Banana Crumb Muffins are easy to make and great for using up ripe bananas. Topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel, you’ll love these moist banana muffins with crumbs, like a coffee cake.

White cake plate with banana muffins in yellow wrappers with crumb streusel on top and slices of banana on the sides.

Confession. The majority of bananas in our house get too ripe and end up in desserts. Maybe that’s on purpose.

I mean, eating double chocolate banana cake sounds a lot tastier than a plain old banana. Am I right?!

If you’re like us, and love to bake with bananas, then these banana crumb muffins are for you!

Close up of a banana crumb muffin with a bite taken out.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Banana crumb muffins are a combination of classic banana bread with the addition of crumbs or streusel.

This is basically my coffee cake banana bread recipe made into muffins. The individual portions make these a great snack or breakfast on-the-go.

Cake plate with banana crumb muffins and slices of bananas.

What Kind of Bananas to Use

For these banana crumb muffins or any type of banana bread/cake/muffin, you will want to use overripe bananas.

The more brown (or black) the banana, the better. The banana flavor deepens and is more sweet the darker it gets.

Buy bananas ready for baking in the reduced price section. This is usually where they keep the overripe fruit.

How to Make Bananas Ripen

If you can’t find overripe bananas, here are five ways to ripen bananas:

  1. AT ROOM TEMPERATURE – Buy the brownest bananas you can find and allow them to ripen at room temperature. This can take several days or up to a week.
  2. IN A WARM ENVIRONMENT – Simply placing the bananas in a warm environment can help. Ripen bananas in a warm area of your house; like by a heater, above your fridge, etc. This process will take approximately 1-2 days for the bananas to ripen.
  3. IN A PAPER BAG – To speed the process along, you can place unripe bananas in a paper bag along with a high-ethylene producing fruit, such as a ripe banana or apple. Then loosely fold the paper bag closed and wait 12-24 hours for the bananas to ripen.
  4. IN AN OVEN – If the bananas are at least yellow or starting to brown, you can put the unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake them. Slow roast bananas in a 300˚F oven for 15-30 minutes. Check them frequently. Baking until black and soft. Let bananas cool to room temperature, then slit the peel lengthwise and remove the fruit to use for your recipe. (*Does NOT work with green bananas. Will still taste underripe.)
  5. IN THE MICROWAVE – Don’t want to turn on the oven? Pierce a single banana with a fork or knife several times on each side. Microwave for 30 seconds. Cool slightly and check softness. Repeat microwaving in 30-second increments until desired ripeness is achieved. Repeat with additional bananas. (*Also only works with yellow or browning bananas.)
Top view of banana crumb muffins and banana slices on a cake plate.

How to Use Fresh Bananas for Banana Muffins

If you are in a hurry to make banana muffins and all you have is fresh yellow (NOT green) bananas — go ahead and use them.

Simply increase the sugar by 2 to 3 Tablespoons and increase the salt by an extra 1/4 teaspoon. This helps add sweetness and boosts the banana flavor that would be found naturally in an overripe banana.

How to Freeze Bananas

If you’re a lover of banana baked goods, you should consider keeping a stash of ripe bananas at all times. You can freeze bananas with or without a peel for up to six months.

HOW TO FREEZE BANANAS WITH THE PEEL: Freeze bananas straight in their peel in a zip-top freezer bag. To use, thaw them at room temperature or in the microwave (skin and all). You can microwave several at a time. Three bananas should take 2-3 minutes to thaw in the microwave. Then slit the peel lengthwise and remove the fruit to use for your recipe.

HOW TO FREEZE BANANAS WITHOUT THE PEEL: I prefer this method, especially for smoothies. Keep in mind, bananas will oxidize and brown, and that’s ok. Remove peel and freeze bananas whole or broken into three or four pieces in a zip-top freezer bag. (Just remember how many pieces equal 1 banana; consider making a note on the bag.) To use, thaw bananas at room temperature or microwave for short 30-second bursts in the microwave.

NOTE: Frozen bananas are very soft and watery. This is ok. Go ahead and use the banana and any liquid that it gives off.

Side view of a banana crumb muffin with a bite taken out.

How to Make Banana Crumb Muffins

Now that you know how to get your bananas just right, let’s make banana crumb muffins!

  1. In one bowl, mash the bananas (using a fork or stand mixer) with the granulated sugar. Add vanilla, sour cream, eggs, and oil. Mix until combined.
  2. In another bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, salt, and baking soda. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients. Fold until just incorporated.
  3. Scoop batter into paper lined muffin tins. (I like to use a #24 scoop.)
Cupcake tin filled with banana muffin batter and cinnamon streusel on top.

How to Make the Crumb Streusel

The crumb topping is easy to make with a fork or pastry blender. But the BEST tool is your fingers!

  • Place butter, flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon in a bowl. Rub mixture between fingers until no clumps of butter remain and the mixture feels like wet sand.
  • Sprinkle crumb topping evenly over muffin batter.
  • Bake banana crumb muffins at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 18-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs when inserted in the center.
Baked banana crumb muffins in cupcake tin with bunch of bananas on the side.

Storing and Freezing Banana Muffins

As with banana bread, these banana muffins are better the second day because the banana flavor intensifies and the crumb becomes extra moist.

Store banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.

To freeze banana muffins, individually wrap muffins in plastic wrap, and place them inside a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.

Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature or unwrap and nuke in the microwave for short 15-second bursts.

White cake plate with banana muffins in yellow wrappers with crumb streusel on top and slices of banana on the sides.

More Ripe Banana Recipes

White cake plate with banana muffins in yellow wrappers with crumb streusel on top and slices of banana on the sides.

Banana Crumb Muffins

Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes
Yield: 20 muffins

Banana Crumb Muffins are easy to make and great for using up ripe bananas. Topped with a buttery cinnamon streusel, you'll love these moist banana muffins with crumbs, like a coffee cake.

Ingredients

Muffins:

  • 3 ripe bananas (about 1 1/4 to 1 1/2 cups, mashed)
  • 1 cup granulated sugar
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3 Tbsp sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup oil (canola/vegetable)
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp baking soda

Crumb Streusel:

  • 2 Tbsp butter, cold
  • 1/3 cup all-purpose flour (stir, spoon & level)
  • 1/3 cup light brown sugar, packed
  • 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line muffin tins with paper cups. Set aside.
  2. In the bowl of a stand mixer, mix the bananas and sugar until the bananas are just slightly chunky. Add the vanilla, sour cream, eggs, and oil. Mix until combined.
  3. In a separate bowl, combine the flour, salt, and baking soda. Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just incorporated.
  4. Spoon muffin batter 2/3 full into prepared cups. (I use a #24 scoop.)
  5. Place crumb streusel ingredients in a separate bowl. Rub ingredients between fingers until no clumps of butter remain and the mixture feels like wet sand. Sprinkle over muffin batter.
  6. Bake at 400˚F for 18-20 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs when inserted into the center of the muffin.

Notes

  • May mix ingredients by hand. Use a fork to mash the bananas.
  • Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature up to 5 days.
  • To Freeze: Wrap muffins individually with plastic wrap. Then place in a zip-top freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months.
  • Thaw frozen muffins at room temperature or unwrap and nuke in the microwave for short 15-second bursts.

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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 20 Serving Size: 1 muffin
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 190Total Fat: 8gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 23mgSodium: 197mgCarbohydrates: 28gFiber: 1gSugar: 15gProtein: 2g

This data was provided and calculated by Nutritionix, and is an estimation only.