Banana Bread Mini Muffins (Easy Mini Banana Muffins)

Quick Summary: These easy banana bread mini muffins are bite-sized mini banana muffins baked in a mini muffin pan. Made with ripe bananas, brown sugar, and a crumble topping, they bake at 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes. They are soft, freezer-friendly, and perfect for breakfast, snacks, or lunch boxes.

What are banana bread mini muffins?

Banana bread mini muffins are a small-batch, bite-size version of a traditional banana bread loaf. Instead of baking one large loaf, the batter is spooned into a 24-cup mini muffin pan, so each muffin bakes in a fraction of the time while keeping the same soft crumb and deep banana flavor.

The batter relies on mashed ripe bananas for natural sweetness and moisture, with brown muscovado sugar for a rich, caramel note. A quick almond crumble on top adds a light crunch that sets these apart from a plain muffin, making them equally suited to a lunchbox, a breakfast on the go, or a homemade gift box.

This recipe gives classic banana bread a fun twist by using a mini muffin pan to make banana bread mini muffins. They are moist, soft, great for a lunchbox, and could not be easier to make.

Why you'll love this recipe

• A mini version of a classic: it is a bite-size take on the original banana streusel bread, with the same soft crumb.
• Simple pantry ingredients: it calls for a few basic ingredients you likely already have on hand.
• Small-batch and portable: the recipe makes a small batch of bite-size muffins, perfect for a quick breakfast, a snack, or a sweet treat in your lunch box.
• Freezer-friendly and flexible: they freeze well and are easy to customize with chocolate chips and other mix-ins.

Ingredients

For ingredients and detailed instructions, refer to the recipe card below.

• Butter: Use unsalted butter softened to room temperature. You can substitute 4 ½ tablespoons (60 g) of vegetable oil or grapeseed oil. I don't recommend olive oil, as its distinct flavor can overpower the muffins. For the crumble topping, use salted butter, chilled and cut into small pieces.

• Sugar: the recipe calls for light or dark muscovado sugar, which gives deep caramel notes. You can replace it with brown sugar.

• Large egg: make sure it is at room temperature.

• Flour: the recipe calls for all-purpose flour; you can replace it with gluten-free flour or whole wheat pastry flour.

• Baking powder: use fresh baking powder (stored no longer than six months). Please don't confuse it with baking soda.

• Bananas: ugly-looking overripe bananas (brown or yellow bananas with brown spots) are the best way to make these mini banana bread muffins.

• Cognac: it brings a rich fruity note to your muffins. Replace it with dark rum or use apple juice to make these kid-friendly.

• Almond flour: it is used to make the streusel. Replace it with hazelnut flour if desired.

• Icing sugar: make it yourself with a coffee grinder or use store-bought powdered sugar.

• Flaked almonds: they add a new taste and extra crunch to the mini muffins. Replace them with toasted chopped hazelnuts if you use hazelnut flour.

Equipment

You need only a few basic tools to make these banana bread mini muffins:

• mini muffin pan
• flour sifter
• electric mixer
• rubber spatula
• mixing bowls
• ice cream scoop
• wire rack

How to make banana bread mini muffins

Step 1. To make the crumble topping, in a medium bowl, place all-purpose flour, almond flour, icing (powdered) sugar, ground cinnamon, and salted butter cut into small cubes.

Step 2. Use your hands to make the crumbly, sand-like dough. Add flaked almonds and combine (photo 1). Refrigerate.

Step 3. Heat oven to 300°F (150°C). Using a flour sifter, sift all-purpose flour with baking powder and set aside.

Step 4. Line a 24-cup mini muffin tin with mini muffin cups (aka mini baking cups). Or grease the cavities of the mini muffin pan with a cooking spray.

Step 5. To make the muffin batter, place the softened butter and muscovado sugar in a large mixing bowl and beat for about 5 minutes, using an electric mixer (photo 2).

Step 6. Add the sifted dry ingredients and egg, and mix delicately with a rubber spatula.

Step 7. Mash the bananas with a fork or spoon, then fold them into the main mixture.

Step 8. Add cognac and mix with a spatula to combine (photo 4). Be careful not to overmix.

Step 9. Divide batter evenly into the prepared mini muffin pan or a greased muffin tin. You can use a teaspoon or a medium ice cream scoop to scoop the batter.

Step 10. Sprinkle the chilled crumble topping over the batter. Finally, add a little flaked almonds on top of each muffin (photo 5).

Step 11. Bake muffins in the preheated oven for 30 minutes. They are ready when a toothpick (a wooden pick) inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean (photo 6).

Step 12. Let them cool on a wire rack. Dust the muffin top with icing (powdered) sugar if desired.

Expert tips

• Use very ripe bananas: the browner and spottier the bananas, the sweeter and more flavorful the muffins. Overripe bananas also mash more easily for a smoother batter.
• Do not overmix the batter: stir just until the dry ingredients disappear. Overmixing develops gluten and makes the mini muffins dense instead of soft.
• Chill the crumble topping: refrigerate the crumble while you make the batter so it stays in firm clumps and does not melt into the muffins while baking.
• Fill the cavities almost full: mini muffin cups are small, so fill them about three-quarters full with a teaspoon or a small scoop for evenly domed tops.
• Check doneness early: mini muffins bake fast. Start checking at 25 minutes with a toothpick, since ovens vary and a few extra minutes can dry them out.
• Cool before removing: Let the muffins rest in the pan for a few minutes, then move them to a wire rack so the bottoms don't turn soggy.
• Make regular-size muffins: If you want to make regular-size banana bread muffins, double the recipe and bake at 300°F (150°C) for 45 minutes. The recipe makes about 15 muffins.

Recipe variations

This mini banana bread muffin recipe makes 24 mini muffins, but it is easy to adapt. Try these variations:

• Make a bigger batch: double the recipe for 48 mini muffins. More batter means more muffins.
• Chocolate chip: stir semi-sweet chocolate chips or chopped dark chocolate into the batter.
• Warm spice: add ¼ teaspoon of ground cinnamon or a splash of vanilla extract to the batter.
• Banana nut: fold in chopped walnuts or pecans for banana nut bread mini muffins with extra crunch.
• Different topping: finish your muffins with one of these streusel toppings.

Storing & freezing

Store your muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for 4 to 5 days. To enjoy, you can heat them in the microwave for a few seconds if desired.

Can you freeze these mini muffins? Yes, absolutely! All you need is to place them on a baking sheet to freeze for at least an hour. Then place them in a Ziploc freezer bag, label it, and freeze for up to 2 months.

Thaw them at room temperature for a few hours. Or reheat a few in the microwave, and you have tasty mini muffins ready for your work lunch box.

Do you have time to reheat the muffins in the morning? No problem! Pack some frozen muffins in your or your kids' school lunch box, and they will be perfectly thawed before lunchtime.

Muffin appreciation gift tags

These mini muffins make a thoughtful homemade gift, and a printable tag is the finishing touch. Print the free muffin appreciation gift tags below, cut them out, and tie one onto your gift box or a cellophane bag of muffins. They are perfect for teachers, neighbors, or a small thank-you.

Dowlaod the Printable Muffin Appreciation Gift Tags >>

Recipe FAQ

How long do you bake mini muffins?
Bake mini banana muffins at 300°F (150°C) for 30 minutes. They are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

How do you mash bananas?
You can mash bananas with a fork, a spoon, or a potato masher. For a smoother texture, use an electric hand mixer to break them down quickly.

How do you get mini muffins out of the pan?
Let the muffins cool first, then lay a tea towel over the top of the pan. Turn the tin over so the muffins slide out, and the towel catches them. This works for both paper liners and a lightly greased pan.

Can you make regular-size muffins from this recipe?
Yes. Double the recipe and bake at 300°F (150°C) for about 45 minutes. This makes roughly 15 regular-size muffins.

Can you freeze banana bread mini muffins?
Yes. Freeze them on a baking sheet for at least an hour, then transfer to a labeled freezer bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or reheat in the microwave.

What bananas are best for banana muffins?
Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots. They are softer, sweeter, and easier to mash, which gives the muffins the most banana flavor.

Can you add mix-ins to the batter?
Yes. Fold in chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or a pinch of cinnamon before baking to customize each batch.

How many calories are in one mini banana muffin?
One mini banana muffin has 89 calories, making it a light snack.

Love ripe banana recipes? Try these next!

• Banana streusel bread
• Banana cake
• Overripe banana recipes

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Recipe card

The nutritional information has been calculated using an online recipe nutrition calculator such as Verywellfit.com and is intended for informational purposes only. These figures should be used as a general guideline and not be construed as a guarantee.