Oh my goodness, you’re going to flip when you try these coffee cake banana bread muffins! I’ve been making this recipe for years – it’s the perfect marriage of two classic favorites. Imagine the moist, banana-packed goodness of banana bread meeting that irresistible cinnamon crumb topping from coffee cake… all in adorable muffin form! The best part? They come together in about 15 minutes of active prep time. I always make a double batch because these disappear fast – whether it’s breakfast, a snack, or even dessert. Trust me, once you smell that cinnamon-banana aroma filling your kitchen, you’ll understand why this is my most-requested recipe!
Why You’ll Love These Coffee Cake Banana Bread Muffins
Let me count the ways these muffins will steal your heart:
- Quick & easy: You probably have all the ingredients already – just mash those spotty bananas and go!
- Moist for days: The banana keeps them tender even after a couple days (if they last that long!).
- Crowd-pleaser magic: That buttery cinnamon crumb topping makes everyone feel like you slaved for hours.
- Versatile: Perfect for breakfast with coffee, packed lunches, or that 3pm slump when you need a sweet hug.
Seriously, they’re basically happiness in muffin form.
Ingredients for Coffee Cake Banana Bread Muffins
Here’s everything you’ll need to make these glorious muffins – I promise it’s all simple pantry staples!
- For the batter:
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 3 very ripe bananas (about 1 1/2 cups mashed)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1/3 cup melted butter (let it cool slightly)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- For that amazing crumb topping:
- 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons softened butter
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
See? Nothing fancy – just good, honest ingredients that transform into something magical!
Equipment You’ll Need
Don’t worry – you won’t need any fancy gadgets for these muffins! Just grab:
- A standard 12-cup muffin tin
- Paper liners or a light greasing of the cups
- 2 mixing bowls (one for dry, one for wet ingredients)
- A fork or potato masher for the bananas
- Measuring cups and spoons
- A wooden spoon or spatula for mixing
That’s it – now let’s get baking!
How to Make Coffee Cake Banana Bread Muffins
Okay, let’s get baking! These muffins come together so easily – just follow these simple steps:
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C) first thing. Line your muffin tin with paper liners or give the cups a light greasing.
- Mix dry ingredients: In one bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Set this aside – we’ll come back to it!
- Mash and mix: In your second bowl, mash those bananas really well with a fork. Add sugar, egg, melted (but not hot!) butter, and vanilla. Stir until everything’s combined.
- Combine carefully: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet mixture. Stir just until the flour disappears – overmixing makes tough muffins!
- Make the magic topping: In a small bowl, mix brown sugar, flour, softened butter, and cinnamon until crumbly. I use my fingers – it’s messy but effective!
- Fill and top: Spoon batter into muffin cups about halfway. Generously sprinkle the crumb topping over each one – don’t be shy!
- Bake to perfection: Pop them in the oven for 20-25 minutes. They’re done when a toothpick comes out clean and your kitchen smells like heaven.
See? Easy peasy! Now try not to eat them all before they cool… I dare you.
Tips for Perfect Coffee Cake Banana Bread Muffins
After making these muffins more times than I can count, here are my can’t-miss secrets:
- Banana ripeness matters: Those black-speckled bananas you were going to toss? They’re gold for this recipe – extra sweet and easy to mash!
- Mix with care: Stir the batter just until combined. Overmixing = tough muffins, and nobody wants that.
- Butter temperature: Let melted butter cool slightly before adding to wet ingredients – hot butter can cook the eggs!
- Topping trick: Press crumbs gently into batter so they stick better after baking.
Follow these, and you’ll get bakery-worthy muffins every time!
Variations for Coffee Cake Banana Bread Muffins
Want to mix things up? Here are my favorite easy twists:
- Nutty delight: Fold in 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to the batter – that crunch with the soft banana is heavenly!
- Chocolate fix: Add 1/3 cup chocolate chips to satisfy those sweet cravings (dark chocolate works beautifully).
- Spice it up: Try adding 1/4 teaspoon cardamom or nutmeg to the topping for extra warmth.
See? One recipe, endless possibilities!
Serving and Storage
These muffins are absolute perfection when served warm – that crumb topping gets extra buttery! If they’ve cooled, just pop them in the microwave for 10 seconds. Store leftovers in an airtight container at room temperature for 2-3 days, or freeze them for up to 2 months (they thaw beautifully in the toaster oven).
Nutritional Information
Each coffee cake banana bread muffin packs about 220 calories – not bad for such a satisfying treat! Here’s the breakdown per muffin:
- 7g fat (4g saturated)
- 38g carbs
- 1g fiber
- 20g sugar
- 3g protein
Remember, these numbers can vary slightly based on your exact ingredients and any additions like nuts or chocolate chips. But hey – with bananas in there, we can pretend they’re health food, right?
Frequently Asked Questions
I get asked about these muffins all the time – here are the answers to the most common questions:
Can I freeze these muffins?
Absolutely! They freeze beautifully for up to 2 months. Just wrap them individually in plastic wrap, then pop them in a freezer bag. Thaw at room temperature or warm them up in the toaster oven.
Can I use whole wheat flour?
You sure can! Substitute up to half the all-purpose flour with whole wheat. The texture will be slightly denser, but still delicious. I don’t recommend using 100% whole wheat though – the muffins get too heavy.
My bananas aren’t very ripe – what can I do?
No worries! Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and bake at 300°F for 15-20 minutes until the skins turn black. Let them cool before using – instant “ripe” bananas!
Can I make this as a loaf instead?
Yes! Pour the batter into a greased 9×5 loaf pan and bake at 350°F for 50-60 minutes. You might need to tent the top with foil if the topping browns too quickly.
Irresistible Coffee Cake Banana Bread Muffins in 25 Minutes
A delicious blend of coffee cake and banana bread in muffin form, perfect for breakfast or a snack.
- Prep Time: 15 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 40 mins
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 3 ripe bananas, mashed
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 1 egg
- 1/3 cup melted butter
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup brown sugar (for topping)
- 1/4 cup flour (for topping)
- 2 tbsp butter, softened (for topping)
- 1 tsp cinnamon (for topping)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Line a muffin tin with paper liners.
- Mix flour, baking soda, and salt in a bowl.
- In another bowl, mash bananas and mix with sugar, egg, melted butter, and vanilla.
- Combine wet and dry ingredients until just blended.
- Fill muffin cups halfway with batter.
- Mix brown sugar, flour, softened butter, and cinnamon for the topping.
- Sprinkle topping over each muffin.
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for the best flavor.
- Do not overmix the batter to keep muffins tender.
- Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 220
- Sugar: 20g
- Sodium: 200mg
- Fat: 7g
- Saturated Fat: 4g
- Unsaturated Fat: 2g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Carbohydrates: 38g
- Fiber: 1g
- Protein: 3g
- Cholesterol: 30mg