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. 🙂
What will using buttermilk do?
Hi Roberta! You can use buttermilk without any other changes – use the same amount (2 Tablespoons (30ml)).
I just made these with wheat flour and walnuts. I was out of vanilla and subbed almond extract which was good, too. First wheat muffins I have made that weren’t dense. Delicious!!!
wow these are the BEST MUFFINS I’V EVER MADE!!! I tried a lot of recipes and I’m not good at baking but even a clumsy baker can still make these taste absolutely delicious!! will be making these every chance I get. Banana bread is a special childhood treat for me as my mum would always make them for me and siblings and they taste absolutely identical and authentic!! 5 stars and worth it!!
Very reliable recipe and completely fine to make with whole wheat flour for added nutrition.
This is the BEST banana muffin recipe!!! And I have tried many. It’s my one and only go-to now. I literally buy extra bananas just so I can make a double batch of these.
My kids love these and so do I! Hope would I cook these in a mini muffin tin? I would like to make ahead and freeze for school mornings.
Hi Rebecca, for mini muffins, bake 12-14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C).
Loved the recipe! Turned out perfectly. Added mini chocolate chips. Definitely a keeper recipe.
I love this recipe! So easy! I substituted 6 tablespoons of unsweetened applesauce for the butter (wanted to save some calories) and added two tablespoons monk fruit sugar. We don’t like our cakes or muffins too sweet. I added chopped walnuts and dried cranberries on top before baking. They came out so good – definitely my go-to recipe. Thank you!
– I’ve made these a few times as written, always with plain wholemeal flour (slightly less protein than US whole wheat but more than white) and 1/2 cup sugar (full recipe is way too sweet!) but I always found them too dense without extras (my rating would be a 3).
– This time around I replaced some banana with an extra egg and used fine wholemeal flour (US equivalent to pastry flour) and found they were much fluffier! Like the apple whole wheat muffins. My rating would now be 5+
– To half the batch, I added strawberry/rosewater jam following a KAF article (1/2 cup or 170g jam for the full recipe) so used no spices, golden caster sugar (US raw cane sugar?) and reduced because jam is sweeter (60g or 1/2 cup + 1tbsp for full batch) and the muffins still came out amazingly fluffy with banana/strawberry flavour and not dessert sweet, I’m so happy to find a decent banana muffin that doesn’t need nuts to break up the texture 😀
Hello. Love the recipe. It’s most definitely a keeper. Can I ask where you bought your muffin tin. I would like one so the muffin is one size from top to bottom. I can not find one online. Thanks!
Tried these muffins the other day. By far the best and easiest banana muffins I have made added chocolate chips and they turned out so well. Definitely my go to recipe now.
This is a fabulous recipe. Funny story: I had the egg in my pocket to help bring it to room temp faster. It wasn’t until the muffins were in the oven cooking before I realized I never added the egg to the batter. Surprisingly, the muffins were still delicious! I’m looking forward to making these muffins again soon … with the egg, of course!
Remixed this recipe!
I added pecans, added vanilla and almond extract, dark brown sugar, and extra banana. Topped the mixture with chopped pecans and coconut flakes. Those were my additions and it was suuuuper moist. Cooking time increased due to extra banana.
how many calories are in each muffin?
Hi Madeleine, 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
Quick, easy, and so delicious!
What an amazing recipe!! These muffins are delicious and by far the best Banana Muffins I’ve ever made. They were so moist and fluffy!! My family loved them and they were gone before I could freeze a few for later. I love how the muffins bake at 425 degrees for the first 5 minutes to produce that lovely dome on top. Thanks, Sally!
I decided to try this recipe for the first time and my goodness, my family dived straight right in as soon as it came out of the oven. Even though my daughter is not a big fan of anything banana, she loved these banana muffins. I’m definitely hooked, thank you.
I just made these and they are delicious. I added peanut butter chip as I didn’t have any chocolate but I’m not mad about it. I also mostly used wholewheat flour so I feel they must be very healthy
I have a large muffin pan (for six) how long should I cook them?
Hi Mandy, 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.
Absolutely delicious! I added mini chocolate chips and it was super good. I think I would only fill 2/3 full next time since I don’t need muffins quite so high but still very yummy and light. I ended up getting 10 muffins when filled 3/4-full. I also didn’t quite do the full 1/4 tsp nutmeg.
Hi Sally, I just want to frozen blue berries to the muffins. Do I have to make any changes?
Thanks
Lee
Hi Lee! You could add a cup of frozen blueberries (do not thaw) to the batter with no other changes. Enjoy!
This recipe is really good! However, I’m not much of a chocolate person, so what if I substituted cranberries or blueberries for the chocolate chips. When would it be best to add that in for the best flavor and moistness? Thank you!
Hi Ashlyn, You could add a cup of berries to the batter with no other changes (blot before adding to the batter to remove some of the excess moisture).
Great recipe! We’ve made it many times. I’ve sometimes subbed the butter for plain whole milk yogurt and it works too. We usually double the recipe and do half chocolate chips, half plain, and then half dulce de leche swirl on top and half nutella, all 4 varieties turn out great.
Just tired this recipe and OMG ! Big hit with my family , never seen them muffins so fast! Split the recipe and made half with walnuts and half with chocolate chips! They were very moist and amazing! Thank you form my hole Family! Making then again this weekend!
This is a awesome recipe
Don’t know why but only made 16 muffins and I only filled muffin tin 3/4 .full.
Very tasty , light & fluffy! Used mini semi-sweet chocolate chips.
Hi Paula, We are glad you enjoyed this recipe! What size muffin pan are you using? In a standard size pan we get 10-12 muffins per recipe.
How long would I need to bake these for if I use a jumbo muffin pan??
Hi Ramanjot, 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.
These are delicious. I added 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips and 1/4 cup of chopped pecan nuts. Yummo straight out of the oven. Light and fluffy compared with other banana muffin recipes.
I agree 100%. The dark chocolate chips took these already perfect muffins to the next level! The base recipe is now my new favorite. I think it’s perfect! Ps- they freeze really, really well and are super moist after thawing.
Bit a big fan of this recipe, I find the taste of nutmeg and cinnamon too strong and overpowering. Consistency was very nice and moist.
These turned out really nicely. Light and fluffy but no after taste of baking soda.
I had smallish bananas so used 3 1/2 . Loved the tip to mash them in the mixer.
I made mine dairy free with Flora plant butter and oatly milk which worked out fine. Also mixed in some cooked whole cranberries left over from Christmas. Delish!
I never thought I would crave a banana muffin – but after tasting these I do! I added pecans and half the batch also got mini chocolate chips. Both are fantastic! Thank you Sally!