Easy Banana Muffins

Easy banana muffins start out fuss-free mornings on the right foot. They combine the ultra banana-y flavor we love from our best banana bread recipes with the ease, convenience and portability that a muffin recipe brings. Don’t be confused, though: These banana muffins are not banana bread baked into muffin cups. They’re just as bouncy, tender, moist and plump as bakery-style muffins, and we can’t get enough!

Easy Banana Muffin Ingredients

• All-purpose flour: This is our favorite type of flour to use for quick bread recipes. All-purpose flour adds enough strength and structure so the muffins bake plump and tall but still maintain a moist crumb.
• Bananas: When baking with bananas, use ones that are ripe (or even overripe) to yield the best flavor.
• Egg: You’ll need only one large egg for this recipe. Be sure to take it out of the fridge 30 minutes before using so it blends better with the batter.
• Vegetable oil: Vegetable oil makes this recipe naturally dairy-free and keeps the muffins moist longer than butter would.
• Vanilla extract: Delicate vanilla extract adds a subtle blooming floral note that complements the natural taste of the bananas.

Directions

Step 1: Create the batter

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Preheat your oven to 375°F. In a large bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, sugar, baking soda and salt.

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In another bowl, mash the bananas. Whisk in the egg, oil and vanilla until well combined.

Editor’s Tip: Make sure to really mash the bananas thoroughly or else your muffins may be dry in some areas with pockets of bananas in other spots.

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Whisk the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients just until moistened.

Editor’s Tip: Although it’s tempting, avoid overwhisking when mixing the wet and dry ingredients, as that will create tough, dense muffins. Instead, whisk everything together until it’s just combined.

Step 2: Scoop the batter into muffin cups

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Grease the muffin cups in a muffin tin or line them with cupcake liners. Fill each muffin cup halfway full with the batter.

Editor’s Tip: Use a cookie scoop to make the job easier, cleaner and more consistent.

Step 3: Bake the muffins

Bake until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, 18 to 22 minutes. Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes at room temperature. Remove the muffins from the pan to a wire rack to cool completely.

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Recipe Variations

• Fold in your favorite mix-ins: From indulgent chocolate chips and toasted nuts to dried fruit and warming baking spices like cinnamon and nutmeg, these simple banana muffins are easy to dress up to your liking. We absolutely love sweetened shredded coconut in these for a tropical surprise.
• Add a streusel topping: I love a bit of texture on my muffins, which is why I’ll almost always whip up a batch of streusel. To make some yourself, grab a small bowl and whisk together 1 cup sugar, 2/3 cup all-purpose flour and 1 teaspoon cinnamon. Cut in a 1/2 cup cold butter until the mixture is crumbly, then sprinkle evenly over the batter in the muffin cups. Bake the muffins using this recipe’s instructions.
• Bake with a cinnamon-pecan topping: Another easy way to create more texture and flavor with these simple banana muffins is by baking on a cinnamon-pecan topping. Grab the recipe from our strawberry-rhubarb muffins.
• Dip in chocolate ganache: If you’re like us, you’ll look for any excuse to add more chocolate into your life. Once these easy banana muffins have cooled to room temp, dunk them muffin top-first into a silky chocolate ganache. Dress with sprinkles if desired.
• Make it gluten-free: We haven’t tested this exact recipe with a cup-for-cup gluten-free flour blend, but we do have a knockout gluten-free banana muffins recipe that’s just as tender, moist and full of banana flavor as this one.

How to Store Easy Banana Muffins

Let the muffins come to room temperature, then store them in an airtight container. Keep them on the kitchen counter for up to three days, or in the fridge for five. Rewarm the muffins in the microwave to reinvigorate the sense of fresh-out-of-the-oven banana muffins.

Can you freeze easy banana muffins?

Yes, you can freeze easy banana muffins. First, let them cool to room temperature, then place them in an airtight container in the freezer for up to three months. Thaw them in the fridge overnight or at room temperature for one to two hours.

Easy Banana Muffin Tips

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How do you quickly ripen bananas?

To quickly ripen bananas, place your bananas in a brown paper bag and roll the top closed tightly. Add an apple, avocado, peach or tomato to the bag as well to trap the ethylene gas of the fruits. This quickens the ripening process, but keep in mind the other fruit in the bag will ripen fast too. If you need ripe bananas even quicker than that, you can bake them in the oven. Keep the bananas in their peels, place them on a baking sheet and warm them in the oven at 250° for 15-20 minutes.

How do you lighten up this recipe?

If you’d like to use more wholesome ingredients in these simple banana muffins, swap in unsweetened applesauce for half (or all) the oil. Here’s more information on substituting apple sauce for oil.