Description
Delicious and moist Cream Cheese Banana Muffins featuring ripe bananas, a creamy swirl of sweetened cream cheese, and crunchy pecans. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, these muffins combine classic banana bread flavors with a rich and tangy cream cheese topping baked to golden perfection.
Ingredients
Scale
Dry Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
Wet Ingredients
- 4 medium over-ripe bananas, mashed
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
Add-ins
- ½ cup chopped pecans
Cream Cheese Swirl
- 4 oz cream cheese, softened
- 2 tablespoons granulated sugar
- 1 egg yolk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 teaspoons milk, if needed
Instructions
- Preheat and Prepare. Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners to prevent sticking and ease cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients. In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until they are well combined. Set this mixture aside for later.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk the mashed ripe bananas with granulated sugar and light brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the large egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- Add Dry to Wet. Slowly whisk in the flour mixture to the wet banana mixture, ensuring no lumps remain. Then, gently fold in the chopped pecans to evenly distribute them throughout the batter.
- Fill Muffin Tins. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling each about three quarters full for even rising and perfect muffin shape.
- Make Cream Cheese Swirl. In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth and creamy. Add the granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, beating until well combined. If the mixture is too thick, beat in 1 to 2 teaspoons of milk until it reaches a swirl-able consistency.
- Top and Swirl. Dollop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin batter. Use a toothpick or skewer to gently swirl the cream cheese into the batter for a marbled effect.
- Bake. Place the muffin pan in the preheated oven and bake for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean and the cream cheese swirl is set and lightly golden.
- Cool and Serve. Remove muffins from the oven and allow them to cool slightly in the pan before transferring to a wire rack. Serve fresh or store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge. These muffins taste best at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Use over-ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture in your muffins.
- If the cream cheese mixture is too firm to swirl easily, add milk a teaspoon at a time to loosen it up without making it runny.
- Chopped walnuts can substitute for pecans if preferred or for variety.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep muffins tender and light.
- These muffins can be stored refrigerated for up to 4 days and warmed slightly before serving.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 17 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 38 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
