Super moist and fluffy, these brown butter banana muffins are so flavorful. Toasty notes of brown butter enhance the banana. They're topped with a crispy walnut streusel.
#AD This post has been sponsored by Westgold butter.
Brown butter makes many baked goods better, especially banana recipes—the caramelized milk solids in the brown butter pair perfectly with the banana flavor.
In this recipe, I have used Westgold unsalted butter. It has fantastic flavor. It's made with milk from grass-fed cows, farmed on the West Coast of New Zealand’s South Island, and uses a traditional churning process. It's full of creamy milk solids that brown beautifully when cooked in a pan.
I use this process in this brown butter banana bread too!
Ingredients
Here's what you need for these brown butter banana bread muffins. Find the ingredient amounts in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.
Muffins
- Westgold butter. I have used unsalted, but it can be salted or unsalted butter. Before continuing with the recipe, you'll melt butter and brown it first, which brings a delicious nutty flavor.
- Mashed bananas. Choose overripe bananas; they bring the most banana flavor and sweetness. If using frozen bananas, let them thaw first.
- Soft brown sugar. The caramel notes in brown sugar complement the brown butter and banana.
- Large eggs - For structure
- Vanilla extract or paste - a great flavor addition.
- All-purpose flour - The base
- Baking powder and baking soda - The leavening agents.
- Natural or Greek yogurt - Adds acidity to create a better rise and perfect texture. You can also use sour cream or buttermilk.
- Salt - A flavor enhancer.
Walnut streusel
- Westgold butter
- All-purpose flour
- Soft brown sugar
- Chopped walnuts
Method
Brown butter
Let butter melt over medium heat in a medium saucepan. Avoid using a dark pan, as you will struggle to see the caramelization of the butter at the bottom of the pan and run the risk of burning it.
Once the butter has melted, let it cook for around 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly until the milk solids in the butter have caramelized into a golden amber color, and the butter has a nutty aroma.
Pour the butter into a large bowl, including all the brown bits, and let it cool for 5 minutes. Meanwhile, make the streusel.
Streusel
Melt the butter and pour it into a small bowl. Add flour, sugar, salt, and chopped walnuts.
Use a fork to stir it together into a clumpy mixture.
As the streusel sits, it will stiffen up and easily crumble with your fingers.
If it's too soft, pop it in the fridge for 5 minutes.
Muffin batter
Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin pan.
Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
Mash the bananas and add them to the cooled brown butter, along with the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla.
Mix well until combined.
Add in the dry ingredients and the yogurt.
Use a rubber spatula to fold the muffin batter together until combined.
Take care not to over-mix it.
Use an ice cream scoop to spoon the muffin batter into the paper liners, filling them to the top.
Generously pile on the streusel topping.
Bake the muffins for 5 minutes in the center of the oven at 425°F (220°C), then lower the oven heat to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for 15-18 minutes until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove them and place them on a wire rack to cool further to room temperature.
Storing
Leftover banana muffins can be covered and stored at room temperature for four days or in the refrigerator for up to a week.
Muffins freeze very well too. Cover the muffins tightly with plastic wrap or place them in an airtight container and freeze them for up to three months.
Let them defrost at room temperature, and gently rewarm them in the microwave.
Related recipes
Brown Butter Banana Muffins
These moist brown butter banana muffins are so flavorful, with toasty notes of brown butter and crispy streusel.
Ingredients
Streusel
- 45g (3 Tablespoons) unsalted butter
- 65g (⅓ cup) soft brown sugar
- 63g (½ cup) all-purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 30g (¼ cup) chopped walnuts
- Pinch of salt
Muffins
- 130g (½ cup + 1 tbsp) Westgold unsalted butter
- 250g (2 cups*) all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 360g (3 large) bananas
- 130g (⅔ cup) soft brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
- 120g (½ cup) greek yogurt or natural yogurt
Instructions
- Melt butter over medium heat in a medium saucepan.
- Once the butter has melted, let it cook for around 3-4 minutes, stirring regularly until the milk solids in the butter have caramelized into a golden amber color, and the butter has a nutty aroma.
- Pour the butter into a large bowl, including all the brown bits, and let it cool for 10 minutes.
Streusel
- Melt the butter and pour it into a small bowl. Add flour, sugar, salt, and chopped walnuts. Use a fork to stir it together into a clumpy mixture.
- As the streusel sits, it will stiffen up and easily crumble with your fingers.
Muffin batter
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (220°C) and grease or line a standard 12-cup muffin pan.
- Whisk the all-purpose flour, baking powder, soda, and salt in a small bowl. Set aside.
- Mash the bananas and add them to the cooled brown butter and the brown sugar, eggs, and vanilla. Mix well until combined.
- Add in the dry ingredients and the yogurt. Use a rubber spatula to fold the muffin batter together until combined. Take care not to over-mix it.
- Use an ice cream scoop to spoon the muffin batter into the paper liners, filling them to the top.
- Generously pile on the streusel topping.
- Bake the muffins for 5 minutes in the center of the oven at 425°F (220°C), then lower the oven heat to 350°F (180°C) and continue baking for 15-18 minutes until a cake tester inserted comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the muffin tin for 5 minutes, then remove them and place them on a wire rack to cool further to room temperature.
Notes
*the cup sizes are US sized cups. Note that these are smaller than metric cups. For best results, use grams.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 12 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 333Total Fat: 15gSaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 63mgSodium: 227mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 2gSugar: 22gProtein: 5g
This is an informational estimate only. I am not a certified Dietitian or Nutritionist
Sophia says
Usually, I bake reviewed recipes so that I don't waste materials, but these looked so good I decided to chance it. I'm glad I did, they are delicious. The only change I made was using sour cream instead of Greek yogurt because I was too lazy to go to the store. I shared the muffins with my kids and husband; everyone agrees that this is a very tasty recipe.
Thanks!
Elien says
Thank you so much, Sophia! I'm stoked you loved them!