Go-to recipes are a gift, and this easy Banana Muffin recipe is firmly in that category.
Let’s be honest. Once bananas start ripening in the fruit bowl, they seem determined to take everything else down with them. I love a firm banana for my daily porridge, but the moment those black spots appear, they’re officially off my breakfast list.
Thankfully, that’s where these muffins come in.
This recipe works beautifully with frozen bananas too. If baking isn’t on the agenda right now, simply peel ripe bananas and freeze them whole in an airtight bag. They’ll defrost quickly and be ready whenever the urge to bake strikes (or when an over-supply of overripe bananas start judging you from the freezer).
The ingredients are intentionally flexible. Anywhere from three to five ripe bananas works well, large or small. Aim for around 1½ cups of mashed banana and you’ll be right on track. Cinnamon is my usual choice, but nutmeg is a lovely alternative if that’s what you have on hand. I prefer brown sugar for its deeper, caramel-like flavour that pairs so well with banana, but white sugar works perfectly fine too.
But like all good muffin recipes, the ability to adapt them on a whim is crucial! Think dark chocolate chips (yum) or walnuts (double yum). The walnuts keep somewhat of their texture once baked, adding an added surprise and a lovely earthy flavour without being overly sweet.
And yes, they freeze beautifully. Pop them into the freezer and pull them out whenever guests arrive unannounced (or when you just need something comforting, quickly). Mini muffins take about 30 seconds in the microwave, while larger ones need closer to a minute. They defrost warm, moist, and utterly delicious, tasting like they’ve just come out of the oven.
Simple, forgiving, and always a crowd-pleaser this is exactly what a good go-to recipe should be. That being said… I selfishly add my own favourite recipes here on my blog so I CAN FIND THEM. So, if you happen to find them too, well that’s a bonus.
Easy Banana Muffins
Ingredients:
- 1.5 cups standard flour
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 3-5 ripe bananas, mashed (approx 1.5 cups)
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (packed down)
- 75g salted butter, melted
- 1 egg
- 1 tsp vanilla essence or extract
- 2-4 Tbsp milk
- 1/2 cup walnut pieces or dark chocolate drops (optional)
Method:
- Preheat oven to 200°C.
- Measure and add flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and cinnamon to a bowl. Aerate the mix with a whisk (this helps to incorporate the ingredients and aerate the flour at the same time).
- In a separate bowl combine bananas, brown sugar, melted butter, egg, essence and 2 Tablespoons of milk. Mix together well.
- Combine the dry and the wet ingredients together. Add a touch more milk if the batter is gluggy.
- Finally, fold in the walnut pieces.
- Add spoonfuls to your muffin tray. Bake for 15 minutes for mini muffins, or 15-18 minutes for your regular sized muffins. You’ll know when they are ready – browned nicely, and firm to touch.
- No need to ice these beauties! Allow to cool slightly, then enjoy!
