These banana applesauce muffins are so soft and fluffy! Topped with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar and full of banana flavor, they’re my favorite way to use up overripe bananas!
I can never accurately predict the fate of my bananas.
Some weeks my family will devour them so fast that I don’t even get one for myself, then randomly they will go untouched as if they’re the most offensive thing ever. Those weeks are honestly my favorite weeks because after they get gloriously brown and spotty, I get to bake with them.
Yes please, by all means ignore the bananas, I was just waiting for an excuse to stuff some fluffy muffins in my face!
Lately I have been tinkering with an applesauce version of my go-to muffins and this recipe is finally perfect and ready for faceplanting!
Why applesauce? Because it’s a fantastic high-moisture swap for some of the oil in the muffins without sacrificing flavor, softness, or fluff factor for these muffins. They will stay tender for several days without drying out. You can even freeze some for later!
I like a ratio of 1/2 cup applesauce to 1/2 cup oil for the best of both worlds. If you want to use 3/4 cup applesauce to 1/4 cup oil for a healthier option, you can do that as well!
I like to use avocado oil for my muffins as a healthier option; but if you typically bake with vegetable or canola oil, you are welcome to use those instead.
optional streusel – paste recipe from other muffins
Fluffy Banana Applesauce Muffins
I brought these to PT last week and they were a total hit. I’m so excited for you to try them!
These marvelous muffins make a perfect sweet treat. They’re so light and fluffy, packed with banana flavor, and kissed with a cinnamon sugar combo that has me wanting to make them on repeat from now until forever.
Recipe yields a dozen delicious muffins.
Grab 3 ultra-ripe spotted bananas and meet me in the kitchen!
Banana Applesauce Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 very ripe bananas (302 grams) 1 ¼ cups mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ½ cup avocado oil or vegetable oil
- ½ cup unsweetened applesauce (125 grams)
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- ¾ cup granulated sugar (150 grams)
- 2 cups all-purpose flour (240 grams)
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp salt
- 1-2 tsp cinnamon sugar for topping
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard muffin tin with parchment paper liners and measure out ingredients.
- In a large mixing bowl, add the peeled bananas and mash with a fork. Add eggs, apple sauce, oil, vanilla and sugar. Mix well with a metal whisk.
- In a medium bowl whisk the flour, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, and salt together then gently pour over wet ingredients.
- Stir together until just combined.
- Allow batter to sit in the mixing bowl for 10-15 minutes for extra rise and fluff factor! I try to always including this step when I make muffins.
- Divide batter between lined muffin cups until just a little shy of full. I like to use a large easy-release cookie scoop for quick and easy batter transfer.
- Sprinkle the tops with cinnamon sugar before baking. I love the texture and flavor this adds!
- Bake for 24-26 minutes, depending on oven temperament and type of pan used. Tops should be rounded and golden brown and an inserted toothpick will contain some crumbs, but no wet batter.
- Let muffins sit in the pan for 10 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to fully cool. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
optional streusel topping:
- 2 TBSP unsalted butter (28 grams) melted
- ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40 grams)
- ¼ cup brown sugar (50 grams)
- ½ tsp ground cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp salt
- Do this step first to allow the streusel time to dry out a bit.
- Melt butter.
- In a small bowl combine flour, brown sugar, cinnamon, and salt. Mix well.
- Pour butter over streusel mixture and mix with a fork until it resembles small crumbs.
- Top each muffin with streusel before baking.
Q: Can i make this recipe in a 8×8 square pan?
You absolutely can! To mix things up I’ve made a “snack cake” inspired version of this recipe simply by baking it in my 8×8 brownie pan, just like I do with my cornbread. It comes out so fluffy and is super easy to just slice and serve.
It’s great for when you don’t have muffin liners or don’t feel like portioning out the batter into muffin cups.
I baked mine in a light aluminum square pan lined with parchment paper at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes.
It takes longer than the muffins to bake but is so much faster than baking in a loaf pan and it cooks so evenly too! Love it!
Of course I’m a bit bonkers for banana muffins. So much in fact that I’ve shared several varieties including delightfully sweet Double Chocolate Banana Muffins, veggie flecked Banana Zucchini Muffins, and even a tasty small-batch recipe for Pumpkin Banana Muffins.
If you get a chance to try these banana applesauce muffins, let me know! Leave me a comment or review using the form below. I’m always so excited to chat it up and can’t wait to hear all about your tasty creation!
