The Best Banana Muffins

banana muffins are incredibly moist and tender, made with overripe bananas, sour cream, and simple pantry ingredients. With these simple ingredients like melted butter, sour cream, and plenty of mashed banana, these muffins come together quickly and bake up perfectly golden every single time.

Love More Dessert Recipes? Try My Cinnamon Sugar Muffins or this Gluten Free Cinnamon Roll Muffins next.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Uses up overripe bananas – Finally, a delicious way to rescue those brown-spotted bananas!
• Incredibly moist and tender – Thanks to sour cream and plenty of banana, these muffins stay soft for days.
• Quick and easy – One bowl, simple mixing, and you’re done in under 30 minutes.
• Customizable – Add chocolate chips, nuts, or keep them plain—they’re perfect any way you make them.
• Family favorite – Kids and adults alike can’t resist a warm banana muffin fresh from the oven.

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Ingredients You’ll Need

Dry Ingredients:

• 1½ cups (190g) all-purpose flour
• ¾ teaspoon baking soda
• ½ teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt

Wet Ingredients:

• 3 large very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1½ cups) – The browner, the better!
• ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar
• ⅓ cup (75g) packed brown sugar – Adds a hint of molasses warmth
• ½ cup (115g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
• 1 large egg, at room temperature
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• ⅓ cup sour cream or plain yogurt – The secret to extra moistness

Optional Add-Ins:

• ½–1 cup chocolate chips or chopped walnuts/pecans – For texture and flavor

Why These Ingredients Work

The magic starts with those overripe bananas. When bananas get spotty and brown, their starches turn to sugar, making them sweeter and more flavorful—perfect for baking.

The combination of granulated and brown sugar gives you sweetness with a touch of caramel depth. Melted butter keeps things simple and adds richness without needing a mixer.

The sour cream (or yogurt) is the real secret ingredient here. It makes the muffins incredibly tender and moist, and helps them stay fresh longer.

Baking soda and baking powder work together to give you that beautiful domed top and light, fluffy texture. And don’t forget the vanilla—it brings everything together with a warm, cozy note that makes your kitchen smell absolutely wonderful.

Essential Tools and Equipment

• 12-cup muffin tin
• Paper muffin liners or cooking spray
• Two mixing bowls (one medium, one large)
• Whisk
• Fork for mashing bananas
• Rubber spatula for gentle folding
• Ice cream scoop or large spoon for portioning batter
• Toothpick for testing doneness
• Wire cooling rack

Step-by-Step Instructions

Step 1: Preheat & Prep

Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease each cup generously with butter or cooking spray.

Getting this ready first means your batter won’t sit around waiting—it can go straight into the oven for the best rise.

Step 2: Mix Dry Ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until everything is evenly distributed.

This step might seem small, but it ensures your leavening agents are spread throughout so every muffin rises beautifully. Set this bowl aside while you work on the wet ingredients.

Step 3: Mix Wet Ingredients

In a large bowl, mash those ripe bananas with a fork until they’re mostly smooth—a few small lumps are totally fine and actually add nice texture.

Stir in both sugars until they’re well combined with the banana. Next, pour in the melted butter and stir it through.

Add the egg, vanilla extract, and sour cream (or yogurt), and mix everything until it’s smooth and creamy. The batter should look thick and smell sweet and banana-y.

Step 4: Combine Batter

Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet mixture. Here’s where patience pays off—use your spatula to gently fold everything together just until you can’t see any more streaks of flour.

It’s okay if the batter looks a little lumpy. Overmixing develops gluten and makes tough, dense muffins, so stop as soon as things come together.

If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, fold them in now with just a few gentle strokes.

Step 5: Fill Muffin Cups

Divide the batter evenly among your prepared muffin cups, filling each one about ¾ full. An ice cream scoop works beautifully for this and keeps things neat.

This amount of batter gives you those pretty domed tops without overflowing.

Step 6: Bake

Slide the muffin tin into your preheated oven and bake for 18–22 minutes. You’ll know they’re done when the tops are lightly golden brown and spring back when you touch them gently.

A toothpick inserted into the center should come out clean or with just a few moist crumbs clinging to it. Your kitchen will smell incredible right about now!

Step 7: Cool & Enjoy

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5–7 minutes—this helps them set and makes them easier to remove. Then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely, or grab one while it’s still warm if you can’t wait.

You Must Know

The single most important thing for perfect banana muffins is not overmixing the batter once you add the flour. The moment wet meets dry, you want to fold gently and stop as soon as the flour disappears.

Overmixing creates tunnels and tough, chewy muffins instead of tender, fluffy ones. It might feel wrong to leave a few small lumps, but trust me—those lumps disappear in the oven and you’ll be rewarded with the softest texture.

Personal Secret: I always let my bananas get really, really brown—like, almost black—before I use them. I know it looks extreme, but those super-ripe bananas have the most intense flavor and natural sweetness.

If your bananas aren’t quite ripe enough, you can speed things up by putting them in a paper bag for a day or two, or even baking them (unpeeled) at 300°F for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black. The flavor won’t be quite as developed as naturally ripened bananas.

Pro Tips & Cooking Hacks

• Measure flour correctly – Spoon it into your measuring cup and level it off with a knife. Scooping directly from the bag packs it down and you’ll end up with too much flour and dry muffins.
• Use room temperature egg and sour cream – They blend more smoothly with the other ingredients. If you forget to take them out ahead, place the egg in warm water for 5 minutes.
• Check for doneness early – Every oven runs a little differently. Start checking at 18 minutes to avoid overbaking, which dries out muffins.
• Don’t crowd the add-ins – If you’re adding chocolate chips or nuts, stick to ½–1 cup maximum. Too many mix-ins can weigh down the batter and prevent a good rise.
• Add a crunchy top – Before baking, sprinkle the tops with a little turbinado sugar (or regular granulated sugar) for a sweet, sparkly crust.
• Avoid the dreaded muffin top stick – If using paper liners, spray them lightly with cooking spray so the muffin tops don’t stick when you peel them away.

Flavor Variations & Suggestions

These banana muffins are endlessly adaptable to whatever you’re craving or have in your pantry.

For a bakery-style streusel topping, mix together 3 tablespoons each of flour, brown sugar, and cold butter with your fingers until crumbly, then sprinkle it over the batter before baking.

If you love warm spices, add ½ teaspoon of cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg to the dry ingredients for a cozy, spiced version. Chocolate lovers can stir in ½ cup of cocoa powder and reduce the flour to 1¼ cups, then add chocolate chips for double chocolate banana muffins.

For a tropical twist, fold in ½ cup of shredded coconut and swap half the vanilla for coconut extract. You can also make these into mini muffins—just reduce the baking time to 10-12 minutes.

And if you want to turn this into banana bread instead, pour the batter into a greased 9×5-inch loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes.

Make-Ahead Options

Banana muffins are naturally great for making ahead, which is why they’re such a lifesaver for busy mornings.

You can mix the dry ingredients and store them in an airtight container for up to a week, then just mix the wet ingredients and combine everything when you’re ready to bake.

The fully baked muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 days, or in the refrigerator for up to a week.

For longer storage, these freeze beautifully. Let them cool completely, then wrap each muffin individually in plastic wrap and place them all in a freezer-safe bag or container. They’ll keep frozen for up to 3 months.

To thaw, just leave them on the counter for an hour, or microwave for 20-30 seconds for a warm, just-baked taste. You can even freeze the batter in the muffin tin (uncovered) until solid, then pop out the frozen batter cups and store them in a freezer bag.

When you’re ready to bake, place them back in a lined muffin tin and bake straight from frozen, adding 5-7 minutes to the baking time.

What to Serve With Banana Muffins

Banana muffins are wonderful all on their own, but they’re even better when paired with your morning coffee or a cold glass of milk.

I love serving them alongside a fresh fruit salad for a balanced breakfast, or with scrambled eggs and crispy bacon for a heartier meal. They’re also lovely with a smear of softened butter, cream cheese, or even a drizzle of honey or maple syrup.

For an afternoon snack, pair them with hot tea and some fresh berries. And if you’re feeling extra indulgent, split one in half while it’s still warm and spread on some Nutella or peanut butter.

They’re also perfect for brunch alongside yogurt parfaits, quiche, or a simple green salad.

Allergy Information

These banana muffins contain several common allergens: wheat (gluten), dairy (butter and sour cream), and eggs. If you need to make substitutions, here are some options that work well.

For a gluten-free version, replace the all-purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend that contains xanthan gum. For dairy-free muffins, use coconut oil or a neutral vegetable oil instead of butter, and swap the sour cream for dairy-free yogurt or additional mashed banana (about ¼ cup more).

For an egg-free version, you can use a flax egg (1 tablespoon ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons water, let sit for 5 minutes) or ¼ cup of additional mashed banana, though the texture will be slightly denser.

These muffins are naturally nut-free unless you add walnuts or pecans as an optional mix-in.

Storage & Reheating

Store your banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. They’ll stay incredibly moist thanks to the bananas and sour cream.

If you need them to last longer, refrigerate them for up to a week, though they may firm up slightly in the cold. To bring back that fresh-baked warmth, microwave individual muffins for 10-15 seconds, or warm them in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes.

For frozen muffins, thaw at room temperature for about an hour, or microwave for 20-30 seconds until warmed through. You can also reheat them straight from frozen—just add a few extra seconds to the microwave time.

Questions I Get Asked A Lot

Can I use frozen bananas for this recipe?

Absolutely! Frozen bananas actually work beautifully because freezing breaks down their cell structure, making them extra soft and easy to mash. Just thaw them completely first and drain off any excess liquid before mashing and measuring.

My muffins came out dense and heavy. What happened?

This usually means the batter was overmixed once the flour was added. Next time, fold the dry ingredients in gently and stop mixing as soon as you don’t see any more streaks of flour. Also check that your baking soda and baking powder are fresh—old leavening agents won’t give you a good rise.

Can I reduce the sugar in this recipe?

You can reduce the granulated sugar by ¼ cup if you prefer less sweetness, especially if your bananas are very ripe. I wouldn’t recommend cutting more than that or the texture and browning will be affected. The brown sugar adds moisture and shouldn’t be reduced.

Why do my muffins sink in the middle after baking?

This can happen if the oven temperature is too high (causing rapid rise then collapse), if the batter was overmixed (creating too much air), or if the muffins are underbaked. Make sure your oven temperature is accurate with an oven thermometer, and bake until a toothpick comes out clean.

Can I make these without sour cream or yogurt?

Yes, though they won’t be quite as moist. You can substitute with an additional ¼ cup of mashed banana, or use buttermilk if you have it. The texture will be slightly different but still delicious.

💬 Tried this recipe? Leave a comment and rating below! I’d love to hear how your banana muffins turned out.