Easy Banana Muffins Recipe

Ready to transform those ripe bananas languishing on your counter into something epic? Let’s dive into baking these moist and delicious banana breakfast muffins that will have you dreaming of breakfast all day long!

These Easy Banana Muffins are a quick breakfast treat or snack that I love to make. They’re sweet enough, thanks to the ripe bananas, a touch of vanilla, and just the right amount of sugar that makes them a delightful part of breakfast.

Natural sweetness gives them a good start to breakfast. They’re rich and tender, thanks to the melted butter, and they rise beautifully, thanks to the baking powder and soda.

Ingredients

• Bananas: Rich in potassium and natural sweetness, these add flavor and moisture.
• All-Purpose Flour: Provides structure with essential carbohydrates and gluten.
• Granulated Sugar: Sweetens the muffins while promoting a tender crumb.
• Egg: Supplies protein, helping to bind and lift the batter.
• Melted Butter: Adds richness and enhances the overall flavor.
• Baking Soda: Ensures rise and fluffiness, reacting with the banana’s acidity.

Ingredient Quantities

• 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1 egg, lightly beaten
• 1/3 cup melted butter
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

How to Make this

1. Set your oven to 350°F (175°C) and prepare a muffin tin with either paper liners or a light coat of grease.

2. In a big mixing bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisk well until everything is mixed and a homogenous batter is achieved.

3. In a separate big bowl, smooth out the mashed ripe bananas.

4. Combine the well-mashed bananas with granulated sugar, egg, melted butter, and vanilla extract, and mix thoroughly.

5. Progressively incorporate the mixture of dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, stirring with a moderate amount of care until the two mixtures are just combined. Be especially cautious about not overmixing.

6. Utilize a spoon or scoop to pack each muffin liner to the three-quarter mark with the batter.

7. The muffins should be baked in a preheated oven, maintaining a temperature of 375°F (190°C). Pour the batter into the well-greased muffin tins, filling each cup a little over halfway full. This is a good opportunity to use a scoop, if you have one, to keep the portion sizes consistent.

8. Take the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the tin for approximately 5 minutes.

9. Allow the muffins to cool completely on a wire rack.

10. Relish your banana breakfast muffins with a hot cup of joe or tea!

Equipment Needed

1. Oven
2. Muffin tin
3. Paper liners or baking spray
4. Large mixing bowl (x2)
5. Whisk
6. Mixing spoon
7. Measuring cups
8. Measuring spoons
9. Spoon or scoop
10. Wire rack

FAQ

• Q: Can I use whole wheat flour instead of all-purpose flour?A: You can replace it with whole wheat flour, but the texture will be denser.
• Q: How ripe should the bananas be?A: The most ripe, the most sweet! Seek out bananas that are covered with a multitude of brown spots for a flavor that is the sweetest.
• Q: Can I use oil instead of melted butter?A: Yes, you can replace the butter with an equal amount of vegetable or canola oil. These can be used in place of melted butter in a one-to-one ratio.
• Q: How do I store these muffins?A: For up to 3 days at room temperature, or up to 3 months in the freezer, keep in an airtight container.
• Q: Can I add nuts or chocolate chips?Certainly! Blend in 1/2 cup of your choice just before baking the batter.
• Q: What if I don’t have baking soda?A: Although using both is ideal, you can use 2 teaspoons of baking powder instead; just know that the texture may differ a bit.

Easy Banana Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

Whole wheat flour can be used instead of all-purpose flour for a healthier alternative.
You can use honey or maple syrup instead of granulated sugar, but you might need to slightly lower the amount of liquid in the recipe.
You can substitute melted butter with an equal amount of coconut oil or vegetable oil.
Use 1/4 cup unsweetened applesauce or a flax egg (1 tablespoon of flaxseed meal mixed with 2.5 tablespoons of water) as a substitute for an egg.
Almond extract can be used in place of vanilla extract for a completely different taste experience. But don’t expect it to taste like vanilla.

Pro Tips

1. Ripe Bananas Ensure your bananas are very ripe—brown spots are perfect. The riper the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be.

2. Do Not Overmix When combining the wet and dry ingredients, mix until just combined. Overmixing can lead to dense muffins instead of light and fluffy ones.

3. Room Temperature Ingredients To make the batter blend more smoothly, ensure that your egg and melted butter are at room temperature before mixing.

4. Enhance Flavor Consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dry ingredients for an extra layer of warmth and depth in the muffins.

5. Add-Ins For additional texture and flavor, try folding in a handful of chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or dried fruit like raisins or cranberries into the batter before filling the muffin tins.