Description
Delicious and moist Cream Cheese Banana Muffins featuring ripe bananas and a luscious cream cheese swirl. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, these muffins are packed with flavor and a delightful texture from chopped pecans.
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
- 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 pan: Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a muffin pan with liners to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Mix dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine wet ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas, granulated sugar, and brown sugar. Beat in the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until the mixture is smooth.
- Incorporate dry ingredients: Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until there are no lumps. Gently fold in the chopped pecans for added texture.
- Fill muffin tins: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each about 3/4 full for perfect rise.
- Prepare cream cheese mixture: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add the granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, and beat until fully combined. If the mixture is too thick, beat in up to 2 teaspoons of milk to thin it out slightly.
- Swirl cream cheese topping: Drop about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture atop each muffin and swirl it into the banana batter using a toothpick. The swirl won’t be smooth but will bake beautifully.
- Bake the muffins: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and serve: Allow muffins to cool slightly. Serve fresh or store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Use very ripe bananas for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- If cream cheese mixture is too thick, add up to 2 teaspoons milk to make swirling easier.
- Line muffin pan with paper liners or grease well to prevent sticking.
- Store muffins in an airtight container in the fridge to maintain freshness; reheat slightly before serving if desired.
- You can substitute pecans with walnuts or omit nuts for a nut-free version.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 200 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 8 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 34 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
