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. 🙂
Omgoodness these are the best ever banana bread muffins I’ve ever had! I followed the recipe and added both nuts (pecans) and chocolate chips. So moist and delicious! I will definitely be making these again. Thank you for sharing! ☺️
These are delicious! I added peanut butter ships to mine.
Has anyone figured out the calories by any chance?
Hi Lauren, We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients, and many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients. However, there are many great online calculators where you can plug in your exact ingredients like this one: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
These are delicious!! We’ve made them twice already! I mix 1/2 white chips and 1/2 chocolate chips. The whole family loves them. So easy! This recipe is a keeper! Thank you!
Quick, easy and very nice: light, fluffy texture that makes it a muffin not a cake. Not too sweet with a crisp top. Yum! I used toasted pecans. I understand what you mean about a moist muffin now. Definitely a keeper!
Hi Sally, Always love your recipes! I made these with Smart Sugar which is a blend of coconut and monk fruit and they turned out great!
Got them in the oven forgot the butter! So I put a little butter on top of each!
Excellent recipe, I make this recipe GF & DF using oatmeal flour, coconut oil & unsweetened soy milk (also added 1/4 tsp of xanthan gum)
Fantastic! We forgot the butter but we didn’t even notice until my husband went to wipe out the microwave after supper.
Absolutely amazing and easy recipe. I just got done making them, they were sweet and moist. I used 3 1/2 bananas instead of 3 just add that extra sweetness and they taste amazing.
Hi sally. These muffins are delicious and very moist! Thank you for such amazing recipes. I faced a challenge though, my muffins didn’t rise as illustrated. They overflowed instead. What could have been the problem?
Hi Toomi, Thank you for trying this recipe. Did you bake the muffins for the first 5 minutes at the higher temperature? This initial hot burst of air lifts the muffins straight up, creating a solid dome. The rest of the time at a normal baking temperature cooks the center of the muffin.
Made these and added cardamom, walnuts, pecans topped them off with oatmeal and pumpkin seeds
I can’t comment on the full sized muffins, but the mini-muffins I made were excellent. My 5 yr old gobbled them up and he’s usually not a banana bread guy. I filled the mini muffins up to the top but probably could have left them just shy of full. I had enough leftover batter to make another 1/3 tray of mini muffins. Perfect way to use up the three ripe bananas that were wasting away on my counter!
What temp and how long did you cook the mini muffins? I want to make some too!
I’m not a great baker by any means, but these muffins turned out perfectly!!! They were tasty, moist absolutely delicious
These taste so good. I added a few chocolate chips. Everyone liked them – already thinking I need to make some more! Thank you for recipe
I have made these twice in the last two weeks, and twice they have turned out PERFECTLY. I live at 9000 ft. elevation and typically struggle to have things turn out just right. I reduced the baking soda & powder by exactly 1/2, and reduced the butter & sugar slightly while increasing the flour by a couple tbsp and an extra splash of milk. I had walnuts and dried currants lying around from the holidays, so I soaked the currents for a bit and then added them both. Makes for a nice fruity/nutty combo. Last time I threw in some chocolate chips with the walnuts – YUM. Thanks for a fabulous recipe – I have this one bookmarked!
I live at 6500 feet. I wonder if I should follow your steps. I LOVE sally’s recipes but I always have to wonder if they will turn out due to altitude.
Sally, Would LOVE any high altitude suggestions in your recipes. I make your sugar cookies as is and they are always a hit.
I followed the directions and was leery of the temp. Sure enough after 13 mins the outside is burned and the inside is raw.
Did you see that after 5 minutes of baking at high temperature you lower to 350 and bake the rest of the time? It seems you might have missed that detail! Best of luck on your next recipe, you could try reading the recipe fully, twice, **before** starting and you will find that you will certainly waste less ingredients!
Dear Sally!
It is the best recipe for banana muffins EVER!
Thank you for sharing this with the world! I have been doing this recipe for a year or so….
I do as well as many other adults – add pecans and dried cranberries for me and hubby but keep only dark chocolate chunks for the kiddos.
EVERYONE in the family loves them!
I am looking forward to try some other recipes on your side,
All the best,
Marina
Does any one know calories per muffin by chance?
Hi Ali, 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
The only muffins I ever make! They are a hit for the whole fam. I add chopped walnuts on top of half the batch for the hubby and myself, and use pumpkin spice in place of the nutmeg. So delish!
Have you ever tried using fruit powder in this.
I omitted the nutmeg since I’m not a big fan of it. Added walnuts. Baked in mini loaf pans and added a few more minutes to the cook time. It’s delicious. Not too sweet and I like that.
Delicious and super moist! I added chocolate chips. I freeze my bananas and defrost in microwave (or let them thaw) so I don’t need to mash them at all. I also measured the thawed bananas to ensure I had 1.5 cups – I ended up using almost 4 bananas because they were on the “smedium” side (small/medium). I reheat the muffins in the microwave for 17-20 sec which melts the chocolate chips. Family loved them 🙂
Hi Sally,
Would it be possible to add peanut butter powder to the muffins? What amount would you recommend?
Thank you for sharing all your recipes they are surely loved by my family and friends!
Hi Mari! We’ve never baked with peanut butter powder, but let us know if you give it a try. You may love these peanut butter banana muffins!
These muffins are perfectly moist as promised. After they cooled I drizzled icing on top (just powdered sugar mixed with enough milk to get the right consistency). I LOVE them! Thank you!
Pillowy delicious goodness!
I made as instructed, except I used a silicone muffin tin with no liners. I did grease the muffin tray. I chose to do about 2/3 all-purpose flour and 1/3 whole wheat flour. I think this gives these a slightly nuttier taste and slightly more wholesome texture. That said, I’m not kidding myself that the whole wheat flour changes much in nutritional value.
I filled my muffin cups almost to the top and they came out wonderfully. They had a nice “muffin top.”
These are my go to when I’ve got bananas that need to be used! The only change I’ve ever made it adding a forth banana if I have it and it didn’t mess up the recipe. My kids also love these which is a win because they don’t like anything right now! I’m hoping to figure out a gluten free version to make for my daughters kindergarten class.
Use Pillsbury Gluten Flour and almond flour. I use 1 cup of GF Pillsbury and 1/2 cup almond flour. If I make a double batch, I do half GF Pillsbury and half almond flour. I use Bob’s Red Mill almond flour.
I used maple syrup instead of vanilla extract because i didn’t have any. Nice recipe!
just when I thought it wasn’t possible to top my Grandma’s recipie for banana muffins Sally did! OMgoodness. Such yumminess.
Best receipe ever, so easy. Thank you.
I added blueberries and walnut and they were extra yummy!