Banana Crumb Muffins

Move over, banana bread — there's a new fave banana treat in town. With an irresistibly crunchy top, these banana crumb muffins are light and delicious! They take only thirty minutes to whip up, and they couldn't be easier to make. 

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Ever since I was a little kid, I've loved banana bread. I think it was one of the first things I ever baked from scratch!

But, I have to admit I'm a bit lazy sometimes. Banana bread takes aaaaaages to bake in the oven, and sometimes you just want dessert right-this-instant, y'know?

Introducing: these delish banana crumb muffins!

They have all the delicious flavor of your favorite banana bread, plus a crunchy, sugary crumble on top. And they take less than twenty minutes to bake! Enjoy 'em for breakfast, or snack on one (or two) as an afternoon sweet treat — you do you.

Jump to:

• What You'll Need
• How to Make These Muffins
• Tips to Make Perfect Muffins
• Common Questions About These Muffins
• How to Store & Freeze
• Banana Crumb Muffins
• Comments

What You'll Need

Honestly, this recipe is pretty simple to make, but let's quickly chat about some of the key ingredients and tools you'll need. The full recipe can be found at the bottom of the post.

Ingredients

• Bananas - The star of the show! The blacker the banana, the better here. To get the bananas ready for baking, I like to just mash them up on a cutting board using a fork.
• Light brown sugar - You'll need some for both the muffins and the crumb topping. I like to use brown sugar instead of granulated sugar for this recipe to develop a richer flavor.
• Unsalted butter - I always recommend baking with unsalted butter, not salted. That way, you have more control over the total amount of salt in the recipe.

Equipment

• Muffin pan - This recipe yields 10 muffins, so a 12-cup muffin pan works great here.
• Cupcake liners - When making muffins, I always like to line my muffin pan with cupcake liners. That way, you don't have to spray the pan, and it's really easy to remove the muffins once they're baked.
• Cookie scoop - Try using a cookie scoop when portioning out the muffins, and you'll thank me later. It makes the process a breeze!

How to Make These Muffins

Now that you've got everything ready, let's make some muffins! Here's how they come together:

Start by beating together the mashed bananas and light brown sugar. Mix until well combined. (Image 1)

Add in the vegetable oil, egg, and lemon juice. Mix until homogeneous, scraping the bowl after each addition. (Image 2)

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. (Image 3 and Image 4)

Prepare 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. (Image 5 and Image 6)

Portion out the muffins and bake! Scoop the muffin batter into the prepared pan, filling each muffin about ¾ of the way full. 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 they're golden brown and a toothpick inserted in the middle comes of one out clean. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving. (Image 7 and Image 8)

Tips to Make Perfect Muffins

Here are a few tips to get delicious muffins every time you bake them:

• 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 ½ cup of whatever ingredient you choose and follow the rest of the recipe as written.

Common Questions About These Muffins

You've got questions... I've got answers! If you have a question about this recipe that isn't answered below, feel free to leave it in the comments, and I'll jump in there to help you out.

How to Store & Freeze

To store: Cover and store these muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3-5 days.

To freeze: Let the muffins cool completely at room temperature, then place them in a freezer-proof container or bag and freeze for up to 2 months. When you're ready to eat one, let it thaw at room temperature or heat it up for a few minutes in the oven.

Love this recipe? Please leave a star rating and review in the comments below! And don't forget to subscribe to The Baker's Almanac for even more baking recipes and tips.

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