Banana Muffins

Name: Banana Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 16 min
Total time: 26 min
Ingredients: ⅓ cup butter; 1½ cups all purpose flour; 1 teaspoon baking soda; 1 teaspoon baking powder; ½ teaspoon salt; ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 3 ripe bananas (mashed); ¾ cup white granulated sugar; 1 egg; 1 tablespoon vanilla; 1 tablespoon butter (softened); ⅓ cup brown sugar (packed ); ½ teaspoon cinnamon; 2 tablespoons all purpose flour

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By: Julie Blanner7 Comments
Updated: 4/28/23

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A secret ingredient makes these easy Banana Muffins irresistible – brown butter! The flavor of these muffins is amazing – brown butter, ripe bananas, and a sprinkle of cinnamon! Finish with a crunchy crumb topping for a bakery-style muffin that you can make at home in minutes!

These Banana Muffins are so good! Like better than a cupcake good. Like you’d better make a double-batch good.

This easy banana muffin recipe takes less than 10 minutes hands on time, and just 16 minutes to bake, making it an easy and irresistible breakfast the entire family will enjoy.

Their compact size makes them perfect to pack for kids’ school lunches. A muffin can be their main course, but they’ll feel like they’re eating dessert first!

We also enjoy banana muffins as an afternoon snack. We’ll eat leftovers from that morning’s breakfast. Or take one out of the freezer, microwave it for a few seconds, and have a delicious muffin that tastes (almost) as fresh as the day it was made.

Muffins are perfect for any special breakfast or brunch. Serve on Mother’s Day and Easter alongside Egg Strata and Vanilla Fruit Salad. Breakfast will look especially pretty on a table with Spring Flower Arrangements.

Muffins are also one of my favorite hostess and neighbor gifts because they pack easily into a beautiful basket for gifting. I like to use tulip liners when giving muffins as gifts because they make such a pretty presentation.

Banana muffins are a great reason to wake up in the morning. They’re moist, buttery (do not skip out on browning the butter!), and the topping is just the right amount of crunch. Slow down and enjoy your morning with one – or two! – muffins.

overhead view of a banana muffin with crumb topping in parchment liner

Love everything banana? Don’t miss my incredible Banana Bread and Bananas Foster.

Table of Contents

Why You’ll Love Banana Muffins

Simple and Quick
Great Flavor
Perfect for Breakfast, Brunch, Lunch, and Snacks
Make Lovely Gifts

The Best Bananas to Use

Ripe to barely overripe bananas are the best for using in breads and muffins because the flavor is more intense and they mash up better than bananas that are bright yellow.

Grocery stores often have brown-spotted bananas in their produce section that they sell for less. That’s the perfect color and consistency for baked goods. Pick up a bunch if you want to make banana muffins within a couple of days.

I’ve also discovered that gas stations almost always have brown bananas. If I want to make banana bread or banana muffins on a whim, I swing by a nearby gas station and there it is – a stand with a few bunches of bananas that are perfectly brown, very ripe, and ready to bake!

3 banana muffins on a plate with yellow flowers

Banana Muffin Ingredients

Butter – Unsalted butter is preferred, but you can use whatever you have on hand.
Flour – All purpose.
Baking Soda – One of the two leavening agents in this quick bread.
Baking Powder – The other leavening agent giving it a perfect rise.
Salt – Omit if you’re using salted butter.
Cinnamon – Adds a little spice and warm flavor.
Ripened Bananas – Get my tips on how to ripen bananas below.
Sugar – White granulated sugar.
Egg – The binding agent.
Vanilla – Adds a hint of flavor.

For the Crumb Topping

Butter – Softened. You can learn how to soften butter here.
Brown Sugar – Sweetens and gives it a golden brown color.
Cinnamon – Adds a little warmth.
Flour – Holds the crumble together.

Variations

Nuts – Add a handful of your favorite nuts.
Dried Fruit – Add raisins or cranberries.
Fresh Fruit – Stir in some raspberries.
Chocolate Chips – Add some chocolate chips.

Missing an ingredient? No problem! You can get my complete list of baking substitutions here.

muffins with crumb topping on a white plate

How to Make Banana Muffins

Prep – Preheat oven and grease or line muffin tins.
Brown Butter – Melt butter oven medium heat until it becomes brown in color and has a nutty aroma. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Combine Dry Ingredients – Mix flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon.
Combine Wet Ingredients – Mix mashed bananas, sugar, egg, vanilla and cooled butter.
Gradually incorporate dry mixture into wet mixture.
Fill – Fill muffin tins 2/3 full.
Top with Crumb Topping
Bake Muffins – Until toothpick comes out clean.

How to Make Crumb Topping for Muffins

Combine softened butter, sugar and flour in a bowl and mash with a fork or spoon until it reaches an oatmeal like texture.
Spoon onto muffins.

muffins on pate with yellow flowers behind

Tips

How to Store Muffins

To Refrigerate – Allow them to cool in the tin for a few minutes and transfer to a wire rack. Store in an airtight container or ziplock bag on a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
To Freeze – wrap muffins in Saran Wrap and place them in a freezer bag. Store up to 3 months.
- To thaw, bring to room temperature (about 3-4 hours)
- To warm, preheat oven to 350 degrees and bake 3 minutes

For more tips and tricks to store quick breads and keep them as fresh as the day they were baked, don’t skip How to Store Banana Bread.

How to Ripen Bananas

Ripe bananas are a key ingredient to a moist and delicious banana muffin. But don’t fret, if you have green bananas there are a few ways to speed up the process.

Place them in a brown paper bag and wait 12 hours.
Microwave for 1 minute, check every 15 seconds after that.
Bake at 300 degrees for 15 minutes on a cookie sheet, add more time if needed.

How to Mash Bananas

Remove peel from banana and place in a bowl. Remove the ends. Press down on bananas with a fork until it has all been mashed. This will leave a slightly chunk banana that works great in bread and muffins.
If you don’t like small banana chunks in your baked goods, puree them in a blender until smooth.

Frequently Asked Questions

Should I use a liner in the muffin tin?

That is totally up to you. If you use a liner you don’t have to grease the pan and the muffin comes out easily. It also looks pretty for giving away. If you choose not to use a liner, make sure you grease the tin really well. When you don’t a use a liner, the muffin gets a nice crust around the edges that is perfect for an on-the-go snack.

Can I use frozen bananas to make muffins?

Yes, you can. Peel and freeze bananas in a bag or container. When you’re ready to make muffins, let the bananas thaw and then drain extra moisture. The bananas will be mushy and brown. Mash with a fork and then use as directed in the recipe.