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Banana bread muffins bring all the goodness of our favorite banana bread, but in muffin form. They're tender and moist, and you can enjoy them warm from the oven in under an hour.
Try my super moist banana bread next!
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Why You’ll Love This Recipe
I love to make banana bread muffins because they give me the comfort of banana bread in a fraction of the time. They’re quick, easy, and truly beginner-friendly with no mixer required, just a whisk and spatula. The muffins take 25 minutes to bake, and can be enjoyed rather quickly, so you don’t have to wait for a whole loaf to cool down. They come out moist, tender, and perfectly sweet, making them just right for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or whenever that banana bread craving hits.
What You'll Need
- All-purpose flour – Provides structure and a tender crumb. It’s sturdy enough for mix-ins like nuts or chocolate.
- Baking soda & baking powder – Work together to make the muffins rise light and fluffy.
- Sea salt – Enhances flavor and balances sweetness. A little goes a long way.
- Cinnamon – Adds a warm, cozy note that pairs perfectly with bananas.
- Unsalted butter – Adds richness and moisture. I’ve tested this recipe with melted butter and coconut oil too, and they work just as well.
- Brown sugar – Adds sweetness and a subtle caramel flavor that deepens the banana taste. White sugar can be swapped in equal amounts if that’s what you have.
- Ripe bananas – The star ingredient! I like to use bananas that are heavily spotted or nearly black for the best flavor and natural sweetness.
- Egg – Helps bind the batter and gives the muffins structure and tenderness.
- Milk – Adds moisture and keeps the crumb soft. Buttermilk works too.
- Vanilla – Rounds out the flavors with a familiar, comforting note.
- Walnuts (optional) – Add crunch and nutty flavor if you like mix-ins.
How to make banana bread muffins
First, preheat the oven to 375°F and prepare a muffin pan with cupcake liners or cooking spray. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon and set aside. In another bowl, stir the butter and brown sugar until creamy.
Next, add the bananas and mash until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps if you prefer a rustic texture.
Then, whisk in the egg, vanilla, and milk until combined. Add the dry ingredients and walnuts (if used) and gently fold until combined. Don’t overmix.
I use a portion scoop to divide the batter evenly into the lined muffin pan, filling each cup about ⅔ full. A measuring cup works too. The key is to keep the amounts the same so the muffins bake consistently. Bake for 25–30 minutes, until the centers are set and the tops are golden.
Finally, let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring them to a cooling rack. You probably won't wait for them to cool completely. I know I never do, but that's the beauty of this recipe. Banana bread muffins bake and cool faster than a whole loaf, so you can enjoy them sooner, and we love that!
Test Kitchen Tips
- Bananas – You'll notice in my photos that my bananas are nearly black on the outside, but that’s not a requirement. Even mildly spotty bananas add great flavor and sweetness.
- Butter or Oil – I tested this recipe with softened butter, melted butter, and coconut oil. Honestly, I couldn’t tell the difference in flavor or texture.
- Liners – Cupcake liners can stick if the muffins are warm. I either let them cool completely or spray the liners before filling.
- Baking Temperature – After testing different oven temperatures, I’ve found 375°F for 25–30 minutes gives the best browning and keeps the muffins moist.
- Reheating - I find that warming day-old muffins makes them as soft and fresh as the day they were baked. I highly recommend it before serving.
Recipe variations
- A pinch of nutmeg pairs beautifully with the cinnamon, making these muffins even cozier and ready for autumn.
- Add a spoonful of ground flaxseed or chia seeds to the batter for a wholesome boost.
- Want to make these feel like a dessert snack? Stir in ½ cup of chocolate chips before baking.
- I like to spread cream cheese and spicy fig jam over these muffins when they're fresh and warm.
Storage and warming
Let the muffins cool completely, then store them in an airtight container for up to 3 days at room temperature or 5–7 days in the refrigerator. I find that warming day-old muffins makes them as soft and fresh as the day they were baked. I highly recommend this before serving.
Bread Recipes You'll Love
📖 Recipe
Banana Bread Muffins Recipe
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Video
When scaling the recipe 2x or 3x, the gray ingredient note stays the same. Adjust quantities accordingly.
Ingredients
- 1 ⅓ cups All Purpose Flour
- ½ teaspoon Baking Soda
- ¼ teaspoon Baking Powder
- ¼ teaspoon Sea Salt
- ¼ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 6 tablespoons Unsalted Butter, softened
- ½ cup Brown Sugar
- 3 large Ripened Bananas, can be overripe
- 1 Egg, room temperature
- 2 tablespoons Milk, or buttermilk
- ½ teaspoon Vanilla
Optional
- ½ cup Walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F. Line a muffin pan with cupcake liners or coat with cooking spray.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk FLOUR, BAKING SODA, BAKING POWDER, SALT, and CINNAMON. Set aside.
- In another bowl, stir BUTTER and BROWN SUGAR until creamy. Mash in BANANAS until mostly smooth (a few lumps are fine).
- Whisk in EGG, VANILLA, and MILK until combined.
- Add dry ingredients and WALNUTS (if using). Gently fold until just combined—do not overmix.
- Scoop batter into muffin pan, filling each cup about ⅔ full.
- Bake 25–30 minutes, until centers are set and tops are golden.
- Cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then transfer muffins to a cooling rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- To store, cool completely and keep in an airtight container up to 3 days at room temperature for 5–7 days in the fridge.
Recipe Notes
Equipment
- 2 ounce portion scoop or a large spoon
- muffin liners or cooking spray
Heidi says
I love that they can last 5-7 days in the fridge, so perfect for meal planning! These really are the perfect quick and easy breakfast for on the go!
Traci says
Yes! And they really are little portable banana breads. I'm glad you're enjoying the recipe. Thanks for taking the time to let us know! Cheers!
Tea says
Made it yesterday, with a few differences. I replaced butter with greek yogurt and brown sugar with honey. It was relly delicious, and i did not have any regrets after eating.. But, your recepie is a great combo of ingridients, so it was easy to make a healthy version. Delish!! :))
Traci says
Yay! Sounds like a winning combination that I'll have to try! Thanks for sharing your tips and experience. YUM!
TAYLER ROSS says
I made these muffins for breakfast this morning and OMG were they delicious! My kids loved them too!
Traci says
Yay!! I'm so glad you went for it and they were so loved! Thanks for taking the time to leave a comment. Enjoy!
Casey says
Thank you for the cream cheese spread idea. This is hands down my favorite new banana muffin recipe. It was absolutely incredible.
Traci says
You are so welcome!! I'm glad you are enjoying the recipe and thanks for the feedback!
Carrie Robinson says
I just love homemade banana bread! This is such a fun variation on it. 🙂
Traci says
Yes!! Banana muffins are the portable version. Glad you can enjoy! Thanks!
Karlie says
I always have spare bananas lying around in my freezer for occasions like this. Yummy!
Traci says
Yay! Same here and this recipe comes in so handy for that. Thanks and enjoy!
Lubna says
Extremely delicious looking. Can't wait to try these....
Traci says
So glad you can enjoy these. Thanks!
Sharon says
Very easy and delicious!!
Traci says
Yay!! So glad you enjoyed 🙂 Thanks for sharing your experience. Cheers!
Annette says
Could you substitute oil for the butter?
Traci says
You sure can! I even mentioned that I used coconut oil in my testing notes above. Any oil will work 🙂 Let me know if I can answer any more questions for you. Enjoy!
Tia says
You’re not kidding when you say moist and delicious, even on day 3! Great tip to warm them in the microwave. Love!!
Traci says
Yay! I'm so glad you're loving these. Thanks for sharing your experience!
JB says
I can't stop eating these LOL. It's like I can't control myself because they're just so moist and delicious. Easy to make too. Thanks for another great one!
Traci says
Of course, and I'm glad you love them as much as I do. I'm right there with you on the can't stop eating part LOL. Thanks for sharing your experience!