Indulge in the ultimate treat with these incredibly easy-to-make Nutella Banana Muffins! Imagine biting into a soft, fluffy muffin, fragrant with cinnamon and bursting with the rich, chocolate-hazelnut flavor of Nutella swirled generously throughout and glistening on top. This recipe is a match made in heaven, perfectly balancing the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with the irresistible decadence of Nutella, creating a truly unforgettable breakfast, snack, or dessert. Whether you’re a seasoned baker or just starting out, you’ll be amazed at how simple it is to achieve bakery-quality muffins right in your own kitchen. These homemade Nutella banana muffins are not just delicious; they are a delightful experience from the first enticing aroma to the last satisfying crumb.
These Nutella banana muffins are truly extraordinary, earning rave reviews from everyone who tries them. They are so ridiculously delicious that it’s hard to stop at just one! The moment you pull them from the oven, their inviting aroma fills your home, promising a taste of pure bliss. The best part? You don’t need any fancy equipment to whip them up. This is a hassle-free, no-mixer recipe, making it incredibly easy and accessible for home bakers of all skill levels. The straightforward process ensures a stress-free baking experience, making delicious homemade muffins achievable for anyone, regardless of their baking prowess. You’ll love how quickly these come together, allowing you more time to savor their incredible flavor.
What truly sets these muffins apart is the mesmerizing Nutella swirl. Before baking, dollops of melted Nutella are carefully placed on top of the batter. Then, as the muffins bake and rise in the oven, the batter beautifully integrates with the Nutella, creating stunning, marbled patterns that are as appealing to the eye as they are to the palate. This not only adds an incredible visual appeal but also ensures every bite delivers a delightful ribbon of creamy, warm Nutella, perfectly complementing the moist cinnamon banana bread base. It’s a simple technique that yields incredibly impressive results, transforming an ordinary muffin into an extraordinary culinary experience that feels gourmet yet is effortlessly homemade.
If you’re a fan of delicious banana treats, you’ll love exploring more recipes that celebrate this versatile fruit. Be sure to try our Walnut Chocolate Chip Banana Bread for a classic comfort, our Fluffy Banana Waffles for a delightful breakfast twist, and our rich Double Chocolate Banana Bread for the ultimate chocolate lover’s indulgence. Each recipe offers a unique way to enjoy the beloved flavor of bananas, ensuring there’s always a new way to enjoy this sweet and satisfying fruit.
Why This Nutella Banana Muffin Recipe Is a Must-Try
- Effortless Banana Bread Muffins: We’ve taken the beloved flavors and moist texture of our popular Cinnamon Chocolate Chip Banana Bread and transformed them into convenient, portable muffins. By adapting a proven recipe and simply omitting the mini chocolate chips, we ensure a familiar, comforting taste with every bite. The addition of cinnamon complements the sweet banana notes beautifully, creating a wonderfully aromatic and flavorful base. The result is a perfectly spiced, tender muffin that embodies all the goodness of homemade banana bread, but in a much quicker and more accessible form, perfect for any time of day.
- Remarkably Easy to Make: Forget about pulling out heavy stand mixers or dealing with complicated, multi-step baking processes. This recipe is designed for maximum simplicity, requiring only a single bowl and a whisk. It’s perfect for busy mornings when you crave a homemade treat, a relaxing weekend baking project, or even a fun, hands-on activity to share with children in the kitchen. The straightforward technique makes delicious homemade muffins achievable for anyone, regardless of their baking prowess, making it ideal for beginners and experienced bakers alike seeking a stress-free recipe.
- Irresistible Nutella Swirls: The true star of these muffins is undoubtedly the generous infusion of Nutella. Melted and swirled not just once, but strategically twice – in the middle of the batter and again on top – the Nutella creates hidden pockets of creamy, chocolatey bliss that melt in your mouth with every bite. As the muffins bake, the Nutella intertwines with the sweet banana batter, creating beautiful marbled patterns and an explosion of rich hazelnut flavor. This unique layering technique ensures maximum Nutella enjoyment, elevating these simple muffins into a truly special, decadent indulgence.
Essential Ingredient Notes for Perfect Muffins
Achieving the perfect texture and flavor in these Nutella banana muffins starts with understanding your ingredients and preparing them correctly. Below are some crucial notes and tips for each component to ensure your baking success. For the complete list of specific quantities, please refer to the detailed recipe card at the end of this article. Paying attention to these small details will make a big difference in your final product.
- Unsalted Butter: It’s essential to melt the butter completely and then allow it to cool to room temperature before incorporating it into the wet ingredients. If the butter is too hot, it can inadvertently scramble the eggs when mixed, creating an undesirable texture in your batter and, consequently, your muffins. Room temperature butter, on the other hand, emulsifies more smoothly with other ingredients, creating a homogeneous batter that contributes to a tender, even crumb.
- Brown Sugar: We recommend using light brown sugar for this recipe due to its finely textured crystals and the presence of molasses. This combination contributes to a wonderfully moist muffin with a subtle, delicate caramel-like sweetness that perfectly complements the natural sugars in the bananas and the rich flavor of Nutella. While dark brown sugar can also be used for a deeper molasses flavor, light brown sugar offers a more balanced and universally appealing sweetness profile for these muffins.
- Large Eggs: For optimal results and a well-emulsified, cohesive batter, make sure your large eggs are at room temperature. Take them out of the refrigerator at least two hours before you plan to start baking. Room temperature eggs blend more easily and evenly with other ingredients, creating a smoother batter that traps air more efficiently, which in turn leads to a lighter, more consistent muffin texture and a better rise.
- Full-Fat Sour Cream: The secret to incredibly moist, tender, and flavorful muffins often lies in the strategic addition of sour cream. Opt for full-fat sour cream, and like the eggs, ensure it’s at room temperature before mixing. The high fat content and natural acidity of the sour cream work wonders to tenderize the gluten in the flour, preventing toughness and adding a delightful richness, ensuring your muffins stay incredibly moist and delicious for days after baking.
- Ripe Bananas: The ripeness of your bananas is absolutely paramount for both the flavor and the texture of these muffins. Look for bananas with plenty of light brown spots on their peels – this indicates they are perfectly sweet, have developed their full banana flavor, and are soft enough to mash easily. Overripe bananas (almost completely brown) will be even sweeter and easier to mash, while underripe (yellow with green tips) bananas won’t offer the same depth of flavor, moisture, or natural sweetness.
- Nutella (or Quality Store Brand): The star of the show and the reason for this muffin’s irresistible appeal! Whether you choose the iconic Nutella brand or a high-quality store-brand chocolate-hazelnut spread, the rich, creamy, and decadent goodness is what we’re after. Melting it slightly before swirling makes it much easier to work with and ensures those beautiful, distinct ribbons of chocolate-hazelnut flavor are perfectly distributed throughout your moist banana muffins.
Step-by-Step Guide to Baking Irresistible Nutella Banana Muffins
Get ready to bake some of the most delicious and moist banana muffins you’ve ever tasted! This recipe is incredibly straightforward and doesn’t require an electric mixer – just a simple bowl and a whisk for mixing. To prepare, you’ll need a 12-cup muffin tin and muffin liners. A clever trick for achieving taller, more bakery-style muffins with beautiful domed tops is to line only 6 of the 12 holes, spacing them out across the pan. This thoughtful arrangement allows for optimal heat circulation and encourages a more significant rise, resulting in perfectly shaped muffins every time.
STEP 1: Prepare the Dry Ingredients. Begin by sifting your all-purpose flour into a medium-sized bowl. Sifting is an important step as it helps to aerate the flour and prevent any lumps, which ultimately contributes to a lighter and more tender muffin texture. To the sifted flour, add the baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Use a whisk to combine these dry ingredients thoroughly, ensuring they are well dispersed. Set this mixture aside for now, as it will be incorporated into the wet ingredients later.
STEP 2: Combine the Wet Ingredients. In a separate, large mixing bowl, start by mashing your ripe bananas. Use a potato masher or a fork to mash them until they are mostly smooth with just a few small lumps remaining; these lumps will add a pleasant texture to the finished muffins. Then, add the cooled melted butter, brown sugar, room temperature eggs, full-fat sour cream, and pure vanilla extract. Use your whisk to combine these wet ingredients until the mixture is completely smooth and well-incorporated. Take care to ensure there are no visible streaks of unmixed ingredients, creating a uniform base for your batter.
STEP 3: Gently Incorporate the Flour Mixture. Now, it’s time to bring the two mixtures together. Gradually add the dry ingredient mixture to your bowl of wet ingredients. Using your whisk or a spatula, gently fold the dry into the wet until they are *just* combined. It is absolutely crucial not to overmix at this stage; a few small streaks of flour or tiny lumps in the batter are perfectly fine and even desirable for a tender crumb. Overmixing develops the gluten in the flour, which can lead to tough, dense muffins rather than the soft, fluffy texture we are aiming for. Mix minimally until no dry flour pockets remain.
STEP 4: Scoop, Swirl, and Layer the Nutella. This is where the magic happens and your muffins get their signature Nutella kick! Using a cookie scoop or a large spoon, fill each prepared muffin liner halfway with the banana batter. Next, gently spoon about one teaspoon of melted Nutella directly on top of the batter in each half-filled liner. Take a butter knife or a toothpick and lightly swirl the Nutella into the batter for a beautiful, marbled effect that will be revealed when you cut into the muffin. Then, add another dollop of muffin batter on top of the swirled Nutella, filling each liner almost to the brim. Finish by adding another teaspoon of melted Nutella to the very top of each muffin and create a final elegant swirl. This layering technique ensures delightful pockets of Nutella throughout the muffin, making every bite a surprise.
STEP 5: The Two-Stage Baking Process. This is a crucial step for achieving those coveted tall, domed muffin tops. First, preheat your oven to a high temperature of 425°F (220°C). Once hot, place your muffin tin in the oven and bake for an initial 5 minutes. This burst of high heat creates steam within the batter, which helps the muffins rise rapidly and create that desirable domed top. After the initial 5 minutes, without opening the oven door, immediately reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 10-12 minutes. The muffins are done when they are golden brown, spring back when lightly touched, and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs attached. Once baked, remove the muffins from the oven and allow them to cool in the hot pan for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Cooling on a rack prevents the bottoms from becoming soggy.
Expert Tips for Bakery-Style Nutella Banana Muffins
- Accurate Flour Measurement is Key: Precision in measuring flour is absolutely fundamental to avoiding dry, dense muffins. Always use the spoon-and-level method: spoon the flour into your measuring cup until it overflows, then gently level it off with the straight edge of a knife or a spoon. Never scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour bag, as this compacts the flour, resulting in up to 25% more flour than needed. Excess flour will absorb too much moisture and inevitably lead to dry, crumbly muffins. For ultimate accuracy and consistent results, consider using a kitchen scale to measure flour by weight (typically 1 cup of all-purpose flour weighs around 120-130 grams).
- Banana Ripeness Matters Most: For the most flavorful and moist Nutella banana muffins, always use ripe bananas. Bananas with plenty of light brown spots on their peels are ideal; they are naturally sweeter, have developed their full banana flavor, and are soft enough to mash easily into a smooth consistency. While slightly more yellow bananas will still work, they might not offer the same intense banana flavor or contribute as much moisture to the batter. Avoid green or firm bananas entirely, as they lack sweetness and won’t mash properly, leading to a less flavorful and potentially drier muffin.
- Bake in Batches for the Best Rise: To encourage an impressive, tall rise and a superior texture that mimics bakery-style muffins, it is highly recommended to bake only 6 muffins at a time. When using a standard 12-cup muffin tin, space these 6 muffins out evenly across the pan, leaving empty cups in between. This strategic spacing allows for significantly better air circulation and more consistent heat distribution around each muffin, promoting a higher dome and a lighter, more even crumb. If you fill all 12 cups, the muffins tend to spread out more than they rise vertically. You can fill the empty cups halfway with water to help create steam and ensure even baking.
- Avoid Overmixing the Batter: This tip cannot be stressed enough when it comes to muffins! Once you add the dry ingredients to the wet, mix them until they are *just* combined. It’s perfectly acceptable, and even desirable, to have a few small streaks of flour remaining in the batter. Overmixing is the enemy of tender muffins because it develops the gluten in the flour excessively, leading to tough, chewy, and rubbery muffins instead of the soft, tender, and fluffy ones we all desire. Use a light hand and stop mixing as soon as no pockets of dry flour are visible.
- Don’t Overfill Muffin Liners: While it might be tempting to fill your muffin liners to the very top, doing so can cause the muffins to spill over the sides during baking and create an uneven, mushroom-like shape. For this recipe, aim to fill them approximately two-thirds to three-quarters full with batter, following the specific layering instructions for the Nutella. This allows enough room for them to rise beautifully and develop those coveted domed tops without overflowing, ensuring perfectly formed muffins.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ) About Nutella Banana Muffins
Absolutely! This delicious Nutella banana muffin recipe is versatile and can easily be scaled up for jumbo muffins. When making jumbo muffins, this recipe will yield 6 generously sized portions. You will need to adjust your baking time accordingly to ensure they are cooked through without drying out. Bake for an initial 10 minutes at the higher temperature of 425°F (220°C), then reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for an additional 20-25 minutes. Always test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center; it should come out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Keep a close eye on them, as baking times can vary slightly depending on your oven.
Dry muffins are a common and disappointing baking issue, often attributed to one of two main culprits: over-baking or over-measuring the flour. Over-baking causes too much moisture to evaporate from the muffins, leaving them crumbly, dense, and unappetizing. Always check for doneness a few minutes before the recommended baking time, especially if you know your oven tends to run hot or isn’t perfectly calibrated. To avoid over-measuring flour, which compacts it and adds too much dry ingredient, ensure you’re using the spoon-and-level method or, ideally, a kitchen scale for accuracy. Additionally, overmixing the batter can develop the gluten too much, leading to a tough and dry texture rather than the desired soft and fluffy crumb.
Yes, you can certainly make delightful mini Nutella banana muffins using this recipe! It’s easily adaptable for a mini muffin pan, which is perfect for bite-sized treats or serving at parties. The yield will increase significantly, as you’ll get many more mini muffins compared to standard size. However, the baking time will be much shorter due to their smaller size. Typically, mini muffins bake for about 10-15 minutes at 375°F (190°C) after an initial 3-5 minutes at 425°F (220°C). You must keep a very close watch on them, as they can burn quickly. Always test for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a mini muffin; it should come out clean.
Storing and Freezing Your Delicious Muffins
To maintain the incredible freshness, moistness, and irresistible flavor of these Nutella banana muffins, proper storage is absolutely essential. Once your muffins have completely cooled to room temperature, transfer them to an airtight container. Storing them in this manner will keep them wonderfully fresh and soft for up to 5 days on your countertop, making them perfect for enjoying throughout the week as a quick breakfast or a delightful afternoon snack.
Freezing for Future Enjoyment
For longer-term storage, these muffins freeze beautifully, making them an excellent candidate for meal prepping or having a treat on hand. Once completely cooled, place the muffins in a single layer in a freezer-safe airtight container or individually wrap them in plastic wrap before placing them in a heavy-duty freezer bag. They can be frozen for up to 30 days without compromising their delicious flavor or tender texture. This is a fantastic way to prepare a batch in advance for unexpected guests, a quick grab-and-go breakfast, or simply to ensure you always have a delicious homemade treat readily available.
When you’re ready to enjoy a frozen muffin, simply remove it from the freezer and let it thaw at room temperature for 1-2 hours. For an even warmer, fresher-tasting experience, you can gently heat a thawed muffin in the microwave for 15-20 seconds, or warm it in a toaster oven for a few minutes until heated through. This brief warming will bring out their fresh-baked goodness once more.
Explore More Delightful Muffin Recipes
We hope you absolutely adore these Nutella Banana Muffins as much as we do! Don’t forget to leave a STAR REVIEW below in the comments section if this recipe brought a smile to your face and to your taste buds. We love seeing your incredible baking creations, so make sure to tag us on Instagram @stephaniesweettreats when you share your delicious muffins. For endless baking inspiration, new recipes, and more mouth-watering ideas, be sure to follow us on Pinterest. Happy baking, and enjoy every flavorful bite!
Nutella Banana Muffins
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12 muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups All-purpose flour
- 1 tsp Baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Salt
- 1 1/2 tsp Ground cinnamon
- 1/2 cup Unsalted butter, melted and cooled
- 3/4 cup Brown sugar, packed light or dark
- 2 Large eggs, room temperature
- 1/4 cup Sour cream, room temperature
- 3 Ripe bananas
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
- 2/3 cup Nutella
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Line a 12-cup muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, spacing them out across the pan for a better rise.
- In a medium bowl, sift the all-purpose flour. Add the baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon. Whisk well to combine and set aside. Melt the unsalted butter in the microwave and let it cool to room temperature for 10-15 minutes.
- In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly with a potato masher or fork. Stir in the cooled melted butter, brown sugar, room temperature eggs, sour cream, and pure vanilla extract. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and well combined.
- Gradually add the dry ingredients to the wet mixture, mixing until just combined. Be careful not to overmix. Melt the Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl for 30 seconds until softened and easily pourable.
- Using a cookie scoop, place one scoop of batter into each of the 6 muffin liners (filling them halfway). Spoon 1 teaspoon of melted Nutella on top of the batter in each liner. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the Nutella. Add a second scoop of batter to each liner, filling it almost to the top. Spoon another teaspoon of Nutella on top and create a final decorative swirl.
- Bake for 5 minutes at 425°F (220°C). Without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 375°F (190°C) and continue baking for another 10-12 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Allow the muffins to cool in the hot pan for about 10 minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
High Altitude Baking: For baking at high altitudes, consider adding an extra 2 tablespoons of flour to the dry ingredients.
Room Temperature Ingredients: Remember to pull out dairy ingredients like eggs and sour cream at least 2 hours before baking to ensure they are at room temperature.
Calories: 323kcal
Carbohydrates: 47g
Protein: 4g
Fat: 14g
Saturated Fat: 10g
Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g
Monounsaturated Fat: 2g
Trans Fat: 0.3g
Cholesterol: 23mg
Sodium: 202mg
Potassium: 224mg
Fiber: 2g
Sugar: 26g
Vitamin A: 286IU
Vitamin C: 3mg
Calcium: 44mg
Iron: 2mg