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Banana Muffins

Moist banana muffins made with ripe bananas, yogurt and oil, mixed gently and baked only until the centers set.

Prep20 minCook22 minTotal50 minYield12 standard muffinsLevelEasy

Source-reviewed. No original CookClue test is claimed unless it is actually recorded.

Tender golden banana muffins on a cooling rack with ripe bananas

Before you start

What this method is trying to achieve

Banana adds both moisture and weight, so control fruit quantity, flour and center doneness. The batter should be thick and the muffins should come out as soon as they are set.

Success looks like

Know the target before you cook

Moist and tender with clear banana flavor, an even crumb and no wet sunken center.

Ingredients

What you need

Wet

  • 340 g very ripe banana, mashed
  • 113 g plain yogurt
  • 1 large egg
  • 50 g neutral oil
  • 149 g granulated sugar

Dry

  • 180 g all-purpose flour
  • 2 tsp baking powder
  • 0.5 tsp baking soda
  • 0.5 tsp table salt
  • 0.25 tsp ground nutmeg

Method

Cook by the cues, not just the clock

Prepare

  1. Preheat the oven to 375°F / 190°C and prepare a 12-cup muffin pan.

Mix wet

  1. Whisk mashed banana, yogurt, egg, oil and sugar until evenly combined.

Add dry

  1. Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg separately, then fold into the banana mixture just until combined.

Bake

  1. Portion into cups and bake about 20 to 24 minutes until set and browned.

Cool

  1. Rest 5 minutes in the pan, then move to a rack.

Critical checkpoints

Stop here and check

other

Banana amount controlled?

The mashed banana matches the recipe weight.

Too much banana can overload the center.

other

Center set?

The top springs lightly and center is baked through.

Remove when set.

other

Dry or sunken?

The crumb is dry or center collapses.

Use muffins-dry or muffins-sink.

If yours looks different

Route the failure before changing the recipe

The banana muffins bake up dry or crumbly.Banana muffins dry? Diagnose bake time, flour, mixing and substitutions.

Why Are My Muffins Dry?

The centers sink or remain gummy.Banana muffins sinking? Diagnose doneness, leavener and wet fruit load.

Why Did My Muffins Sink?

After cooking

Storage, reheating & substitutions

Storage

Cool fully and store airtight; freeze for longer storage.

Reheating

Warm briefly before serving.

Substitutions

Use full-fat plain yogurt or sour cream.

Evidence

Sources & methodology

Technical claims and method decisions are tied to sources. Recipe-specific advice is not presented as a universal food-science law.

  1. Banana MuffinsKing Arthur Baking

    King Arthur uses measured banana, yogurt, oil and chemical leavening, then bakes until set and browned.

    publisherPassage verified
  2. What's the difference between baking soda and baking powder?King Arthur Baking

    King Arthur explains how baking powder and soda produce gas and contribute height.

    publisherPassage verified