I’m sharing my Easy Banana Muffin that’s a family favorite because it uses pantry staples and is ready in under 30 minutes.

Jump to Recipe

I never thought a muffin could be this lazy and still taste like something special. This Easiest Banana Muffins Ever is a family favorite for a reason: you probably have ripe bananas, mashed and all purpose flour in your pantry right now, and you can get warm muffins on the table in under 30 minutes.

I played with a Banana Muffins 3 Ingredients hack and even a No Butter Banana Muffins twist, and both were surprisingly good, messy, and quick. If you like a little kitchen chaos with fast rewards this one will make you curious.

Ingredients

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

Bananas: ripe, sweet and soft, they add natural sugar, fiber and potassium
All purpose flour give structure and chew, mostly carbs not much protein or fiber
Granulated sugar make muffins sweet and brown on top, adds little nutrition
Vegetable oil or butter adds tenderness and richness, makes crumbs moist and flavorful
Egg helps bind ingredients, adds protein and lift, keeps muffins from falling apart
Walnuts or chocolate chips optional, walnuts add healthy fats, chips add sweetness
Milk optional softens the batter and crumb, a little extra moisture if needed

Ingredient Quantities

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour

3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar

1 tsp baking powder

1/2 tsp baking soda

1/2 tsp fine salt

3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups / 300 g)

1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter, use what you got

1 large egg, beaten

1 tsp vanilla extract

1/4 cup (60 ml) milk optional for a slightly softer crumb

1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips optional, but yummy

How to Make this

Print Recipe (No Advertisments)

1. Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease it real quick, so muffins wont stick.

2. In a big bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt.

3. In another bowl mash 3 ripe bananas (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups / 300 g) with a fork, then stir in 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter, 1 large beaten egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. If you want a slightly softer crumb stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk.

4. Pour the wet banana mix into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Dont overmix, its ok if there are a few lumps.

5. Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips if using. Tip: toss chips or nuts with a tablespoon of flour first so they wont all sink to the bottom.

6. Divide batter among the 12 cups, filling each about 3/4 full. If you like, sprinkle a few extra chips or nuts on top for looks.

7. Bake at 400F for 5 minutes, then lower oven to 350F (175C) and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. This trick helps get nice domes and keeps baking time under 30 minutes.

8. Let muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Theyre best warm, but store airtight for a couple days.

9. Quick hacks: use very ripe bananas for max flavor, spoon and level your flour dont pack it, and if batter seems too thick add a splash more milk a tablespoon at a time.

Equipment Needed

1. Oven (preheat to 400F / 200C, then lower to 350F) and oven mitts
2. 12-cup muffin tin, plus liners or a little oil to grease it
3. Two mixing bowls, one big for dry stuff and one for the wet mix
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you got one
5. Whisk for the dry ingredients, fork to mash the bananas
6. Spatula or wooden spoon to fold batter, dont overmix
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter evenly into cups
8. Knife and cutting board for chopping walnuts or chocolate chips
9. Wire cooling rack and toothpicks to test for doneness

FAQ

How ripe should the bananas be? Very ripe is best, lots of brown spots and soft to the touch. They'll mash easy and give max flavor and sweetness. If they're still yellow and firm the muffins will be less sweet and more dense, so wait or roast them in the oven a bit.

Can I use melted butter instead of vegetable oil? Yes, use the same amount (1/3 cup). Butter gives richer flavor but a slightly firmer crumb. If your butter is salted cut the added salt a little.

My muffins turned out dense or tough, what went wrong? Most likely overmixing the batter, too much flour, or overbaking. Mix until just combined, spoon and level your flour instead of scooping, and test with a toothpick at 18 minutes for regular muffins.

Can I add chocolate chips or nuts? Totally, fold in about 1/2 cup of chips or chopped walnuts. Toss them in a little flour first so they don't all sink to the bottom.

How long do these keep and can I freeze them? Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temp for 2 days, in the fridge up to 5 days but they dry faster. Freeze individually wrapped for up to 3 months, thaw on the counter or zap 15 to 25 seconds in the microwave.

Want softer crumb or making mini muffins any tips? For a softer crumb add the optional 1/4 cup milk. For mini muffins bake at the same 350 F / 175 C temp about 10 to 14 minutes, keep an eye because they brown fast.

Easiest Banana Muffins Ever Recipe Substitutions and Variations

All purpose flour (1 1/2 cups) → whole wheat pastry flour, use 1:1 for a nuttier, slightly denser muffin; or use a gluten free 1-to-1 baking blend 1:1, it works but the crumb can be a bit more crumbly.
Granulated sugar (3/4 cup) → packed brown sugar 1:1 for more moisture and caramel notes; or swap to honey, about 1/2 cup for 3/4 cup sugar, cut the milk/other liquid by ~2 tbsp and drop oven temp 25°F, otherwise it can get too dark.
Vegetable oil / melted butter (1/3 cup) → unsweetened applesauce 1:1 to cut fat, muffins wont be as tender but still good; or plain Greek yogurt 1:1 for extra moisture and a slight tang.
Large egg → flax “egg”: 1 tbsp ground flaxseed + 3 tbsp water, let sit 5 minutes, use in place of 1 egg; or 1/4 cup applesauce (or 1/4 cup extra mashed banana) as an easy binder for egg-free baking.

Pro Tips

1) Use very ripe bananas, even with brown spots, they add way more flavor and sweetnes; if theyre too ripe, freeze them in a bag and mash after thawing for an even sweeter result.
2) Spoon flour into the cup and level it off dont scoop straight from the bag or youll pack too much flour and get dry muffins. If the batter looks too thick add a tablespoon of milk at a time till it feels right.
3) Toss chocolate chips or nuts in a tablespoon of flour before folding them in so they wont all sink to the bottom, and press a few extra on top for better looking muffins.
4) For taller domes give the pan a quick blast of high heat then lower the oven like the trick says, and also use an oven thermometer and rotate the pan once if your oven has hot spots so they bake evenly.

Easiest Banana Muffins Ever Recipe

Recipe by Sarah level

0.0 from 0 votes

I’m sharing my Easy Banana Muffin that’s a family favorite because it uses pantry staples and is ready in under 30 minutes.

Servings

servings

Calories

299

kcal

Equipment: 1. Oven (preheat to 400F / 200C, then lower to 350F) and oven mitts
2. 12-cup muffin tin, plus liners or a little oil to grease it
3. Two mixing bowls, one big for dry stuff and one for the wet mix
4. Measuring cups and spoons, and a kitchen scale if you got one
5. Whisk for the dry ingredients, fork to mash the bananas
6. Spatula or wooden spoon to fold batter, dont overmix
7. Ice cream scoop or large spoon to divide batter evenly into cups
8. Knife and cutting board for chopping walnuts or chocolate chips
9. Wire cooling rack and toothpicks to test for doneness

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour
3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar
1 tsp baking powder
1/2 tsp baking soda
1/2 tsp fine salt
3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups / 300 g)
1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter, use what you got
1 large egg, beaten
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/4 cup (60 ml) milk optional for a slightly softer crumb
1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips optional, but yummy

Directions

Preheat oven to 400F (200C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or grease it real quick, so muffins wont stick.
In a big bowl whisk together 1 1/2 cups (190 g) all purpose flour, 3/4 cup (150 g) granulated sugar, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp baking soda and 1/2 tsp fine salt.
In another bowl mash 3 ripe bananas (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups / 300 g) with a fork, then stir in 1/3 cup (80 ml) vegetable oil or melted butter, 1 large beaten egg and 1 tsp vanilla extract. If you want a slightly softer crumb stir in 1/4 cup (60 ml) milk.
Pour the wet banana mix into the dry ingredients and gently fold with a spatula until just combined. Dont overmix, its ok if there are a few lumps.
Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or chocolate chips if using. Tip: toss chips or nuts with a tablespoon of flour first so they wont all sink to the bottom.
Divide batter among the 12 cups, filling each about 3/4 full. If you like, sprinkle a few extra chips or nuts on top for looks.
Bake at 400F for 5 minutes, then lower oven to 350F (175C) and bake another 12 to 15 minutes, until tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. This trick helps get nice domes and keeps baking time under 30 minutes.
Let muffins cool in the tin for about 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to finish cooling. Theyre best warm, but store airtight for a couple days.
Quick hacks: use very ripe bananas for max flavor, spoon and level your flour dont pack it, and if batter seems too thick add a splash more milk a tablespoon at a time.

Notes

Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.