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.
Stacey Amerson
Let me preface this by saying I don’t cook (I can make an omelette that’s about it) and I’ve NEVER baked before. Not even brownie mix from a box. But I made these yesterday and they were so delicious!! Your recipe was clear and concise, and I really want to try baking all sorts of things now. I was wanting to try adding walnuts to this recipe, so a little crunch will break up all the yummy sofness. Do you have advice at what stage of prep to add nuts?? Thank you!!
Sam
Hi Stacey! I would add the nuts when the wet and dry ingredients are about halfway incorporated so you don’t end up over-mixing the batter. 😃
becky a
I followed this recipe exactly (rare for me!) and they turned out perfectly. I did use the paper liners and it made about 18 nicely domed muffins. thank you for sharing!
Sam
Thank you for the feedback Becky! I’m so glad you enjoyed them!
Dan
I used whole wheat flour and about 3/4 cup of walnuts,had a lot of the topping leftover,they are great,hope I have room for dinner , thanks dan
Sam
I am so glad you liked them Dan! 😃
Tamara
I’ve been searching for a really good banana muffin recipe for a long time, and I am happy to say, I don’t have to look any further. These muffins are fantastic! So good that I have to forgive you for activating my OCD because the recipe makes 15 muffins instead of 12…totally worth dirtying the extra pan. Also love the fact that there is a simple substitute for buttermilk and even a breakdown for different measurements. I actually used bananas that were really soft and brown and the muffins still turned out fantastic. Thanks for the great recipe!
Sam
Hi Tamara! I am so glad you enjoyed these muffins! Sorry about the number it makes! Just more for you to enjoy! 😉
Nicole Marie
These are truly Exquisite! I have never made anything without a box and for the first recipe I did try because of the 5 out of 5 Stars I have to say that these are incredible. Thank you so much for posting this. I used gluten free flour and I can imagine it’s just as delicious with regular.
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed them Nicole! 😃
Cyndy
How long would I bake if making mini muffins?
Sam
I have not tried it so I can’t honestly give you an answer.
Melissa
I too botched the recipe by trying to use almond flour instead BUT I read the flour portion in the streusel part of the recipe instead and only put in 1/2 cup! I thought the batter was awfully wet! So, mine turned out super wet but still delicious! Will try the appropriate amount next time but almond flour is a good addition. Thanks for this fabulous and easy recipe.
Sam
O NO!!! I hate when I read the wrong thing! I’m glad they still turned out for you!!
Mary Lee
Oh
My
Gosh!
Scrumptious!
Bobby
My GOD these are the best banana muffins I have ever made, and I’ve been an avid baker for the past 11 years! I followed the recipe to a T, and they are so fluffy and delicious!
Sam
I am so glad you enjoyed these Bobby! 😃
Wy10
We have young children, and they don’t eat a full muffin very well, so we like to make mini muffins for them, do you happen to know what temperature we should cook them at, and what time?
Thank you!
Kari
Sam
Hi Kari, unfortunately I have not tried it and I would need to experiment with that to have a good answer. It would be tricky because you have to start on the higher temperature then drop the temperature part of the way through. Sorry…
Megan
Just made these and they turned out AMAZING! new favorite recipe!
Sam
Thank you Megan. I am glad you enjoyed them! 😃
Jennifer
Is the buttermilk necessary? Or is there a substitute?
Sam
I actually have an easy buttermilk substitute if you don’t have buttermilk on hand. 😃
Jennifer S Deegan
So…i made the cup of buttermilk using your recipe and then after 5 minutes dumped the entire cup in the mix!! Whoops- all hope was not lost. I added another 1/2 cup of flour and another 1/2 tsp of baking soda and baking powder and a Tbs of sugar and baked it in a 9×13 cake pan. I put the strussel topping on and did need to bake it at about 375 for 45 minutes because it was do wet. It was DELICIOUS! So moist and tender and no muffin cups to mess with. Thank you for a wonderful recipe!
Sam
I am glad it was such a hit and that you were able to salvage the muffins! Thank you for commenting Jennifer!! 🙂
Jett
I did the same thing! This is a great recipe!
Klaire
May i trouble you to share an estimate of how much the bananas should weigh for this recipe, please? Bananas here in the tropics do come in a variety of sizes so it’ll really help to have a rough indication.
Thank you so much! Can’t wait to make them!!
Sam
Hi Klaire! I admittedly did not weight them but, from what I have read, three bananas should weigh about 350 grams (that’s peeled/not including the weight of the skin). I hope that helps!
Klaire
Thank you so much Sam! That really helped for a novice baker like me.
The muffins were delish! I hid a giant Hersey kiss in each one and the kids couldn’t stop ;D
Jett
I have to say these are SO GOOD.
They’re so good, in fact that I completely botched the recipe.
I added 2c buttermilk substitute instead of the 1/2 I needed to use when I doubled – I -was using the buttermilk recipe and just went with that -oops! I added an extra cup of flower to adjust the liquid ratio and these are STILL amazing.
Sam
So glad you were able to save them and that you enjoyed them! Thank you for commenting!! 🙂