Easy Banana Raspberry Muffins (with a Jam-Filled Center)

These delightful Banana Raspberry Muffins are wonderfully moist and bursting with sweet fruit goodness. I think they are the perfect way to use up ripe fruit, creating a tender bake with juicy berries and a surprise dollop of jam inside. This simple recipe comes together quickly, making it an easy treat for any time of day.

Why These Muffins Are Wonderful

I truly believe you will fall in love with these muffins just like I have. They offer several fantastic benefits that make them a go-to recipe in my kitchen.

• A great use for ripe fruit. Do you ever find yourself with bananas that are just a little too spotted for snacking or raspberries on the edge of their prime? These muffins are the ideal destination for that perfectly ripe fruit. The natural sweetness and moisture they add are essential to the finished product.
• Effortless breakfast or snack. Baking a batch of these means you have a delicious option ready to go whenever hunger strikes. They are lovely with your morning coffee or as a satisfying pick-me-up during the afternoon.
• Excellent for freezing. If you like to plan ahead or just want to make sure you always have a tasty treat on hand, these muffins freeze beautifully. Bake a double batch now and enjoy them for weeks to come.

What You Need For Banana Raspberry Muffins

Creating these lovely muffins starts with gathering your simple ingredients. You will find the full details for each amount in the recipe card below this article. Here is a quick look at the key components and why they work so well in this recipe.

• All purpose flour. This standard pantry staple provides the main structure for the muffins. You can experiment with swapping out half of the all purpose flour for whole wheat flour if you prefer a slightly heartier texture.
• Baking soda and baking powder. Using both of these leavening agents is important. They work together to help the muffin batter rise properly in the oven, giving you a light and airy result.
• Fine sea salt. Just a small amount of salt helps to balance the sweetness from the fruit and sugar. It really brings out the overall flavor profile of the muffins.
• Ripe banana. The riper your banana is, the better your muffins will taste. Look for a banana with lots of brown spots on the peel. It should be very soft and easy to mash. This adds natural sweetness and wonderful moisture.
• Fresh raspberries. Gently mashed raspberries are essential for that pop of bright, slightly tart flavor. Their juice adds to the moisture content, resulting in tender muffins.
• Milk. Any type of milk you have in your refrigerator will work just fine in this recipe. It helps bring the batter together and contributes to the moist crumb.
• Pure vanilla extract. Vanilla adds a lovely layer of warmth and complexity to the flavor. It enhances the sweetness of the fruit and ties all the ingredients together beautifully.
• Unsalted butter. Make sure your butter is softened to room temperature before you start. Softened butter creams easily with the sugar and egg, creating a smooth base for the batter. Cold butter will not incorporate as well.
• Granulated sugar. This provides the primary sweetness for the muffins. It works alongside the ripe banana and raspberries to create a perfectly balanced flavor that is sweet but not overly so.
• Large egg. The egg acts as a binder, helping all the ingredients stick together. It gives the muffins structure so they hold their shape nicely as they bake.
• Raspberry jam. This is the special surprise in the center of each muffin. Using your favorite store bought raspberry jam is perfectly fine. You could also use homemade jam if you happen to have some on hand. It melts into a delightful sweet pocket during baking.

Steps For Making Banana Raspberry Muffins

Making these delicious muffins is a straightforward process that does not require any complicated techniques. Here is a summary of the main steps involved. Remember you will find the complete details with measurements in the recipe section at the bottom of this post.

Step One: Take a large bowl and mix together the dry ingredients. This includes the flour, baking soda, salt, and baking powder. In a separate bowl of medium size, combine the wet fruit mixture. Stir together the mashed banana, mashed raspberries, milk, and vanilla extract until they are well combined.

Step Two: In another large bowl, you will cream together the softened butter, sugar, and egg. Beat them with a mixer until the mixture becomes light in color and takes on a fluffy texture.

Step Three: Begin combining the wet and dry mixtures with the creamed butter mixture. Add about one third of the dry ingredient mixture to the butter and sugar. Stir this gently just until it is combined. Next, add about one third of the banana and raspberry mixture to the butter mixture. Stir this in as well. Continue repeating these additions, alternating between the dry mixture and the wet banana mixture. Do this until all of the mixtures have been incorporated into the batter. Be very careful not to overmix at this stage. Overmixing can lead to tough muffins.

Step Four: Now it is time to fill your muffin pan. Using a cookie scoop can help keep the portions even. Place a scoop of batter into the bottom of each lined muffin cup. Then, put about one tablespoon of raspberry jam right in the center on top of that first layer of batter. Finally, add more batter on top to cover the jam filling completely. Bake the muffins in a preheated oven at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 20 minutes. Once they are done, let them cool in the pan for a few minutes before carefully transferring them to a wire rack to cool slightly more. Then, the best part is you get to enjoy them.

Kitchen Tools That Help

Having the right tools ready makes baking these muffins even easier. You probably have most of these items in your kitchen already.

• Muffin pan. A standard 12 cup muffin pan is essential for baking these perfectly shaped treats.
• Mixing bowls. You will need a few different sizes of mixing bowls to keep your wet and dry ingredients separate initially.
• Mixer. An electric mixer, either a hand mixer or a stand mixer, is helpful for creaming the butter, sugar, and egg together until light and fluffy.
• Cookie scoop. While not strictly necessary, a cookie scoop is a handy tool for evenly portioning the muffin batter into the cups.

Serving Ideas For Your Muffins

These Banana Raspberry Muffins are delicious all on their own, especially when they are still warm. However, they also make a wonderful addition to a larger breakfast or brunch spread. Here are some other dishes that pair nicely with them.

• Classic quiche with savory fillings like bacon, cheese, and tender potatoes.
• Sweet and decadent Bananas Foster style pancakes.
• Fluffy biscuits served with rich country gravy.
• An Overnight Bacon Breakfast Casserole that bakes while you are enjoying your muffins.
• Easy to make Spicy Egg Muffins for a protein packed savory option.

Tips For Perfect Muffins

Achieving muffins that are wonderfully moist, tender, and flavorful is easy when you keep a few simple tips in mind. These are things I always do when making this recipe.

• Choose an extra ripe banana. I mentioned it before, but it bears repeating. The riper your banana is, the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. Those speckled peels are exactly what you are looking for.
• Line the muffin tin. Using paper muffin liners is highly recommended. They make it incredibly simple to remove the muffins from the pan without any sticking. If you do not have liners, a generous coating of cooking spray will work.
• Avoid overmixing the batter. This is a crucial step for tender muffins. Mixing the batter too much after combining the wet and dry ingredients can develop the gluten too much. This results in tough or dense muffins. Mix only until the ingredients are just incorporated. You might still see a few small lumps, and that is perfectly fine.
• Let them cool slightly before serving. While it is tempting to dive in the moment they come out of the oven, letting them cool in the pan for a few minutes helps them set slightly. This makes them easier to remove without breaking and prevents the jam from being scalding hot. Serving them warm after just a few minutes of cooling is ideal.

Ways To Change Up The Recipe

One of the things I love about this recipe is how easy it is to customize. While the banana and raspberry combination is fantastic, you can certainly play around with other flavors.

• Try different berries. Instead of raspberries, feel free to use other fresh or even lightly thawed frozen berries. Mashed strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, or chopped cherries would all be delicious substitutions.
• Switch out the jam. The raspberry jam center is lovely, but you can use a different flavor if you prefer or to match the berries you used. Apricot jam, strawberry jam, or even a mixed berry jam would be wonderful.
• Introduce some nuts. For a little bit of crunch, you could fold in a handful of chopped walnuts or pecans into the batter before scooping it into the pan.
• Add a topping. Give your muffins that special bakery style look and texture. You could sprinkle a little coarse sugar on top before baking for sparkle or add a simple streusel crumb topping. A light glaze drizzled over cooled muffins is another option.
• Mix in chocolate. Who does not love chocolate and fruit together. Adding about a half cup of your favorite chocolate chips, white chocolate chips, or even chopped dark chocolate to the batter would make these muffins extra special and decadent.

How To Store Your Muffins

Once your delicious muffins have cooled completely, you will want to store any leftovers properly to keep them fresh. Place them in an airtight container. They will keep well at room temperature for a couple of days or in the refrigerator for about 4 to 5 days. You can enjoy them straight from the fridge, let them come to room temperature on the counter, or warm them gently in the microwave for that fresh baked feel.

Can You Freeze Banana Raspberry Muffins

Yes, absolutely. Muffins are fantastic for freezing, and these banana raspberry ones are no exception. This is a great way to ensure you always have a quick breakfast or snack option available for several months.

To freeze the muffins, simply bake them according to the recipe instructions. Make sure they are completely cool before you do anything else. Warm muffins should never be placed in the freezer as this can create condensation and ice crystals, leading to freezer burn. Once they are fully cooled, place the muffins into designated freezer bags or an airtight freezer safe container. They will keep well in the freezer for up to three months.

When you are ready to enjoy one, you can simply take it out and let it thaw at room temperature on the counter for an hour or two. You can also defrost it quickly using the microwave if you are in a hurry.

Are Bananas Ever Too Ripe For Baking

This is a question I get sometimes, and generally, no, bananas are not typically too ripe for baking unless they have truly gone bad in a way that is very obvious. In fact, the riper a banana is, the better it usually tastes in baked goods like these muffins. The natural sugars develop as the banana ripens, giving you more sweetness and intense banana flavor.

So, if your bananas are covered in brown spots or are even mostly brown or black, they are likely perfect for this recipe. They should still smell sweet and feel very soft. The only time you should avoid using a banana for baking is if it has mold, smells fermented, or is attracting swarms of fruit flies. In those cases, it is best to discard them. Otherwise, the softer and spottier they are, the better your muffins will be.

What Might Make Your Banana Muffins Hard Or Dense

If you have ever baked banana muffins and found that they turned out tough, dense, or hard instead of light and tender, there are a few common reasons why this might happen. Thankfully, they are easy to fix with a little care.

Here are some of the most likely culprits and how to avoid them:

• Inaccurate flour measurement. Too much flour is one of the primary reasons baked goods turn out dry or hard. If the ratio of flour to the moist ingredients like banana and milk is off, the result can be tough. To measure flour correctly, do not scoop it directly from the bag with your measuring cup. Instead, spoon the flour lightly into the measuring cup and then level off the excess with the straight edge of a knife or your finger. This prevents the flour from becoming too compacted in the cup.
• Overmixing the batter. After you have added the dry ingredients and the wet banana mixture to the creamed butter and sugar, it is crucial not to overmix. Mixing the batter too much develops the gluten in the flour more than you want for tender muffins. This over development of gluten leads to a tough, chewy texture. Mix the batter only until the ingredients are just combined. It is okay if you still see a few small lumps of flour. Stopping just in time is key for that lovely soft crumb.

Paying attention to these two points will significantly improve the texture of your banana muffins, helping them turn out light and moist every time.

How To Achieve Moist And Fluffy Muffins

Everyone loves a muffin that is perfectly moist on the inside with a beautiful domed top. Getting that bakery quality result at home is achievable with a few simple tricks. These help ensure your muffins rise well and stay wonderfully tender.

Here are some things you can do to make sure your muffins are moist and fluffy:

• Check your leavening agents. Baking soda and baking powder are what give your muffins their lift and airy texture. If these ingredients are old or expired, they lose their effectiveness. Make sure the baking soda and baking powder you are using are fresh. You can test baking soda by adding a little to vinegar (it should fizz) and baking powder by adding a little to hot water (it should fizz).
• Preheat your oven properly. Placing your muffin batter into a fully preheated oven is more important than you might think. The initial blast of hot air helps the leavening agents activate quickly and gives the muffins a proper lift right from the start of baking. If the oven is not hot enough when they go in, they may not rise as well and could end up with a denser texture.
• Use muffin liners. While this might seem like a small detail, using paper muffin liners helps to create a little barrier. This barrier can help trap moisture within the muffins as they bake, contributing to a more tender and moist final product compared to baking directly in greased muffin cups (though greasing still works if you do not have liners).

Following these simple guidelines will help you bake muffins that are consistently moist, light, and delightfully fluffy.

Frequently Asked Questions

Here are some common questions people ask about making banana raspberry muffins.

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