My well-loved Banana Muffin recipe makes incredibly soft, moist muffins with tall, bakery-style tops, sweet banana flavor, and an optional streusel topping. Recipe includes a how-to video!
Your New Favorite Breakfast Muffin
Today I’m re-sharing one of my favorite muffin recipes on the blog, and apparently, it’s one of your favorites too! With nearly 500 five-star ratings, this banana muffin recipe is so well-loved–and for good reason. These aren’t bland, boring, or basic banana muffins; they’re fluffy, moist, and loaded with banana flavor! And if that’s not enough, I recommend topping them with a crumbly, buttery streusel topping…yum.
It took a lot of tries and tweaks to get this recipe just perfect, but it was well worth the trial and error. This recipe makes the softest, most flavorful banana muffin I’ve ever tasted–with or without the streusel on top–and I’m so proud to share it with you!
What Makes My Banana Muffin Recipe the BEST:
- It produces big, beautiful muffin tops, thanks to a nifty oven trick.
- They truly taste like banana muffins, not banana bread in muffin form.
- No mixer needed–these come together easily by hand!
- They take just 30 minutes from start to finish.
What You Need
I found I needed several key ingredients for super flavorful banana muffins:
- Three ripe bananas. Ripe bananas mash easier and impart a stronger banana flavor, so save this recipe for those dark brown bananas lingering at the bottom of your fruit basket (unlike the ones pictured above!).
- Butter and oil. We’re using a blend of both for the best flavored and textured banana muffin (same reason I use a blend of the two in my vanilla cake!). Stick with a neutral oil like canola, vegetable, or grapeseed, and make sure your butter is unsalted.
- Sugar. Using some brown sugar gives the muffins a rich flavor that granulated alone wouldn’t provide.
- Buttermilk. This keeps the muffins nice and moist. If you’re low on buttermilk, give my easy buttermilk substitute a try!
SAM’S TIP: Overmixing your batter can lead to muffins that are too tough and dense. To avoid this, I strongly recommend stirring your banana muffin batter completely by hand. Luckily, we’re using melted butter in this recipe, so mixing by hand is a breeze!
Remember, this is just an overview of the ingredients I used and why. For the full recipe please scroll down to the bottom of the post!
How to Make Banana Muffins
- Mash your bananas, then add the oil and melted butter.
- Stir in the sugar, then add the eggs, vanilla, and buttermilk.
- Combine your dry ingredients in a separate bowl, then gently fold them into the wet ingredients.
- Portion the batter into a paper-lined muffin tin, filling each liner is ¾ of the way full.
- Prepare your streusel, if using, and portion over each muffin.
- Bake your muffins for 8 minutes, then reduce the temperature and bake for another 7-8 minutes until done.
SAM’S TIP: While I personally love and recommend the streusel topping, I know not everyone wants the extra sugar or dishes. As you can see, the “naked” banana muffin pictured below baked up beautifully with an even tidier, higher muffin top. So feel free to skip it!
Frequently Asked Questions
Yes, although I do have a separate banana nut muffin recipe you might want to try (it uses browned butter too 🤤). You can add between 1-1½ cups of add-ins (chocolate chips work well!) to this banana muffin recipe. I recommend adding them when you’re almost done incorporating the dry ingredients.
Yes! To do this, you’ll follow the same instructions I provide for my bakery-style chocolate chip muffins:
Bake at 425F for 8 minutes, then reduce the oven to 350F (don’t open the door!) and continue baking until the muffins begin to turn golden brown. This can take anywhere from 7-15 minutes, so keep an eye on them!
This banana muffin recipe freezes very well! In fact, I did this in preparation for Luke’s arrival so I always had a quick breakfast handy during his newborn phase.
If you want want to freeze yours, allow them to cool completely, wrap individually in plastic wrap, place in a Ziploc bag, and freeze. To thaw, either set your muffins out at room temperature or microwave them (just use the defrost setting or they’ll become hard).
So, do you agree? Is this the BEST banana muffin recipe? Let me know in the comments!
Enjoy!
Let’s bake together! I’ll be walking you through all the steps in my written recipe and video below! If you try this recipe, be sure to tag me on Instagram, and you can also find me on YouTube and Facebook
The Best Banana Muffin Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (385 g) well-mashed ripe bananas This is typically 3 large bananas for me
- ¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil (may substitute vegetable or avocado oil)
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter melted and cooled at least 5 minutes
- ½ cup (100 g) sugar
- ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
- 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
- ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
- 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
Streusel (optional)
- ½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, cold
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.1 ½ cups (385 g) well-mashed ripe bananas
- Add oil and melted butter and stir well.¼ cup (60 ml) avocado oil or vegetable oil or canola oil, ¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter
- Stir in sugars until well-combined.½ cup (100 g) sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
- Add eggs, buttermilk, and vanilla extract and stir well. Set aside.2 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
- In a separate bowl, whisk together your dry ingredients — flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon 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 ¾ 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.½ cup (65 g) all-purpose flour, ½ cup (100 g) brown sugar, ¼ teaspoon salt
- Using a pastry cutter, cut in your cold butter until the butter is well-worked in and your mixture resembles coarse crumbs.¼ cup (60 g) unsalted butter, cold
- 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
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.
This recipe was originally published 01/05/2018. Updated with more information and better photos 10/17/2019.
Melissa
I just added a cup of buttermilk ahhh! Is there anything I can do to adjust this?
Sugar Spun Run
Oh no, Melissa! You can try scooping some out. Without also adjusting the other ingredients (x3), I am afraid there isn’t anything else you can do. 🙁
Kelly
Amazing as usual! When I’m searching for a recipe and one of yours pops up- I always go for it knowing it will never let me down. I got 17 delicious muffins out of this. I always save my emptied vanilla beans, so I soaked 2 of those in the melted butter. I was a bit overly generous with the streusel topping, so I had 3 stragglers without it. No biggie- I stuffed them full of Ghirardelli milk chocolate chips. Girl, you’ve definitely got this whole baking thing down 👏👏👍👍
Sugar Spun Run
Your comment made my day, Kelly! Thank you for your kind words and being a fan of my recipes! I am happy that you enjoyed the banana muffins. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Brenda McBride
Could you tell me what size of bananas you used? Three large bananas would be a lot more than three small. Thank you.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Brenda! I typically use a medium/large-sized bananas for this recipe. To give you a better idea, I show the size of the bananas I used in the video that can be found just above the recipe. 🙂
O. Randle
I live in Colorado, so I have to follow the High Altitude baking rules, which sometimes call for additional flour and/or liquids (e.g. water, milk, etc.). Do I need to add anything to your recipe? Your recipe sounds yummy and I can’t wait to try it! Thank you.
Sugar Spun Run
Hi! I am sorry I don’t have experience baking at high altitude so I can not provide any additional recommendations. Maybe someone who has tried the recipe in these conditions will chime in. 🙂
Ellie B
if you have a kitchen scale, follow the recipe by the measured weights. as far as i know, those should be consistent in different altitudes, the volume is what will differ.
Sharon Stephens
Love this recipe. Did a double batch 1 lot with choc chips and the other had choc chips and reeses drops all with the Strusel and put nuts on top the resses batch. So yummy. But I’m thanks so much for the recipe.
Sugar Spun Run
Both batches sound incredible, Sharon! I am so glad that you enjoyed the banana muffins. Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Naomi
Can regular milk be used as a substitute for buttermilk?
Sam
Hi Naomi, it could be but the muffins won’t be as moist. I would recommend using my buttermilk substitute.
Naomi
I used your buttermilk substitute and the muffins turned out excellent! Thank you for sharing
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much for trying my recipe, Naomi! I am so glad that the buttermilk substitute worked well for you and that you enjoyed the banana muffins. Thanks for the feedback! 🙂
Pixy
I used regular milk as that’s all I had in the fridge and the muffins turned out amazing!
Sugar Spun Run
Thanks for sharing, Pixy! 🙂
Judy Yan
Do you think itll still be as moist if I use whole wheat flour? Do you think I’d have to change the baking time?
Sam
Hi Judy, I don’t think you’d have to change the baking time necessarily, but the muffins will not be as moist.
Jenn
Love these! Thinking of using chocolate chips and some peanut butter (instead of streusel topping). Figuring the peanut butter will give it a bit of protein when my son eats it for breakfast.
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the banana muffins, Jenn! The additional peanut butter sounds perfect! Thanks for commenting. 🙂
Amanda
What would you suggest if I don’t have a pastry cutter?
Sugar Spun Run
Hi, Amanda! You can use a fork instead. I hope that you enjoy the banana muffins. 🙂
Catherine
This is the best recipe I have come across. My family loved them. It’s a keeper
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Catherine! I am so glad that you enjoyed the banana muffins. Thank you for commenting. 🙂
Erika
Wowww!! Definitely the best recipe I’ve tried so far!
Sugar Spun Run
Thank you so much, Erika! I am so glad that you enjoyed the banana muffins. 🙂
Deirdra
How long should I bake if I am using a mini muffin tin?
Sam
Hi Deirdra! I haven’t made it in a mini muffin tin myself so I’m not sure, but another commenter said that they made mini muffins and baked at 375 for 15 minutes. I hope that helps!
Deirdra
Thank you. I will give it a try.
Karen
How do I store these muffins. So delicious
Sugar Spun Run
I am so glad that you enjoyed the banana muffins, Karen! You can store them in an airtight container or large ziplock bag at room temperature. 🙂
ERICKA DOMINICK
Absolutely delicious…thank you so much!!
Sam
You’re very welcome, I’m so glad you enjoyed the banana muffins, Ericka! 🙂
Pinky
Sweet baby jesus and the three wise men! This muffin is A-mazin! So light and moist, this will be a breakfast staple for me and my tribe!!:’)
Sugar Spun Run
I love this comment so much! I am so glad that the banana muffins are a hit with your tribe, Pinky! 🙂