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 so delicious.
I tried to make them jumbo muffins and they just didn’t have that almost mushroom like top I like in a jumbo muffin.
If I wanted to make them jumbo muffins would you suggest changing anything?
Hi Jade, We recommend using the baking times and instructions from jumbo blueberry muffins as a guide.
So freaking good and easy!!! They turned out beautiful with minimal effort I left them to cool, came back in 5 and half has already eaten by my kids.
This is amazing! My favorite/go-to muffin recipe. This recipe worked really well with just 2 ripe bananas as well.
hi! i use this recipe often it is amazing! i do have a quick question, if i had one banana and i still wanted to use this recipe would i just divide the measurements by 3?
Hi Vanessa, theoretically, yes. But sometimes reducing a recipe by that much doesn’t work perfectly. And you’ll only get two or three muffins. But let us know if you try!
I freeze overripe bananas until I have enough to make something
Tasted delicious, but really needed another egg to hold them together, I thought, they crumbled when buttered?
Hi Pamela! These muffins are soft, make sure to use softened butter to avoid tearing them if adding butter to cut muffins. Glad you enjoyed them.
My new go to recipe for banana muffins! So easy and sooo good. My whole family loved them!
This specific recipe is one I’ve made probably 1-2 times per month for a year! In my opinion it is perfect and needs no change. I add a mix of milk and semi-sweet chocolate chips every time. This is the classic, moist, never-dissapointing banana muffin recipe you’re looking for!
Thank you so much, Lydia!
Omg! I followed everything on this recipe and they were so,so delicious! So moist and fluffy, best banana muffins I ever had! We added a vanilla glaze
I followed this recipe almost exactly (did a little less sugar because I don’t like my muffins too sweet), and added a handful of both walnuts and chocolate chips at the end. They were SO soft and fluffy. If those aren’t the qualities you’re looking for then this isn’t the recipe for you.
literally the best, stayed soft and moist overnight, great batch size
These are amazing. Followed the recipe exactly and weighed the ingredients. Only difference was I baked for 14 minutes at 350. They were perfectly moist and so so sooooo delicious! This will be my go to recipe from now on.
These were so delicious and easy to make ! I’m glad I finally tried it. I am not a great baker but these were so easy and our teens loved them x
I have tried many banana muffin recipes and this recipe is amazing. Perfect texture. Perfect flavour. I used 1/2 whole wheat and 1/2 white flour in this recipe but didn’t change anything else.
Another great recipe, Sally! Delicious and easy!
I make these all of the time. I add chocolate chips and sprinkle chopped nuts on top. Sometime I used sultanas. I also half the amount of flour and substitute it with blitzed oats. They come out of the oven lovely and moist. My toddler loves them too.
Wonderful recipe, added dark chocolate chips and it was divine. 10 stars
These taste amazing but every time I make banana muffins they rise beautifully and then sink when I take them out to cool. Any tips?
Hi Sherry, how are you measuring your mashed banana? It could be that you used too much banana (you need 1 and 1/2 cups, or 345g, mashed), which caused them to be too soft and sink. Thanks for giving these muffins a try!
Love these! I have tried many recipes. This is now my go to recipe for banana muffins. I did not change an anything. Very moist and rise nicely. Easy to make.
I baked these muffins over the weekend and YUM! I’m wondering if I could add a plain protein powder to the recipe? If so, would I replace some flour with the powder and maybe increase some wet ingredients? I’ve found other banana muffin recipes with protein powder, but I’d like to make it with your recipe.
Hi Jamielin, we haven’t tested adding protein powder to this recipe. Let us know if you do!
This is my go-to recipe every time I’ve got over-ripe bananas. I usually add the chocolate chips. My family loves them!!
Can you use canola oil instead of butter I am out of butter but have canola oil
Hi Tia, the butter really gives these muffins fantastic flavor, and we highly recommend sticking with the recipe as written. That being said, the same amount of coconut oil or canola/vegetable oil would work just fine.
It’s a perfectly okay recipe, but to me they taste like a spice muffin, the banana flavor is overwhelmed.
I was wondering if I could make these into mini muffins? And would that change the bake temperature? And would it be ok if I didn’t use liners?
Hi Laura, see step 3: For mini muffins, bake 12–14 total minutes at 350°F (177°C). You can use nonstick spray instead of liners.
Amazing recipe I have tried twice once with all purpose flour and second time mix half wholewheat & oats seconded time turned more fluffy light texture but both turned amazing as well I substituted sugar with 2/3 cups molasses and it was delicious
I make this recipe at least once a week and it always comes out great!
If I could leave 10 stars I would. Made mini muffins for grandsons kindergarten class. Had to make double batch Littles at home at a whole batch. Great oven rise, texture…
Used whole wheat flour and coconut sugar
If you omit salt and have salted butter will that work?
Hi Rachel, you can use salted butter here without any other changes.
These muffins turned out great, and true to the name, they were easy.
FAVORITE BANANA MUFFIN RECIPE! I come back to this one every time. I know it by heart. Soft and perfect every time
Disappointed. I’ve made hundreds of banana muffins over the years and have had some amazing results and some flops… I won’t be using this recipe again. Even though they had a nice flavour, the muffins were dry and crumbly. Not impressed at all.
This recipe was awesome! Muffins were super moist and flavorful. Anyone who said theirs were dry keep in mind that different pans/how many pans you have in the oven the time may vary. Always make sure your keeping an eye on them and they will come out perfect!
Try it with some plain greek yogurt mixed into the batter. It also could have been your cook time, as every time I make these they come out light and moist.