This banana muffin recipe is a huge hit with the kids. Not only do these banana bread muffins look like cupcakes, but they’re also ready in less than half an hour from start to finish!

Prep: 10 min.          Bake: 20 min.         Servings:  1 dozen

Ingredients

1 large egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup vegetable oil
1 cup sugar
1 teaspoon baking soda
3 medium ripe bananas
1/2 teaspoon salt
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour

Directions

Combine the dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl. Mash the bananas in a separate basin.

Mix in the egg, oil, and vanilla extract thoroughly. Just until the dry ingredients are moistened, stir in the wet components.

Half-fill muffin cups that have been oiled or lined with paper liners.

Preheat oven to 375°F and bake for 18-22 minutes, or until toothpick inserted in middle comes out clean.

Allow to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool fully.

BASIC BANANA MUFFINS TIPS

Whisking together flour and sugar with a fork helps release hidden air bubbles that can make your muffins tough. So don’t skip it!

Always use ripe bananas instead of green ones because they have more natural moisture. If they’re turning black, they’re not ripe enough! You can also check their ripeness by pressing them gently with the tip of a sharp knife or by slicing them open lengthwise. The ripest ones will go on the outside of the banana peel, while the greener ones will look like they’re still attached to the banana.

You can pop open whole or partially peeled bananas with a paring knife and let them sit on a cutting board for 24 hours before baking them (if you’re in a hurry, you could also cut off their ends first). This is because ripe banana skins contain more starch than green ones do.

How can I ripen bananas quickly?

To get the finest flavor from bananas, bake with them while they’re ripe (or even overripe). Place your bananas, along with an apple, avocado, peach, or tomato, in a brown paper bag and store on your counter to swiftly ripen. This will trap the fruit’s ethylene gas, hastening the ripening process. Place bananas in their peels on a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 250° for 15-20 minutes to speed up the ripening process.

Is it possible to freeze muffins?

Yes! If you can’t eat fresh-baked muffins within three days, we recommend freezing them. Place the cooled muffins on a baking sheet in a single layer and freeze for 30 minutes or until solid. Wrap each muffin in foil and place it in an airtight container to freeze. These banana muffins can be frozen for up to two months. To make sure your banana muffins come out fresh, follow these freezer guidelines.

How can I make this recipe lighter?

By replacing half (or all) of the oil in these banana bread muffins with unsweetened applesauce, you may reduce the fat and calories.

Nutrition Facts

1 Muffin: 209 calories, 7g fat (1g saturated fat), 18mg cholesterol, 209mg sodium, 36g carbohydrate (22g sugars, 1g fiber), 2g protein