Put those overripe bananas to good use with the best recipe for Easy Banana Muffins! These simple, one-bowl, moist banana muffins are a perfect make-ahead breakfast or snack — and they’re freezer-friendly, too! Best of all, they rise high and have tall, puffy, sugar-coated domes. Add chocolate chips, nuts, or blueberries for the ultimate bakery-style treat!
Table of Contents
- Moist Banana Muffins
- Ingredients for the Best Banana Muffins
- How to Make Easy Banana Muffins from Scratch
- How to Serve From-Scratch Banana Muffins
- How to Store Fresh Banana Muffins
- Homemade Banana Muffins Recipe Variations
- Tips for the Best Banana Muffin Recipe
- More Easy Banana Recipes
- Easy Banana Muffins Recipe
Moist Banana Muffins
We buy (and eat) a lot of bananas around here, but inevitably I find a few stragglers on our counter that turn brown and spotty before we can get to them. That’s where this easy Banana Muffin Recipe comes in. They’re made with simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry, they’re quicker to bake than a loaf of banana bread, you only need one bowl to stir them together, and they rise nice and high. Needless to say, this homemade muffin recipe is a family favorite!
Ingredients for the Best Banana Muffins
Here’s a quick overview of the basic ingredients that you’ll need to make this easy banana muffin recipe. As always, the specific measurements and complete cooking instructions are included in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post.
- Granulated sugar: for just the right amount of sweetness!
- Vegetable oil: keeps the muffins moist.
- Eggs: for structure and lift.
- Mashed banana: the riper, the better! Measure the banana after it’s mashed so that you know you have the correct amount. For this recipe, you’ll need about 3 large bananas or 4 medium bananas to equal 1 ½ cups.
- Vanilla extract and almond extract: for flavor.
- Baking soda and baking powder: the leavening agents that help the muffins rise high!
- Salt: to enhance the flavors in the muffins.
- All-purpose flour: sifted so that there are no big lumps in the muffins.
- Cinnamon and nutmeg: warm spices that add a special touch to the batter.
- Coarse sugar: an optional finishing touch, but I love how the big sugar crystals give the tall muffin domes a slightly crisp finish — just like you’d find in a bakery! I use Wilton White Sparkling Sugar.
Why use oil in a banana muffin recipe?
I make these banana muffins with oil because the fat in the oil is the secret to moist, delicious banana muffins! Vegetable oil like canola oil is best for baking because it’s neutral taste doesn’t impart any flavor into the banana muffin batter. The result is incredibly moist muffins with great banana flavor. Of course, melted butter can be used in place of oil if you prefer.
How to Make Easy Banana Muffins from Scratch
It seems like a simple task: just turn a classic banana bread recipe into muffins! But trust me…I tried that, and I wasn’t pleased. I tested batch after batch of banana muffins to get these just right. While my favorite banana nut bread created muffins with excellent flavor and texture, but I just wasn’t happy with their relatively flat tops. It is so hard to find an easy banana muffin recipe that rises high in the muffin cups, resulting in those great bakery-style domes that we all know are the best part of a muffin! That’s why I was so excited to finally achieve the elusive mile-high banana muffins that I was dreaming of — and now I can share them with you!
- Whisk together sugar, oil, and eggs in a large bowl.
- Add mashed banana, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder, and salt over top, then whisk until well blended.
- Stir in the flour, cinnamon, and nutmeg just until everything is combined — do not over-mix.
- Let the batter rest for about 5-10 minutes.
- Divide the batter evenly between 12 paper-lined muffin cups (you might only get 11 muffins out of this recipe if you make them nice and big)!
- Sprinkle the coarse sugar on top of each muffin.
- Bake in a 375° F oven for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Why should I let banana muffin batter rest?
It’s best to let the batter rest for at least 5 minutes, or up to 15 minutes, before scooping it into the muffin pan. During this rest period, starch molecules in the flour absorb the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell, giving the batter a thicker consistency. The thicker the batter, the taller the muffins! It also allows the leavening agents time to react.
How do you keep easy banana bread muffins moist?
Nobody likes a dry, crumbly muffin! These banana muffins stay nice and moist thanks to a balanced ratio of wet-to-dry ingredients. The mashed banana and the oil contribute fat, moisture, and flavor to the muffins without making the batter so wet that the muffins won’t rise.
It’s also important to make sure that you don’t over-mix the batter. Stir just until everything is combined, and then stop. A few lumps in the batter are fine!
How many cups is one mashed banana?
Typically, one large banana (around 7-8 inches long) yields about 1/2 cup mashed. I made these banana muffins with 3 bananas, so 1 ½ cups of mashed banana. If you’re working with smaller bananas — anything less than 4-5 inches in length — you will probably need at least 4 (or maybe 5) bananas. Exact measurements are important in baking, so the size of the banana makes a difference! Using a measuring cup is the best way to ensure your easy banana muffins turn out perfectly most and delicious, with the perfect banana flavor.
How do you tell if bananas are ripe enough for baking?
You want brown bananas for this easy muffin recipe. How do you know if your bananas are overripe enough? The banana skin should be riddled with brown spots, but not completely covered in all brown — you should still be able to see some yellow. How can you ripen bananas quickly? There are a few different methods:
- Store the bananas in a brown paper bag with another ripe fruit like an apple. This will speed up the ripening process and give you over-ripe bananas within a day or so.
- Ripen the bananas in the oven! Place the unpeeled bananas on a foil-lined baking sheet and bake them for 30-45 minutes in a 300-degree oven. The banana peels will turn black and a little shiny, but don’t worry — the insides of the banana will be perfect. Let the mashed bananas cool completely before continuing with the recipe.
Are these healthy banana muffins?
While there are some health benefits to bananas, this simple banana muffin recipe isn’t 100% healthy. This recipe has sugar, fat, and carbs. However, banana muffins are baked (not deep-fried like donuts). Using mashed bananas allows you to use less fat than in traditional muffin recipes. If you want healthy banana muffins, there are some simple ingredient swaps you can make — like using whole wheat flour, less sugar (omit the coarse sugar topping), use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil, or sweeten the batter with honey or maple syrup instead.
However, changing the ingredients will change the outcome of the recipe. If you want the BEST banana muffins, follow this recipe! After all, you can certainly do worse when it comes to sweet treats! Assuming that you get about 11 muffins from one batch, each muffin includes about 253 calories, 36 grams of carbohydrates, 4 grams of protein, and 11 grams of fat.
How to Serve From-Scratch Banana Muffins
Serve the muffins warm, at room temperature, or even straight from the refrigerator! They’re a great option for breakfast or snacks when paired with a mug of hot coffee or tea.
The muffins are delicious on their own, but you might also enjoy them with butter, honey butter, a drizzle of local honey, cream cheese, almond butter, or peanut butter. Add some yogurt or eggs and fresh fruit on the side for a perfect morning feast!
How to Store Fresh Banana Muffins
- On the Countertop: Store the muffins in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- In the Freezer: If you want to keep the muffins fresh for more than a couple of days, freezing is your best bet. Wrap the muffins tightly in an airtight container or freezer bag and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
- How to Reheat: Thaw the frozen muffins on the counter overnight, or take a muffin straight from the freezer and pop it in the microwave for about 30 seconds (or until warm).
Homemade Banana Muffins Recipe Variations
- I make these banana muffins with oil, but you can replace the oil with an equal amount of melted, unsalted butter. Melted coconut oil will also work!
- Banana Nut Muffins: stir about 1 cup of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter.
- Add whole grains by swapping out half of the all-purpose flour and replacing it with 1 cup of whole wheat flour.
- Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins: Add 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips to the batter.
- Banana Blueberry Muffins: Mix 1 cup of fresh or frozen blueberries into the batter.
- Mix in 1 cup of raisins or dried cranberries.
- Add more spices. I like just a subtle hint of cinnamon and nutmeg in the background, but you can use more spices for a more prominent flavor.
- Mini Muffins: make the perfect quick breakfast for kiddos with mini banana muffins — all you need is a mini muffin tin and reduced baking time.
Tips for the Best Banana Muffin Recipe
- I recommend lining the muffin tin with paper liners. I have found that the muffins rise higher with the paper liners, as opposed to just greasing the muffin cups without liners.
- Fill your muffin cups full with batter for the highest domes.
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor and sweetness. You want them to look quite speckled and brown!
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until they’re combined. Too much mixing and the muffins will come out tough, dense, or dry. The key to moist banana muffins is NOT over-mixing.
- Almond Extract. It might seem somewhat unusual, but I love the addition of almond extract in these banana muffins. It adds a unique flavor to baked goods (like cookies, coffee cake, and fruit crisp). I like ¼ teaspoon in this recipe for a subtle taste, but you can increase it to ½ teaspoon if you prefer a more prominent touch of almond. You can also omit the almond extract altogether.
More Easy Banana Recipes
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Easy Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 eggs
- 1 ½ cups mashed very ripe banana (about 3 large bananas or 4 medium bananas)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ¼ teaspoon almond extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Coarse sugar (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375° F. Line 12 muffin cups with paper liners. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together sugar, oil and eggs. Add mashed banana, vanilla extract, and almond extract. Sprinkle baking soda, baking powder and salt over top. Whisk until well blended.¾ cup granulated sugar, ½ cup vegetable oil, 2 eggs, 1 ½ cups mashed very ripe banana, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, ¼ teaspoon almond extract, 1 teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon baking powder, ¾ teaspoon salt
- Stir in flour, cinnamon and nutmeg; be careful not to over-mix. Let the batter rest for about 5-10 minutes.2 cups all-purpose flour, sifted, ½ teaspoon cinnamon, ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling each muffin cup almost to the top. Sprinkle coarse sugar on top. Bake for 17-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in a muffin comes out clean.Coarse sugar (for topping)
Notes
- I recommend lining the muffin tin with paper liners. I have found that the muffins rise higher with the paper liners, as opposed to just greasing the muffin cups without liners.
- Fill your muffin cups full with batter for the highest domes.
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum flavor and sweetness. You want them to look quite speckled and brown!
- Be careful not to over-mix the batter. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients just until they’re combined. Too much mixing and the muffins will come out tough, dense, or dry. The key to moist banana muffins is NOT over-mixing.
- Almond Extract. It might seem somewhat unusual, but I love the addition of almond extract in these banana muffins. It adds such a unique flavor to baked goods (like cookies, coffee cake, and fruit crisp). I like ¼ teaspoon in this recipe for a subtle taste, but you can increase it to ½ teaspoon if you prefer a more prominent touch of almond. You can also omit the almond extract altogether.
Just a note to those concerned about making these healthier.
Coconut oil is a saturated fat. Try using olive oil or my favourite (though expensive) macadamia nut oil.
Thanks for sharing, Abby! We hope you enjoyed the recipe.