanks
Hi Clara! All of the recipes on this site are written for conventional settings. Convection ovens are fantastic for cooking and roasting. If you have the choice, we recommend conventional settings when baking cakes, breads, etc. The flow of air from convection heat can cause baked goods to rise and bake unevenly and it also pulls moisture out of the oven. If you do use convection settings for baking, lower your temperature by 25 degrees F and keep in mind that things may still take less time to bake.
Perfection! Thank you for another wonderful recipe. These come together so quickly and they go really well with peanut butter! I used 4 smaller bananas that I felt were about equal to 3 large and the recipe works out nicely. One of these days I’ll try adding some chocolate chips because I’m sure that’s delicious too!
I just love this recipe! Thank you!
Added one cup of mini chocolate chips. Family said this may be the best muffin I’ve made to date!
My go to recipe LOVE THIS tastes so good and always comes out perfect!
If you make just 6 large muffins, what is the timing please?
Hi Linda, If using a jumbo muffin pan, we recommend following the same baking times as these jumbo blueberry muffins. (With the initial high temperature trick.) It should yield about 5 jumbo muffins – fill batter to the top.
Just made this with my two youngest children. It was so easy. We made two batches. One with nuts and one without. Both equally delicious. The rise on the muffins made it look like one you’d get at a bakery! This recipe will be our permanent banana muffin recipe! Thank you for your clear, precise directions!
This is the best banana muffin recipe ever and ive made it countless times, and its always a win. Here are some things i would like to add,
1.) ive made it without any egg because i had an extra ripe banana and it was amazing.
2.) i always have left over batter (about 1/4 cup) and i decided to try microwaving it in a mug just for fun, and it was A HUGE SUCCESS, it’s unbelievably moist and delicious. The left over batter is now my favorite part of these muffins thank u sally!
These are a family favorite ! I’ve been making these for a few years now. My two boys go crazy for them ! I do half plain and half with chocolate chips. Today I forgot to add milk and they were still amazingly moist! Love these so much !!
I made these banana muffins this afternoon. So easy, delicious and moist! I will definitely make them again.
These banana muffins were delicious! Any nutritional information would be greatly appreciated! Thanks
Hi Linda, 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
Great recipe website Sally. A great starting point for baking because all your recipes simply just work with really good instructions and alternate suggestions. One thing though. I really don’t know how anyone could eat a muffin with that much sugar in it. I cut the sugar in half and still find the muffins too sweet. Just me I guess.
I have made the recipe multiple times with multiple variations (because I don’t always have all the ingredients. It always turns out well, and I love how versatile it is. I have made it with whole wheat flour, with sugar substitutes, with applesauce filling in for when my banana came in a little shy , even with kefir instead of milk. The muffins are great every time. Thanks so much for such a versatile recipe.
I made these today and they turned out so moist and amazing. I left out the nutmeg and I added another banana and a tablespoon of honey. Probably the most moist banana muffins I have made yet! Thank you for the recipe!
Yummmm, I made these today and they are so good. I unintentionally forgot to add the egg and they still turned out light, fluffy and moist.
Sally, you have done it again! Thank you so much! I absolutely love this recipe (and so many of your other ones). These muffins are so soft, moist & fluffy, all my friends and family – and people I feed love them. And they freeze so well for a quick bite for work if I have leftovers to freeze.
I made this with all of my kids running around and still managed not to screw it up. Pretty fool proof and delicious! Within 3 minutes after cooling, they were gone.
I made these today and they were moist and delicious with a great texture. I only used 2T of melted butter and added a small container of applesauce with some chopped pecans. I didn’t realize I forgot the sugar until they were in the oven. But, they were perfectly sweet without the sugar. Will definitely make again.
So sorry to say, but these muffins were not worth making. Overpowered by the cinnamon, which in turn diminished the banana flavor. Cooked for 23 minutes and they were still a bit gooey as far as texture.
I add hemp hearts and use whole wheat flour for a great snack for my kids! They’re perfect!
Would any icing work with these? My kids love icing & have seen others use something like a cream cheese frosting?! Just made these & they smell great .
Hi Kate, definitely! You can use a cream cheese frosting on these, or your kids might enjoy this chocolate glaze on banana muffins.
Hello! This seems easy to follow and would like to do it but I want to make 2 dozens. Do I just double the amount of ingredients in the recipe? Thank you!
Hi KC, for best taste and texture, we recommend making two separate batches to ensure you don’t over mix and the ingredients incorporate properly. Enjoy!
This recipe is perfect.
To alter them a bit to be family friendly (heart issues and GF). I grind Bob Mills GF oats for the flour, sub oat milk, and cane sugar. I am trying carob chips today. I also use Coconut oil. We’ve been whipping these up in the kitchen for the last 2 years and they never disappoint.
Hi Sally, instead of using milk would u advise yoghurt instead? Pls help
Hi Angeline, yogurt would be a bit too thick. Any kind of milk (dairy or non dairy) would work!
Thanks for your reply. Well, I made them anyway (just saw your reply) and they actually turned out great! 🙂 I guess I’ll try this amazing recipe with other fruits as well. Cheers!
Hi,
I have used a few of recipes successfully, however I had a quick question, I along with my daughter have a severe nut allergy which includes nutmeg. My partner has a minor one. I also can not have cinnamon, do I need to replace these with something else? or add more bananas?
Thanks.
Hi Sam! You can leave cinnamon and nutmeg out without any other changes, though the flavor will be less deep.
Hi, Sally. I only have two bananas. Would it affect just the flavor or the texture as well?
Hi Seli! Yes, bananas add not only flavor to these muffins, but also moisture and structure. We don’t recommend making this recipe with just two.
I just made this two very large bananas and it turned out wonderful!
Made these today using melted coconut oil, otherwise followed the recipe. AWESOME! Great taste and very moist. Made 12 regular sized muffins.
I have made this recipe probably 30 times in the last few years… a family favorite. Dangerous as I could eat all 12 muffins in one sitting… they’re that delicious!!! They don’t last long in my house.
I have made these muffins so many times…always perfect and FAST! Made a batch this morning and they were on the rack before I finished my first cup of coffee. I used my large size muffin silicone pan- the exact amount of batter to make 6 muffins.
Made this recipe today 10/3/2021. Just loved this recipe. Moist and not too sweet. Will be making again and hope to share with friends and family
Surprise that it’s so mois and delicious. Very satisfied with the recipe. Thankss so much. Mai