Banana Mini Muffins

These Banana Mini Muffins are made with creamy buttermilk, soft brown sugar, and (of course) nicely ripened bananas, all rolled into a thick muffin batter. This banana bread muffin recipe will have you making muffins on repeat.

Breakfast is our favorite meal of the day over here at HCH. If you are in need of some other scrumptious breakfast breads then you must try our top pinned recipe Bakery Style Strawberry Muffins, they are a reader (and family) favorite! Or make our Apple Cinnamon Bread, especially great on those chilly fall mornings with in-season apples. If you are really in a rush in the mornings, then this Spinach Tomato Mug Omelette is perfect for you.

Easy Banana Muffin Recipe

I don’t know about you guys, but I do not like the flavor of bananas that are overly ripe. I know that people say “the blacker the better” for banana recipes, but I think those bananas taste, well…bananas! When I bake with bananas I like to use ones that are covered in brown spots, they are ripe for sure, but have not turned completely black yet.

The nicely ripened bananas make perfectly delicious banana baked goods like peanut butter banana muffins or banana cake, in my opinion. If you have really green bananas see this post on how to ripen bananas.

Of course, if you love using black bananas in your baked banana recipes, go for it. Use those black bananas to your hearts content (especially if mom or grandma told you to)! We just want to make sure that everyone knows that spotted brown bananas also make moist banana muffins.

Why we love these

These Banana Mini Muffins are seriously the best and full of flavor! My family loves these muffins and I can’t wait for you to try them. So why should you make these muffins?

• Easy breakfast. They make a great quick, poppable breakfast or breakfast on the go. You can also make these sausage egg muffins that are a great breakfast idea.
• Eat as a snack or dessert. These delicious banana muffins are also yummy enough to be dessert or an afternoon snack.
• Baby banana bread. This is a great little muffin especially for toddlers or baby led weaning.
• Baking with kids. This is a great recipe to make with kids because it’s super easy.
• Pantry staples. Simple ingredients that are found right in your pantry plus only 3 bananas.
• Muffins freeze well. These can be frozen and eaten later.
• Miniature banana bread. It’s basically banana bread in miniature muffin form, so I can’t think of more of a reason to make them than that.

How to Make them Soft

If you are wanting moist banana bread muffins then you need this recipe. The trick to these mini banana muffins is that they are made with a combination of oil and butter. The vegetable oil add the moisture to keep the muffins light and fluffy, while the butter gives you that deep, rich flavor. I highly recommend you keep both. It’s a match made in heaven!

If you love banana recipes, you need to try baked banana pudding.

How to Substitute Buttermilk?

I love using real buttermilk in my baked goods, but if you don’t have it (or can’t get it) there are a couple substitutions you can try out. Plain milk can’t always be substituted in for buttermilk.

• Sour Cream Method: Combine 2-3 Tablespoons of milk to just enough sour cream to fill up to the 1/2 cup line. Stir to combine and use in your recipe. The consistency should be like buttermilk.
• Yogurt or Greek Yogurt Method: Combine 1-2 Tablespoons of milk plus just enough plain yogurt to fill up to the 1/2 cup line. Stir to combine and it’s ready to use. If you use Greek yogurt, use 2-3 Tablespoons of milk due to the fact that Greek yogurt is bit thicker than regular yogurt. The consistency should be like buttermilk.
• Lemon or Vinegar Method: Add 1 1/2 teaspoon of vinegar or lemon juice plus just enough milk (2% or whole is recommended) to fill up to the 1/2 cup line. Let this mixture set up for 5-10 minutes to thicken or curdle a little. Then it’s ready to use.

Recipe Ingredients

• Flour: All you need is all-purpose flour.
• Baking Powder: Make sure the baking powder is still active.
• Baking Soda: Make sure the baking soda is still active.
• Cinnamon: Ground cinnamon.
• Salt: Kosher or sea salt.
• Bananas: I like to use brown, lightly spotted bananas.
• Oil: Use a vegetable oil or canola oil.
• Butter: Fresh, unsalted butter that has been melted and cooled.
• Brown Sugar: Can use light or dark brown sugar.
• Sugar: Granulated white sugar.
• Eggs: You will need two eggs that are at room temperature.
• Buttermilk: You will either need real buttermilk or one of the substitutes that I have listed above.
• Vanilla: Use real vanilla extract not vanilla flavoring.

How to Make Mini Muffins

1. Prepare oven and muffin tins. Preheat oven to 375°F. Prepare two mini muffin tins with paper liners (or just use same muffin tin twice) or grease with butter or nonstick cooking spray.
2. Combine dry ingredients. In a medium sized bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.
3. Mash bananas. Put bananas in a separate large bowl and mash them really well with a fork.
4. Add in wet ingredients. Add in melted butter, oil, buttermilk, eggs, and vanilla, mix well. Next, add in brown sugar and white sugar, combine well.
5. Combine dry into wet. Add dry ingredients into wet ingredients, mixing until just combined. Making sure not to over-mix.
6. Fill muffin tray. Spoon batter into muffin tin, filling each about 2/3 of the way full.
7. Cook muffins. Place one muffin tray on center rack in the oven and bake for 12-15 minutes. Check muffins for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of one of the bigger muffins. It should come out with a few crumbs, but no uncooked batter. Move all muffins onto a cooling rack.
8. Repeat with second tray. Either place second muffin tray into the oven or fill the same muffin tray with muffin and place that into the oven. Cook for 12-15 minutes, check for doneness.
9. Enjoy! Let muffins cool before eating.

Tips and Variations

• Don’t over-mix batter. When mixing together the dry ingredients and the wet ingredients, mix until just combined. When you no longer see dry flour, it is done.
• Room temperature ingredients. For best results you will want to use cold ingredients (eggs and buttermilk) that have been brought up to room temperature. I like to pull out my ingredients first thing in the morning so that they are the perfect temperature when I am ready to make muffins.
• Banana walnut mini muffins. Add nuts, such as well-chopped up walnuts or pecans. You will want to add about 1/4 cup to your batter, plus more if you want to sprinkle more on top right before baking.
• Chocolate chip banana mini muffins. Easily make banana mini muffins with chocolate chips by gently mixing in one cup of mini chocolate morsels to the batter.
• Drizzle on a glaze. If you would like to top your muffins with a glaze, just mix together 3/4 cup powdered sugar and 1-2 tablespoons of milk.  Whisk until smooth and drizzle on the muffins once they have cooled.
• Add to school lunches. My kids absolutely love it when I secretly put these small batch banana muffins into their lunches.

Frequently Asked Questions

• Do banana muffins freeze well? Muffins do freeze well. I have included freezing directions below under “how to store muffins.”
• Are banana muffins healthy? Banana muffins do contain fruit, but I don’t think I would consider them healthy.
• How many servings does this recipe make? This mini muffins recipe makes about 48 miniature muffins, serving size is 3 muffins.

How to Store

• How to Refrigerate Muffins: Muffins can be refrigerated or left out on the counter. Let the muffins cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. The muffins should last about 5 days in the fridge.
• How to Store at Room Temperature: Store muffins in an airtight container at room temp for up to 3 days.
• How to Freeze Muffins: Let the muffins cool off completely. Put the muffins on a baking sheet and put into the freezer for 1-2 hours. Then put muffins into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The muffins should last about 3 months in the freezer.
• How to Thaw Muffins: Thaw the frozen muffins in the refrigerator overnight or at room temperature for an hour or so.
• How to Reheat Muffins: Reheat cold muffins at 350°F for about 10 minutes.

Try these other breakfast favorites!

• Rhubarb Scones
• Apple Cinnamon Bread
• Strawberry Muffins with Streusel Topping
• Omelet in a Mug
• Toasted Coconut Pancakes
• Muffins with Pancake Mix

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• Banana Bread with Apple Sauce