Easy Banana Muffins

These are the best banana muffins to make when you have overripe bananas for a buttery, soft taste and fluffy texture.

Also try banana bread French toast, slow-cooker banana cake, some three-ingredient pancakes, or Starbucks copycat banana bread.

Why You’ll Love It

Great for breakfast or snacks: This banana muffin recipe is perfect for a quick breakfast on the go or a satisfying snack throughout the day.
Kid-friendly: The sweet flavor and fun texture make these muffins a hit with kids.
Moist and tender: The combination of bananas and melted butter gives you incredibly moist and soft muffins.

Banana Muffin Ingredients

A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below.

All-purpose flour: Provides structure and a tender crumb to the muffins. Sieve out any lumps.
Baking soda: Use a fresh batch for a fluffy result. Don’t swap out with baking powder in this recipe.
Melted butter: Adds richness and moisture, contributing to the overall flavor and tenderness of the muffins.
Light brown sugar: Packed brown sugar adds sweetness and hints of caramel flavor.
Mashed bananas: Very ripe bananas are best, especially the ones with black spots. Using ripe fruit will help when you have to mash bananas.
Cinnamon: Infuses a warm, comforting spice flavor ideal with bananas.
Egg: Binds the ingredients together, adding richness and contributing to the muffins’ structure.

How to Make Banana Muffins

For more detailed instructions with weights and measurements, jump to the printable recipe card.

Prepare the dry ingredients: Mix the flour, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until well combined in a large bowl. Set this aside.
Mix the wet ingredients: Add the melted butter, brown sugar, egg, vanilla extract, and mashed banana mix to another bowl and stir until mixed.
Combine wet and dry mixtures: Pour the wet mixture into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently stir until just combined, being careful not to overmix the batter.
Fill the muffin cups and bake: Evenly distribute the batter into the 12 muffin cups using a cookie scoop and bake.
Cool the muffins: Once baked, cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes. Then, cool completely on a wire wrack.

Substitutions and Variations

Add-ins: You can add chopped walnuts to this recipe for banana nut muffins, chocolate chips (banana chocolate chip muffins are next level) and many other things.
Flour: Swap all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour for a nuttier flavor and added fiber, or use gluten-free flour for a gluten-free option.
Butter: Replace melted unsalted butter with coconut oil or apple sauce for a dairy-free option in your banana bread muffins.
Egg: Use a flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water) or unsweetened apple sauce as an egg substitute for a vegan version.
Bananas: If you don’t have ripe bananas, you can use other mashed fruits like applesauce or pureed pumpkin.
Spices: Experiment with spices such as nutmeg or cardamom to add a unique twist to the flavor profile.
Toppings: For a crunchy topping, sprinkle some oats, nuts or a mixture of cinnamon and sugar on top of the batter before baking. Drizzle with the banana muffins with chocolate.
Make mini muffins: You’ll need to bake the banana muffin batter for less time, of course.

Serving Suggestions

Appetizer: Serve your easy banana muffins at the start of your breakfast or brunch.
Main: This easy skillet breakfast will hit the spot, or make on-the-go Starbucks copycat wraps.
Dessert: End with pancake nachos, sheet pan pancakes or pancake spaghetti.

How to Store Banana Muffins

Store: Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge
Freezer: Let muffins cool completely, and place them in an airtight freezer-safe container. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw: Defrost them at room temperature.
Reheat: Reheat in the oven or microwave.