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, banana bread, or chocolate 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. 🙂
Reader Comments and Reviews
These are delicious muffins!! Its hard to find a muffin recipe that doesn’t taste like cardboard. This from a gal who’s been baking for 48 yrs and whose first attempt at baking was Banana Bread! Thank you very much!!!
Hi- I am a HUGE fan of your recipes and they always turn out flawless but this one flopped on me. I baked them for my parents and I am glad I tasted it because they were inedible. After a bite, there was an awful very strong bitter taste. Tried two different muffins and it was the same. I measured ingredients correctly, whisked well and followed recipe exactly. If you can give me a hint what might have gone wrong…Thanks!
Hi R.S. Usually a bitter taste results from either using too much, or expired, baking powder. Be sure that you are only using one teaspoon of baking powder and that it is fresh. Most boxes say to use within 6 months but we generally replace them after 3 months. I hope this helps!
Both myself and my husband are diabetic. This is the second time I have made these. I eliminated the salt and used salted butter. Instead of regular brown sugar, I used Splenda brown sugar blend. I followed the substitution on the back of the bag, NOT 2/3 of a cup. I happened to grab the light cream that worked just as well. We LOVE these.
When I make a double batch, I seem to get only 16 muffins. Fine with us.
Amazing!! Everyone loved it a tiny bit salty maybe only put a pinch of salt but other than that delicious and will be making again!!!
This is the second recipe i’ve tried from this website and it is (just like the hummingbird cake) fantastic!! Moist and not too sweet. Thank you Sally!
Absolutely amazing banana muffins, I have tried 2 other recipes but I have finally found the best here. Thank you so much.
This was the best muffin recipe I have ever used. They’re so moist and delicious.
third time making these, also tried them once with cannabutter. great recipe!
I only had two bananas, but it was fine. I didn’t use less of anything else, and they were super moist. I did switch out about 3 tbsp of flour for old fashioned oats. Mmmm. Mine were finished faster than the recipe, but my oven was already hot from dinner.
Delicious! Used half a cup chopped walnuts and half a cup chocolate chips.
These come out so beautifully and it is such an easy to follow recipe. Thank you!
Just made this recipe for the mini muffins this morning! They came out perfectly moist. I plan to give these to my 1 year old so I used whole wheat flour and 2/3 coconut sugar, they taste great. I will definitely continue to make these and variations. Thank you!!
These had a great texture but I could taste the baking soda! There was definitely a bitter aftertaste 🙁 Too bad!
Light, fluffy and so delicious. I love the little hit of nutmeg. Thank you for my new favourite cake recipe!
So good! So moist! I admittedly used 1 1/2 cups of walnuts but that’s because I love that crunch so much!
Okay seriously….these should not be this delicious but they are!!!!! New go-to muffin. Step aside, banana bread. These are the only baked good that have ever aligned with the actual bake time! Moist and flavorful and easily adaptable. Thanks Sally!
In an effort to be a little healthier, I reduced the butter and brown sugar ingredients by half and used almond milk – they turned out awesome. I’m already baking my third batch in only a few weeks since each batch was gone within a couple days. My daughters have put in their orders after the first time making them. Great recipe!
In an effort to be a little healthier, I reduced the butter and brown sugar ingredients and they turned out awesome. I’m already baking my third batch in only a few weeks since each batch was gone within a couple days. My daughters have put in their orders after the first time making them. Great recipe!
Made as mini muffins and they came out perfectly! Quick and easy to make but delicious.
Sally. Just wanted to say thank you, thank you, thank you for your “Jump to Recipe” links. Those are so helpful, especially for recipes I’ve already tried. I’ve gotten where I don’t visit a lot of recipe blogs I used to like because it’s like a journey on a treasure hunt to find the actual recipe, and I don’t have time for it. So thank you. I’ve made these banana muffins before and they turned out great. Coming back to grab the recipe again. Thank you!
This was a very easy recipe and they turned out just perfectly.
My kids complained that there were no chocolate chips and then ate three muffins!
I chose to use coconut oil and it didn’t tastes at all like coconut.
I loved this recipe! I used olive oil instead of the melted butter. My son cant have butter but I usually use vegan becel in place of butter but I also use olive oil as well. It turned out moist and delicious! I doubled the recipe and made regular sized and mini sized muffins!
I tried this and it is sooo good. I also got a lot of ripe bananas in my counter at the moment that i wanted to freeze? Can i use frozen (thawed) bananas for this recipe? Will the texture/taste change? Thanks for this recipe my kids and husband loves it
Yes, definitely! Blot them a little bit first– when they thaw, they’re extra wet.
Excellent recipe, great results, and very delicious.
These muffins were INCREDIBLE! My husband and I both couldn’t resist from having two after we had the first one. They were moist, large, fluffy, and delicious. The bananas and brown sugar were a great sweetness combination – not too sweet – that also added a nice crunch to the muffin top. I chose to add some vegan mini chocolate chips that I had on hand, and it was a great decision. I think next time I’ll try white chocolate chips, too.
I made a couple modifications, since I am low-lactose and gluten-free. Obviously, there is a lot of butter, so I used that. But I used oat milk and gluten-free flour (King Arthur). Neither modification made a difference in taste or quality. I also used a bit extra vanilla and cinnamon.
11/10 and will totally make these again! Thank you for the great recipe!
Looking forward to trying these. I’m expecting, due in eight weeks, and starting freezer meals and snacks. I doubled the recipe but made them bigger so didn’t quite get double but I’m okay with that. I added golden raisins and walnuts to the batter. Will be a perfect snack for when we’re too busy with baby.
These are absolutely delicious. Thank you! Going to print this out now~
Absolutely delicious muffins….very easy to use. Made 6 large muffins with this recipe.
Thank you Sally!
Tried TONS of banana muffins recipes.
This one is definetely THE BEST one.
Thank you so much , will make these again and again
And for sure will try other of your recipes !!!
These are delicious! I was a little worried about how thick the batter was, but I went with it and am so glad I did! I only baked mine 14 minutes at 350 (after the 5 minutes on 425) but my oven cooks hot and I was using convection. I also add a touch of Demerara sugar on top – which forms a yummy crunch when you bite into them! This recipe is a keeper!