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
Great muffins, not too sweet and they rise beautifully.
These are literally the best banana muffins I’ve ever made and eaten! Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe.
Tried this recipe last night it came out amazing. I absolutely love this. I made some alterations to the original recipe – used a chia seed egg and added cranberries in addition to the chocolate chunks. Thank you for this amazing recipe
Per your request I wanted to let you know how these turned out with sugar alternatives. I was trying to make these lower carb but still “normal” which most low carb recipes struggle with so I did the following:
* used 1/2 Almond flour and 1/2 all purpose flour
* used 1/2 brown sugar and 1/2 Erythritol (the form that substitutes cup for cup)
* added one extra egg (for a double batch) based on the need for potential extra moisture the almond flour would require.
The result was a perfectly “normal”, delicious banana muffin with no aftertaste or dryness. I added dark chocolate chips and my son said he thought the muffins would be just as good without them. I agreed.
Thanks for all the baking tips that allowed me to successfully adjust these and cut the carbs in half.
Ellen B.
I had tried so many recipes but this one is just perfect !! My daughter loved it
I just made these and they were FANtastic and so easy! I added mini choco chips and chopped walnuts and they are the BEST I’ve ever had! Light, fluffy, moist and delicious!
This is a keeper recipe! Thank you SO Much!
Hi Sally
This recipe is just what I need because my pop-pop is coming in town today and he loves banana bread. Here in Georgia it get really hot. And plus my hole family love banana and bread so perfect. Bye
I only have two bananas. Could I substitute something like shredded zucchini, yogurt or applesauce?
Yogurt or applesauce would be great.
Loved the short time it took to bake and eat! Delicious!
I just used my spatula to mash and mix, mixed the wet ingredients then the dry. I usually use a scoop of yogurt for the banana bread, but milk worked well for these muffins. Thank you!
As usual these muffins were delicious! Used the mixer and will definitely be stealing that trick. I always top my muffins with turbinato sugar for a little crunch! Made 30 mini muffins. Stuck a little but that happens when I make muffins with fresh fruit. Try the blueberry oatmeal recipe! Mine stuck but oh so delicious! Thanks Sally!
I’ve had a go-to banana bread recipe for years. Decided to switch it up and give these a try. THIS is now my go-to recipe! Seriously delicious!
oh. so. good.
the best I’ve ever made or tasted!!!!
it’s a keeper
Made these this afternoon after staring at my overripe bananas. I added a handful of mini chocolate chips and accidentally timed it just right so that when my 6 and 4 year old got home, they were at the PERFECT temperature… still warm but not burn-your-mouth hot. My 4 year old announced that I’m the best baker ever, so you know the muffin had to be good!
Thank you for an easy, delicious recipe!
Yum! The flavor reminds me of bananas foster!
Delicious! I used coconut oil and 1/3 cup of monkfruit sweetner with 1/3 brown sugar and it worked great!
These are great! Very quick and easy to make. Only had 2 bananas but still delicious. Definitely make again.
This turned out good and it was easy. I replaced the brown sugar with Splenda brown sugar and they are delicious.
I used 4 bananas, left out the salt but used salted butter. They are fabulous!!
*Edit:
I had looked on my phone at my times & actually left it in at 400 for almost 45-50 minutes but do not abandon your cooking. Play some phone games or something but stay by that oven, the smell will make you not regret it 🙂
Also it is my own fault if it didn’t taste enough ‘oomph’ in the recipe because I failed to not only add nutmeg, but i added a little allspice instead which i didn’t find pleasant at all. Sally this recipe is genius & i will be using it to teach my children, friends, & loved ones for years to come 🙂
I just made these in about a half hour at 1am this morning, high off my ass. We’ve had naners spoiling for a couple days & I had all the ingredients but oats; I dont care for oats unless it’s with apple crumble.
So. I literally peeked at her recipe list & went to town, it made me feel so relaxed knowing I needed only a few ingredients & fewer tools. I kept my dry separate from wet(except for brown sugar, I’d love to know what difference it would make & will try it next time), I melted the butter before mashing the naners so the brown sugar would soak, I didn’t like huge clumps so I whisked mostly then folded the dry into the wet. Threw a few chocolate chips in, set the oven to 400 actually & left it about a half hour but I have OCD so I kept checking the oven every 10-15 minutes. I took a chopstick & poked the middle of every muffin(I even had enough to fill the bottom of a pie dish for a more creative treat later) & removed them when the chopstick no longer had batter stuck to it. In the morning they are not as great, I felt there could be more oomph to this recipe but dont make the mistake of thinking that’s complaining at all! These were absolutely delicious & a true life saver for some munchie induced house guests! 🙂
I just made these muffins today and they are PERFECT! I love the tip of starting at a high temp and then lowering it because it really worked, they rose amazingly. These muffins LOOK amazing and they are perfectly moist and taste great. The only downside is that it only made 10 muffins and we will have less to eat, haha! They are not too sweet.
Hi Sally! This recipe was absolutely delicious and super easy for a beginner baker so thanks!!
I didn’t quite end up with enough batter – my muffins were on the small side so they didn’t have the nice muffin tops I like. How should I scale up the recipe so I have about 25% more batter? What if I want to double the batch? I know baking soda/powder wouldn’t be doubled exactly.
Hi Lillian! Happy to help. Was your cupcake pan on the smaller side? I recommend filling the muffin liners all the way to the top, even if that makes only 8-9 muffins! For more muffins, I recommend making 2 separate batches (not doubling).
Thanks for the delicious recipe! My fussy husband and 3yo loved them. I only made a few small changes; reduced the sugar slightly, used half plain flour and half wholemeal flour, used ground ginger instead of nutmeg (as didn’t have any) and added sultanas at my 3yos request, they were perfect 🙂
Very easy with practice! I was able to bake three batches in one morning. Measuring by weight makes it even easier, so thank you for the measurements in grams. I did a little experimenting on my own:
1. Banana almond chocolate: Mixed in chopped almonds and chocolate chips. What you expect, as this was basically my trial run. I had to use salted almonds, so I reduced the salt. Came out too sweet, so I’d actually add a little more salt. Used half brown sugar and half white sugar by weight and it turned out well. Also used oat milk. Also, its a good idea to coat mix ins with the flour mixture, as it helps them not to sink to the bottom of the muffin. Good crunchy crust, moist without being gooey, and excellent crumb!
Banana Spice: I used no mix ins and used every “sweet” spice I had. Teaspoon of cinnamon and nutmeg (freshly grated), as well as a half teaspoon of cardamom, allspice, and ginger, with a fourth teaspoon of cloves. Has a touch of heat to it, which is nice. I also used slightly more salt, which I enjoyed.
Double chocolate chocolate chip: Used chocolate chips and added 3 tablespoons of high quality cocoa powder (dutch processed). It didn’t need any extra sugar, between the sugar it calls for, the bananas, and the chocolate chips. Not as crunchy of a crust, but very chocolatey without being overwhelming.
I made these yesterday and we ate them with dinner. They were fabulous! I love your recipes and your “how-to’s”!
I have just made these and they are scrumptious! They are a bit on the sweet side, I used xylitol and reduced the amount but they are still very sweet. I used gluten free self raising flour instead of plain flour and omitted the raising agents. I also used normal butter and left out the salt. All in all, they are moist, well risen, and I have eaten three of them since i’ve started typing!…. so yum!
Outstanding! Best muffin recipe I have tried! The cinnamon was a great addition. The texture was so light and fluffy.
Made these for my kids’ first-day-of-school breakfast. Everyone loved them – even my husband, and he’s hard to please when it comes to baked goods!
These muffins were super easy and they taste amazing!!! Thank you for sharing your recipe!
Yummy banana muffins, kids love it! Thank you