How to bake up perfectly moist and tender banana Nutella muffins with sour cream and a Nutella swirl in 30 minutes or less. Quick and easy, must-have breakfast or brunch recipe that the whole family will love!
It’s no secret that my family loves banana bread. In fact, my kids love it when I make chocolate chip banana bread, and sometimes we’ll make it into muffins instead! I’m a sucker for Nutella though, and so lately I had the bright idea to make banana muffins with a Nutella swirl. And let me tell you, these easy banana Nutella muffins are my new favorite!
This is my go-to recipe for Sunday brunch because they’re so easy to make! Just mix them up, fill your muffin tins and bake. If you’re looking for more scrumptious muffin recipes, you’ll love these zucchini muffins, blueberry muffins, lemon poppy seed muffins, pumpkin muffins, mixed berry muffins, and these Bisquick cinnamon muffins!
Ingredients & Substitutions Notes
- Salted Butter – Although I recommend using salted butter, you can also use unsalted butter in a pinch. Just be sure to add 1/4 teaspoon of sea salt for every 1/2 cup of unsalted butter to make up for the lack of salt in the butter.
- Sugar – I use a combination of light brown sugar and cane sugar as a sweetener for this recipe. The light brown sugar adds just a touch of molasses flavor that really complements all that chocolate banana goodness!
- Sour Cream – A little bit of sour cream is the secret to perfectly moist and tender muffins with a light and fluffy texture. If you don’t have any sour cream on hand, you can also use a full-fat Greek yogurt instead.
- Bananas – I always use overripe bananas for the best flavor. If your bananas are underripe, here’s how to quickly ripen bananas.
- Vanilla Extract – Use a 100% pure vanilla extract for best flavor. You can use imitation vanilla instead, but it won’t taste as good!
- All-Purpose Flour – I recommend plain all-purpose flour for the best banana and Nutella muffins. You can make this recipe gluten free by swapping out the all-purpose flour with a good cup for cup gluten free all-purpose flour. Keep in mind that you may need to add some xanthan gum to help with better rise and interior structure. Be sure to check over all of the other ingredients to ensure that they are truly gluten free, but most of the time the rest of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free.
- Nutella – I like to make these classic banana bread muffins with a Nutella swirl. I just love the rich, chocolaty flavor that comes from those little pockets of melted Nutella hazelnut spread!
How to Make Banana Nutella Muffins
Before getting started, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then line your muffin tin cups with muffin liners. Finally, use a fork to mash up the overripe bananas in a medium mixing bowl, setting aside for later.
Mixing the Muffin Batter
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream, brown sugar and cane sugar ’til well combined. I use my electric hand mixer or electric stand mixer for this step.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time ’til well combined. Blend in the sour cream.
- Then add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract, whisking everything together.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. Add this flour mixture to the muffin batter, mixing with a spatula until incorporated.
Be careful not to over-mix the batter, as this can cause your muffins to become dense with a heavy, gummy texture that nobody likes!
How to Make the Nutella Swirl
Pour the batter into the muffin tins that you lined in the first step, ’til each cup is about 2/3 full. Then warm the Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 15-20 seconds in order to soften it for easier swirling. Add a dollop of softened Nutella to the top of each muffin, and use a toothpick to sort of swirl it in a circular fashion into the batter…
How to Bake Banana Nutella Muffins
- Bake your banana bread Nutella muffins at 350ºF for about 15-20 minutes.
- Banana muffins will be done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. At this point, remove your muffins from the oven and enjoy while warm!
I like to serve my banana and Nutella muffins with a piping hot cup of coffee or tea. It’s the ultimate breakfast treat!
Expert Tips and Recipe FAQ’s
Yes you can make gluten free banana Nutella muffins. Almost all of the ingredients in this recipe are naturally gluten free, but you will need to swap out the plain all-purpose flour with a good cup for cup gluten free all-purpose flour. Keep in mind that you may need to add a little bit of xanthan gum to help with better rise….And be sure to check all of your ingredients over to ensure that they are truly gluten free!
Banana Nutella muffins will last about 3-5 days in an airtight container at room temperature. Alternatively, you can also store them in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Yes, you can freeze most muffins. Stored in an airtight container or freezer bag, banana Nutella muffins should last up to 3 months in the deep freeze!
Optional Add-Ins & Variations
- Try mixing mini chocolate chips into the batter or add a few to the top of each muffin before baking for an extra rich, and gooey chocolaty flavor.
- You can also mix in chopped walnuts or pecans if you like that kind of thing. You’re essentially making banana nut muffins with a Nutella swirl!
- Did you know dried cranberries and cherries go really well with both bananas and Nutella? It’s like a match made in heaven!
- Don’t feel like making muffins? Bake this recipe in a loaf pan instead of muffin tins to make the ultimate Nutella banana bread that will have everybody coming back for more!
- Try adding a frosting to the top. I actually think this chocolate buttercream frosting would be amazing on Nutella banana muffins.
More Breakfast & Brunch Recipes
- Old Fashioned Glazed Donuts
- Strawberry Waffles
- French Toast Strips
- Peaches and Cream Waffles
- American Pancakes & Homemade Pancake Mix
- Gluten Free Drop Biscuits & Homemade Biscuit Mix
- Blueberry Coffee Cake Recipe
- Cinnamon Streusel Coffee Cake
- Easy French Toast Casserole, Crock Pot French toast casserole and Cinnamon Apple French Toast Casserole
- Biscuit Cinnamon Rolls
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Banana Nutella Muffins
Equipment
- Electric Hand Mixer optional
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Salted Butter
- 1/2 cup Light Brown Sugar packed
- 1/4 cup Cane Sugar
- 1/4 cup Sour Cream
- 2 Large Eggs
- 6 Bananas overripe, mashed
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract
- 2 cups All-Purpose Flour
- 1 teaspoon Baking Soda
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt
- 1/3 cup Nutella
Instructions
- Before getting started, preheat your oven to 350ºF. Then line your muffin tin cups with muffin liners.
- In a medium mixing bowl, use a fork to mash up the overripe bananas, setting them aside for later.
- In a large bowl, cream together the butter, cream, brown sugar and cane sugar 'til well combined. I use my electric hand mixer or electric stand mixer for this step.
- Whisk in the eggs one at a time 'til well combined. Blend in the sour cream.
- Then add the mashed bananas and vanilla extract, whisking everything together.
- In a separate medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt.
- Add the flour mixture to the muffin batter, mixing with a spatula just until incorporated.*
- Pour the batter into the muffin tins that you lined in the first step, 'til each cup is about 2/3 full.
- Warm the Nutella in a microwave-safe bowl in the microwave for 15-20 seconds in order to soften it for easier swirling.
- Add a dollop of Nutella to the top of each muffin, and use a toothpick to sort of swirl it in circles into the batter.
- Bake your banana Nutella muffins at 350ºF for about 15-20 minutes. You can tell that they're done baking when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Remove your muffins from the oven, serve and enjoy while warm!
