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These soft, buttery banana bread muffins are so easy to make, just like a loaf of classic banana bread! I make them with maple syrup and brown sugar for sweetness, a touch of cinnamon spice, and sour cream for moisture. I dare you to eat just one!
Aren’t easy baking recipes the best? My blueberry banana bread and peanut butter banana bread can also go from a loaf pan to a muffin tin. Try these jumbo-sized morning glory muffins, too!
I’ve been on a muffin kick lately. I made these raspberry muffins the other day, and I still have a few in the freezer that I’m saving for a rainy day. I love that I can grab them and take breakfast to go when I’m busy! Today’s banana bread muffins recipe is the definition of “the best of both worlds”. It’s a cross between a fluffy, moist muffin and home-baked banana bread (and just as easy to make). These muffins are sweetened with brown sugar and maple syrup, with big, perfect tops.
Unbeatable, Never-Fail Bakery-Style Banana Bread Muffins
- Bake high, then low for tall domes. This is a viral trick that’s all over TikTok, and it WORKS. A high-heat start, followed by baking at a lower temp, helps the muffins rise, and it’s the secret to perfect, bakery-style domes.
- A richer, more tender crumb. Sour cream and butter in the batter not only make the flavors pop, but they also keep the texture of these banana muffins super moist.
- Layers of sweetness. I sweeten my banana bread muffins with brown sugar and maple syrup and sprinkle the tops with raw sugar for a crunchy, sparkly finish. It’s an unmatched flavor trifecta!
What You’ll Need
My banana bread muffins use simple pantry ingredients, which I cover along with some notes below. Scroll down to the recipe card after the post for the printable recipe followed by a step-by-step with photos.
- Flour – Measure your flour correctly using a kitchen scale if you have one, or the spoon and sweep method. To avoid overmeasuring, spoon the flour into your measuring cup (rather than scooping directly from the bag) and level the top afterward using the flat side of a knife.
- Baking Powder and Baking Soda – I go a bit heavier on the baking powder in my recipe. When combined with a high-heat start, it gives these banana bread muffins extra lift.
- Cinnamon – You can substitute ground cinnamon with another warm spice, like ground nutmeg or pumpkin pie spice.
- Ripe Bananas – The best bananas for baking recipes are overripe, maybe even a little past their prime, as that’s when they have the most sweetness and flavor.
- Butter – I’ve seen loads of muffin recipes that use oil instead of butter (I use coconut oil in my whole wheat banana bread), as it makes a very tender crumb. However, IMO, nothing beats the flavor of butter! Since these muffins use sour cream, I find they still come out soft and moist, with a rich, buttery taste you just won’t get with oil.
- Brown Sugar – This can be light or regular brown sugar, firmly packed.
- Eggs – Bring them to room temperature. If you forget to take them out ahead of time, you can quickly bring eggs to room temperature by placing them in a bowl of warm (not hot) water for 5-10 minutes.
- Sour Cream – If you don’t have sour cream on hand, plain or Greek yogurt is a good substitute.
- Vanilla and Maple Syrup – LOVE this combination for extra flavor. Be sure to use pure maple syrup. If you don’t have it, you can skip it or use honey or agave instead.
- Raw Sugar – For topping the muffins before baking. Turbinado sugar, baker’s sugar, or any coarse sugar will work here (don’t use granulated).
What Else Can I Add to These Muffins?
These banana bread muffins are so good as they are, but also the perfect base recipe for add-ins and easy variations! Try any of the following:
- Mix-ins. Chopped walnuts (like these banana walnut muffins), pecans, chocolate chips, cocoa nibs, shredded coconut, and dried fruit.
- Seasonal fruit. Try adding a handful of fresh summer blueberries, strawberries, or raspberries to your banana bread muffins. You might also like to check out my lemon blueberry muffins.
- Streusel topping. Make a simple streusel from butter, flour, and sugar, or borrow the oat streusel from this coffee cake recipe for extra texture.
Baking Tips
- Use room temperature ingredients. Take your sour cream and eggs out of the fridge 20-30 minutes ahead of when you’ll mix your muffin batter. Room temperature ingredients combine more smoothly, and the muffins bake more evenly.
- Preheat the oven. Since we’ll bake these muffins at a high temperature right off the bat, it’s important to get your oven nice and hot (425ºF). Baking at the wrong temperature can cause the muffins not to rise properly.
- Don’t overmix the batter. This same rule applies to traditional banana bread recipes and most baked goods. Don’t overmix, or the batter won’t rise, and your muffins will turn out dense and flat. After you’ve added the dry ingredients, mix only until the batter comes together, and don’t overdo it.
Tools I Used
(Amazon affiliate links) For more kitchen tool faves, check out my shop!
- 12-cup muffin tin – Standard size works best. You can also use a silicone muffin pan if preferred.
- Mixing bowls – One medium for dry ingredients and one large for the wet mixture.
- Whisk – To mix the batter without overworking it.
- Cooling rack – Optional but helpful for cooling the muffins evenly.
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Banana Bread Muffins
Ingredients
- 2½ cups all-purpose flour, leveled
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 cup mashed ripe bananas, about 2 bananas
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1 cup light brown sugar, firmly packed
- 3 large eggs, room temperature
- ¾ cup sour cream
- ½ tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon pure maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar, or bakers sugar for topping (not granulated sugar)
Instructions
- Prep your tools. Preheat your oven to 425ºF. Spray a muffin tin with PAM or cooking spray. Set aside.
- Combine dry ingredients. In a medium bowl, combine the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Mix and set aside.
- Mash the banana. In a large bowl, mash the banana with a potato masher or fork until there are no large chunks left.
- Combine wet ingredients. To the bowl with the mashed banana, add the butter, brown sugar, eggs, sour cream, vanilla, and maple syrup. Mix well.
- Add dry ingredients. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and mix until there are no dry bits of batter left.
- Prep for baking. Add the batter to the prepared tin. Fill each muffin tin almost to the top. Sprinkle a bit of raw sugar on top of the wet batter.
- Bake. Transfer the muffin pan to the oven and bake for 5 minutes at 425ºF. Starting at this higher temperature will help the muffins get a nice dome on top. Then, reduce the temperature to 375ºF and continue baking for 13-15 minutes, until the muffins are light golden brown and the tops spring back when pressed with your finger gently.
- Cool. Remove the pan from the oven, transfer the muffins to a cooling rack, and allow to cool for at least 20 minutes before serving.
Equipment
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make the Best Banana Bread Muffins
These muffins might not be a one-bowl recipe like banana bread, but the steps are just as easy. Follow along below:
- Combine the dry ingredients. Start by whisking your flour, leavening, salt, and cinnamon in a bowl.
- Mash the bananas. Separately, mash up the ripe bananas until there aren’t any large lumps left.
- Mix the wet ingredients. Separately, mash up the ripe bananas. To the same bowl, add melted butter, brown sugar, eggs, and sour cream, followed by the vanilla and maple syrup. Stir well until it’s fully combined.
- Add the dry ingredients. Now, fold the dry mixture into the wet ingredients, mixing just until no streaks of flour are left.
- Fill the pan. Divide your banana muffin batter evenly between the wells of a greased muffin tin, almost to the top. I don’t line my pan, but you can if you’d like. Afterward, sprinkle each muffin with a little raw sugar.
- Bake. To get nice, big domes, start these muffins at 425°F and then drop the oven temperature to 375°F after 5 minutes. Continue to bake for 13-15 minutes, until the muffins are golden and springy when you gently press the tops.
- Cool. Leave your banana bread muffins to cool for 20 minutes before you serve them.
Can I Make Banana Bread Instead?
Absolutely! If you’re craving a soft, thick slice of homemade banana bread instead, you can easily bake this batter in a loaf pan instead. You’ll need to make a few small adjustments, in this case. Bake the banana bread at 350ºF for about 45-50 minutes. A toothpick stuck into the center of the bread should come out clean when it’s done.
Storage and Freezing Instructions
- Store at room temperature. Store the baked and cooled muffins airtight at room temperature. Pro tip: Line the bottom of the container with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. These muffins are at their freshest within 3-4 days of baking.
- Freeze. Banana bread muffins freeze like a dream for up to 3 months. After the muffins cool, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and then transfer them to an airtight container or freezer bag. They’re great to take and thaw on the go.
