Banana Blueberry Muffins Recipe

Banana bread and blueberry muffins are two classics of homestyle, comfort food baking. But in this recipe, recipe developer Catherine Brookes of Blue Sky Eating is mashing them together — quite literally! This recipe mashes ripe bananas into a delicious muffin batter with just the right hint of sweetness. Blueberries then get folded in to create pockets that burst with juicy flavor in every single bite. "Blueberry and banana are such a delicious flavor combo," says Brookes. "The sweetness of banana baked into a tender, fluffy muffin is awesome as it is, but the addition of juicy blueberries makes it even better!"

While this recipe is perfect to make with slightly overripe bananas, if you notice your bananas have gone past their peak point, but you don't have time to bake, do not fret. "Freezing overripe bananas is a great idea," says Brookes. "I would peel them, wrap them in some foil, and freeze them whole. Then, let them defrost at room temp before mashing." We're not kidding when we say the result will be the best banana blueberry muffins you have ever tried!

To make the best banana blueberry muffins, you will, of course, need two large, ripe bananas. Feel free to use overripe ones for this recipe, as their sugars will be nicely developed, making the batter even sweeter.

To the bananas, you'll add neutral canola oil or another vegetable oil for moisture, as well as an egg, milk, and vanilla extract. The dry ingredients include sugar, baking powder and baking soda, flour, and a hint of salt. And you will, of course, need blueberries — fresh are ideal for this, but you can use frozen, too.

To make the banana blueberry muffins, first preheat the oven to 375 F. While it heats up, line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper liners, which will make it easier to release and serve the muffins once they're baked.

Next, it's time to prepare the wet and dry ingredients for the batter. First, work with the wet ingredients. In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas and then add the oil, egg, vanilla, and milk. Mix well to combine.

Then, in another mixing bowl, combine the dry ingredients: the sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and all-purpose flour. Whisk to combine and to ensure that there are no clumps.

Once both the dry and wet mixtures have come together, it's time to combine them to make the batter for the best banana blueberry muffins. Simply add the dry ingredients to the wet, and then fold until just combined.

As with any quick bread or muffin recipe, you want to be careful not to over-mix this batter, as it could cause the over-formation of gluten, making the finished muffins tough instead of tender. Simply fold with a rubber spatula, using long strokes, until the flour is incorporated and no streaks remain.

The last step before baking up the banana blueberry muffins? The blueberries, of course! Toss them with a touch of flour just before folding them into the batter. "Coating the blueberries in flour prevents them from sinking to the bottom of the muffins, keeping them evenly distributed throughout," says Brookes.

If you're using frozen blueberries, the same holds true. "Make sure to toss them in flour while they're still very frozen/firm," cautions Brookes. This should also help keep them from staining the batter when you add them.

When the blueberries have been incorporated into the batter, divide it evenly among the 12 holes of the prepared muffin tin. Bake for 16 to 20 minutes, or until a toothpick or wooden skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached.

Brookes suggests leaving the banana blueberry muffins to cool in the tin for five to 10 minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely ... although we wouldn't blame you if you snagged one warm out of the oven!