Bakery Style Banana Muffins (Fluffy & Full of Flavour)

If there’s one thing we always have in our kitchen, it’s overripe bananas. And that only means one thing: time for bakery style banana muffins!

We’re huge banana bread fans in our house, but there’s something magical about turning that same cozy flavor into bakery style banana muffins. These are the muffins my kids request for breakfast, snack time, or whenever they find frozen bananas in the freezer or bananas getting spotty on the counter.

They love their banana muffins with chocolate chips and walnuts, and honestly? So do I!

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read our disclosure policy.

Whether you’re making a batch for the week or baking to share, these homemade muffins are soft, fluffy, and full of that sweet banana flavor, just like something you’d get at a bakery!

Why You’ll Love These Bakery Style Banana Muffins

Here’s why this banana muffin recipe is one of our favorite things to bake again and again:

• Tall, fluffy muffin tops that give major bakery-style muffin vibes. Golden, gorgeous, and slightly crisp on the edges.
• They’re full of banana flavor thanks to those perfectly overripe bananas.
• The texture is everything. Moist muffins with a soft crumb, and never dry or cakey.
• My kids go crazy for these muffins (especially with chocolate chips and walnuts!), and I love that they make a delicious breakfast or snack.
• It’s a simple, no-fuss recipe made with pantry staples and ready to bake whenever you have some bananas to use up.
• You can mix things up with your favorite add-ins to create banana nut muffins, banana chocolate chip muffins. You can even add a sprinkle of turbinado sugar on top for that extra sparkle.
• They taste just like a bakery treat but made right in your kitchen. And homemade muffins are the best!

Ingredients You’ll Need for Bakery Style Banana Muffins

You don’t need anything fancy to whip up a batch of these delicious muffins. Just a few pantry staples, a couple overripe bananas, and maybe some chocolate chips or walnuts. Here’s what goes into our favorite banana muffin recipe:

Wet Ingredients

• Unsalted butter, softened: Let it come to room temperature so it blends in nice and smooth. You can swap in vegetable oil if needed.
• A large egg: Helps bind everything together.
• Vanilla extract: Adds that warm, cozy flavor.
• Milk: Any kind works here, dairy or non-dairy! A little splash helps loosen up the batter.
• Overripe bananas (mashed): The star of the show! They bring in all the moisture, natural sweetness, and that classic banana flavor we can’t get enough of. In our house, mashing the bananas is a whole event. My girls insist it’s their job every single time. I give them each a fork and a few bananas, and they go to town. It’s a bit messy but one of my favorite little baking memories. You can use a potato masher as well if you’d like!

Dry Ingredients

• All-purpose flour
• Brown sugar and granulated sugar: The mix of both gives you that perfect sweet, caramelized flavor with a touch of depth from the brown sugar. But if you only have one on hand, no worries. Just use a full cup of either granulated or brown sugar. It’ll still turn out delicious!
• Baking powder and baking soda: These leavening agents are what give you those bakery-style muffin tops!
• Salt: Just enough to balance out the sweetness.

Optional Add-Ins

• Walnuts: There’s just something about walnuts that tastes so perfect with banana muffins. The crunch, the flavor. Ugh, it just works. And when you toss in some chocolate chips too? Game over. It’s the most dreamy, cozy combo ever.
• Chocolate chips or chocolate chunks: You can’t go wrong with chocolate in banana muffins. We love semi-sweet in our house.

Best Bananas for Banana Muffins

The key to making these banana muffins extra flavorful and moist is using the right kind of bananas.

For the best banana muffin recipe, you want bananas that are overripe. The more brown spots, the better! Overripe bananas are sweeter, softer, and easier to mash, making them perfect for adding to your muffin batter. They also pack in that rich, natural banana flavor we all love.

If you have some frozen bananas on hand, they’ll work wonderfully in your banana muffin recipe. You’ll still get that delicious banana flavor and soft, moist muffin. Just let them thaw at room temperature before mashing them up and be sure to drain any excess liquid before adding the bananas to your batter.

You’ll find that they’re extra soft and easy to blend into the batter. Plus, frozen bananas won’t spoil, so they’re a great way to save bananas that are getting a bit too ripe for your liking. 

How to Make Tall, Bakery Style Muffin Tops

One of the most irresistible parts of any bakery-style muffin is the tall, golden muffin top. The one that’s a little crispy on top, soft and fluffy on the inside, and makes the muffin feel like a special treat. Here’s how to achieve those bakery-style muffin tops every time:

• Use a Higher Heat at the Start: This is one of my best tips for getting those tall muffin tops. Start with a higher oven temperature (425°F) for the first 5 minutes of baking. The initial high temperature will give the batter an initial burst of heat, causing it to rise faster and create those beautiful, high tops. After the first 5 minutes, lower the temperature to 375°F to allow the muffins to bake through without burning. Be sure not to open the oven door when lowering the temperature!
• Don’t Overmix the Batter: When you combine your wet ingredients and dry ingredients, be careful not to overmix the batter. Mix until you no longer see streaks of flour. This will help you avoid dense muffins and make sure they rise properly.
• Fill Muffin Cups to the Top: To get those tall muffin tops, don’t be shy about filling your muffin cups all the way to the top! This is one of the secrets to getting that bakery-style look. This recipe is perfect for 12 muffins, be sure to use up all the batter!
• Use Muffin Liners: To help with that perfect muffin crumb and to make sure they come out cleanly every time, I recommend using muffin liners. They help maintain shape, prevent sticking, and make cleanup easier.

Storing & Freezing Your Banana Muffins

Once your muffins have cooled completely, pop them into an airtight container and keep them at room temperature for 2–3 days. If you want to stretch their freshness, you can stick them in the fridge for up to 5 days. Just warm them up a bit before enjoying (no one likes a cold muffin, right?).

We also love freezing these! They freeze like a dream and make the best grab-and-go snack later on. I just place them in a single layer in a freezer-safe bag or container. If you’re stacking them, toss a little parchment paper in between so they don’t stick together.

You can freeze them in the freezer for up to 3 months (if they even make it to the freezer), and it’s honestly the best feeling knowing there’s always a banana muffin ready when you need it. Just pull one out and let it defrost on the counter. Or if you’re in a hurry, a few seconds in the microwave does the trick.

Did you try this recipe? I’d love to see how it turned out! Leave a comment below and tag @catchthecrumbsourdough on Instagram to show it off!