Description
Cream Cheese Banana Muffins are moist, flavorful treats featuring ripe bananas and a luscious cream cheese swirl. These muffins combine the sweetness of bananas and brown sugar with crunchy pecans, all topped with a creamy, tangy swirl that bakes into a beautiful pattern. Perfect for breakfast or a snack, they’re easy to prepare and bake in just over half an hour.
Ingredients
Scale
Muffin Batter
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 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 Oven and Prepare Pan: Preheat your oven to 350°F. 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 thoroughly combined. This ensures even leavening throughout the muffins.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, mash the over-ripe bananas well. Add both granulated and light brown sugars, then whisk together. Beat in the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract until smooth and well mixed.
- Incorporate Dry Ingredients: Gradually whisk the flour mixture into the banana mixture until the batter is smooth and free of lumps. Be careful not to overmix to keep the muffins tender.
- Add Pecans: Fold in the chopped pecans gently to distribute them evenly without breaking up the nuts too much.
- Fill Muffin Tins: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin liners, filling each about ¾ full to allow room for rising.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Mixture: In a medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, then beat until fully combined. If the mixture is too thick, mix in the 2 teaspoons of milk to achieve a swirlable consistency.
- Add Cream Cheese Swirl: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture on top of each muffin batter portion. Use a toothpick or skewer to swirl the cream cheese delicately into the batter; this creates an appealing marble effect once baked.
- 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 briefly before serving. They are delicious fresh and can also be stored in an airtight container in the fridge, best served at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Use over-ripe bananas for the best natural sweetness and moist texture.
- If you prefer a nut-free version, simply omit the pecans without affecting the flavor significantly.
- The cream cheese swirl can be thinned with milk, but avoid adding too much or it will not create the desired swirl effect.
- For extra flavor, consider adding a pinch of cinnamon or nutmeg to the dry ingredients.
- Make sure not to overmix the batter to keep the muffins light and tender.
- Store leftover muffins in an airtight container refrigerated; they can be warmed briefly before serving if preferred.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 270 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 160 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 35 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
