Irresistible Bakery-Style Banana Nutella Muffins: Your Ultimate Guide to Sweet Perfection
Prepare to elevate your baking game with these incredible **Banana Nutella Muffins**! Imagine biting into a wonderfully soft and incredibly moist banana muffin, discovering a luscious, creamy Nutella center, and finishing with a beautifully swirled Nutella topping. These aren’t just any muffins; they’re the kind of decadent treat you’d expect from your favorite bakery, now made simple enough to master in your own kitchen. Get ready to indulge in the perfect fusion of ripe banana sweetness and rich hazelnut chocolate!
Throughout my years working in various bakeries, muffins were consistently the top-selling item. This popularity inspired me to develop a homemade version that captures that same irresistible bakery-style quality. These Banana Nutella Muffins truly stand out with their rich, chocolatey Nutella swirls beautifully complementing the tender, banana-infused batter. Each bite offers a perfect balance of sweet banana flavor and decadent hazelnut cocoa, making them an instant crowd-pleaser.
Much like my beloved bakery-style blueberry muffins and lemon raspberry muffins, this recipe is designed for maximum flavor and moisture, yet remains incredibly simple to prepare. They are an absolute dream for a sweet breakfast, a delightful brunch addition, or a comforting snack any time of day. This comprehensive guide will walk you through every step, ensuring your homemade banana Nutella muffins are nothing short of perfect. Get ready to impress yourself and everyone you share them with!
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions for Perfect Banana Nutella Muffins
Crafting the perfect banana Nutella muffin begins with understanding your ingredients. Here’s a deeper dive into the key components and how to ensure the best results, along with some helpful substitution tips that will make your muffins truly shine.
Sour Cream: This ingredient is a secret weapon for incredibly soft, tender, and moist muffins, much like the ones in my cinnamon roll muffins. The high fat content in full-fat sour cream contributes significantly to the melt-in-your-mouth texture and keeps the muffins moist for longer. For best results, ensure your sour cream is at room temperature for optimal mixing and a smooth batter. If sour cream isn’t available, you can easily substitute it with plain, full-fat Greek yogurt, which offers similar moisture and tang.
Overripe Bananas: For the most flavorful and moist banana muffins, always reach for bananas that are well past their prime – those with a peel covered in abundant black spots are absolutely ideal. These bananas are naturally sweeter, softer, and much easier to mash smoothly. They also contribute significantly to the muffins’ moisture content, as seen in my cookie banana bread. Avoid underripe bananas at all costs, as they lack the necessary sweetness and moisture, resulting in drier, less flavorful muffins with a grainy texture.
Nutella: While the recipe specifically calls for Nutella for its signature hazelnut-chocolate flavor, you can experiment with other high-quality chocolate-hazelnut spreads if preferred. The key is its creamy consistency, which makes it perfect for both creating a gooey center and achieving a beautiful swirl on top. For the topping, warming it slightly in the microwave will ensure it’s easy to work with and blends seamlessly.
All-Purpose Flour: The foundational ingredient for our muffin structure. For tender and light muffins, it’s crucial to measure your flour correctly. Ideally, use a kitchen scale for accuracy. If measuring by volume, use the “spoon-and-level” method: fluff the flour in its container, then spoon it into your measuring cup until it overflows, and level off the excess with the back of a knife. Never scoop the measuring cup directly into the flour, as this compacts it, leading to too much flour and potentially dense, dry muffins.
Baking Powder and Baking Soda: These are our essential leavening agents. Baking powder provides the primary lift, creating a light and airy texture. Baking soda, on the other hand, reacts with the acidic ingredients (like buttermilk and sour cream) to give an extra boost to the rise and contribute to the wonderfully tender crumb. Ensure both are fresh for maximum effectiveness, as old leavening agents can result in flat, heavy muffins.
Buttermilk (Room Temperature): Buttermilk is crucial for delivering exceptional moistness and a tender crumb due to its acidity. It also plays a vital role in reacting with the baking soda, aiding in the muffin’s rise. Bringing it to room temperature is important as it helps it emulsify better with other wet ingredients, leading to a smoother, more uniform batter and a finer texture in the final baked product.
Melted Butter & Canola Oil: This recipe strategically uses both butter for its rich, traditional flavor and canola oil for maximum moisture. Butter provides that classic, irresistible taste and contributes to a beautiful golden crust. Meanwhile, the neutral-flavored canola oil ensures the muffins stay wonderfully moist and tender for longer, preventing them from drying out quickly. Ensure the butter is melted but cooled slightly before incorporating it into the wet ingredients to avoid cooking the eggs.
Granulated Sugar: Beyond sweetness, sugar plays multiple roles in baking. It contributes to the golden-brown color of the muffin tops and helps retain moisture, ensuring the muffins remain soft and delicious. The right amount ensures a perfectly balanced flavor profile that highlights both the banana and Nutella without being overly sweet.
Large Eggs (Room Temperature): Eggs are vital binders in baking, holding the ingredients together and providing structure. They also add richness to the batter and contribute to leavening. Using room temperature eggs is crucial because they mix more easily and create a more uniform emulsion with other ingredients, resulting in a more consistent and tender muffin texture.
Vanilla Extract: A good quality vanilla extract is a must for almost any baked good. A touch of vanilla enhances all the other flavors in the muffins, adding depth, warmth, and a comforting aroma that truly elevates the overall taste experience.
Recipe Instructions: Crafting Your Ultimate Banana Nutella Muffins
Follow these detailed, easy-to-understand steps to create perfectly soft, moist, and flavorful banana Nutella muffins with a delightful surprise center and a beautiful swirled top. Precision and patience are your best friends here!
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Prepare the Nutella Centers: This critical first step ensures you get that gooey Nutella surprise in the middle of each muffin. Scoop teaspoon-sized dollops of Nutella onto a parchment-lined baking tray. These dollops don’t need to be perfectly shaped, but aim for roughly uniform sizes so each muffin has a consistent surprise. Once scooped, place the tray in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes, or until the Nutella is firm enough to handle without melting quickly. This prevents it from completely dissolving into the batter during baking, ensuring a distinct creamy center.
2
Combine the Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together your all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Whisking for about 30 seconds ensures that the leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour. This uniform distribution is crucial for a consistent rise and balanced flavor in every single muffin. Set this bowl aside while you prepare the wet ingredients.
3
Whisk the Wet Ingredients: In another large mixing bowl, combine the room temperature buttermilk, melted but cooled butter, perfectly mashed overripe banana, granulated sugar, room temperature eggs, sour cream, canola oil, and vanilla extract. Whisk these ingredients vigorously until they are well combined and appear smooth and homogenous. Ensure all ingredients are at room temperature to prevent the melted butter from solidifying (which can create a lumpy batter) and to create a uniform emulsion, which ultimately leads to a more tender and evenly baked muffin.
4
Gently Combine Dry and Wet Ingredients: Pour the whisked dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a whisk or a rubber spatula, mix until *just* combined. This is a crucial step for achieving tender muffins – do not overmix! Overmixing develops gluten, which leads to tough, chewy, and dense muffins. A few lumps in the batter are perfectly normal and even desirable; a slightly “clumpy” batter is the secret to light, fluffy, and tender results. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of dry flour.
5
Fill and Stuff the Muffins: Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners. Fill each liner with about 3-4 tablespoons of batter, aiming to fill it approximately halfway. This creates a stable base for your Nutella surprise. Now, retrieve your firm, frozen Nutella dollops from the freezer. Gently press one frozen Nutella portion into the exact center of the batter in each muffin liner. The frozen Nutella will hold its shape better, ensuring a distinct gooey center rather than melting into the batter prematurely. Once the Nutella is in place, scoop another 3-4 tablespoons of batter on top, completely covering the Nutella and filling the liner generously. Overfilling slightly is key to achieving those beautiful, domed, and cracked bakery-style muffin tops!
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Swirl and Bake for Perfection! Before baking, warm the remaining Nutella (about 1 teaspoon per muffin) in the microwave for approximately 15-20 seconds. This makes it wonderfully runny and easy to swirl, perfect for creating a beautiful topping. Spoon approximately 1 teaspoon of the warmed Nutella on top of each generously filled muffin. Then, using a toothpick, a skewer, or even the tip of a butter knife, gently swirl the chocolate into the batter. This creates that eye-catching bakery-style marbled effect on the surface. Bake in a preheated oven at 425°F (220°C) for the initial 8 minutes. This burst of high heat is crucial for creating that signature domed top. Then, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for another 12-14 minutes, or until the tops are beautifully golden brown and spring back gently when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the banana portion (avoiding the Nutella center) should come out clean. Allow the muffins to cool slightly in the pan before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy!
Expert Tips for Achieving Bakery-Worthy Banana Nutella Muffins
Achieving that coveted bakery-style muffin isn’t just about the ingredients; it’s also about mastering a few simple techniques. Here are my top expert tips to ensure your Banana Nutella Muffins come out perfectly soft, moist, and absolutely irresistible every single time:
Use a Kitchen Scale. This is hands down my number one baking tip for consistent and professional results. Measuring dry ingredients, especially flour, by volume (cups) can be wildly inaccurate due to variations in packing. A kitchen scale ensures you use the precise amount of each ingredient, leading to a perfectly balanced and textured muffin every single time. It’s a small investment that pays off immensely in baking success and eliminates guesswork.
Always Use Ripe Bananas. The riper the banana, the sweeter and more intensely flavored your muffins will be. For optimal results, look for bananas with abundant brown or black spots on the peel, indicating maximum ripeness. These bananas are not only easier to mash and incorporate smoothly into the batter but also contain more natural sugars and moisture, contributing to an incredibly soft, tender, and flavorful crumb. Underripe bananas will yield drier, less sweet muffins, so be patient and wait for those spots to appear!
Do Not Overmix the Batter. This is perhaps the most crucial rule for tender muffins and cannot be stressed enough! Overmixing is the most common culprit for tough, chewy muffins. Once you combine the wet and dry ingredients, mix them only until *just* incorporated. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and actually desirable, as they contribute to a tender, fluffy texture. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of dry flour, even if it looks a little messy.
Microwave the Nutella for Swirling. Straight from the jar, Nutella can be quite stiff and difficult to swirl beautifully and evenly. For the decorative topping, warm the Nutella in the microwave for approximately 15-20 seconds (depending on your microwave’s power). This makes it wonderfully runny and much easier to create those elegant, marbled swirls on top of your muffin batter, ensuring a lovely visual appeal and a more enjoyable texture when baked.
Overfill the Muffin Liners Slightly. To achieve that classic, impressive domed top that’s characteristic of bakery-style muffins, you need to fill your muffin liners generously. Don’t be shy! Filling them almost to the brim ensures a beautiful, tall rise and an appealing aesthetic. Combined with the initial high oven temperature, this overfilling technique is key to achieving those coveted muffin crowns.
Start with a High Oven Temperature. The initial blast of high heat (425°F/220°C) for the first 8 minutes of baking is a secret weapon for creating that desirable domed top. The rapid heat causes the edges of the muffin batter to set quickly, forcing the center to rise dramatically, creating a beautiful crown. After this initial period, reducing the temperature allows the muffins to cook through evenly without burning the tops, ensuring a perfectly baked interior.
Ensure All Ingredients Are at Room Temperature. For butter, eggs, buttermilk, and sour cream, room temperature is absolutely crucial. Cold ingredients don’t emulsify well with each other, leading to a lumpy batter and potentially denser, unevenly baked muffins. Bringing them to room temperature allows for much better mixing and incorporation, creating a smoother, more uniform batter that bakes evenly and results in a superior, tender texture. If you forget, a quick trick for eggs is to place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes.
Storage and Freezing Instructions for Banana Nutella Muffins
These Banana Nutella Muffins are undeniably best enjoyed fresh, warm from the oven. However, they store beautifully, allowing you to savor their deliciousness for days or even weeks! Here’s how to keep them at their peak:
Storage: To keep your freshly baked muffins wonderfully fresh and moist at room temperature, it’s essential to store them properly. Once completely cooled, place them in an airtight container or a large resealable ziplock bag. To absorb any excess moisture and prevent the tops from becoming soggy, lay a paper towel at the bottom of the container and another on top of the muffins. They will stay delightfully fresh for 2-3 days on your countertop. If you need to store them longer in the refrigerator, they can last up to a week, though their texture might become slightly firmer.
Freezer: If you’re planning ahead, have extra muffins, or simply want to enjoy a single muffin whenever a craving strikes, freezing is an excellent option. Once the muffins have cooled completely to room temperature, wrap each one individually in plastic wrap. This crucial step prevents freezer burn and helps lock in their freshness. Then, place the individually wrapped muffins into an airtight freezer-safe container or a sturdy freezer bag. They can be stored in the freezer for up to one month without significant loss of quality. To enjoy, simply retrieve a frozen muffin, unwrap it, and let it thaw at room temperature for an hour, or warm it gently in the microwave for 30-60 seconds until heated through and soft. A quick zap in the microwave can even bring back that freshly baked warmth and gooey Nutella center!
More Delicious Banana Recipes to Try
If you’ve fallen in love with these banana Nutella muffins, you’ll definitely want to explore these other fantastic banana-based treats from my collection. Each recipe offers a unique way to enjoy the delightful flavor of ripe bananas:
- Banana Pudding Brownies: A delightful fusion of classic banana pudding flavor with fudgy, rich brownies, creating an unexpected but utterly delicious dessert.
- Baked Banana Donuts: A healthier alternative to fried donuts, these soft and fluffy baked donuts are bursting with natural banana goodness, perfect for breakfast or a sweet snack.
- Banana Cream Pie Macarons: Experience the elegance and intricate flavor of banana cream pie in delicate, perfectly crafted macarons, ideal for a special occasion or a sophisticated treat.
- Banana Bread with Brown Butter: A rich, nutty, and incredibly moist twist on the timeless comfort classic. The brown butter adds an extra layer of depth that makes this banana bread truly stand out.
If you tried this amazing Banana Nutella Muffin recipe or any other delightful creation on my website, please don’t hesitate to share your experience! I love hearing from you and seeing your baking triumphs. Drop a comment below to let me know how it went, and while you’re there, please leave a star rating – it truly helps others discover delicious recipes! You can also tag me on Instagram or Facebook so I can celebrate your delicious creations with you!
The Best Banana Nutella Muffins Recipe
Cambrea Gordon
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15 minutes
20 minutes
35 minutes
Breakfast, Dessert
American
12 large muffins
Equipment
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12-cup muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, *See notes below for measuring*
- 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk, room temperature
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 1/3 cup mashed ripe banana
- 1/2 cup salted European butter, melted and cooled
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
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1. Preheat Oven: Preheat your oven to 425°F (220°C). This initial high temperature is vital for achieving those beautiful, dramatically domed muffin tops.
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2. Prepare Nutella Centers: Scoop 1/2 cup of Nutella into approximately teaspoon-sized portions onto a parchment-lined baking tray. Place this tray in the freezer for at least 15-20 minutes, or until the Nutella is firm enough to handle without melting quickly. This ensures it remains a distinct “gooey center” and doesn’t completely dissolve into the batter during baking.1/2 cup Nutella
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3. Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a large mixing bowl, thoroughly whisk together the 3 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons of baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon of baking soda, and 1/2 teaspoon of salt. Whisk for about 30 seconds to ensure all leavening agents and salt are evenly distributed throughout the flour, which is crucial for a consistent rise and flavor.3 1/2 cups (420 g) all-purpose flour, 2 1/2 teaspoons baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon salt
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4. Combine Wet Ingredients: In a separate large mixing bowl, whisk together the 1 1/2 cups of room temperature buttermilk, 1/3 cup of mashed ripe banana, 1/2 cup of melted (and cooled) salted European butter, 1 cup of granulated sugar, 2 large room temperature eggs, 1/4 cup of room temperature sour cream, 1/4 cup of canola oil, and 1 tablespoon of vanilla extract. Whisk vigorously until completely combined and smooth, ensuring all room temperature ingredients are well integrated to form a uniform emulsion.1 1/2 cups (300 g) buttermilk, 1 cup (200 g) granulated sugar, 2 (95 g) large eggs, 1/3 cup (88 g) mashed ripe banana, 1/2 cup (113 g) salted European butter, 1/4 cup (60 g) sour cream, 1/4 cup (40 g) canola oil, 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
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5. Gently Combine Batters: Pour the dry ingredients mixture into the bowl with the wet ingredients. Using a whisk or spatula, mix until *just* combined. Be very careful not to overmix; a few lumps are perfectly normal and preferred for a tender muffin texture. Overmixing develops gluten, leading to tough, undesirable muffins. Stop mixing as soon as you see no more streaks of dry flour, even if the batter appears slightly clumpy.
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6. Prepare Muffin Tray: Line a 12-cup muffin tray with paper liners. This simple step makes for easy removal of the baked muffins and significantly simplifies cleanup.
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7. Fill Liners – First Layer: Fill each prepared muffin liner with approximately 3-4 tablespoons of batter. This should fill the liner about halfway, creating a perfect base for the hidden Nutella surprise.
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8. Add Nutella Center: Retrieve your firm, frozen Nutella dollops from the freezer. Gently press one frozen Nutella portion into the exact center of the batter in each muffin liner. The frozen Nutella will maintain its shape and create a beautiful molten, gooey center once baked, rather than completely mixing into the batter.
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9. Top with More Batter: Scoop another 3-4 tablespoons of the banana batter on top of the Nutella, ensuring the Nutella is completely covered and sealed within the muffin. The liners should be quite full, even slightly mounded above the rim. This generous overfilling technique is key for creating those impressive, domed, and cracked bakery-style muffin tops.
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10. Warm Nutella for Swirl: For the decorative swirl, warm the remaining Nutella (about 1 tsp per muffin) in the microwave for 15-20 seconds. It should become wonderfully runny, making it easy to drizzle and swirl over the muffin tops.
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11. Swirl and Prepare for Baking: Spoon about 1 teaspoon of the warmed, runny Nutella on top of each generously filled muffin. Then, using a toothpick, skewer, or the tip of a butter knife, gently swirl the chocolate into the batter. This creates an appealing marbled effect on the surface, adding to the bakery-style presentation.
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12. Bake to Perfection: Place the muffin tray into your preheated 425°F (220°C) oven. Bake for 8 minutes at this high temperature. This initial blast of heat will help the muffins rise dramatically and form impressive domes. After 8 minutes, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F (175°C) and continue baking for an additional 12-14 minutes, or until the muffin tops are beautifully golden brown and spring back gently when lightly touched. A toothpick inserted into the banana portion (being careful to avoid the Nutella center) should come out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. Enjoy these delightful treats warm or at room temperature!
Notes
*Room Temperature Ingredients: Always ensure your buttermilk, eggs, and sour cream are at room temperature. This is vital for baking success! Room temperature ingredients emulsify smoothly into the batter, creating a uniform mixture that traps air more effectively, resulting in a lighter, more tender, and evenly baked muffin. If you forget, a quick trick for eggs is to place them in a bowl of warm water for 5-10 minutes. For dairy, simply take them out 30-60 minutes before you begin baking.*
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed and can vary based on specific brands and exact measurements used.