Mini Banana Muffins

This is how to make our homemade mini banana muffins for breakfast. You can add chocolate chips or nuts with your ripe bananas to make them more fun too. Yes regular sizes are fine but this is how long to bake mini muffins so they turn out as moist as possible.

These are so cute, and the perfect size for toddlers to enjoy in the morning, as a quick snack or even a dessert. They’re just one of the best muffin recipes even my teenagers love to make with bananas that have turned too dark to eat.

Can You Make Mini Banana Muffins with Cake Mix?

Yes. Below is a homemade recipe but you could use cake mix for our 4 ingredient banana bread too and just use this temperature and bake time. Leave plain or add mini semi sweet chocolate chips for added sweetness baked for 11 minutes. I would say that this is the most popular overripe bananas recipe my family asks for on a regular basis.

Ingredient Notes

You are going to want a few mashed bananas that are really brown on the outside but not quite black are the ideal color to bake with. If they are watery inside you have waited too long.

All purpose flour – make sure you know how to measure flour properly so they aren’t too dense. You could add more protein with a boxed mix like we did with our Kodiak banana muffins. In that case you eliminate the baking soda.

• 1 egg, room temperature is best if able
• Butter, melted or dairy free alternative
• White sugar adds to sweetness
• 1.5 tsp vanilla extract
• Some cinnamon we like but optional
• Baking soda allows them to rise

We used this technique to make mini pumpkin muffins the other morning too. It was so easy we went on to try other flavors we love. I know the flavor doesn’t change just because they are different sizes but with kids fun means more delicious right? 😉

with a Crumb Topping

We added crumb topping for muffins too but that is up to you. You could just sprinkle a bit of brown sugar on top to caramelize a bit instead. If you use nuts, crushed walnuts work pretty well. I am a NO crunchy things in my soft breakfast baked goods so I don’t add them myself.

Tips for Success

Best way to start this off is to add the bananas and mash with the backside of a fork. Don’t mash them to a pulp so it is completely smooth, small chunks will bring them moisture. The ideal color on the skin is a lot of brown but before it turns black and the inside is mushy.

Another tip on how to keep banana muffins moist is to make sure you do not over-bake them. It is important to watch them the last minute or two and remove immediately once the middle springs back when touched gently.

Remove them from the pan and transfer to a cooling wire rack so they don’t continue baking in the hot pan. Enjoy warmed if you like or cool, but just not in the pan it was baked in. Use the same timing for others like mini chocolate cupcakes and more.

Can you add chocolate chips to mini banana muffins?

Totally, I stick to about 1/2 of a cup and my preference is mini semi-sweet for a bolder kick of yum in every bite. Wait until the very end if you want to integrate any add ins, then gently fold in so they don’t break apart. (dried cranberries are yummy too)

Can you make mini muffins without sugar?

You can totally leave out the sugar entirely for this and just let the sweetness of the ripened fruit may be enough OR there are also great sugar-free alternatives like Sweet ‘n’ Low and Splenda that are used at a 1:1 ratio.

Homemade below, or cake mix banana muffins, will make 24 mini muffins, the kids loved this recipe and it is a great recipe for your family or a brunch. If we are having people over for a holiday it is fun to have a bunch of these in different flavors to choose from. Little hands get a real kick out of them.

Paired with some protein like eggs or bacon and you’ve got all your basis covered. A little variety is key when you have both adults and kids over for the holidays or just on the weekends having breakfast for dinner.

How to save leftovers

If you do have leftovers they save quite well for a few days. I recommend you eat the rest the next day but if stored properly they will stay for up to 3 on the countertop. Make sure you remove as much air from around them as possible so freezer bags are best if you ask me.

Suck the air out each and every time you remove one and you can warm for 20 seconds in the microwave if you like. That sometimes makes it feel more fresh even though it may be a day or two old. Squeeze some frosting on top in a swirl for added sweetness if you like.