These Mini Banana Muffins are quick and easy to prepare, making them the perfect breakfast or snack! With all the flavor of classic banana bread in conveniently sized mini muffins, they're made with ripe bananas and a few simple pantry staples. Moist, flavorful, and ready in about 20 minutes, this mini banana muffin recipe is a family favorite!
Do you have some ripe bananas to use up? If so, these banana mini muffins are just the thing to try! If you’re like me, banana bread is usually the first thing that comes to mind when I see overripe bananas on the counter. My Cinnamon Crumble Banana Bread is always a favorite, but these mini banana bread muffins are a fun way to switch things up! Plus, they’re oven-ready in just a few minutes and perfect for busy mornings or an easy snack.
Quick Look: Mini Banana Muffins
- Prep: 10 minutes
- Bake: 12-14 minutes
- Total: About 22-24 minutes
- Yield: 40 mini muffins
- Main ingredients: Ripe bananas, butter, egg, sugar, vanilla, flour
Add me as a trusted Google source.Very moist, and tasted great. They took a couple minutes longer to bake. I added walnuts to mine and actually made 24 of them. It's my new favorite banana recipe.
Ingredient Notes
Using only a few simple ingredients, these mini banana muffins come together in no time! See the printable recipe card below for exact amounts and step-by-step instructions.
- Bananas: The more ripe, the better! Ripe or overripe bananas add natural sweetness, moisture, and plenty of banana flavor. Mash the bananas before adding them to the batter so they combine easily.
- Butter: I use melted, unsalted butter in this recipe. If using salted butter, simply omit the additional salt.
- Vanilla Extract: Pure vanilla extract is best for adding just the right amount of flavor, but imitation vanilla works too.
- Flour: Regular all-purpose flour works best. Be sure to measure it correctly and avoid packing it into the measuring cup, as too much flour can make the muffins dry.
Substitutions & Variations
- Gluten-Free: Use a 1:1 gluten-free flour blend in place of the all-purpose flour.
- Salted Butter: Salted butter can be used in place of unsalted. Simply omit the additional salt in the recipe.
- Chocolate Chips: Fold in 1 cup mini chocolate chips to make mini banana chocolate chip muffins. If you love chocolate chips, try my Mini Chocolate Chip Muffins next!
- Banana Nut: Add ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans for easy banana nut mini muffins.
- Brown Sugar: Swap the granulated sugar for brown sugar for a slightly richer flavor, or simply sprinkle a little brown sugar over the muffin batter before baking.
- For a fun twist on classic banana bread, try my Bourbon Banana Bread.
How to make Mini Banana Muffins
Step 1. Preheat oven to 350°F and grease your mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the ripe bananas to a large bowl and mash.
Step 2. Whisk in the melted butter, large egg, sugar, and vanilla extract to the mashed bananas, mixing well.
Step 3. Add the baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour, stirring until just combined.
Step 4. Using a spoon, scoop the muffin batter into each mini muffin cup, about ⅔ full.
Step 5. Once the tray is filled, place in the oven and bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
Step 6. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for 1-2 minutes before removing the muffins from the mini muffin pan.
Baking Tips
- Use very ripe bananas. The browner and softer the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful your mini banana muffins will be. Overripe bananas work great too!
- Don't overmix. Stir the flour into the wet ingredients just until combined. Overmixing the muffin batter can result in dense or dry muffins.
- Fill about ⅔ full. Fill each mini muffin cup about ⅔ full to give the muffins room to rise without overflowing.
- Don't overbake. Mini muffins bake quickly, so start checking them around 12 minutes. They're done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Use a cookie scoop. A small cookie scoop makes it easy to evenly portion the muffin batter into the mini muffin pan.
- Love banana muffins? Try my Mini Cinnamon Banana Muffins with a sweet cinnamon sugar topping for another easy variation.
Storage
These mini banana bread muffins are freezer-friendly and easy to make ahead! Follow these simple tips to keep any leftovers fresh:
- Room Temperature: Once completely cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container or bag at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Refrigerator: Store the muffins in an air tight container in the fridge for 4-5 days. Line the container with a paper towel and place another over the muffins to help absorb excess moisture and keep them from getting soggy.
- Freezer: Place completely cooled muffins in a freezer bag or freezer-safe container and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature, or microwave an individual muffin for 10-15 seconds for that "fresh from the oven" taste.
Mini Banana Muffins recipe faqs
Yes! Thaw the bananas completely before using and drain off any excess liquid. Four medium bananas yield about 2 cups mashed. Several readers have used frozen bananas with great results!
Absolutely! Bake them at the same 350°F temperature and start checking around 20 minutes. Since muffin pans and ovens can vary, use a toothpick inserted into the center to check for doneness.
Overmixing the batter, using bananas that aren’t ripe enough, or baking the muffins too long can cause them to turn out dry. Stir the batter just until combined, use very ripe or overripe bananas, and start checking the muffins around 12 minutes to keep them moist and fluffy.
More Banana Recipes You’ll love
Tried this recipe? Leave a ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ rating and let me know what you think in the comments! You can also follow me on Pinterest for even more easy, family-friendly recipes.
Want to save this recipe?
Enter your email & I’ll send it to your inbox. Plus, get great new recipes from me every week!
Mini Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe bananas mashed (about 2 cups)
- ⅓ cup unsalted butter melted
- 1 large egg
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and grease a mini muffin pan with non-stick cooking spray. Add the ripe bananas to a medium bowl and mash.
- Stir in the melted butter, egg, sugar, and vanilla extract, mixing well.
- Add the baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour, stirring until just combined.
- Using a spoon or small cookie scoop, scoop the muffin batter into each mini muffin cup, about ⅔ full.
- Place the mini muffin pan in the oven and bake at 350°F for 12-14 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and allow the muffins to cool for 1-2 minutes before removing them from the mini muffin pan.
Notes
- Bananas: For the best flavor and moisture, use very ripe or overripe bananas. Four medium bananas yield about 2 cups mashed.
- Don’t overmix: Stir the flour into the batter just until combined to keep the mini banana muffins moist and fluffy.
- Add-ins: Fold in 1 cup mini chocolate chips or ½ cup chopped walnuts or pecans, if desired.
- Storage: Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the fridge for 4-5 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
Jen says
Excellent muffins, the only thing is the tops dont brown and a bit sticky. I test them and they are fully baked. I dont want to dry them out by over baking them. Could it be too much banana?
Kristin Hayes says
Possibly too much banana, but it can also be their placement in the oven. Can you move them down a rack to try? Glad you enjoy!!
Alia says
I only had 3 bananas so added 3 tablespoons of apple sauce and then followed the rest of the recipe to a T and they were fantastic!
Kristin Hayes says
Yay! So glad you enjoyed! These are a favorite in my house! Thanks for the great feedback and tip on the applesauce!
Angela says
This is a perfect recipe!!! I used frozen bananas because I have a ton saved up. I used my emulsion blender to make the bananas smooth. I then baked them in a 12 count brownie tin for 17 mins. I also added a healthy “dash” of cinnamon because my 11 yr old loves it.
Kristin Hayes says
Yay!! So glad you enjoy the mini muffins as much as we do! Love the addition of cinnamon, great idea!
Mich says
10 stars! OMG – these are soooooo delicious and perfect!! I earmarked this recipe last week, thinking about what I needed to use up. Made these this morning because I had 8 bananas’ worth of banana mush in my freezer – over a year old. Plus 2 old red apples in the fridge, lol. I doubled the recipe and got 68 mini muffins! Did not change any of your ingredients but added the old apples (I got ~ 2 cups peeled & diced ), an extra egg, some cinnamon and freshly grated nutmeg, a tiny bit of ground cardamom, and some milk chocolate chips. Batter was thick, but workable (I panicked because it was so thick – that’s where the extra egg came in). Used brown sugar. I put 2 more choc chips on top of each muffin in case some didn’t get any. A teaspoon-sized cookie scoop was perfect for filling the tins without making a mess. These muffins are light, just sweet enough, and were done in 12-13 minutes. This is the EASIEST (mix it all in 1 bowl!) and BEST recipe for using up old bananas that I’ve ever made. Thank you SO much!
Kristin says
Omgosh, what a fun review to receive! Thanks so much for the rating and great feedback! I’m so glad you enjoy the recipe as much as we do! Love the additions into the muffins, what great choices!
Robyn Weir says
I made these this weekend and for some reason they turned out really dry. I followed the recipe exactly, so I don’t know what happened.
Kristin says
Oh no! Sorry to hear that! Did you by chance over-mix the batter? Were your bananas ripe? If over-mixed, it can turn the muffins dry and dense. They should have been moist and fluffy!
Sandi Rapp says
I have several containers of mashed bananas in my freezer and would like to use them. How much would I need for the four bananas? Thank you so much!
Mrs H says
I have the exact same question
Kristin says
Four medium bananas, when mashed, yield approximately 2 cups of mashed bananas. Enjoy!
Carla says
Very moist, and tasted great. They took a couple minutes longer to bake. I added walnuts to mine and actually made 24 of them. It’s my new favorite banana recipe.
Kristin says
Yay!! Love hearing this!! So glad you enjoy the recipe!!
Linda says
Can these be made in regular muffin pans? How long to bake?
Kristin says
Absolutely! Same temperature to bake at, but about 25-30 minutes and use a toothpick to check the center! Enjoy!!
Tiffany says
How long can you store these?
Kristin says
They can be stored in a container for up to 1 week in the refrigerator. 3-4 days on the counter in a container! Or you can freeze these for up to a few months
Janet says
Just made them and my 13 son gave them an 8 or 9 out of 10! he doesn’t even know their gluten free. Tip: I filled the cups a little fuller and then banged the pan on the counter to level the batter. They look fantastic!
Kristin says
Yea!! That’s great!! Glad they were enjoyed and thanks for the tip!!
Kristin says
This looks great! But I’m wondering if milk is missing from your ingredient list?
Kristin says
Hi! Nope, all the ingredients listed are the only ones you’ll need! Enjoy!