Blueberry Banana Muffins

These Blueberry Banana Muffins elevate the classic muffin experience with a delicious blend of flavors and a tender crumb. The recipe uses over-ripe bananas, adding natural sweetness and ensuring the muffins remain pleasingly moist. Fresh blueberries bring a burst of tangy fruit, creating a well-rounded and irresistible muffin. The use of bread flour, rather than all-purpose flour, gives our muffins a uniformly light crumb that takes them to the next level.

Finished off with a touch of vanilla extract for a hint of aromatic charm, these muffins are an ultimate treat. Plus, they’re freezer-friendly, making them a fantastic solution for convenient and delicious homemade breakfasts or snacks. This recipe is straightforward and easy to follow, perfect for novice bakers and seasoned pros looking for a delightful spin on traditional muffin recipes.

Table of Contents

Don’t worry; we’re not asking you to embark on a complex baking journey here. This recipe is straightforward. Whether you’re new to baking or are looking for a recipe that doesn’t require jumping through hoops, this moist banana blueberry muffin recipe is for you. Enjoy them at breakfast, use them to satiate your mid-day cravings, or savor them as an evening treat; they’re your versatile companion any time of the day.

Are you ready to start baking? I thought so! You’re going to love these blueberry banana muffins!

Why You’ll Love These Blueberry Banana Muffins

Here’s why you’re going to adore these Blueberry Banana Muffins:

1. Rich Flavor: Combining ripe bananas and fresh blueberries creates a deliciously fruity and sweet flavor profile. The vanilla extract and sugar enhance the natural flavors, delighting each bite.
2.  Moist and Tender: Using ripe bananas in the recipe ensures that these banana blueberry muffins are incredibly moist. While unconventional for muffins, using bread flour adds a unique, slightly chewy texture that many will find enjoyable.
3. Bakery Store ‘Dome‘: Baking these blueberry banana muffins at a high 425°F results in the dome in the middle of the muffin.
4. Easy to Make: This simple recipe requires no special tools or techniques. It’s a perfect recipe for beginners or a quick and easy treat.
5.  Wholesome Ingredients: With ingredients like fresh fruit and eggs, these muffins can be a healthier alternative to other baked goods. Although we use minimal sugar (1/2 cup for the entire recipe), they still contain sugar and butter. However, with the inclusion of fruit, they offer more nutritional benefits than many other sweet treats.
6.  Perfect for Any Time of Day: These muffins are versatile. They make a great breakfast on the go, a delicious accompaniment to your morning coffee, a sweet afternoon snack, or even a dessert.
7.  Freezable: These muffins can be easily stored in the freezer if you make a big batch. That way, you’ll have a tasty treat ready whenever you want one.
8.  Aroma: There’s nothing quite like the scent of muffins baking in the oven, and with these ingredients, your kitchen will smell divine.

Suffice it to say, these Blueberry Banana Muffins will surely become a beloved recipe in your home.

Ingredients In These Muffins

• Bread Flour is a flour with a higher protein content than all-purpose flour. It’s ideal for baking recipes that require a strong gluten network and can result in baked goods with a uniformly light crumb.
•  Baking Powder and Baking Soda are leavening agents used in baking to help the dough rise. Baking Soda, also known as bicarbonate of soda, needs to be combined with an acid to produce the carbon dioxide that makes baked goods rise. Baking Powder consists of a mixture of baking soda, cream of tartar, and sometimes cornstarch. It reacts with the other ingredients to produce carbon dioxide gas, which causes the dough to expand and rise. This recipe has a touch more baking powder than typical recipes to maximize the muffins’ lift and volume. Check out this post to learn more about Baking Powder and Baking Soda and how to determine if they are still viable as leaveners. 
•  Very Ripe Bananas are ideal for baking because they are sweeter and easier to mash than their less-ripe counterparts. They add natural sweetness, moisture, and banana flavor to the muffins. Frozen bananas work great too! Just thaw them and preserve all their liquid. We also share some tips below on how to speed up the banana ripening process.
•  Granulated sugar is the most common form of sugar used in baking; it sweetens the muffins and helps to brown their tops. It also assists in tenderizing the crumb by weakening the gluten strands. We use only 1/2 cup of sugar in this muffin recipe, equating to only 1 teaspoon per muffin!
•  Eggs are a common ingredient in baking that provide structure, leavening, color, and flavor. Bring your eggs out of the fridge 30 minutes before baking to ensure they are at room temperature. Room-temperature eggs blend more easily and help your dough rise better than cold eggs.
•  Melted butter adds flavor and provides fat, which can help to tenderize the final product. When melted, it can be easily mixed with other ingredients.
•  Vanilla Extract adds a sweet, creamy flavor that complements many other ingredients.
•  Fresh Blueberries add a pop of color and a burst of fruity flavor to muffins. They are also a great source of antioxidants. When baked, they become soft and juicy, adding moisture to the muffins.

Bananas Not Ripe Enough?

Heavily speckled, even black bananas are the best for baking. As bananas ripen, they become sweeter as starch turns into sugar. Additionally, the softer they are, the more moisture they bring to the recipe. Unless your bananas are moldy, there is no such thing as a ‘too ripe’ banana for baking.

If your bananas are not quite ripe enough, there are a few methods you can use to speed up the ripening process:

• Paper Bag Method: This is a widely known method to ripen bananas. Place the bananas in a paper bag and fold the bag loosely to close it. The bananas release ethylene gas naturally, which is trapped in the bag and helps them ripen faster. You can also add an apple or a ripe banana to the bag to increase the amount of ethylene gas. Check daily, as they can ripen faster than you think.
•  Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Place unpeeled bananas on a lined baking sheet and bake for 15-30 minutes, or until the banana skin is dark and the bananas are soft. This method might not provide the same taste as naturally ripened bananas. Still, it will make them soft and sweet, suitable for baking.
•  Microwave Method: If you’re in a rush, use the microwave. However, this method is more about making bananas soft than truly ripening them. Pierce the banana peel a few times with a fork or knife and microwave it on a plate for 30 seconds intervals, checking in between. Be cautious, though, as the texture and flavor might not be as developed as with other methods.

Remember, these methods do not perfectly mimic the process of natural ripening, which allows the sugars in the bananas to develop over time, contributing to a richer, sweeter flavor. These are, however, good quick fixes when you need to bake with ripe bananas immediately.

Some Substitutions For You To Consider

• Bread Flour: You can use the same amount of all-purpose flour if you don’t have bread flour. Add a tablespoon of vital wheat gluten to each cup of all-purpose flour to mimic bread flour’s higher protein content. While I haven’t tried it, most gluten-free flours are easily swapped, one for one.
•  Baking Powder: You can make your own if you run out of baking powder. For each teaspoon baking powder, combine 1/4 teaspoon baking soda with 1/2 teaspoon of cream of tartar.
•  Granulated Sugar: If you want a less processed alternative, use the same amount of coconut or raw cane sugar. Light brown sugar can also work and add a hint of molasses flavor but will compete a little with the banana flavor. I prefer the cleaner taste that granulated sugar provides in these Blueberry Banana Muffins.
•  Eggs: For a vegan version, you can replace each egg with a flax egg (1 tablespoon of ground flaxseed mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, let it sit for 10 minutes to thicken). Alternatively, you can use unsweetened applesauce (1/4 cup per egg), which also works as a good binder.
•  Melted Butter: For a dairy-free option, substitute the same amount of coconut oil, vegetable oil, or dairy-free margarine. Unsweetened applesauce can work in many recipes for a lower-fat option, but I have yet to try it with these Blueberry Banana Muffins.
•  Vanilla Extract: If you don’t have vanilla extract, you can use an equal amount of maple syrup. One scraped vanilla bean will equal three teaspoons if you have vanilla beans. So for this recipe, scrape 2/3 of a vanilla bean pod.
•  Fresh Blueberries: Using frozen blueberries work just as well as fresh blueberries. You don’t need to thaw them before use; fold the frozen berries into the batter. You can also use other berries like raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.

Remember, substitutions may slightly alter the result, but that’s the beauty of baking – you can make it your own!

Making Banana Blueberry Muffins

How To Store Your Blueberry Banana Muffins

While these muffins are easy to make, you’ll want to make sure you store them properly. Quick bread and muffins (which use baking soda and powder as leaveners) tend to get moist when stored.

Your best options are to keep them at room temperature in a container lined with paper towels or freeze them. But definitely keep them out of the refrigerator.

Actually, your VERY BEST OPTION is to enjoy these muffins right out of the oven! I promise you your neighbors will appreciate any leftovers.

Blueberry Banana Muffins

lynn

This Blueberry Banana Muffin recipe combines the natural sweetness of very ripe bananas and the tangy burst of fresh blueberries to deliver a delicious muffin experience. The aromatic hint of vanilla rounds off this flavor medley, while just the right amount of sugar provides a delightful sweetness that's never overpowering.

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Cook Mode

Prep Time 20 minutes mins

Cook Time 18 minutes mins

Total Time 38 minutes mins

Course Baking Recipes + Tips

Cuisine American

Servings 12 muffins

Calories 300 kcal

Ingredients

 

US CustomaryMetric

 

1x2x3x

• 1 2/3 cups of bread flour 258 grams
• 1 tablespoon baking powder
• 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 cups of mashed bananas from about 4-5 very ripe bananas – see note 1
• 1/2 cup of granulated sugar
• 2 large eggs at room temperature
• 1/3 cup melted and cooled butter
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 cup washed and dried blueberries – see note 2
• 2 tablespoons coarse sugar Turbinado, Demerara, Sanding, etc… – optional

Instructions

 

• Adjust the oven rack to the middle position and preheat oven to 425° (220° C).
• Prepare your muffin tin by greasing or buttering the cups, with a little grease on the flat part of the muffin tin.
• Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a medium-sized bowl.
• Whisk mashed bananas, 1/2 cup granulated sugar, eggs, butter, and vanilla in a large bowl until all the ingredients are well incorporated, and there are no banana chunks.
• Add dry ingredients to the banana mixture and mix until fully incorporated, but don't overmix.
• Gently fold in the blueberries.
• Fill each muffin cavity to the top using a large spoon or 1/2 cup measuring cup.
• Sprinkle muffins with coarse sugar.
• Place in preheated oven and bake for 15-18 minutes, until a cake tester inserted in the center of a couple of muffins comes out clean.
• Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin on a wire rack for at least 10 minutes before removing. Then let them cool for another 5-10 minutes before serving.
• See Note 3 for tips on storing muffins.

Notes

Note 1:

If you have bananas that are not ripe enough for baking, but you need to use them immediately, there are a few methods you can use to speed up the ripening process:

• Paper Bag Method: This is a widely known method to ripen bananas. Place the bananas in a paper bag and loosely fold it closed. The bananas release ethylene gas naturally, which is trapped in the bag and helps them ripen faster. You can also add an apple or a ripe banana to the bag to increase the amount of ethylene gas. Check daily, as they can ripen faster than you think.
• Oven Method: Preheat your oven to 300°F (150°C). Place unpeeled bananas on a lined baking sheet and bake for about 15-30 minutes, or until the banana skin is dark and the bananas are soft. This method might not provide the same taste as naturally ripened bananas, but it will make them soft and sweet, suitable for baking.
• Microwave Method: If you're really in a rush, you can use the microwave, although this method is more about making bananas soft rather than truly ripening them. Pierce the banana peel a few times with a fork or knife and microwave it on a plate for 30 seconds at a time, checking in between. Be cautious, though, as the texture and flavor might not be as developed as with other methods.

Remember, these methods do not perfectly mimic the process of natural ripening, which allows the sugars in the bananas to develop over time, contributing to a richer, sweeter flavor. These are, however, good quick fixes when you need to bake with ripe bananas.

Note 2:

Frozen blueberries work just as well if you don't have fresh blueberries. Don't thaw them before use; just fold them into the batter frozen. You can also use other berries like raspberries, strawberries, or blackberries.

Note 3:

Quick bread and muffins (which use baking soda and powder as leaveners) tend to get moist when stored. Your best options are to keep them at room temperature in a container lined with paper towels or freeze them. But definitely keep them out of the refrigerator.

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 300kcalCarbohydrates: 35gProtein: 4gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 397mgFiber: 2gSugar: 16g

Keyword banana, blueberry, muffins

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