Tessa’s Recipe Rundown
Taste: Loaded with sweet banana flavor and a touch of spice!
Texture: Perfectly fluffy yet moist, no gummy bits that stick to the roof of your mouth.
Ease: Ultra easy, these bake up in minutes.
Pros: Perfect go-to muffin recipe.
Cons: None!
Would I make this again? Absolutely, this recipe is on repeat.
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Get ready to meet your new favorite muffin recipe: my Easy Bakery Style Banana Muffins.
When I was developing this banana muffin recipe earlier this year, Kelly, one of our Handle the Heat alumni, said, “They were perfectly moist and my hubby kept commenting on how fluffy they were. I say ‘were’ because they are all gone now!”
The inspiration for this banana muffin recipe came heavily from a recent issue of Cooks Illustrated which has been a longstanding source of inspiration for most of my career.
I made a few changes, including swapping out some of the oil for butter because butter… there’s no real explanation needed, but I do go into finer detail in the pink box below. I also added in some spices and brown sugar to boost the flavor.
What I love most about this recipe is that the banana muffins aren’t gummy or claggy. The texture doesn’t get stuck to the roof of your mouth and instead remains moist and fluffy. The best of both worlds!
Although this recipe is very simple, I’ve included tons of tips on the science of muffin baking in the pink box below. Read it to arm yourself with the answers to practically any muffin question you could have before trying out this recipe.
And after you bake a batch of these banana muffins, check out my easy banana bread recipe. Or even this double chocolate banana bread for an ultra-chocolatey breakfast treat.
How to Make Banana Muffins
How Ripe Should Bananas be for Muffins?
- Be sure to use overripe bananas for this recipe.
- The best bananas for baking should be very well-speckled or even nearly black.
- This is important when baking Banana Bread, muffins, cake, or cupcakes!
- Why use overripe bananas? Besides the fact that they’re not good for much else in the kitchen, overripe bananas are actually significantly sweeter and will contribute more banana flavor AND more moisture to the recipe.
- If you use underripe bananas (and when I say ‘underripe,’ I mean for baking specifically), your muffins will be bland and dry.
How to Mash Bananas for Banana Bread or Muffins:
- Place bananas in a bowl or on a plate, and use a fork to mash them up.
- OR, place bananas in a bowl and use an electric mixer to beat the bananas until they’re mashed.
Instructions for Baking TALL Banana Muffins:
Tall Muffin Tip #1: Use Bread Flour!
- Bread flour has a higher level of protein content than all-purpose flour.
- That extra protein will allow the flour to absorb more moisture and add more structure. The result? Extra tall muffins that are still super moist and tender!
- What if I Don’t Have Bread Flour? Although bread flour does work best, you can use all-purpose flour if you must.
- If you’ve got it, opt for King Arthur AP flour, which has a higher protein content.
- I haven’t tested these muffins with whole wheat flour.
Tall Muffin Tip #2: Bake at a High Temperature!
- In this recipe, we bake at a high temperature of 425°F the entire time to get tall beautiful muffins.
- You may have seen techniques that call for an initial burst of heat and then require you to drop the temperature down. I personally don’t love this method because if you forget to lower the temperature, you have a batch of scorched muffins.
Tall Muffin Tip #3: Fill Your Muffin Cavities 3/4 Full with Batter!
- For tall muffins that have a bit of a muffin top, you must fill your pan pretty full.
- For this recipe, I find that filling each cavity 3/4 full using a standard 12-cup muffin tin works beautifully.
- However, if you want slightly smaller muffins or have a muffin pan with smaller cavities (each brand is different!), then feel free to fill the cavities 2/3 full. You’ll just need to fill 15 cavities across two pans.
How Long to Bake Banana Muffins
This recipe was designed to bake at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, just 14 to 15 minutes. Those overripe bananas help to keep the muffins moist instead of drying out in the hot oven.
How to Avoid Overbaking Muffins
Don’t use a dark-colored nonstick pan when baking muffins. It simply conducts heat too aggressively and can lead to burnt bottoms or dry edges. My favorite pan for muffin baking is either this Wilton or this USA Pan.
Does an Overnight Rest of the Batter Work for This Recipe?
Not perfectly. If you’ve followed me for a little while, you may have seen my overnight muffin batter trick. Basically, for muffin recipes that use baking powder, if you cover the batter and allow it to rest overnight in the fridge, then the muffins will bake up extra tall and tender the next day. Check out my full article on How to Bake Tall Bakery Style Muffins here.
However, this recipe is a little different. These muffins call for both baking powder and baking soda. Baking powder is double acting so it activates upon being mixed with liquid and when it hits the heat of the oven. Baking soda only acts upon being mixed with something acidic (like brown sugar). The baking soda in the batter will lose strength the longer it sits before being baked.
For this reason, I don’t particularly recommend the overnight chill for this recipe. You can do it if it’ll make your life easier, but you’ll lose a little browning on the muffins while they bake. If you’re curious about learning more about baking soda vs. baking powder, click here!
How to Make MOIST Banana Muffins
- Use a combination of oil AND butter! Use some oil for the sensation of moisture on the palate. This happens because oil is liquid at room temperature. It’s also my preference to use some melted butter so you get that beautiful distinct taste that only butter provides. This way, you get moistness and flavor!
- Avoid overmixing your wet ingredients with the flour mixture as this will result in more dry, dense muffins instead of muffins with a moist crumb.
- Follow the other tips above for using overripe bananas for the best guarantee of moist muffins!
Can I Add Nuts or Chocolate Chips to These Banana Muffins?
- Yes! Feel free to add 3/4 cup (75 grams) of walnut halves or pecans, chopped after measuring.
- For best results, toast them first too!
- You can also add 1 cup (170 grams) chocolate chips.
- Regular-size or mini chocolate chips will work.
How to Store Muffins
Muffins can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Can You Freeze These Muffins?
Place cooled muffins on a baking sheet and freeze until solid. Remove them to an airtight container or freezer bag and freeze for up to 3 months. You can reheat in the microwave directly from the freezer (about 15 to 20 seconds) or thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat in the oven.
More Muffin Recipes You’ll Love:
- Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Pumpkin Muffins
- Brown Butter Blueberry Muffins
- Ultimate Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins
- Double Chocolate Muffins
Easy Bakery Style Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (205 grams) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 1/2 cups (354 grams) mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)**
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- OPTIONAL: 3/4 cup (75 grams) walnut halves or pecans, toasted and chopped OR 1 (170 grams) cup chocolate chips
- Coarse sugar, for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position an oven rack to the middle or upper middle position. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices if using.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the bananas, sugars, butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just barely combined. Stir in the nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Divide evenly among the muffin tin cups, filling each 3/4 full for large muffins. You can also make about 15 smaller muffins by filling the cavities of two pans just 2/3 full. Sprinkle each with a generous amount of coarse sugar for a crunchy shiny topping, if desired.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 14 to 15 minutes. Let cool in muffin pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Recipe Notes
This recipe was written in 2021 and updated in 2022 with additional baking tips. Photos by Ashley McLaughlin.
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Easy Bakery Style Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons (205 grams) bread flour
- 1 tablespoon baking powder*
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt
- 3/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 1/2 cups (354 grams) mashed, very ripe bananas (about 3 large bananas)**
- 1/2 cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) light brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup (50 grams) vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- OPTIONAL: 3/4 cup (75 grams) walnut halves or pecans, toasted and chopped OR 1 (170 grams) cup chocolate chips
- Coarse sugar, for garnish if desired
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Position an oven rack to the middle or upper middle position. Line a standard muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and spices if using.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the bananas, sugars, butter, oil, eggs, and vanilla until well combined. Pour into the dry ingredients and stir until just barely combined. Stir in the nuts or chocolate chips, if using.
- Divide evenly among the muffin tin cups, filling each 3/4 full for large muffins. You can also make about 15 smaller muffins by filling the cavities of two pans just 2/3 full. Sprinkle each with a generous amount of coarse sugar for a crunchy shiny topping, if desired.
- Bake until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 14 to 15 minutes. Let cool in muffin pan for 5 to 10 minutes before removing to wire rack. Serve warm or at room temperature.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
This recipe is soooo good!!! Love the muffins, they are crazy delicious. Will definitely make another batch soon. Thank you for sharing this wonderful recipe.
YAY! So excited to hear that, Joan!
The best muffins ever! Nice and firm on the outside with a soft fluffy filling. Perfect addition of spices to the banana. Will be making these on repeat for a long time and trying with different mix ins.
So happy you loved this recipe, Deanna! Thanks for the comment 🙂
These are perfect! I used APF coz I don’t have bread flour on hand but it was still so good. Made it with walnuts and the other half with dark chocolate chip, both were great. Now I have a go to recipe for banana muffins,,,thank you so much ❤️
Wonderful! So happy to hear AP flour worked great for you 🙂
How many calories do these have
Hi Sharon, we don’t count calories on any of our recipes. I’m sorry I can’t help further!
These are AMAZING! I absolutly love these and are so easy to make! Will be making these again and again! Thank you for the great recipe! If I could give a higher star rating I would!
Hooray!! Wonderful to hear you love this recipe so much, Brianna!
Forgot to take a picture, but oh my goodness… These are hands down the best muffins I’ve ever had. Will definitely have this recipe on repeat!
Hooray!! So excited to hear that, JJ!
These are the BEST banana muffins I have ever had. Didn’t have liners on hand so I sprayed my muffin tin really well and that worked just fine. I also added chocolate chips (half semisweet/half milk chocolate). Definitely making these again!
Wonderful to hear how much you love them, Lauren! So glad spraying the tin worked perfectly 🙂
These banana muffins are DELISH!
The moistness and overall flavor really set this recipe apart from me. The cinnamon and nutmeg are subtle, but they really add some warmth. The muffins are just so soft and moist, too. I also added pecans to mine and will do that again, but I know these would taste great with walnuts, chocolate chips, etc.
I’ve kept these in an airtight container in the fridge for the last couple days, and they’re as good now as they were the day they were baked. This will probably be my forever banana nut recipe.
Thank you so much for sharing, Tessa!
YAY! So excited to hear how much you love them, Emma! I agree, they keep their moistness perfectly if stored properly (I think I got up to four days with amazing flavor and texture!). Thanks for the rave review!
Fast, easy, and crazy delicious! Great banana flavor. The butter in the batter adds a delicious richness that I don’t find in other muffin recipes. The muffin top has a delightful crunch that contrasts with the soft, fluffy interior beautifully. Thanks, HtH!
So glad to hear this, Richelle! You described them perfectly, and now I need to go make another batch haha! Thanks for the wonderful comment 🙂
Thanks for the recipe.
Sounds delicious..
I’m thinking of adding swirls of biscoff spread.
Question..
I have bananas that went black so I put them in the freezer. Do you think I can thaw and use them for baking or it won’t be as good?
Ooo let us know how it goes with the swirls of biscoff spread, that sounds delicious! Yes! You can use frozen bananas-just thaw them out, drain the extra moisture, and they’ll be perfect 🙂
If I wanted to use a cookie scoop to evenly portion the batter into a standard muffin pan, what size would you recommend?
Hi Cindy! We used a large scoop, which is 3 tablespoons, or size 20. You may need to add a bit more or less than that depending on the size of muffins you’d like (see the pink tip box above the recipe for more details). Hope that helps! Be sure to let us know what you think of these muffins! 🙂
Love these muffins! They have a wonderful crisp edge the day they’re bake and then soften to this lovely fluffy texture so they’re just as good the next day! I always add a handful of mini chocolate chips and the kids love them!
So glad you’re enjoying this recipe, Amanda! These are a winner in my book too-love how fluffy they are!