These are hands-down the best banana muffins. Not only are they unbelievably soft, moist, and flavorful, but the batter also stirs together quickly, and they bake in 20 minutes! This easy recipe is a wonderful way to use up those overripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter.
I tested this recipe to make a big, bakery-style domed muffin, and the secret to success is simple: Start with a very hot oven. An initial blast of intense heat makes the muffins puff up, and then most of the baking is done at a lower oven temperature so they don’t burn.
A reader, Preetz, says: “The muffins came out very delicious. I replaced all-purpose flour with 100% wheat flour, and they came out awesome. Thank you so much for this recipe.” ★★★★★
Table of Contents
Key Ingredients
These are the main ingredients you need to make banana muffins. You can find the full list of ingredients and measurements in the recipe card below.
Bananas — very ripe bananas are a must. If your bananas are too ripe to enjoy eating fresh, chances are they’re perfect for baking! A riper banana has a sweeter, more concentrated flavor. The peel should be mostly brown with very soft flesh. If your bananas are not ripe enough (green or mostly yellow peel and very firm flesh), try my hack for quickly ripening bananas.
Butter — butter adds richness, moisture, and flavor to banana muffins. Since this recipe has salt added, use unsalted butter for the best results.
Sugar — you need granulated sugar and brown sugar for these muffins. White sugar adds sweetness and structure, while brown sugar also adds moisture and deeper flavor.
Eggs — eggs are an important binding ingredient to help hold the batter together nicely. Use room temperature eggs, as they mix together more easily with the other ingredients. If you forget to set them out of the fridge in advance, simply pop them into a bowl of warm water for a few minutes.
Leavening — baking powder and baking soda help the muffins rise properly to give them a tall dome and fluffy texture.
Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes, but thaw them completely first and drain off any liquid left after thawing. (Adding that liquid will cause the batter to become too watery.)
Variations & Substitutions
The banana muffin batter can easily be adapted with other ingredients, toppings, or mix-ins.
- Short on bananas? Replace the additional amount with applesauce, canned pumpkin puree, or Greek yogurt. I often do this if I just have one or two bananas to use up.
- Make banana nut muffins by adding ½ to 1 cup (60-120g) of chopped toasted walnuts or toasted pecans to the batter.
- Whole wheat banana muffins: You can replace part or all of all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour. If you use all whole wheat flour, add 2 tablespoons of milk or water to the wet ingredients (whole wheat flour absorbs more moisture). Keep in mind the muffins will be slightly denser with this swap.
- Add a crumb topping to the muffins! Make half of my streusel topping recipe and sprinkle it over the muffins before baking.
- Other mix-ins like chocolate chips or dried fruit work well. Add up to 1 cup, or try my banana chocolate chip muffins recipe.
For Fluffy Muffins, Don’t Overmix The Batter
To avoid dense or heavy banana muffins, mix the batter gently and just until the wet and dry ingredients are combined. Continuing to mix for too long once the flour becomes hydrated will activate its proteins and build gluten.
The more it is mixed, the more gluten strands develop, and the tougher the muffins will be. This is why I don’t use an electric mixer for muffins—it’s easier to over-mix with the power of an electric hand mixer or stand mixer. Plus, it’s so easy to just mix the batter by hand in a few minutes! Fold the flour mixture into the egg mixture by hand with a spatula and stop when the last streaks of flour have disappeared.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Measure the flour correctly. Using too much flour is a surefire way to end up with dry, crumbly muffins. The best way to measure flour is using a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, fluff up the flour in its container to aerate it, spoon it into your measuring cup, and level off the top with a knife.
For a tall dome, start in a hotter oven. A simple trick to make tall, bakery-style muffins at home is to start in a hotter oven! The initial few minutes of hot air will get a quick rise from the baking powder, resulting in a lovely dome. After 5 minutes at 425°F, reduce the temperature to 350°F to avoid over-baking the muffins.
How To Make Banana Muffins
Below, I’ve highlighted portions of the recipe in step-by-step process images along with instructions for making these easy banana muffins. You can find the full set of instructions in the recipe card below.
1. Whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a large bowl and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk to combine the overripe banana, melted butter, white sugar, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. The mixture should be well incorporated, but you’ll still have some lumps from the banana, and that is normal.
2. Combine the batter by pouring the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients.
3. Use a spatula to gently stir the batter together until combined, and no streaks of flour remain. Do not continue mixing beyond this point, or the banana muffins will turn out dense and tough.
4. Divide the banana muffin batter among a 12-cup muffin tin lined with paper liners. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes before reducing the oven temperature to 350°F. Continue to bake for 15 minutes more. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack. You can serve them warm or let them cool completely on the wire cooling rack before enjoying.
Banana Muffin Recipe
Video
Equipment
- Muffin pan
- Mixing Bowls
Ingredients
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour (180g)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- 1½ cups mashed overripe bananas (about 3 bananas/320g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter melted (113g/120ml)
- ½ cup granulated sugar (100g)
- ¼ cup packed light brown sugar (55g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the banana, butter, both sugars, eggs, and vanilla until well incorporated but the bananas are still a bit lumpy. Pour the banana mixture into the flour mixture and stir until combined. Divide the batter among each paper liner (they will be almost full).
- Bake for 5 minutes, then reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and continue baking for another 15 minutes or until the centers are springy to the touch and the tops are golden brown. Let the muffins cool in the pan for a few minutes, then remove and place on a wire rack. Serve warm or cool completely on the rack.
Notes
- Don’t overmix the batter. Stop mixing when the dry streaks of flour are just combined. Mixing too much yields dense, tough muffins.
- To prevent the cupcake liners from sticking to the muffins, remove the hot muffins from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack. If they cool in the pan, they will steam, and it can cause the paper to stick to the muffin.
Nutrition
Storage and Freezing
Storing: Store cooled banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or in the fridge for up to 1 week.
Freezing: Once the muffins have cooled to room temperature, wrap each one in plastic wrap and aluminum foil. Place in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw on the counter for a few hours or overnight in the refrigerator.
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes. Neutral-flavored oils like vegetable oil, canola oil, avocado oil, or even a light olive oil will all work. The oil will keep the muffins softer and moist for a bit longer. But keep in mind that you will lose out on the rich, buttery flavor.
Yes. This recipe will make 6 jumbo muffins. Bake them for 7 minutes at 425°F, then about 20 minutes more at 350°F.
To make mini banana muffins, make half the recipe to yield 24 mini muffins. Fill each liner with 1 tablespoon of batter and bake at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes.
Yes. Line and grease a 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake the banana loaf at 350°F for 45 to 55 minutes or until a wooden toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Or, you can make my banana bread or chocolate chip banana bread instead.
More Muffin Recipes To Try
With a tender crumb and plump blueberries, my blueberry muffins are a delicious breakfast treat! Serve them warm with a pat of butter and a hot cup of coffee.
Decadent chocolate muffins have a deep chocolate flavor and melty chocolate chips in every bite. They keep well for several days!
Morning glory muffins are the ideal breakfast muffin, loaded with wholesome ingredients and packed with flavor. Use a box grater to grate the carrot and apple uniformly.
Moist zucchini muffins stir together in less than 10 minutes and bake up in a flash. They’re a great way to sneak extra veggies into your diet!
Lemon poppy seed muffins are a favorite on the blog, and for good reason! They’re packed with bright citrus flavor and crunchy poppy seeds, all finished with a tangy lemon glaze.
If you’ve tried this banana muffin recipe, then don’t forget to rate it and let me know how you got on in the comments below. I love hearing from you!
Xenia says
Hi,
In the youtube video plain full fat yogurt is added to the wet ingredients. But there is no yogurt in the ingredient list here. Does it mean yogurt is not necessary?
Kind Regards from Germany
Sarah Ward (Executive Editor, Preppy Kitchen) says
John had an older recipe and video that used yogurt, but the recipe was updated more recently and it doesn’t require that ingredient anymore. You can find the new video linked in the recipe card. If you would like to use yogurt in the current recipe, you can replace 1/4 cup of the mashed banana with 1/4 cup of Greek yogurt. Happy Baking!
Renee says
Yummy! We skipped a meal, so we didn’t feel guilty eating several with our smoothies. This is an easy recipe; I will make them again, it’s a keeper.
Dian Indonesiana says
I make and I really love this muffins 😋thank u ✋
Olga Rivas says
Can I use honey instead of sugar?
John Kanell says
you can! My mom does that.
preetz says
The muffins came out very delicious. I replaced all purpose flour with 100% wheat flour and they came out awesome. Thank you so much for this recipe.
John Kanell says
So glad it worked out.
Dian Indonesiana says
I made this and soooo delicious 😋 I use brown sugar only 100 gr.
Thank u Preppy Kitchen💜
Denisse Quilop says
can i make the batter in advance and bake it the next morning??? Thanks love this btw!! Made this thrice already!
John Kanell says
The batter should not be left that long but you could leave the wet and dry separate then combine the day of 🙂