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!
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. 🙂
Excellent! Just made these and they taste awesome. I’ve made a few of your recipes so far and they always turn out great. Thank you!
It’s a staple!
Use this one all the time
These were phenomenally good and so easy to make. I would not add any more sugar, as one reviewer recommended. Perfect as is; adding chocolate chips made them extra decadent.
Easy, full of flavor and a family favorite. Grandkids approved. I followed the recipe without exception and results exceeded expectations.
This is the perfect recipe. Replaced sugar with maple syrup. The muffin is very moist on the inside.
Hello Sally – I just made the muffins and I am thoroughly excited to share my outcome. Wow and it was s
I have never been able to make soft delicious muffins until I found your recipe. Thank you so so much for your quick and easy instruction. Both my hubby and son told me the best they ever had.
So very good. I always make B Bread and today wanted to do muffins for school lunches. Two of my kids wanted to help and they basically did it all it was so easy. Choc chips were our add in. The mix of nutmeg and cinnamon made them taste almost like gingerbread. Delicious.
As with all of your recipes, turned out perfectly. Used almond milk with no issue. The muffins are moist, tender, and buttery with a nice crisp crust. I made 12, though did not fully fill the cups. For sure recommend traditionally greasing the muffin pan w/ unsalted butter & flour to make the entire exterior nice and crisp. Didn’t mix anything in but were perfect smeared w/ drippy PB. Will certainly be making these again
Texture is a little light and recipe could be a little sweeter. I’d recommend a but more banana and sugar to make is denser and sweeter.
Hi Sally.
Thanks so much for this recipe, it’s such a wonderful one.
Do you reckon I can use this style of baking (baking at a high temperature for 5 minutes and then reducing it later on) for mini loaves too? I would like my loaves to have that domed shape
Hi Chioma, we find that our loaves still have a nice domed shape, even without using an initial high burst of heat. Feel free to give it a try, though, if you wish!
Just made these for the second time. absolutely beautiful and delicious again ….thank you
First of all, I ❤️LOVE❤️ your recipes! I find myself searching this website more than others when it comes to baking. I just made these muffins and they were so fluffy and moist with just the right amount of sweet! My 1 year old son devoured am entire muffin and he’s a picky eater.
Thank you for this recipe. It is so delicious. It was fun and easy to make the , amount and size are incredibly accurate!!!!
So simple and the spices make it taste amazing
I’ve made this recipe three times in the last month, it’s perfect! Adding milk chocolate chips makes such a perfect and easy treat.
I made these gluten free and sugar free! I added a 1/4 tsp of cardamom ! These were awesome!
If I’m being honest, I had my doubts about adding all wet ingredients together just like that. I was always taught to either cream the sugar with the butter or eggs and then add the other ingredients 1 by 1. But to my pleasant surprise these muffins turned out far better than I could’ve imagined! I think it might actually be the first time my muffins have turned out this soft, fluffy and just moist enough.
Thank you for sharing this inspiring baking experience
From an appreciative bake-for-the-fun-of-it enthusiast
Literally the best banana muffin recipe to ever exist. Somehow these muffins are both super banana-y and perfectly fluffy! Keeping this one on hand for all of my zombie bananas.
Such beautiful muffins!!
I am not really a baker, but I discovered this recipe, and I make it every week. My husband eats 2 muffins every day for breakfast!
I have substituted Swerve brown sugar for regular, and unsweetened vanilla almond milk…they come out great.
Thank you for inspiring me to venture into baking!!
I forgot to rate them when I wrote my comment:)
I use this recipe so often. This weekend I needed quick protein snacks so I added it in without modifying the recipe… perfect!!
With a toddler, I always have bananas on hand. These muffins are delicious and toddler approved. Have made it twice in a week already.
These baked up beautifully!!! Thank you! …wish I could add a photo
Novice baker. Followed recipe exactly. Turned out perfectly. Thanks Sally and team!
Made these muffins for my 14 month old using coconut oil and maple syrup. My husband tried one and hasn’t stopped talking about how moist and fresh they stayed even a few days later. He now gets an abundance of bananas so we can’t eat them fast enough and have ripe bananas ready for muffins at all times!
This recipe was amazing!!! I made these 3x within 2 weeks. The first time was the original recipe, and the second I substituted the brown sugar for Monkfruit extract (1:1) with a little bit of date syrup. The third time, I used the monkfruit substitute and substituted olive oil for the butter. They still ended up so moist and delicious! And of course I added chocolate chips every time. My husband won’t stop asking me to make more when we finish them!
I loved this muffin recipe so much! It really baked up tall and fluffy muffins– the texture is really great. I didn’t make any substitutes and used my bad mixer.
This is my favorite banana muffin recipe! So flavorful, and perfect texture!
Great recipe! I made the mini version. Perfectly crispy and moist. Grabbed my milk and noticed it had gone bad….so used chocolate milk – I mean, it’s still milk – am I wrong? They were still fantastic!