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.
Notes
Nutrition
This recipe was originally published 01/05/2018. Updated with more information and better photos 10/17/2019.
A says
I loved the recipe! I added an extra banana and a sprinkle of cinnamon. Definitely reconmend adding the streusel topping
Sam says
I’m so glad you enjoyed them! 🙂
Val says
I’ve tried so many recipes looking for the perfect one. This hit the mark! It was moist easy and the title deserves BEST. I make 12 muffins and one loaf of. Read from the recipe. I passed on the topping and makes honey butter which we added a swipe to the bread slices and muffins. Muffins are all gone and I have 1/4 of the loaf left and that’s only because I had to hide it away. I will be making these for Thanksgiving. I might even substitute pumpkin and add the topping. The recipe base is perfection truly. Thank you for moist amazing muffins. I’m so glad I found this.
Sam says
Thank you so much, Val! I am so glad you enjoyed them so much! I actually have a pumpkin muffin recipe you could give a try. 🙂
Nicole M. says
We love love these muffins. Wanted to make them mini sized – How would you suggest I adjust the temp/time?
Sam says
Hi Nicole! Unfortunately I haven’t baked them as mini muffins so I’m not sure how long they would bake. I would try baking them at 375 for maybe around 11 minutes, but be sure to keep an eye on them. 🙂
Natalee says
Omg!!! These are so delicious! I was excited because I was actually able to make 24 muffins! I didn’t have buttermilk so I was nervous about substituting Greek yogurt! Turned out wonderful!!!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Natalee! If you are ever in need of buttermilk, I have an easy buttermilk substitute you can use. 🙂
Christina witt says
Lives up to its word-best banana muffin I have ever tried-I am 70.
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Christina! 🙂
Hannah says
I just tried this a few minutes ago! Everyone here loved it! I cut the recipe in half and made 13 2oz cuppies and it was gone 10 mins after I pulled it out from the oven. I’ve only able to save 2 pieces for my hubby when gets home later. Thank you for this!
Sam says
I am so glad everyone enjoyed them so much! 🙂
Sandy Fath says
LOVE these muffins! Best banana muffins I’ve had! I am now making a huge amount of them (48) and wanted to know if these can be left out on the counter, if covered tightly, for 3 days. I would hate for them to get ruined.
Sam says
Yes that would be fine! Enjoy 🙂
Nancy Ludwig says
Did not use the strudel. Made large breakfast muffins and mini snack muffins. One of the best recipes ever. Next time I have to use sugar substitute or less sugar, just for our diets. Off to buy more bananas to over ripen……..
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed the muffins so much, Nancy! 🙂
Jennifer McDougal says
My son says these are the best muffins he has ever had. I was looking for a way to use ripe bananas besides banana bread or banana pudding. These are great because you don’t have to worry about the stale end of bread when you cut into it. The only problem is they don’t last very long. 😉
Sam says
😂 I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Jennifer! 🙂
Amanda says
Swapped out AP flour for gluten free cup 4 cup and they were absolutely perfect!
Sam says
I am so glad you enjoyed them so much, Amanda! Thank you for your feedback substituting the gluten free flour. 🙂