Banana buttermilk muffins are an easy way to turn your overripe bananas into something delicious. Thanks to the combination of mashed banana, buttermilk and oil these muffins are light, fluffy and moist. Quick and easy to make they are perfect for breakfast, brunch or as a snack.
See also peanut butter banana muffins!
These banana buttermilk muffins contain very few ingredients and take less than 10 minutes to prepare. They are packed with overripe bananas which add lots of flavour and natural sweetness so you don't need to add very much sugar (about ⅓ less than most banana muffin recipes call for).
Making banana muffins with buttermilk is easy. Start by mashing the bananas (see my tips in Instructions below for how to do it quickly) then combine with the rest of the wet ingredients. Add the dry mixture, spoon the batter into the muffin cases and bake!
Will I taste the buttermilk in banana muffins
No, you won't! Buttermilk tastes quite acidic but there isn't enough of it to overpower the intense sweetness and flavour of the bananas. Naturally low in fat buttermilk adds lightness and body, helping these muffins rise (also perfect in other muffin recipes including pumpkin chocolate muffins).
Ingredients and substitutions
- Bananas: it's important to use overripe bananas for maximum sweetness and an intense banana flavour. I like to use small/mini bananas, which are naturally very sweet.
- Buttermilk: adds lightness without overpowering the banana flavour.
- Egg.
- Oil: I used vegetable oil (cold-pressed rapeseed), but you can use any oil.
- Sugar: I used light brown sugar which adds moisture and a hint of caramel flavour.
- Flours: I used a combination of all-purpose/plain and whole wheat/wholemeal flours, but you can just use white whole wheat flour instead.
- Raising agents: baking powder and bicarbonate of soda.
- Cinnamon.
How to make banana buttermilk muffins: step-by-step
1. Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C/210 fan/gas mark 8. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin pan or line with paper cases. Set aside.
2. Prepare dry ingredients: Combine the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Stir thoroughly using a whisk.
3. Mash bananas: In a wide shallow bowl mash the bananas.
TIP: To speed things up (this recipe contains quite a lot of bananas) you can use a potato masher to start with and finish off with a fork.
4. Prepare wet mixture: Whisk together the mashed bananas, egg, oil, buttermilk and sugar until thoroughly combined.
5. Assemble batter: Combine both mixtures and stir together using a whisk. Stir only until the dry ingredients are no longer visible.
6. Bake: Spoon the batter into the muffin cases and bake in the centre of the oven for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven door turn the temperature down to 350 F/180 C/160 fan/gas mark 4 and continue baking for 15-17 minutes until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
6. Cool: Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Buttermilk banana muffins with oil
Oil is an ingredient I use a lot in my muffin recipes. It’s very easy to use (just whisk in together with the other ingredients), doesn’t require melting, contains less saturated fat than butter and produces super light bakes.
These banana and buttermilk muffins are light and fluffy thanks to the combination of buttermilk and oil.
What spices can I use
I kept this recipe simple and only used a bit of cinnamon, but you can increase this amount if desired. You could also add a bit of nutmeg (⅓ teaspoon) or ginger (½ teaspoon) into the batter.
What else can I use buttermilk in
Add it to smoothies, marinades or sauces as you would do yogurt for an extra bit of tang. If you’ve got leftover buttermilk you could make fresh spinach bread, cauliflower scones or marzipan cake.
Top tips
- For best results - maximum sweetness and flavour - use overripe bananas.
- The quickest way to prepare the bananas for these muffins is to first break them up using a potato masher and then mash until creamy with a fork.
- Do not overstir the batter. Stop stirring once the dry ingredients are no longer visible.
- Bake the muffins in the centre of a preheated oven.
- These muffins will be quite soft at first so it's best to let them cool completely and firm up before serving.
- These banana buttermilk muffins will stay moist and delicious for up to 3 days. I keep mine in an airtight container and place in the fridge the following day. You can microwave them for a few seconds before serving.
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
More fruit muffin recipes to try next
- Raspberry White Chocolate Muffins
- Blood Orange Muffins
- Blueberry Buckwheat Muffins (no refined sugar)
See also these other easy breakfast recipes!
Recipe
Easy Banana Buttermilk Muffins
Equipment
- Large shallow bowl fork and potato masher, optional, see Instructions
- 2 large mixing bowls and whisk
- 12-hole muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1⅔ cups (380 g) mashed banana
- ½ cup less 1tbsp (100 ml) buttermilk at room temperature
- 1 large egg at room temperature
- ⅓ cup (80 ml) vegetable oil
- ½ cup less 1tbsp (90 g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 cup (125 g) all-purpose flour
- ¾ cup+½tbsp (95 g) whole wheat flour
- 1½ teaspoons baking powder
- ⅔ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 F/230 C/210 fan/gas mark 8. Lightly grease a 12-hole muffin pan or line with paper cases. Set aside.
- Prepare dry ingredients: Combine the flours, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda and cinnamon. Stir thoroughly using a whisk.
- Mash bananas: In a wide shallow bowl mash the bananas. TIP: To speed things up (this recipe contains quite a lot of bananas) you can use a potato masher to start with and finish off with a fork.
- Prepare wet mixture: Whisk together the mashed bananas, egg, oil, buttermilk and sugar until thoroughly combined.
- Assemble batter: Combine both mixtures and stir together using a whisk. Stir only until the dry ingredients are no longer visible.
- Bake: Spoon the batter into the muffin cases and bake in the centre of the oven for 8 minutes. Without opening the oven door turn the temperature down to 350 F/180 C/160 fan/gas mark 4 and continue baking for 15-17 minutes until a skewer inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.
- Cool: Remove from the oven and set aside to cool.
Notes
-
- For best results - maximum sweetness and flavour - use overripe bananas.
-
- The quickest way to prepare the bananas for these muffins is to first break them up using a potato masher and then mash until creamy with a fork.
-
- Do not overstir the batter. Stop stirring once the dry ingredients are no longer visible.
-
- Bake the muffins in the centre of a preheated oven.
-
- These muffins will be quite soft at first so it's best to let them cool completely and firm up before serving.
-
- These banana buttermilk muffins will stay moist and delicious for up to 3 days. I keep mine in an airtight container and place in the fridge the following day. You can microwave them for a few seconds before serving.
-
- Freeze in an airtight container for up to 3 months.
Nutrition
*Nutritional information is automatically generated and should be considered as an estimate.
**A note about baking: If using a fan-assisted oven refer to your appliance's instructions and adjust the temperature accordingly.
Keep in touch!
If you've made these banana and buttermilk muffins I'd love to know how they turned out for you. Let me know in the comments bellow, thanks!
Follow me on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter for regular recipe updates! Or you could subscribe to this blog and receive all my latest recipes right into your mailbox!
Melanie says
I bookmarked the original recipe and bake it frequently but just came to your website today to make another batch and it is completely different! Are you please able to repost or send me a copy of the original recipe that did not use sugar and used almond flour?
Monika says
Sent you an email.
Mali Ravichandran says
Amazing recipe!!
Monika says
Thank you!
Monika says
Thank you for bringing it up. You don't actually need any, I used salt in another version of this recipe. I've corrected it now. Sorry about the confusion.
Ian says
The method still calls for salt.
Monika says
Glad you enjoyed these muffins. Adding a healthy crumble topping sounds like a good idea, I'll definitely consider it for my next muffin recipe.
owls says
Thanks for the recipe. Came out great!
Monika says
Thank you!
Jessica says
The flavor on these muffins is great- sweet and delicate. Thank you for the recipe!
Monika says
You are welcome!
Caron says
Delish. I used melted butter instead of oil. Same quantity. I also added chopped pecans that I needed to use up.
Monika says
Glad you liked it:)
Paola B says
Delicious! I used olive oil and regular flour because I didn't have whole wheat flour and still came out great.
Monika says
Fantastic! Good to know these swaps worked, thanks!
Monika says
Sorry to hear that Rita, unfortunately the conversion is generated automatically so not much I can do about it. Are you using cups? If so you need about 1 cup mashed banana, 2/3 cup buttermilk, 1/3 cup oil, not quite 1/2 cup maple syrup, 1 and 1/2 cup flour, 1 and 1/3 cup almond flour. Hope this helps.
BNK says
Loved this bake.
It was amazing hot from the pan and tasted even better the next day. A great hit with my children too.
I browsed through a few of your other recipes and your ingredients list makes me so keen to try them out.
Nutritious and yummy which is exactly what I try to offer my family. With your recipes, it will be a small struggle.
Excited.
Monika says
Glad to hear you liked this recipe. I hope you try some of my other bakes. Thank you for your feedback:)
Kat (The Baking Explorer) says
They look absolutely delicious, I'm always in need of recipes using bananas!
Monika says
Thank you!
Monika says
Thanks!
Maureen says
It's a question really......is regular flour plain flour??
Monika says
Hi Maureen, it's plain/all-purpose flour. I've added this information to the recipe card now. Thanks for bringing this up:)