An incredibly soft, moist banana muffin made with tall bakery-style muffin tops, sweet banana flavor, and a simple (optional) streusel crumb topping! This is the very best banana muffin recipe! You just need three ripe bananas to get started!
Your New Favorite Breakfast Muffin
Maybe you’ve tried these banana muffins already? They’re not brand new to the blog, in fact they’ve been around for several years and have garnered well over 150 five star ratings ⭐️. Not that I’m bragging or anything, but they’re all well-deserved, (in my totally and completely unbiased opinion) because I truly don’t know what more you could want in a banana muffin.
Soft, moist, and loaded with flavor. These aren’t bland, boring, or basic banana muffins. They’re made with ripe bananas, brown sugar, a tablespoon of pure vanilla extract, a blend of butter and oil (we talked about why we use both in my vanilla cake recipe) and a heavenly, crumbly, buttery streusel topping.
Or, no streusel…
While I personally love and recommend the streusel topping, I know not everyone wants the extra sugar. Or maybe just doesn’t want the extra dishes (definitely been there… or more like currently there, actually). As you can see above they bake up beautifully (if not nakedly) with or without streusel and you’ll get tidier, higher muffin tops without it.
For your muffin bases, you’ll need the following:
- Three ripe bananas. Try to get them much browner, softer, and splotchier than the bananas in the picture below. These were all I had on hand for this photo, but the riper your bananas are the better your banana muffins will taste.
- Butter and oil. We’re using a blend of both for the best flavor and texture in our banana muffins
- Flour. All purpose (or “plain” if you’re in the UK)
- Sugar. A blend of white/granulated and brown gives us a great flavor.
- Baking powder and baking soda. Helps to lift up those muffin tops!
- Buttermilk. Or my easy buttermilk substitute.
- Eggs. Two large.
- Salt & Vanilla Extract. For flavor!
Tips on How to Make Banana Muffins
- The riper your bananas are, the easier they will be to mash and the better the flavor of your banana muffins will be. Don’t shy away from brown spots on your banana peels, that’s what you want for this recipe!
- I recommend mashing your bananas with a fork or with a potato masher — you want them to be well-mashed with very few lumps.
- I strongly recommend stirring this banana muffin batter completely by hand. Since you’re not creaming any butter it can be easily stirred without a mixer and it helps avoid over-mixing. Over-mixing this batter can lead to muffins that are too tough and dense — we want light and fluffy muffins!
About that Streusel
Again, it’s a personal preference. Either you like it or you’re wrong.
OK, sorry, my personal preference is showing. I’m obsessed with that buttery/crumbly topping. To make it you’ll need a pastry cutter. Stir together your flour, brown sugar, and salt and then use a pastry cutter to cut in cold butter until you have a crumbly topping.
I mean just look how beautiful that is.
How to Freeze Banana Muffins
If you wish to freeze these muffins, allow them to cool completely, then wrap well in plastic wrap and then place in a ziploc bag and freeze. You can set them out at room temperature to thaw, or you can microwave them (don’t overdo it, just defrost, or the muffins will become hard).
I’ve been baking and freezing these in preparation for Baby Boy’s arrival; it’s nice to know I have a few waiting for me in the freezer since I suspect baking is going to take a backseat in the upcoming months. Right now it’s hard to imagine what that is going to be like!
These banana muffins are honestly one of my favorites. It took a lot of tries and tweaks to get the recipe just perfect, but these are finally the ultimate, softest, most flavorful banana muffins I’ve ever tasted (with or without the streusel on top) and I hope you love them just as much as I do!
So, are you team streusel or no streusel?
More Muffins to Try!
- Ultimate Basic Muffin Recipe
- Double Chocolate Muffins
- Bakery-Style Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Blueberry Muffins
The Best Banana Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas
- ¼ cup canola oil (may substitute vegetable oil) (60ml)
- ¼ cup unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 5 minutes (60g)
- ½ cup sugar (100g)
- ½ cup light brown sugar tightly packed (100g)
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (250g)
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup buttermilk (60ml) room temperature preferred
Streusel (optional)
- 1/2 cup all-purpose flour (65g)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (100g)
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter, cold (60g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425F (220C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners*
- Place peeled bananas in a large bowl and use a fork or a potato masher to mash them - bananas should be well-mashed.
- Add canola oil and melted butter and stir well.
- Stir in sugars until well-combined.
- Add eggs and vanilla extract and butermilk and stir well. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients -- flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
- Add dry ingredients to your wet batter and gently fold in until ingredients are just combined (don't over-mix the batter!).
- Portion batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each liner 3/4 of the way full. Set aside and prepare your Streusel topping.
Streusel Topping (optional)
- Combine flour, brown sugar, and salt in a medium-sized bowl and use a fork to stir the ingredients together.
- Using a pastry cutter, cut in your cold butter until the butter is well-worked in and your mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
- Sprinkle streusel topping evenly over each muffin.
- Bake muffins on 425F (218C) for 8 minutes and then reduce the oven temperature to 350 (175C) (do not open the oven door or remove the muffins, just leave them in and reduce the temperature) and bake another 7-8 minutes on 350F (177C). A toothpick inserted in the center of the largest muffin should come out clean or with few moist crumbs (no wet batter) to test for doneness.
- Allow muffins to cool before enjoying.
Video
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published 01/05/2018. Updated with more information and better photos 10/17/2019.
Mandi says
Made these last night for my daughters K2 graduation morning tea today, they went down very well! I didn’t have any spotty bananas, so I sliced 3 yellow ones into a baking dish, stirred through a spoonful of dulce de leche, then baked until soft. I did add less sugar because of the addition of the caramel. Muffins were light and airy, and very moist. 1 batch made 26 small muffins. Will 100% make again!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so happy that the muffins were such a hit, Mandi! Thanks so much for trying my recipe! 🙂
Tammy George says
These were the best muffins I have ever made. My whole family including my daughter who is so picky love them. She won’t stop begging me to make more. This is definitely going to be my go to muffin of choice!
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so happy that everyone enjoyed the banana muffins, Tammy! Thanks for commenting 🙂
Nancy Leger says
Do you know if the results would be much different using white sugar instead?
Sam says
I like and recommend the brown sugar because it adds moisture and flavor to the banana muffins, but they will still turn out if you substitute the brown for white granulated instead.
Patti says
I have made this two times this month – once with the sugar topping, and it is the very best muffin EVER!!!! I added pecans, and my husband thought they were amazing and so fluffy, and very impressive with the streusel topping
Sam says
I’m so happy to hear this! Thanks for letting me know how they turned out, Patti 🙂
Pearl Silva says
Can I substitute a loaf pan instead of a muffin tin?
Sam says
You could, the baking time would vary though. You might want to check out my banana bread recipe instead 🙂
Adreene says
This is the best ever banana muffin recipe! I’ve made it several times always to rave reviews. And thanks for the substitute buttermilk tip. It works like a charm.
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Adreene for trying my recipe. I am so glad that you enjoyed the Banana Muffins and the Buttermilk Substitute worked well for you. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Wendy says
Just purchased a giant ceramic muffin pan. Adjusted your muffin recipe to utilize my new pan and the recipe yielded six gigantic muffins. They look like they came out of a specialty bakery. The taste was absolutely wonderful. Thank you for sharing this special recipe.
Barbara says
Best banana muffin ever. So light and fluffy. I did double the recipe and used sour cream instead of buttermilk. Made mini muffins with the left over batter. Thank you for sharing.
Sam says
Thank you for letting me know how they turned out for you, Barbara! I appreciate it! 🙂
Allyson Diaz says
This recipe was amazing ! I didn’t have any buttermilk on hand so instead I used 2% Milk and Apple Cider Vinegar in substitute. Also didn’t have any eggs either !! Lol so I used applesauce . Turned out amazing. Thanks for the recipe
Sam says
I’m so happy to hear the banana muffins were a hit! Thanks for commenting, Allyson, and thank you for sharing your substitutions, too!
Laura says
These were delicious! My husband said they were the best muffins he has ever had! Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam says
I’m so happy to hear this, Laura!! Thank you so much for commenting and letting me know how they turned out for you, I appreciate it! 🙂
Pell says
Hi Sam,
Thanks for sharing and the recipe is great. By the way, what is the function of buttermilk?
Sam says
I’m so glad you enjoyed! It mostly adds moisture and flavor to the banana muffins 🙂
Martha says
Yes! I have to agree, “The Best Banana Muffin recipe”. Didn’t add the topping, delicious on its own.
Sugar Spun Run says
Thank you so much, Martha! I am so glad that you enjoyed the Banana Muffins. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
jerri ororke says
Can this recipe used as a loaf instead of muffins?
Sam says
Yes but I’m not certain what the baking time will be. I do have a Banana Bread recipe if you want to check that out, though!
Linda says
Excellent muffin. Great banana flavor, moist and tender. The streusel added a nice crunch. My family loved them. Definitely will make them again.
I adjusted the recipe a bit by making 12 versus 15 muffins. I baked at 425 for 9 minutes and 10 minutes at 350.
Sugar Spun Run says
I am so happy that you enjoyed the Banana Muffins, Linda! Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Zarinah says
Hi Sam,
I make the same way, recipe slightly different. I added plain yogurt, chocolate rice and sprinkled with chopped almonds…tastes great!…I do muffins and/or cake – both turn out well. Been doing it for years, within an hour you have nice hot from the oven banana muffins/cake 🙂
Sugar Spun Run says
Sounds delicious, Zarinah! I am so glad you enjoy the banana muffins. 🙂