Banana bread muffins are the best breakfast or afternoon treat! Moist and soft, these muffins take just 20 minutes of prep, a few easy steps, and a handful of basic kitchen ingredients to make. With your favorite mix-ins or just plain, you can’t go wrong.
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I joke that these muffins are the best way to get in your daily dose of fruit! I mean…am I really joking? These banana bread muffins are my favorite way to eat bananas. HA! It also helps that these muffins take no time at all, but taste oh-so incredible. Banana bread lovers have found their kryptonite.
My Banana Bread Recipe loaf is just as delicious. Serve with homemade honey Peanut Butter or Mom’s Strawberry Preserves.
Why You’ll Love This Banana Bread Muffins Recipe
It’s difficult to list just a few reasons why you’ll love these muffins, because there’s so many!
- Fast and easy. Requiring only about 20 minutes of prep and 20 minutes of baking, you’ll have banana bread muffins in no time.
- Add mix-ins if you’re feeling it! Chocolate chips and walnuts? One or the other? None? These muffins are awesome any way.
- Soft and moist. Banana bread muffins should be soft and moist…and YES, these are!
- Easily made ahead and stored. These muffins keep well for at least 5 days.
- Standard kitchen ingredients. Most of the ingredients in this recipe are basic pantry ingredients, making these muffins achievable on any occasion!
Ingredients
- Bananas – use bananas that are at least speckled. You can use bananas that are overripe as well. Very ripe bananas are easier to mash, sweeter, and more flavorful.
- All-purpose flour – all-purpose flour is the base for our muffins.
- Light brown sugar – light brown sugar adds moisture, flavor, and sweetness.
- Butter – butter adds rich flavor and texture.
- Egg – an egg binds everything together.
- Pure vanilla extract – vanilla adds flavor.
- Baking soda – baking soda helps our banana bread muffins rise.
- Salt – salt adds flavor.
- Chocolate chips (optional) – chocolate chips are an optional mix-in. I like bittersweet chocolate chips.
- Chopped walnuts (optional) – walnuts are an optional mix-in. I use chopped walnuts.
Substitutions & Variations
Here are some substitutions and variations on banana bread muffins, in case you’re looking for something a little different!
- Sprinkle turbinado sugar on the muffins before baking for a crunchy sugar topping.
- Add a dash of cinnamon to the batter for a warm finish.
- Add a crumb topping, like on my Blueberry Coffee Cake recipe. Make the topping and add it to these muffins before baking as instructed below. You’ll likely have more crumb topping than you need.
- Make mini muffins, which require roughly 7-10 minutes of bake time.
- Use whole wheat flour if you’d like!
Expert Tips
- Use bananas that are at least speckled for banana bread muffins. You can use bananas that are overripe as well. Very ripe bananas are easier to mash, sweeter, and more flavorful!
- Measure your dry ingredients carefully. Too little or too much flour, sugar, etc. will change the recipe.
- Use no more than 1 cup of mix-ins (chocolate chips, walnuts, both, etc.).
How to Make Banana Bread Muffins
Let’s make these muffins in just 40 minutes, from bowl to full batch! Full instructions in the recipe card; this is just an outline!
- Prepare.
Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a muffin pan with paper liners.
- Wet ingredients.
In a large bowl, use a potato masher to mash peeled bananas into a smooth puree. Add beaten egg, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
- Dry ingredients.
In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- Combine.
Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.
- Bake.
Fill liners about ¾ of the way up. Bake for 15-21 minutes.
- Cool.
Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
No, you don’t! Banana should be at least speckled to be ripe enough for banana bread muffins. They don’t need to be all brown or overripe unless you have them on hand.
I don’t recommend using frozen bananas for banana bread muffins since the consistently changes when thawed.
I recommend mashing bananas with a potato masher, or if you don’t have one, a fork!
Store muffins at room temperature in an airtight container. You can heat them in the oven or microwave if desired.
Banana bread muffins last for 5-7 days in an airtight container.
Yes! Freeze muffins for up to 3 months, thawing them at room temperature, and then heating them in the oven or microwave if desired.
Other Muffin Recipes You’ll Love!
- Zucchini Muffins
- Cornbread Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Banana Baked Oatmeal Muffin Cups
- Strawberry Muffins
BEST Banana Bread Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- Muffin pan or foil baking cups (with paper liners)
Ingredients
- 4 medium bananas, overripe (or at least speckled)
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup light brown sugar, packed
- ⅓ cup butter, melted
- 1 large egg, beaten
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips, optional
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe will make 12 muffins.
- In a large bowl, use a potato masher to mash peeled bananas into a smooth puree. Add beaten egg, melted and cooled butter, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, baking soda, and salt until combined.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients, mixing until just incorporated. Fold in chocolate chips and walnuts if desired.
- Fill liners about ¾ of the way up. Bake for 15-21 minutes, until toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out with loose crumbs.
- Let muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack – or enjoying them warm!
Video
Notes
- I recommend using bananas that are at least speckled for banana bread muffins. You can use bananas that are overripe as well. Very ripe bananas are easier to mash, sweeter, and more flavorful.
- Measure your dry ingredients carefully!
- I recommend using no more than 1 cup of mix-ins (chocolate chips, walnuts or both).
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Super moist and delicious banana muffins. Iโm making a batch for the second time today.
Hi Ericka,
Awesome to hear! I’m in love with them too ๐
Grace
Love this recepie. The banana muffins came out perfect!
Melissa,
Love to hear this!!
Grace
fantastic banana muffins. they came out perfect, thanks!
Hi Eliane,
Awesome to hear! Thanks for letting me know ๐
Grace
OMG! so good super moist my new go to recipe for Banana Bread and muffins would also make a great banana cake. Added nuts chocolate chips and raisons.
Thanks Jennifer!! Love all those mix-ins ๐ Happy Friday!
Grace
Cupcakes are good, but too much sweet for me. As adding ripened bananas, you can reduce sugar if you donโt prefer too much sweet
Hi Maria,
Thanks for your review. I’m sorry they were too sweet for your taste! I’d suggest using not as ripe bananas instead of changing the sugar amount which can impact taste and texture.
Grace
Hiya, BEST FOOL PROOF DELICIOUS RECIPR EVER!!! Itโs my go to as a Nanny for my 3 grandsons! Thanks for sharing this with us!
Hi Kerri,
Yay!!! Thanks for letting me know!
Grace
This truly was the most delicious banana bread – moist fluffy and crisp on the outside !!! Beautiful and ๐ thanks!!
I also have tried many recipes – this will be my go to.
Hi Nancy,
Your review made my day! Please do make sure to let me know if/when you try any other recipes!
Grace
These really are 5 star muffins. So tender and delicious! O have tried many recipes. ALL WERE GOOD BUT THIS IS THE BEST
Hi Anita,
Thanks for trying many of my recipes, and it makes me so happy to hear that you love these muffins!! Let me know what else you try ๐
Grace
Hi! Tried this recipe and loving it, however am just wondering if you could tell me around how many cups mashed bananas is 4 bananas? I used around 3 and 2/3 pretty large bananas and the muffins came out very banana-y. If measurements in cups is available, it would help a lot! Thank you!
Hi Cindy!
I’m glad you liked them!! It’s about 1 3/4 cups ๐ I definitely would use medium, not large bananas or it would make the muffins overly banana-y!
Grace
Turned out delicious and super easy and fast to make! I made the crumble topping from your coffee cake recipe too and they’re both delicious. The crumble makes a lot though so I have tons left over
Hi Brenna,
Love the crumble topping addition! I’m so glad they came out well. Use that extra crumb topping on ice cream or yogurt – or send to me! ๐
Grace