These Banana Buttermilk Muffins bake up tall with incredibly soft centers and crisp sugar tops. No mixer needed, and you'll go from mixing bowl to freshly baked muffins in about 30 minutes.
Step by step photos
These visual instructions help you see the process. You can also find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions at the end of the post.
- Flour mixture: In a bowl, whisk together all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, ground cinnamon and granulated sugar.
- Banana mixture: In a separate large bowl, mash the banana until mostly smooth. Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla extract and whisk until combined.
- Combine: Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture.
- Fold gently just until combined. The batter should be thick and fall from the spatula in a thick ribbon.
- Fill: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners, filling them almost to the top.
- Sprinkle the top each with a little granulated sugar.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C), or 180°C convection. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C), or 170°C convection, and bake for another 12–15 minutes, or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
Storage
Room temperature: Once completely cool, keep the muffins in an airtight container for up to 2 days.
Refrigerator: Keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. Bring them to room temperature for about 20 minutes, or warm one in the microwave for 10–15 seconds.
Freezer: Freeze the muffins in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for about 1–2 hours, or overnight in the fridge.
How to get tall muffin tops
If your muffins usually turn out flat or more like cupcakes, these few things will help them rise taller.
Start with a hot oven. Bake the muffins at the higher temperature for the first 5 minutes, then lower it for the remaining baking time. That first burst of heat helps the muffins rise quickly.
Check the batter consistency. The batter should be thick and fall from the spatula in a thick ribbon. Don’t add extra milk or buttermilk to thin it out.
Fill the liners almost to the top. This gives you enough batter in each liner to rise above the pan and form those tall muffin tops.
Don’t open the oven. After the muffins have baked for 5 minutes at the higher temperature, lower the temperature without opening the oven door and continue baking.
Those split tops are normal. As the muffins rise, the tops can naturally split open in places, forming those classic, rustic muffin tops. The sugar sprinkled over the batter adds a crisp crust as they bake.
Tips for Banana Buttermilk Muffins
Use really ripe bananas. Those brown, spotty bananas are just right here. They’re sweeter and mash easily into the batter.
Measure the banana after mashing. You’ll need about 2–3 medium bananas, depending on their size. Mash them first, then weigh 180 g or measure ¾ cup. The measured amount is what matters.
Don't overmix the batter: Once you add the flour, fold only until you can’t see any dry patches. Mixing too much can make the muffins dense.
Room-temperature eggs and buttermilk work best. Take them out of the fridge about 30 minutes before you start. Forgot? Put the eggs in a bowl of warm water for 5–10 minutes and microwave the buttermilk for 10–15 seconds. It should be room temperature, not hot.
Oven type: I’ve included temperatures for both conventional (400°F/200°C, then 375°F/190°C) and convection/fan (180°C, then 170°C) ovens. The higher temperature is for the first 5 minutes, then you lower it for the remaining baking time.
Cooling: When the muffins come out of the oven, leave them in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack. Whether they actually get the chance to cool completely is between you and the muffins.😁
Recipe
Banana Buttermilk Muffins
Watch how to make the recipe
Flour mixture
- 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour (plain flour)
- 2 level teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ level teaspoon baking soda (bicarbonate of soda)
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ⅔ cup (134 g) granulated sugar
Banana mixture
- ¾ cup (180 g) mashed very ripe banana (see notes below)
- 2 large eggs (room temperature)
- ½ cup (120 ml) oil (such as canola, vegetable or sunflower oil)
- ½ cup (120 ml) buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Topping
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar (about ½ teaspoon per muffin)
- Preheat: Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C), or 180°C convection. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners.
- Flour mixture: In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and sugar.
- Banana mixture: In a separate large bowl, mash the banana until mostly smooth. Add the eggs, oil, buttermilk and vanilla and whisk until combined.
- Combine: Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture. Fold gently just until combined. The batter should be thick and fall from the spatula in a thick ribbon.
- Fill: Divide the batter evenly between the 12 liners, filling them almost to the top.
- Sugar Topping: Sprinkle each muffin with a little granulated sugar.
- Bake: Bake for 5 minutes at 400°F (200°C), or 180°C convection. Without opening the oven, reduce the temperature to 375°F (190°C), or 170°C convection, and continue baking for another 12–15 minutes, or until well risen and a skewer inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool: When the muffins come out of the oven, leave them in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack.
Storage
- Keep completely cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. Freeze in an airtight container or freezer bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature for 1–2 hours or overnight in the fridge.
More Easy Muffin Recipes
There are plenty more muffins to bake around here. I’ve picked a few more favorites for you below.
Peach Muffins (Fresh or Canned Peaches)
Strawberry Muffins (Fresh or Frozen Strawberries)
Apple Oat Cottage Cheese Muffins
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