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
Nice fluffy texture, almost like a cake, but I couldn’t taste the banana flavor despite using very very ripe bananas.
Amazing!! First time making muffins, not a big fan of bananas, but this recipe is incredible!!
(Used half a cup of sugar)
Thank you
Absolutely delicious! Especially with chocolate chips!
I baked these as six jumbo muffins at 425 for the first 5 minutes then 350 for about 20 minutes. They turned out great! I loved being able to use four medium bananas because I had a whole bunch that was overripe. I also really appreciated being able to use melted butter. Sometimes I make banana muffins without much planning so it’s awesome that there was no softening required!
Everything Sally says about this recipe true! Easy and SO delicious, flavorful. Perfect
Awful. The worst muffins ever. Flat, not fully baked despite following the stupid instruction (reducing temp after 5min!?!?!!, none other receipes ask to do that. Always bake at the same temp from beginning till end. Very disappointed.
These are delicious. Thank you!
So easy and delicious. Wouldn’t change a thing. This one’s a keeper. Great bakery gift too! So homey, cheerful and comforting.
Made them last night and the muffins came out perfect! Really fluffy, soft, moist and delicious; even my hubby can’t get enough of them. I’m definitely keeping this recipe. Thanks Sally!
Thank you for all the different bak times. They came out moist and yummy
Vegan: Turned out great! I used coconut oil, oat milk and a flax egg instead of a real egg and it worked perfectly.
Wow, I’m so happy to have found this recipe it’s so delicious.I’ve just made it. Would definitely be my go to muffin recipe going forward. Thank you.
I wanted to like these, but the overpowering taste of baking soda completely ruined them. They taste so awful that I can’t eat them.
I’ve looked at many cooking sites, but I’ve never subscribed to one till now. Yours is the one I keep going back to. I’m excited to look around and especially to make your macarons and banana muffins. I’ve been a great cook for most if my 76 years, and you will make me even better. Many thanks young lady. P.S. LOVE that you have dogs. SC
These might be the best muffins I’ve ever made. Outstanding!!!
Such an easy recipe with pantry staples. I may increase the cinnamon and nutmeg next time. My batch made 9 good sized muffins.
My five year old son has told me “mom these are the best muffins in the whole wide world”! :). We use coconut oil for the butter, and of course add chocolate chips. They are my go to!
Absolutely amazing thank you for sharing your wonderful recipes all of them always go correct your the person to follow for recipes
Yum! I added a cup of chocolate chips. Will definitely bake these again. Thankyou
This is a very nice muffin recipe but it takes extremely long. I was making just this muffin recipe for one hour. Also, do you have a guide on how do make different kinds of muffin or cupcake cases?
Okay this recipe turned out perfectly. So easy. So delicious. Saving this for later because it is the perfect amount.
First time making! Love them but don’t taste much of the cinnamon or nutmeg. Suggestions for increasing?
Also, where can I find nutritional info for this recipe? Thanks Sally and team!
Hi Jackie! You can increase the cinnamon and nutmeg and you wish, you could try doubling each to see how that suits your taste buds. We don’t usually include nutrition information as it can vary between different brands of the same ingredients. Plus, many recipes have ingredient substitutions or optional ingredients listed. However, there are many handy online calculators where you can plug in and customize your exact ingredients/brands. Readers have found this one especially helpful: https://www.verywellfit.com/recipe-nutrition-analyzer-4157076
Giving theses a try, added some raisins and pineapple fruit cup along with chocolate and butterscotch chips, cooking in my convection counter top oven to save energy.
Have made this multiple times- my kids love them and they freeze well if we have extra.
Love this recipe! It’s our favorite banana muffin to make! Absolutely delicious!
Can I use this as a base recipe and then add things like blueberries/apples etc for different flavour muffins
Hi Terri, you certainly could add a cup of blueberries or chopped apples to the batter with no other changes. Enjoy!
These were delicious! This was the first time my muffins looked like real muffins instead of hockey pucks!
I’ve used this recipe many times. I leave out the spices, tastes fine without them. It works with 2 bananas too but 3 bananas will make it more fragrant and moist. Also I’ve just tried it with 2 eggs, definitely the way to go, less crumbly and so less messy when bitten into, as it has more structure, the extra egg doesn’t affect it’s softness or end taste.
Can this recipe be made into jumbo muffins?
Sure can! We recommend using the baking times and instructions from jumbo blueberry muffins as a guide.
your recipe is perfect! thank you
Made this yesterday! Big hit everyone loved them. I didn’t have nutmeg though so I substituted pumpkin spice in its place. So good!