These cinnamon spiced brown sugar banana muffins are extra moist with a caramelized brown sugar crunchy topping! Made in one-bowl in just 25 minutes, this easy banana muffin recipe is my favorite way to use up over-ripe bananas.
Why I Love These Muffins
This easy banana muffin recipe holds a special place in my heart as it was my mom’s recipe she passed down to me. She always made us a batch whenever we had a few old bananas lying around. I’ve carried on the tradition for my kids, but with a little brown sugar twist of my own.
- Real Banana Flavor: Packed with the natural sweetness of ripe bananas, every bite bursts with authentic banana goodness.
- Quick and Easy: No need for extra cleanup – all the magic happens in one bowl, making this easy banana muffin recipe super simple.
- Extra Moist and Tender: These muffins have a wonderfully moist and tender texture that makes each bite melt in your mouth.
- Sweet Brown Sugar Topping: By adding a sprinkle of brown sugar on top, these muffins glisten with a sweet and crackly topping that makes them seriously irresistible!
- Simple Ingredients: Made with basic pantry staples, you likely already have everything you need on hand to whip up a batch!
My kids love banana muffins so much, I have a bunch of different flavors you may want to try. These gorgeously swirled Nutella banana muffins or banana cream cheese muffins always impress. For a tropical twist, try my coconut banana muffins!
Key Ingredients
Below you will find helpful notes for key ingredients used to make these easy banana muffins. Scroll down to the recipe card for full ingredient list and exact amounts!
- Cinnamon: This is an optional ingredient, but it gives your muffins the perfect amount of spice and warmth. Feel free to also add in 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg for more spice!
- Mashed Bananas: You will want to use over-ripe bananas, that are starting to blacken with spots or are almost fully blackened. If you only have ripe bananas, place them in a brown paper bag for a day or two to speed up the ripening!
- Dark Brown Sugar: Light brown sugar is a great swap, but I like to use dark brown as it has a little extra molasses in it for an extra depth of flavor.
- Butter or Oil: You can use melted butter or any neutral baking oil, like vegetable oil or canola oil. I personally like the flavor slightly better with butter.
- Milk: I recommend using whole milk or 2% as they are higher in fat and will produce a more tender and moist muffin.
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How to Make Brown Sugar Banana Muffins
These banana muffins are as easy as your favorite box-mix! Just whisk together the batter, divide it into muffin liners, top with brown sugar and bake! Scroll to the recipe card at bottom of the post for full detailed instructions.
- Dry Ingredients: Whisk to combine the all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a bowl.
- Wet Ingredients: Make a well in the center, then add the bananas, brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract. Lightly stir the wet ingredients together first, then stir the wet and dry ingredients until they just come together.
- Bake: Fill the muffin liners with batter until 3/4ths full. Bake muffins until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Remove them from the oven and let them cool slightly to enjoy warm, or cool completely to store. Enjoy!
Chef’s Tips and Variations
- Don’t Over-Mix: Only stir the batter until just combined. If you over-mix the batter, the muffins will turn out dense and rubbery.
- Grease Muffin Tin: Accidentally ran out of paper muffin liners? Grease the muffin tin well with butter (or non-stick spray) and bake muffins directly in the pan.
- Avoid Over-Filling: Don’t be tempted to add more batter to the liners because the muffins will over-flow once they’re in the oven and cause a huge mess. Make sure the liners are no more than 3/4s full to avoid this.
- Banana Nut Muffins: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, to the batter before adding to the muffin pan.
- More Add-Ins: Chocolate chips, dried fruits, shredded coconut, and even a dollop of peanut butter or Nutella added to the center of each muffin would be great.
Yield: 24 muffins
Brown Sugar Banana Muffins
Made in one-bowl in just 25 minutes, these easy Brown Sugar Banana Muffins are extra moist with a caramelized brown sugar crunchy topping!
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 3 large ripe bananas, mashed
- 1 ½ cups packed dark brown sugar, divided
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅔ cup melted unsalted butter, slightly cooled, or oil
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
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Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line two muffins tins with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon and salt.
- Make a well in the center, and add the bananas, 1 cup brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla extract, melted and cooled butter (or oil), and milk. Gently whisk together the wet ingredients first, then stir deeper into the bowl to combine the dry and wet ingredients until the batter just comes together. DO NOT OVER STIR.
- Fill the prepared muffin tins 3/4th of the way full. Sprinkle the tops of each muffin with the remaining 1/2 cup brown sugar.
- Bake for 14 to 16 minutes, until a toothpick in the center comes out clean. Let muffins cool for 5 minutes and then transfer to a cooling rack.
Notes
Store: Place completely cooled muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days. For longer storage, store them in the fridge for up to 7 days. Set them on the counter for 10 minutes before digging in to let them come to room temperature.
Freeze: Wrap each cooled muffin tightly in plastic wrap twice and then place them in freezer-friendly bags. Freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge or set them on the counter for about 30 minutes to thaw at room temperature.
Grease Muffin Tin: Out of paper muffin liners? Grease the muffin tin well with butter (or non-stick spray) and bake muffins directly in the pan.
Avoid Over-Filling: Don’t be tempted to add more batter to the liners because the muffins will over-flow once they’re in the oven and cause a huge mess. Make sure the liners are no more than 3/4s full to avoid this.
Banana Nut Muffins: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped nuts, like pecans or walnuts, to the batter before adding to the muffin pan.
More Add-Ins: Chocolate chips, dried fruits, shredded coconut, and even a dollop of peanut butter or Nutella added to the center of each muffin would be great.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 muffin, Calories: 159kcal, Carbohydrates: 26g, Protein: 2g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 3g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.3g, Monounsaturated Fat: 2g, Trans Fat: 0.2g, Cholesterol: 29mg, Sodium: 140mg, Potassium: 102mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 16g, Vitamin A: 194IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 31mg, Iron: 1mg
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Hi, I have an odd question. I thought I had bookmarked this recipe and used it repeatedly throughout the pandemic years. I am wondering if you re-published this in 2024 or if I’m imagining things! I appreciate if you could clear up this mystery!
Hi Pala! Yes, they were republished with updated photos, but the recipe has stayed exactly the same!
Where do I add the butter/oil??
Whew! How did I miss that? Thank you for the comment, it’s added now into the recipe! You add them in with the eggs and vanilla extract! Thanks for letting me know Bailey! 😉
What About using buttermilk
Hi Suzanne! In place of the 3 tablespoons of milk? Sure, it should work just fine!
I like sweet things
Can I sub vegetable oil with olive or avocado oil?
Hi Kara! Sure!
These are my go to banana muffins! I have made them for two years now! I make the recipe to a T, but! I add a small scoop of Nutella in the middle. Bake as normal.. EVERYONE LOVES THESE!!! thanks so much!! My family of 6 think you are amazing!!
So glad to hear you all love them!
Just tried recipe it is delish added about a cup of frozen blueberries and a half cup chopped walnuts just for something different, had to up the time 15min. but worth the wait definitely making again!
My kids and I have been addicted to your coconut banana muffins for some time now. I decided to try these and they did not disappoint! These are truly delicious and quick to whip up. Bad news is I’m out of bananas now.☹️ Can’t wait to try some of your other recipes!
Hi! If I substitute regular flour for Cup 4 Cup (gluten free flour) is that the only substitute I’d need? Cup 4 Cup already has Xantham gum in it. Thanks!
Hi AC, I’m sorry but I don’t personally have experience with baking this recipe with gluten free flour. If you try it, please let me know how it turns out!
I made it with Gluten Free Cup 4 Cup as the flour substitute and I did half the amount of sugar and my husband asked me which restaurant I bought the “non-gluten free” banana bread from. It was an absolute hit in the household — absolutely delish.
So glad it worked out with the gluten free flour and you all enjoyed them!!
I had some over-ripe bananas, and a couple of frozen bananas so I searched the internet to find a banana muffin recipe and came across this one.
I love that it uses brown sugar instead of white sugar. They were really easy to make, though my toaster oven needed 19 minutes per batch rather than 15. (I don’t have an actual oven… )
I will definitely be making these again! Thanks for the recipe!
I love these muffins. I made them recently. Love the flavor of the brown sugar. Have you ever substituted applesauce instead of oil? What would you suggest? Thanks.
Hi Stefanie! I haven’t tried applesauce, but think it would work ok. They wouldn’t be as moist, but should still be tasty. Glad you enjoy these muffins as much as we do! 🙂
I made these muffins tonight with my granddaughter. They are very good. Recipe is very simple. The recipe made 12 large muffins and 10 mini-muffins. My granddaughter wanted icing, so I made a simple confectioners sugar glaze. Next time, I will make a brown sugar/flour/oat topping to put on the muffins before I bake them.
So glad you and your granddaughter liked them! How fun to get to bake together! 🙂
These are perfection. Made them yesterday for quick breakfast this week and the kids have been gobbling them up. I even added a spoonful of flax seed for extra goodness and they didn’t notice!
Banana muffins are always a hit at my house – and yes, they’re an amazingly good way to use up all those browning bananas sitting on my counter because I mis-calculated how many we would eat. I love the idea of using brown sugar instead of white – will have to try it.
Perfect use for ripe bananas! I wish I had one right now!
Love these! Brown sugar is one of my favorite ingredients. Add that to bananas and a bit of cinnamon, and I’m all over these!