Blueberry Banana Muffins

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.

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 find out 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-second 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.

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

This post shares the best way to store your muffins to keep them freshest and not soggy.