Description
Deliciously moist Cream Cheese Banana Muffins featuring a rich cream cheese swirl, ripe bananas, and crunchy pecans. Perfect for breakfast or a tasty snack.
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: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners to prevent sticking and for easy cleanup.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk mashed bananas, granulated sugar, and light brown sugar until smooth. Beat in the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract thoroughly.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Slowly whisk the flour mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined and no lumps remain. Gently fold in the chopped pecans to distribute evenly.
- Fill Muffin Tins: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each about 3/4 full for proper rising.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Swirl: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract; beat until well combined. If the mixture is too thick, incorporate up to 2 teaspoons of milk to thin it slightly.
- Swirl Cream Cheese: Top each muffin with about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture. Use a toothpick to gently swirl it into the banana batter, creating a marbled effect.
- Bake Muffins: 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.
- Cool and Serve: Allow the muffins to cool slightly before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator; they are best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Make sure bananas are overly ripe for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Swirling the cream cheese mixture adds beautiful marbling and a creamy texture.
- If the cream cheese mixture is too thick, adding a small amount of milk helps achieve the right consistency.
- Use paper liners to prevent muffin sticking and to make removal easier.
- Store muffins in the fridge to keep the cream cheese swirl fresh, and bring them to room temperature before eating for best flavor.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 280 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 210 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 36 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 45 mg
