This quick and easy Banana Muffins recipe uses only 2 bananas to make a small batch of muffins. This is a perfect muffin recipe if you're cooking for one or two people. Step by step recipe video included with the printable recipe. These tender, sweet muffins are perfect for breakfast, snacking or dessert.
Banana muffins have been a favorite breakfast treat at my house for years. This small batch banana muffin recipe is a scaled down version of the muffins I've been making for the last 20+ years. It's the perfect recipe to use when you have 2 bananas.
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If you're cooking for one or two, this small batch muffin recipe should definitely be in your recipe files. It's the perfect overripe banana recipe and will yield 5 to 6 muffins.
Why This Recipe Works
- Everyone loves a good banana muffin recipe, right? Well, this easy ripe banana recipe definitely delivers. It's time tested - I've been using this recipe for years.
- The banana recipe calls for ingredients most commonly found in our pantries.
- With just 10 minutes of prep time and about 20 minutes of baking time, you can enjoy the best tasting muffins that are perfect for breakfast or for an afternoon snack.
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Ingredients
See recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
Ingredient Notes
- Sugar: I use granulated sugar.
- 2 overripe bananas, vanilla, and salt: These add flavor. Remember, the riper the bananas the sweeter the bananas. The ones shown in this picture could be even riper and more speckled.
- Butter: Use melted butter.
- Egg: One large egg gives the banana muffins structure.
- Flour: I use all-purpose flour or plain flour.
- Baking soda: Helps the muffins rise.
How To Make Banana Muffins
- Mash one of the bananas with a fork on a small plate so it still has a bit of texture. Set the plate aside, you will use this banana later. With a hand mixer, whip the remaining banana and sugar together for 35-40 seconds; you want a light and smooth banana cream.
- Add the melted butter, egg, and vanilla; beat well. Mix in the dry ingredients just until incorporated and fold in the mashed banana.
- Pour the batter into lightly greased or lined muffin tin.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the tip of a sharp knife or a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out clean.
Expert Tips
- Extra ripe bananas are perfect to use in this banana muffins recipe - the riper the banana, the sweeter the muffins.
- If you like banana nut muffins, feel free to add in about a quarter cup of chopped nuts.
- Do not overmix the batter or your banana muffins will turn out dense and gummy.
Frequently Asked Questions
Cover the muffins well with plastic wrap or foil to prevent them from drying out. When properly stored, banana muffins should last 1 to 2 days at room temperature.
If you would like to freeze banana muffins, wrap them individually in plastic wrap and place them in a ziptop bag and place in the freezer. They will last for up to 2 months.
For this small batch banana muffin recipe, I use a muffin tin with a 2-inch diameter base and is 1 1/4-inches tall.
For more information on the cooking and baking dishes I use in our “recipes for one”, please visit our FAQ page.
For examples of the dishes used at One Dish Kitchen, please visit our Store page.
Variations
- Banana Nut Muffins: Add 1/4 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter.
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins: Add 1/4 cup chocolate chips to the batter.
Other Muffin Recipes
- Blueberry Muffin For One
- Apple Muffin For One
- Lemon Blueberry Muffin For One
- Maple Walnut Muffin For One
Ripe Banana Recipes
If you like this banana recipe, you might also like these single serving and small batch ripe banana recipes.
- Bananas Foster For One
- Banana Bread For One
- Mini Caramelized Banana Upside Down Cake
- Grilled Pound Cake With Limoncello Bananas
- Banana Cream Pie For One
- Tropical Smoothie
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Ingredients
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 overripe bananas , divided
- 6 tablespoons salted butter , melted
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
How To Video
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 350 degrees F (177 degrees C).
- Spray or lightly butter muffin tin.
- In a large bowl, whip the sugar and one of the bananas together until well blended.
- Add the cooled melted butter, the egg, and the vanilla and beat well.
- Mix in the flour, baking soda, and salt just until incorporated.
- Peel and mash the remaining banana with a fork on a small plate. Fold into the batter.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin tins and fill them 3/4 of the way.
- Bake until a toothpick stuck in the muffins comes out clean, 20-25 minutes.
Notes
- Extra ripe bananas are perfect to use in this banana muffins recipe - the riper the banana, the sweeter the muffins.
- If you like banana nut muffins, feel free to add in about a quarter cup of chopped nuts.
- Do not overmix the batter or your muffins will turn out dense and gummy.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Light and delicious! I had two leftover very ripe bananas and used Rachael Ray’s muffin top pan and made 8 perfect size muffins. Such an easy recipe and will be my “go to” for banana muffins.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins. Thank you for your feedback.
I haven’t altered anything.Did exactly as per the recipe.OK I admit,I used less butter and added veg oil instead.Turned out perrrtfect.Soft,bouncy,so flavorful…..I will always follow this recipe.Enough for me and my son.Thanks.
I’m so happy you both enjoyed the muffins. Thank you so much for your feedback.
Ms Joanie, I go to the Asian markets where they sell 6-7#’s of bananas in their “get-it-out-of the store bags for $1.25…Yay! I have made these muffins quite a few times! I have made edits to the recipe: Instead of the 1/2 cup of sugar…I’ve substituted 1/8 cup of cane sugar and 1/8 cup of packed brown sugar…they are lightly sweet but oh so yummy. Also, I add only 4-TBl of unsalted melted butter and 1-TBl of EVOO…tasty! Also, I add 3/4-tsp of vanilla extract. These edits raise the umami flavor of the muffin. What I love most about these muffins is exactly what I love about banana-nut loaf…the ends! I love the all-around taste of the browned muffin with the tender, tasty cake inside! I just spray the muffin pan with spray and go! Also, I bang the pan on the counter to settle my batter. FYI, I’ve been spreading the word about “One Dish Kitchen”; it’s a winner for a retired man limiting quantities of homemade and delicious eats! Thank you!
Hi Jeff, thank you so much for sharing our site with others. We appreciate it so much! I’m also so happy to know you are enjoying the muffin recipe. Thank you for your feedback and for sharing the changes you made to the recipe. Others might like to try it this way too.
These are our favorite muffins. We love them. What would I add if I wanted to make a dozen?
I’m so happy you love the muffins, Frances. You can just double the ingredients and keep the cooking time the same to make a double batch.
I made this recipe many times but forget to comment 😬 I absolutely love it!! Not only are the muffins fluffy and tasteful but just making a few instead of 12 is a great way to keep portions in check!! Thank you so much!
I tried these and they were delicious!! I added walnuts and sprinkled a little brown sugar on top for the last 10 minutes of baking. Just fantastic. Thank you so much for sharing.
What lovely additions! I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
These are the best banana muffins I have ever had! They were a big hit in our house! I subbed light brown sugar for regular and added chocolate chips. This is going to be my new go-to banana muffin recipe!
I’m so pleased to know that you and your family enjoyed the muffins. Thank you so much for your feedback.
OH. MY. GOD. These are the best ever muffins!! So light and delicious, I used half the amount of sugar and my bananas were a lot more ripe. Although it made it less sweet it was still delicious a little warm with some butter. Honestly incredible!
I’m so glad you enjoyed the muffins. Thank you for your feedback.
Excellent Recipe!!! Made these for my elderly parents and served them warm. They both totally enjoyed them.
By folding in the second banana at the end provided the muffins with lots of banana flavor.
Thank you SO MUCH for posting this delicious muffin recipe. Personally, I am not much of a store bought muffin fan as they are usually too heavy and dense but the banana muffins in this recipe were light and fluffy!!!! Mmmm….
I’m so glad you all enjoyed the muffins. Thank you so much for taking the time to let me know.
I am NOT a baker whatsoever! But you’d never know with these muffins! A recipe that was easy to follow with minimal ingredients. My kids and I loved these muffins and I will be making them again. Thank you!
This makes me so happy to hear! Thank you, I’m so glad you and your kids loved the muffins.
These are amazing, thanks!
Could these work with coconut rather than nuts? Will it make them too dry?
I haven’t tried this recipe with coconut but I bet the muffins would be delicious. If you try them, please let me know how you enjoyed them.