Name: Banana Muffins
Cook time: 20 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
Yield: Makes 12
Ingredients: ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar; ¼ cup (31 g) unbleached all-purpose flour; Pinch kosher salt; 2 Tbsp. rolled oats; 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature; Neutral oil (for muffin pan); ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter; ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar; 2¼ cups (281 g) unbleached all-purpose flour; 2 tsp. baking powder; 1 tsp. baking soda; 1 tsp. ground cinnamon; ½ tsp. kosher salt; ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg; 2 large eggs; 1 cup mashed ripe banana (from about 2 large or 3 small), plus 1 ripe banana, coarsely chopped (optional); ¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek); 1 tsp. vanilla extract; ½ cup (64 g) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

A plate of banana nut muffins with brown sugar streusel being sliced in half.

Photo by Joseph De Leo, Food Styling by Drew Aichele

The classic banana muffin recipe gets a boost from several supporting ingredients in this rendition of the bakery favorite. Brown butter, dark brown sugar, and warming spices all serve to enhance the natural sweetness and depth of flavor that develop as bananas ripen. The batter itself has additional chopped banana folded into it, yielding a ratio of one-quarter banana per muffin and a cross-section filled with sweet pockets of banana. Each banana-walnut muffin also gets the streusel treatment: a bumpy, crunchy, sweet topping flecked with oats. As with most muffins, the closer you are to “fresh out of the oven,” the better the experience. Consider making the streusel ahead of time, measuring out your ingredients, and prepping a muffin tin with papers to have it all ready when you wake up. That way you can have a batch of banana muffins in the oven before the coffee is even finished brewing.

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Recipe information

Total Time
45 minutes
Yield
Makes 12

Ingredients

Streusel

½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar

¼ cup (31 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

Pinch kosher salt

2 Tbsp. rolled oats

2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature

Muffins

Neutral oil (for muffin pan)

½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter

½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar

2¼ cups (281 g) unbleached all-purpose flour

2 tsp. baking powder

1 tsp. baking soda

1 tsp. ground cinnamon

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg

2 large eggs

1 cup mashed ripe banana (from about 2 large or 3 small), plus 1 ripe banana, coarsely chopped (optional)

¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek)

1 tsp. vanilla extract

½ cup (64 g) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped (optional)

Preparation

Streusel
Step 1
In a medium bowl, mix 1/2 cup (100 g) dark brown sugar, 1/4 cup (31 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, and a pinch kosher salt to combine. Add 2 Tbsp. rolled oats and 2 Tbsp. unsalted butter, at room temperature and cut them in with a fork or your fingers until the mixture begins to clump together. When pressed, the streusel should clump together in your fist but crumble into nice lumps. Mix a bit longer, if needed. Transfer to a small container and refrigerate until ready to use.
Do ahead: Streusel can be made up to 1 month ahead and frozen in an airtight container, or up to 2 weeks ahead and refrigerated in an airtight container.
Muffins
Step 2
Preheat oven to 350º. Line a standard 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners. Lightly coat flat top of muffin pan with neutral oil to prevent sticking.
Step 3
Heat ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5–8 minutes. Scrape into a large bowl and immediately whisk in ½ cup (100 g) dark brown sugar to combine. Cool to room temperature.
Step 4
Whisk together 2¼ cups (281 g) unbleached all-purpose flour, 2 tsp. baking powder, 1 tsp. baking soda, 1 tsp. ground cinnamon, ½ tsp. kosher salt, and ¼ tsp. freshly grated nutmeg in a medium bowl.
Step 5
Add 2 large eggs to the brown butter mixture and whisk until smooth. Whisk in 1 cup mashed ripe banana (from about 2 large or 3 small), ¾ cup plain whole-milk yogurt (not Greek), and 1 tsp. vanilla extract.
Step 6
Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients until halfway combined. Add 1 ripe banana, coarsely chopped and ½ cup (64 g) toasted walnuts, coarsely chopped, if using, and mix until just combined and no flour streaks remain.
Step 7
Divide batter evenly among muffin cups, filling them to the brim. Top each with 1 tablespoon (heaping) streusel and lightly press with your hands to adhere. (You may have excess streusel.)
Step 8
Bake muffins, rotating pan after 15 minutes, until the top springs back to the touch or a tester inserted into the center comes out clean, 25–30 minutes. Let sit in pan until cool enough to handle, about 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. Muffins are best the day they are made and even better if they are still warm.

Editor's note: Head this way for more of our best banana recipes →