Description
Delicious Cream Cheese Banana Muffins featuring a moist banana base with a sweet cream cheese swirl and crunchy pecans, perfect for breakfast or a snack.
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: Preheat your oven to 350°F and line a muffin pan with paper liners to prepare for baking.
- Mix Dry Ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt until well combined. Set this mixture aside.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk the mashed bananas with granulated sugar and light brown sugar. Add the egg, vegetable oil, and vanilla extract and beat until smooth.
- Add Dry to Wet: Slowly whisk the dry flour mixture into the wet banana mixture until no lumps remain. Gently fold in the chopped pecans.
- Fill Muffin Tins: Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tins, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Prepare Cream Cheese Swirl: In a separate medium bowl, beat the softened cream cheese until smooth. Add granulated sugar, egg yolk, and vanilla extract, beating until well combined. If the mixture seems too thick, add up to 2 teaspoons of milk to thin it slightly.
- Top Muffins: Spoon about 1 tablespoon of the cream cheese mixture onto each muffin and use a toothpick to swirl it gently into the banana batter. The swirl will appear textured but will bake beautifully.
- Bake Muffins: Bake in the preheated oven for 18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.
- Cool and Serve: Let the muffins cool slightly before serving. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They are best enjoyed at room temperature or slightly chilled.
Notes
- Ensure bananas are over-ripe for maximum sweetness and moisture.
- Use room temperature cream cheese for a smooth swirl mixture.
- If you prefer a smoother cream cheese topping, add the milk gradually until desired texture is reached.
- Chopped pecans can be substituted with walnuts or omitted for nut-free muffins.
- For dairy-free option, substitute cream cheese with a vegan cream cheese alternative.
- Store muffins in an airtight container to keep them fresh longer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 18 g
- Sodium: 180 mg
- Fat: 12 g
- Saturated Fat: 4 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 32 g
- Fiber: 2 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 55 mg
