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.
Irene
Hi Sam! How many cups are the bananas when mashed? Thank you so much! Love ur recipes!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Irene! Depending on their size, you should have roughly one cup of bananas after mashing.
Jane U
These were delicious muffins. I added walnuts and oats to the streusel. Great way to use up the overripe bananas that I had thrown in the freezer. Will definitely make them again.
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Sounds delicious, Jane! We’re so glad you loved them. ❤️
Amy
Oh my goodness. These are by far the best banana muffins I’ve ever made!!! My kids and I can’t get over how fluffy they are! I really think the two different cooking times makes a big difference. Thank you so much for sharing! Keeping this recipe forever!!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
We’re so glad this recipe was a hit for your family, Amy! It’s a keeper for sure ❤️
Terri Bruch
thankyou thank you thank you for all your breakfast recipes I volunteer bake for a Ronald McDonald house and bake mostly breakfast muffins and scones the residents can grab on the way to the hospital in the morning Im always looking for new ideas that are yummy and can always count on you!
Emily @ Sugar Spun Run
Hi Terri! It’s wonderful that you’re able to share treats with those going through hard times. Thanks for commenting. ❤️
ML
Thanks for your service! I have stayed at our local RMH for a few months while my son went through cancer treatment. Volunteers like you were a Godsend!
Judy
Would I be able to use all butter? I don’t keep canola or vegetable oil in the house. Thanks!
Sam
Hi Judy, you could, but keep in mind the muffins will not be quite as moist. Enjoy!
E
Ummm THESE ARE SO GOOD! I added mini chocolate chips and these are truly one of the most addicting muffins I’ve ever had. Just the right amount of sweet and super moist. SO easy, too. I will be making these all the time lol
Sam
I’m so happy to hear this, thank you for letting me know how they turned out for you! 🙂
Mel
Interestingly enough, the difference between these muffins and the banana cupcakes is a sixth of a cup of granulated sugar. The debate of muffin vs cupcake continues!
cindy buchanan
I have made alot of banana muffins these are the best.
Tracy
By far the best banana muffins I’ve ever made! My family and I love them!! Thank you! 😊
Janis Donegan
I made the recipe without eggs and added 1 1/2 Tablespoons of whey protein powder, and they are delicious. I love this recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Janis! 🙂
Lori
Thank you they were great. Everyone at work loved them😋
Sam
I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them! 🙂
Lori
What time would you use for jumbo muffins?
Sam
Hi Lori! I would follow the baking instructions on my bakery style chocolate chip muffins. 🙂
Michelle Ruiz
These are the best banana muffins ever!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Michelle! 🙂
Dianne Friesenhahn
These muffins were awesome! Followed recipe exactly. Only change was that I added cinnamon and chopped walnuts to batter and added cinnamon to streusel topping (I’m a cinnamon fanatic). Was outstanding! Will be making again. Thanks for sharing!
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Dianne! 🙂
Nina
Thank you for this obscenely good recipe! Love your attention to details—we can tell that you’ve done some valuable experimenting. I wanted to add chocolate chunks to this recipe (Trader Joe’s 72% Pound Plus bar, finely chopped), and based on your Basic Muffin, I added two cups of chocolate. That was A LOT of chocolate, and it was breathtaking. (In a good way.)
Sam
I’m so glad you enjoyed it so much, Nina! I lovveee the addition of the chocolate! 🙂
Pear
Can I use olive instead of canola oil?
Sam
While it will work, olive oil has a much stronger flavor. If you are ok with the flavor then go ahead. 🙂
Pear
I ended up using avocado oil instead. These are the best banana muffins I’ve ever made! My family love them and they only last for 2 days. This would be my go-to banana muffins recipe.
Sam
I’m so glad they turned out! 🙂