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
Reading the reviews and someone asked if the batter could go in the fridge and the answer was no, because of the baking powder and baking soda. Almost the same question….I want do make a double batch, will it be OK to leave it out, while the first pan bakes? Just don’t want to try and get them both in the oven at the same time.
As always, thanks in advance.
Hi Sheila! We do recommend making separate batches instead of doubling. But if you ever have to bake in batches, it is OK to leave batter covered at room temperature until you can bake it.
hello, can i make the mixture first, place it inside the ref and bake it the next day?
Hi Connie, No we don’t recommend it. As soon as the batter is mixed together the baking soda and baking powder are activated so if they are not baked right away, they will not rise properly.
I made these today and substituted buttermilk and walnuts. They were perfect. Best muffin recipe ever. I think the 425 oven degree at the beginning made them rise beautifully.
I added yeast (because I’ve been having this weird craving for yeasty good bread) let it rise for about an hour to 1.5 hours and used bread flour in stead of regular flour and it still came out AMAZING! Little tip, if you use yeast only fill the muffin tin about half full.
Absolutely delicious! Perfect outcome!
I loved this recipe so much! But, today I’m out of eggs, so are there any substitutes for eggs in the recipe?
Hi Anna, we haven’t tested it but some bakers have had success using a flax egg substitute in our muffin recipes in the past.
Mine did not need 30 minutes…check them at 20. But the house smelled fantastic while the were baking.
Hi B, the instructed total bake time is 21-23 minutes. Thank you for giving these muffins a try!
I’ve been trying dairy free recipes for weeks and none of them are good. I finally decided to try this and sub oil for the butter. They were so good! Finally a decent muffin I can eat with my allergy! I will say that I checked on them at 12 mins (5 at 425 7 and 350) and they were well done. They would of burnt if I left them the full time. Maybe it was my pan/oven or maybe the oil.
I made these substituting the brown sugar with Splenda brown sugar blend. I used the King Arthur 1 to 1 gluten free flour as well. They were perfect! Even the hubs loved them.
So good! Perfect crust on the outside, buttery and moist on the inside. Will be saving this recipe to use from now on. I swear these get better each day as the flavor sets. Yum!
These are the best muffins ever! I’ve made them about five times now! Family can’t get enough!
This recipe is such a hit. I use it about once every two weeks and sometimes make them with GF flour due to my supervisor being celiac. if I’m making them the regular way, I find they turn out nice if you do 4 tbs of milk as opposed to 2. Buttering them and covering them right when they come out of the oven ensures that they’ll stay moist and decadent!
I’ve ran out of eggs! what can i use to replace?
I use mayonnaise when I’m out of eggs. It’s a good binder.
Just made a batch of these to get rid of some heinously overripe bananas I had sitting around and Oh. MY. GOSH. They were so good! I used a jumbo muffin tin and got 7 muffins. I used a combination of mini chocolate chips and regular chocolate chips, and they were a big hit with the kids. Thank you!
I am trying to find the birthday cake recipe that used the banana muffin recipe for one year old birthday cake
Hi Hannah, you can find those details in this post. The banana recipe you see here on this page is the batter I used.
These are the best muffins I’ve ever made! I followed directions exactly but did add toasted chopped walnuts, 1/2 cup in the batter and 1/2 cup sprinkled on top, divided between the 12 muffins. Moist and absolutely delicious!
I just made these and they are scrumptious!! I had 4 bananas that I used but followed the recipe to a T! Light, fluffy and full of flavor! Yum!!
I’ve made this recipe a dozen times and they never last long! I follow the recipe exactly and add chocolate chunks or chips. The BF eats them for dessert!
Just made a batch. I’m not exactly a great or talented baker, but following your instructions produced the fluffiest most delicious muffins! So easy to do and turned out amazingly well!!
Any tips to make them less sweet? I added dark chocolate chips but didn’t want to mess with ratios so left the sugar as is for this first attempt. For my taste I’m thinking half the sugar might do, but will this need compensation elsewhere to retain that lovely light and fluffy texture?
Hi! I’m not sure if this would be recommended, but I actually forgot to add in the brown sugar, as much as I love brown sugar. So since I was unsure how to add at the end, I added just about 1/3 cup of maple syrup. It worked! Still moist, I did also have largish, very rip bananas and had chocolate chips so that helped with the sweetness as well.
I know you have a separate banana bread recipe, but this recipe actually makes AWESOME banana bread. The recipe makes 1 loaf pon. Bake at 350 degree in a sprayed pan for 55 minutes (loosely cover with foil after 30 min.)
Delicious! I browned my butter!!! It’s just too delicious!
I discovered this recipe a year or two ago and I make these every time I have overripe bananas! I put in chocolate chips, and use salted butter. They’re a huge hit in my house.
Hello. Can I use double acting baking powder instead?
Yes, use the same amount.
Amazing recipe! I made it with chocolate chips and a praline pecan crumb topping. They turned out delicious!
Hi,
What can I use instead of butter? Apple sauce? It’s one of those days I ran out of butter. Thanks
Hi Maria, you can use the same amount of vegetable/canola oil instead. You will lose a bit of flavor though.
Literally just made these delicious muffins! I don’t bake that often but did enjoy making this quick & simple recipe! Their super moist and yummy. I only used the chocolate chips but next time, I’m going to mix in some walnuts which will definitely deliver an extra snap! They really live up to the expectation of a “homemade” muffin yet deliver such a light & flavorful banana muffin!
Very tasty and moist!!!Really easy and fast recipe. It’s a keeper!!! I added a cup of chopped pecans and a little more banana to measure 2 cups of banana with a couple more sprinkles of cinnamon since we like a little bit more. My husband loved them. Thank you, Sally! Love your recipes!!!
Love this recipe! Adding the Chocolate Chips made it even better! Can I ask if I can use salted butter instead or unsalted butter plus the 1/2 tsp salt?
Hi Jenevieve, You can use salted or unsalted butter– we use both interchangeably when we make muffins, especially these banana muffins. With only 6 Tbsp of butter, it won’t make a difference. If there’s 1+ cups of butter in a recipe, then you would need to make a change to the added salt.
This is a great recipe!!! I wonder have you ever converted to banana bread and what changes did you make?
These were so good and easy to make! Husband’s coworkers thought they were store bought
Loved this recipe, just wish there were nutritional facts listed
This recipe is so good! when I make them, they only last an hour or so before they are all eaten up. They are so fluffy and light. personally, I don’t like cinnamon, so I leave that out, but they still taist amazing!!! Definitely sharing this recipe!
I love this recipe so much! I made this recipe at least now 4 or 5 times now. I have a question? Can I substitute the milk with yogurt? Please let me know.
Hi Kaylan, yogurt will be too thick to replace the milk. You can use your favorite variety of dairy or nondairy milk!
So delicious!
I made these muffins today according to the directions. I added some chopped walnuts and a little bit of chocolate chips. The aroma filled the house. Wish I could have bottled it. I am keeping this recipe and will make often.
Thank you.
Made this today, absolutely loved it and so easy to make. Yum,.keeping this one ! Thank you
I made a batch of these with added chocolate chips and chopped walnuts, absolutely delicious, Thankyou , happier Baker living in South Africa.
I just made these and they are in the oven now. But, I forgot the milk. It’s sitting here in the counter staring at me. And my muffins are in the oven. How dry will they be?
Hi Cassandra, they may be a bit dense and dry. Let us know how they turn out!
I make these all the time and I add blueberries or craisins and walnuts…yummy..
Barb in California