So I feel like I am giving all my secrets away here, but this is another terrific family recipe for banana muffins, that is a staple in our house.

When You Find The One

You know how there are recipes and then there are recipes?! As in once you find THAT recipe – it’s the one and you stop looking! So I have THIS banana muffin recipe, passed down from my mother and I haven’t looked at another one in years! Have not needed to. These are hands down the single most baked muffin in our house (and yes, we are muffin people).

Versatile Banana Muffins

And like any truly good recipe – you can add little of this or that for preference or to change it up. Pecans, chocolate chips, cranberries etc… even coconut if it doesn’t make your kids cry. This muffin can handle it all. In our abode, a handful and a half (yup – that’s my measurement) of semi-sweet chocolate chips are a must. So technically this is a banana chocolate chip recipe, but really it’s anyway you want them. Personally I love them with pecans as well – but because of two school aged kids, I almost always makes them nut free so they can go into school lunches.

The dozen banana muffins that result from this recipe have never lasted more than 24 hours around these parts – but are still fab the next day. Especially warmed with a little butter, if I do say so myself!

Forgiving Recipes Are The Best

This recipe is also incredibly forgiving. Only have two bananas instead of three … yup go ahead (might cook for less time). Want to use frozen bananas – ok, just watch your baking time. Have super ripe, nearly black bananas to use up – be my guest. Need to use regularly ripe bananas with barely any brown spots – still fine too! Yeah – it’s a real winner. Simple, unfussy and ready within a half hour from start to finish.

Great Grandma

This banana muffin recipe was passed down from my Great Grandma, to my mom to me ( yeah I sense a trend…). The story goes as follows, at least the version my mom gave me has this written along the top:

‘My Grandma used to listen to a program on the radio, and write down the recipes in her green notebook, which is where this recipe is from.’

I never met my great grandmother (though I like to think we would have had great time baking together…), but I do remember her notebook fondly. That dark, emerald green, worn with time, soft covered recipe book that my mom would pull out from time to time.

Keep It Simple

I spray my muffin tins generously with canola oil cooking spray for these muffins (yeah, yeah I know, but it’s how I roll). I like the little bit of a crust this gives the outside and when I am whipping a batch of these up (basically in my sleep by now), I want quick and easy. Muffin liners and buttering/greasing have their place, and both are more than suitable for this situation, but are not quick enough for this recipe in my humble opinion. Obviously the pan DOES need to be greased or lined with something though.

Banana Muffin Recipe:

1/2 Cup of Butter (room temperature)

1/2 Cup Sugar

2 Eggs

3 Mashed Bananas

2 Cups of Flour

1 teaspoon Baking Soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 Cup Semi – Sweet Chocolate Chips (handful and a half)

1/4 Cup Pecan Pieces (optional)

Banana Muffin Directions:

Step 1 – Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Step 2 – Spray a 12 count muffin tin with Canola Oil Cooking Spray. Or grease with butter or use muffin liners.

Step 3 – Using a Stand mixer, cream the softened butter (20 seconds in my microwave for 1/2 Cup refrigerated butter usually does it) and sugar until well combined.

Step 4 – Next add eggs. One egg at a time and mix until combined.

Step 5 – Add mashed bananas (just a quick mash of the unpeeled bananas in bowl does the trick). And allow the mixer to combine everything well.

Step 6 – With the mixer turned off add the flour, baking soda and baking powder. Then turn the mixer on low and allow to mix until the flour is nearly all incorporated (you do not want to over mix muffins!).

Step 7 – Throw your handful of chocolate chips (and nuts if using) in. And either a final few turns with the mixer to incorporate or with spatula by hand.

Step 8 – Scoop into the greased muffins tin. This is perfectly executed with an actual ice cream scoop!

Step 9 – Bake in a 350 degree oven 15 to 18 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean from the centre of the muffin.

Fresh From The Oven

These banana muffins are amazing warm and fresh from the oven, but give them five minutes to cool first as the chocolate chips are crazy, burn your lips, hot!

Once completely cool, I store our muffins covered with a light weight, lint free tea towel, on a cooling rack or in the muffin tin itself. A sealed container works as well enough too, but gives the the tops a certain stickiness in my opinion.

Recipe Card

Apparently this recipe was originally for banana bread. I have never once used it for banana bread – as I have my banana bread recipe already! So in my (somewhat particular) opinion these are banana muffins, end of discussion….but do with them what you will….though you should probably choose muffins – just saying.

Looking for some more of my great grandmother’s recipes?! Then check out my Great Grandma’s Cinnamon Tea Biscuits