Published: Feb 8, 2023 by Angela · This post may contain affiliate links · 43 Comments

The Best Banana Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Name: The Best Banana Cinnamon Streusel Muffins
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 28 min
Ingredients: 3 overripe bananas (mashed); 1/2 C salted butter (melted); 1/4 C granulated sugar; 1/2 C brown sugar (tightly packed); 2 eggs (room temperature); 1 TBSP vanilla; 2 tsp baking powder; 1/2 tsp baking soda; 1/4 C buttermilk (room temperature); 2 C all-purpose flour; 1/3 C all-purpose flour; 1/2 C brown sugar (tightly packed); 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1/4 C salted butter (room temperature)

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Overripe bananas have never had a better calling than to become banana streusel muffins. A sweet cinnamon crumble topping adds some crunch to the perfect moist & fluffy muffin. Using three bananas really showcases the natural sweetness of the fruit.

This recipe also calls for real butter, buttermilk, and brown sugar which makes these feel like an indulgent breakfast. These muffins are a flavor explosion with bakery-style quality & pretty high dome tops.

the best banana streusel muffins on a plate — the best banana streusel muffins

This is hands down my kid's favorite way for me to transform those bananas they call "squishy and brown". I think they actually think of these little numbers as breakfast cupcakes. The golden domes rise and crack to expose the brown sugar streusel that satisfies their sweet tooth. These are the best sweet breakfast muffins for kids.

These homemade muffins are the baked goods that the entire family will request for breakfast often. We love anything banana, especially for breakfast like my Banana Protein Smoothie. Warning - your family will want these for breakfast, lunch, snack, dinner, dessert, and second dessert. Hide them if you want them to last!

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Ingredients for Banana Streusel Muffins
How to Make Homemade Muffins
Mix the Banana Muffin Batter
Fill up the Muffin Pan
Make the Cinnamon Streusel Topping
How Long to Bake the Muffins
Storage
PIN FOR SAFEKEEPING & SHARING!
The Best Banana Cinnamon Streusel Muffins

Ingredients for Banana Streusel Muffins

Here are the ingredients you will need to make these:

This rustic banana muffin recipe will need 3 large overripe bananas. From there the basic muffin recipe is what we use. The buttermilk and real butter are also important so I recommend following this recipe as listed.

Ripe Bananas
All Purpose Flour
Baking Soda
Baking Powder
Eggs
Salted Butter
Granulated Sugar
Brown Sugar
Buttermilk
Cinnamon
Vanilla
optional - chopped almonds or walnuts

See the recipe card for full amounts & step-by-step instructions.

How to Make Homemade Muffins

The key is to remember that several ingredients need to be at room temperature. So plan ahead and get those on your counter before starting the rest. This applies to eggs and butter.

Below you will find the step-by-step instructions for making homemade banana cinnamon streusel muffins. The batter whips up in minutes. Then sprinkle on the cinnamon sugar topping until they are covered. Bake them in the oven using a foolproof bakery trick using two temperature ranges.

Temperature to Bake Banana Muffins

Preheat the oven to 425°.

While the oven is warming up, prepare your muffin pan. You can use a nonstick pan, or muffin liners, or spray your pan with nonstick spray. I like to use a nonstick spray so they pop out easily. When making muffins for a party, potluck, or bake sale it is best to use pretty muffin liners.

Mix the Banana Muffin Batter

In a large mixing bowl begin mashing up the bananas. Use a potato masher for this or a large fork. Mash until they are almost like a puree. It is ok to have small chunks just not large ones.

Landon loves these so much that he actually offers to help. He thinks that if he helps they will be ready faster. I enjoy having him bake with me so I don't have it in my heart to break the news to him that he kinda slows me down and makes things messier. But he does help keep it interesting and he loves to use the potato masher on the bananas.

mashing bananas for banana streusel muffins

Now for the rest of the batter ingredients. Next, add melted butter and both sugars. Stir by hand. You do not want this batter overworked which will make the muffins tough.

Add eggs and vanilla and stir to combine. Add buttermilk and stir.

For the dry ingredients, in a separate bowl, add baking powder, baking soda, and flour. Stir by hand with a wooden spoon until the dry ingredients just come together and there are no lumps.

Now add the dry ingredient mixture to the wet banana mixture. Add the flour mixture gradually and stir until smooth.

Fill up the Muffin Pan

Once the banana muffin batter is ready, it is time to get it into the muffin pan. We are making regular-sized muffins for this, not a mini muffin pan.

Fill the wells in the muffin pan ¾ of the way up. The rest of the space will be to hold the streusel topping mixture. The muffins will expand as they bake and become big and fluffy. Do not overfill.

Make the Cinnamon Streusel Topping

The homemade banana muffin batter is ready to go in the pan. Now it is time for the fun, crunchy, & sweet topping. The cinnamon streusel crumbs that go on top of the batter are what make these the best banana muffins ever.

In a new small bowl combine the streusel topping ingredients and mix by hand or with two forks to combine. It should be like a coarse sand consistency with some butter lumps.

Divide the streusel topping evenly over the 12 muffins. The muffin tin will be almost overflowing with batter & the crumble mixture.

How Long to Bake the Muffins

Bake for 8 minutes at 425°.
Immediately drop the oven temperature to 350° (do not open the oven or rotate the muffin tin) and bake for another 7 minutes.
Check to be sure the muffins are ready with a toothpick. It should come out clean when passed through the center of a muffin. The domes should be golden and have risen considerably with the streusel topping browned.

Why Bake Muffins at 2 Different Temperatures?

Why two temperatures? The method of baking muffins at an initial high temperature helps create the irresistible tall domes. This bakery-style recipe trick is what makes these muffins burst high with the hot heat. Then the second temperature which is lower continues the baking so that the muffins are cooked on the inside but not overdone on the outside.

Can I make these in a mini muffin pan?

These are baked in a regular-sized muffin pan. You can make mini banana muffins too. If you want to do that, keep in mind the cooking time will be less. I suggest 10-12 minutes at 375° but have not tried that yet.

For a foolproof mini muffin recipe with fruit, try my Old-Fashioned Blueberry Mini Muffins. They are sweet little bites bursting with fresh blueberries & a hint of almond. So good!

Storage

These muffins are best enjoyed fresh and warm from the oven. If you do have leftovers, banana muffins will stay fresh for up to 3 days. To store them, place them in an air-tight container with a lid or a Ziploc bag. Seal and store in a cool & dry place.

Banana muffins also freeze well. I recommend wrapping each in plastic wrap. Then place them in a Ziploc freeze bag & seal them. Store in the freezer for up 30 days.

When you want to enjoy a frozen muffin, place one or more on a plate. Let defrost overnight on the kitchen counter. Enjoy in the morning.

If you love sweet baked goods for breakfast, I also recommend the following recipes:

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