With an irresistible crunchy top, these Banana Crumb Muffins are light and delicious. These muffins take only thirty minutes to whip up, and they couldn’t be easier to make.

Everyone and their mother seems to be making banana bread right now, and I am here for it.

But, I have to admit I’m a bit lazy sometimes. Banana bread takes ages to bake in the oven, and sometimes you just want dessert right away, y’know?

These banana crumb muffins have all the delicious flavor of your favorite banana bread, plus a delicious, sugary crumble on top. And they take less than twenty minutes to bake! Given that they are not overly sweet, they make a perfect breakfast option as well.

Tips for Making Banana Crumb Muffins

Here are a few tips to get delicious banana crumb muffins every time:

Make sure your bananas are ripe. I’m talking almost entirely brown, extra-ripe bananas. When my bananas start to get really ripe, I like to cut them up and store them in the freezer. Then, you can use them for banana muffins or banana bread at any time in the future!
Don’t overmix the batter. After adding in the dry ingredients, mix the batter until just combined. If you mix too much, the batter will develop too much gluten, causing the finished muffins to taste tough and chewy. For light and soft muffins, go easy on the mixing towards the end of this recipe.
Use a toothpick to see if the muffins are ready. The best way to determine when these muffins have finished baking is to insert a toothpick or cake tester directly in the middle of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean (with no liquid), then it’s time to remove the pan from the oven.
Add in nuts or chocolate chips to spice things up. I think these muffins are perfect on their own, but you can definitely throw in some walnuts or chocolate chips to give them an extra flavor boost. You can just add in about 1/2 cup of whatever ingredient you choose and follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Helpful Tools for Making Banana Crumb Muffins

To make these muffins, there are a few tools I recommend picking up:

Muffin pan* — A 12-cup muffin pan like this one is perfect for this recipe! I think a good muffin pan like this is an essential kitchen staple, and you can easily use it for cupcakes as well.
Cupcake liners* — I prefer to use cupcake liners like this when making muffins, and I always opt for just a simple white version. Liners are also great because they mean you don’t have to grease the pan at all.
Cookie scoop* — When making muffins or cupcakes, I love to use a cookie scoop like this to portion the batter into the pan. It makes it really easy to ensure the muffins are all a consistent size. Plus, a scoop like this is great to have on hand when making cookies or serving ice cream.

Banana Crumb Muffins FAQ

What is the best way to mash up the bananas? Personally, I like to place the peeled bananas on a cutting board and mash them using a fork or potato masher. However, you can also mash them using a handheld mixer or stand mixer if you prefer.

Can you bake this recipe in a loaf pan instead? Yes, you definitely can! Simply follow the recipe as written, then pour it into a greased loaf pan. Then, sprinkle the crumble all over the top. Since I haven’t made this recipe in a loaf pan, I’m not entirely sure how long the bake time would be—I would recommend starting at 40 minutes, then checking every five minutes or so with a toothpick until baked all the way through.

Can you freeze these muffins? Absolutely. Let the muffins cool completely after baking, then wrap them individually in plastic wrap or a Ziploc bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you are ready to eat one, let them thaw at room temperature or even warm them up for a few minutes in the oven.

Watch Our Video on How to Make Banana Crumb Muffins

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Banana Crumb Muffins

Author: Leslie Hargett
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 12 muffins 1x

Print Recipe

Description

With an irresistible crunchy top, these Banana Crumb Muffins are light and delicious. These muffins take only thirty minutes to whip up, and they couldn’t be easier to make.

Scale

Ingredients

Banana Muffins

3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup light brown sugar, packed (150 g)
1/4 cup vegetable oil (60 g)
1 large egg (50 g)
1 1/2 teaspoons lemon juice (7 g)
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (150 g)
1/2 teaspoon baking soda (4 g)
1/4 teaspoon baking powder (1 g)
1/4 teaspoon salt (2 g)

Crumb Topping

1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed (66 g)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour (30 g)
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon (1 g)
1 tablespoon unsalted butter (14 g)

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-count muffin pan with liners, or lightly spray with nonstick cooking spray.
Make the banana muffins: In a large bowl (or a stand mixer fitted with a paddle attachment), beat together the mashed bananas and light brown sugar until well-combined. Add in the vegetable oil, egg, and lemon juice, scraping the mixture afterwards to ensure everything is homogenous. In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Then, add the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and mix until just combined.
Make the crumb topping: In a small bowl, whisk together the light brown sugar, all-purpose flour, and ground cinnamon. Add in the unsalted butter, and use your fingers to flake the butter until the mixture resembles coarse sand.
Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared muffin pan, filling about 2/3 of the way full. I like to use a large cookie scoop to make sure the muffins are a consistent size. Then, sprinkle the crumb topping on top of each muffin until fully covered.
Bake the muffins in the preheated oven for 18-20 minutes, or until golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving.
Stored in an airtight container, these muffins will stay fresh at room temperature for up to three days. Alternatively, you can freeze the muffins for up to 2 months if tightly wrapped in plastic wrap.

Notes

If desired, you can substitute frozen bananas in this recipe. Simply let them thaw to room temperature before using. When my bananas start to get really ripe, I like to stash them in the freezer to use for recipes like this.
If you want, you can throw in some walnuts or chocolate chips to give these muffins an extra flavor boost. Simply add in about 1/2 cup of whatever ingredient you choose and follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Category: Dessert
Method: Bake
Cuisine: American

Keywords: muffins, banana muffins, banana crumb muffins, banana bread

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