If you have a few ripe bananas sitting on your kitchen counter, these easy & simple banana muffins are the perfect way to use them up! They’re soft, moist, full of banana flavor, and made with simple pantry ingredients you probably already have at home!
As a mom of two, I’m always looking for easy homemade snacks that I can make ahead of time and have ready for busy mornings or throughout the week. These banana muffins are one of those recipes that are easy to throw together, perfect for little ones, and something the whole family can enjoy.
What I love most about this recipe is that it uses four ripe bananas and just 1/4 cup of pure maple syrup for sweetness. There’s no refined sugar in the base recipe, and the ripe bananas provide plenty of natural sweetness without needing a lot of added sweetener.
If you’re making these for adults or simply prefer sweeter muffins, you can increase the maple syrup to 1/2 cup. You can also add chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or a combination of both!
Whether you’re making these for breakfast, an afternoon snack, or stocking up your freezer, these homemade banana muffins are a great recipe to keep on rotation.
Why You’ll Love These Banana Muffins
Freezer-friendly: Perfect for keeping on hand when you need a convenient homemade snack.
Easy to make: Everything comes together with just a couple of mixing bowls and simple pantry ingredients.
No refined sugar in the base recipe: Naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and pure maple syrup instead of white or brown sugar.
Soft and moist: Four ripe bananas help create a tender muffin with plenty of delicious banana flavor.
Kid-friendly: Lightly sweetened and perfect for toddlers, little ones, and the whole family.
Customizable: Add chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or your favorite mix-ins.
Great for meal prep: Make a batch ahead of time for quick breakfasts and easy snacks.
Ingredients You’ll Need
One of the best things about these easy banana muffins is that they’re made with basic ingredients you probably already have in your pantry.
- Ripe bananas: You’ll need four medium ripe bananas. The riper they are, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. Bananas with plenty of brown spots work best!
- All-purpose flour: Gives the muffins structure while keeping them soft and tender.
- Baking powder and baking soda: Both help the muffins rise and create a fluffy texture.
- Salt: A little salt helps balance the sweetness and brings out the banana flavor.
- Ground cinnamon: Adds a subtle warmth that pairs perfectly with the bananas.
- Coconut oil: Melted coconut oil adds moisture and helps keep these banana muffins soft. You can also use melted unsalted butter if preferred.
- Pure maple syrup: I use 1/4 cup for a lightly sweetened version that’s great for my kids. If you prefer sweeter muffins, you can increase it to 1/2 cup.
- Egg: Helps bind the ingredients together and gives the muffins structure.
- Vanilla extract: Adds a delicious hint of vanilla.
- Milk: Adds a little extra moisture to the batter.
- Optional add-ins: Chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or a combination of both are delicious additions!
Final Thoughts
If you’re looking for an easy homemade snack that the whole family can enjoy, these easy & simple banana muffins are a great recipe to try!
I love that they’re made with basic pantry ingredients, naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and maple syrup, and easy to customize with your favorite add-ins.
They’re perfect for breakfast, afternoon snacks, or making ahead of time to keep in the freezer for those extra busy days.
Whether you enjoy them plain, with chocolate chips, or with chopped walnuts, I hope these banana muffins become a favorite in your home, too!
If you try this recipe, I’d love to hear how it turns out! Leave a comment below and let me know your favorite way to enjoy them.
Happy baking!
Easy & Simple Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup pure maple syrup increase to 1/2 cup for sweeter muffins
- 6 tablespoons coconut oil, melted
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Optional: 1/2 cup chocolate chips chopped walnuts, or a combination of both
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F and line a standard muffin pan with paper liners or lightly grease each muffin cup.
- In a large mixing bowl, mash the ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth.
- Add the melted coconut oil, maple syrup, egg, vanilla extract, and milk to the mashed bananas and whisk until well combined.
- Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon to the wet ingredients and gently mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix.
- If using chocolate chips or chopped walnuts, gently fold them into the batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each approximately 3/4 full.
- Bake at 350°F for 23–25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Recipe Notes
Sweetness: I use 1/4 cup maple syrup for a lightly sweetened version that’s great for kids. For a sweeter muffin, increase to 1/2 cup. Adding extra syrup may affect the texture and baking time. Coconut oil: Make sure the coconut oil is melted but slightly cooled before mixing it into the batter. You can substitute melted unsalted butter if preferred. Optional add-ins: Add up to 1/2 cup of chocolate chips, chopped walnuts, or both. Storage: Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Freezer: Freeze in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
