Easy One Bowl Banana Muffins

One Bowl Banana Muffins

We looove banana muffins. Of all the sweet treats that we share here, it’s probably the thing we bake the most often in real life.

There are many variations – double chocolate and chocolate chip are favorites – but this is the simplest of the bunch. I regret to call these muffins plain – because they are perfectly sweet, incredibly moist and tender, and full of flavorful, spiced banana goodness – so we’ll stick with simple.

I can quickly whip up a batch with ingredients we always have in the pantry. They come together in one big bowl, stirred together with just a whisk and a spatula, and are perfect for making use of leopard-spotted, super-ripe bananas, which we always seem to have languishing on the counter.

The muffins emerge from the oven, with moist, cake-like centers, and cute little craggly dome tops, and are a delicious, anytime sort of treat. Our family adores them, and I hope yours will too!

Why You’ll Love These Simple Muffins

In short, these easy banana muffins are simple as can be, and oh, so delicious.

They get flavor from ripe, mashed bananas, two kinds of sugar, vanilla, cinnamon, and ginger, and not only do they taste great, but they’ll make your kitchen smell wonderful too. Like sugar, and spice, and everything nice.

The recipe is quite forgiving and easily adaptable. Out of regular milk? Use almond. In the mood for chocolate? Add some cocoa or chocolate chips. Have an egg allergy? Make them vegan.

The prep time is minimal (you’ll need just about 15 minutes to get the batter together before scooping into muffin cups and popping these babes in the oven). Another 15 or so minutes later, and they’re baked and ready to share.

Want to take things over the top? Serve them warm with a slather of butter and a tiny drizzle of honey or maple syrup… Happy baking!!

One Bowl Banana Muffin Ingredients:

These banana muffins are made with pantry staples – zero fancy ingredients required. Here’s what you’ll need:

• bananas: of course! you’ll need two very ripe bananas to get the muffin batter started. Look for bananas that are soft, fragrant, and especially speckled or black – they’ll give you the best flavor, natural sweetness, and texture.
• white and brown sugar: a combination of granulated sugar and light brown sugar adds a lovely hint of caramel, and the perfect amount of sweetness. I also sometimes sprinkle on a few teaspoons of coarse Demerara or Turbinado sugar on top (right before baking) for some crunch and sparkle.
• oil: adds moisture and creates a light and fluffy texture. You can use any neutral vegetable oil (canola oil, sunflower oil, or even melted coconut oil). I often use olive oil in my baking, and that works well here, too!
• vanilla and spices: warming spices – cinnamon, ginger, and cloves – along with vanilla extract add lots of classic, cozy flavor and are a wonderful complement to the banana.
• milk: adds moisture and helps to create a moist, tender crumb. Whole milk or unsweetened almond milk are my go-to’s, but just about any regular or non-dairy milk should work.
• egg: adds richness, and emulsifies the batter. See the recipe notes for an egg-free option.
• baking soda: for the perfect amount of lift, and cute little dome tops.
• salt: to enhance all the other flavors. I use Diamond Crystal Kosher salt for almost all of my baking.
• flour: and last, but not least, you’ll need regular all-purpose flour. These muffins also work well with gluten-free flour, and I imagine you could use half whole wheat flour with good results as well.

Find all the exact ingredients and measurements in the recipe card, below.

How to Make Quick and Easy Banana Muffins:

This banana muffin recipe is a breeze to make, perfect for novice bakers or little ones. You’ll need just one big mixing bowl and a muffin pan. If you measure by weight (highly recommended!), you’ll use even less dishes. Here’s how they come together:

1. Preheat your oven. Gather all of your ingredients, and get your pan and muffin liners ready.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the mashed banana, sugars, and the other wet ingredients.
3. Stir in the dry ingredients, being careful to gently fold in the flour until just combined.
4. Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake until the tops are golden and gently domed with little cracks beginning to form in the middle. Let cool in the pan for a few minutes before transferring to a baking rack to cool. Enjoy!!

Picking the Best Bananas for Banana Bread

The best bananas to use for banana cake, muffins, or bread are incredibly ripe, maybe on the verge of overripe. You’re going to see them on the counter – dark and speckly – and want to toss them. But often the these soft, fragrant bananas are the most sweet and are going to give you the best texture and flavor.

You can also freeze ripe bananas and save them for later. Peel them, freeze them whole, then simply defrost when ready to use. They’ll work wonderfully and you can keep them on hand for whenever banana muffins strike your fancy. There are some tricks to quickly ripen fresher bananas, but I find that they mostly just change the texture, and not so much the sweetness or flavor. This can be helpful if your bananas are super green, but as the saying goes, good (banana bread) things come to those who wait…

More Banana Desserts to Bake Next:

• Vegan Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins
• Baked Chocolate Banana Donuts
• Dark Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Ginger Spiced Banana Bread

If you make this easy banana muffin recipe, be sure to leave a comment and rating below letting me know how you liked them! ★★★★★ Star ratings are especially helpful because they help others find my recipes too. xo, Laura