Banana Nutella Muffins — soft, moist banana muffins with a creamy Nutella center and swirled top. These bakery-style muffins are rich, tender, and easy to make at home.
Muffins are a perennial bakery favorite, so I developed a version you can reproduce at home that keeps that bakery appeal. The batter is banana-forward and tender, while frozen Nutella centers and a Nutella swirl on top add a melty, chocolaty surprise in each bite.
Table of Contents
Ingredient Notes and Substitutions
Sour cream: Full-fat sour cream yields the best texture — tender and moist. As an alternative, plain full-fat Greek yogurt works well.
Overripe bananas: Use bananas that are heavily speckled or mostly brown for maximum moisture and sweetness. Avoid underripe fruit.
Recipe Instructions
1
Scoop the Nutella. Portion Nutella into teaspoon-sized dollops onto a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm.
2
Mix dry ingredients. Whisk together all-purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl. Set aside.
3
Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl whisk buttermilk, melted butter, mashed ripe banana, sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla until combined.
4
Fold together. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined. The batter should look slightly lumpy — do not overmix.
5
Fill and stuff. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners. Fill each liner about halfway with batter, press a frozen Nutella dollop into the center, then top with more batter.
6
Swirl and bake. Warm remaining Nutella briefly so it pours easily, spoon about 1 teaspoon onto each muffin, then swirl gently with a toothpick. Bake as directed until tops spring back.
Tips for Bakery-Worthy Muffins
Weigh dry ingredients. For consistent results, measure flour by weight or use the spoon-and-level method rather than scooping.
Choose ripe bananas. Brown-spotted bananas give better flavor and moisture than underripe ones.
Avoid overmixing. Mix only until the batter is combined and still slightly lumpy for tender muffins.
Warm Nutella slightly. Heating Nutella for about 15–20 seconds makes it easier to swirl and drizzle.
Overfill slightly. Fill the liners a bit above the rim for bakery-style domes.
Storage and Freezing
Storage: Store leftovers at room temperature in an airtight container or zip-top bag with a paper towel to absorb moisture for 2–3 days.
Freezer: Freeze individual muffins wrapped in plastic wrap and placed in a freezer-safe container or bag for up to one month. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the microwave.
More Banana Recipes
- Banana pudding brownies
- Baked banana donuts
- Banana cream pie macarons
- Banana bread with brown butter
If you try this recipe, please share how it turned out in the comments or leave a rating — feedback helps improve the recipe.
Banana Nutella Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup Nutella
- 3 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 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 melted butter
- 1/4 cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
-
Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C).
-
Scoop Nutella into teaspoon portions on a parchment-lined tray and freeze until firm.
-
Whisk flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt in a large bowl.
-
In another bowl, whisk buttermilk, mashed banana, melted butter, sugar, eggs, sour cream, oil, and vanilla until combined.
-
Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.
-
Line a 12-cup muffin pan with liners and fill each liner about halfway with batter (3–4 tbsp).
-
Press a frozen Nutella scoop into the center of each muffin, then top with another 3–4 tbsp batter so the liner is slightly overfilled.
-
Warm remaining Nutella in the microwave for about 20 seconds until pourable. Spoon about 1 teaspoon on top of each muffin and gently swirl with a toothpick.
-
Bake at 425°F for 8 minutes, then reduce heat to 350°F and bake another 12–14 minutes, or until tops spring back when touched.
Notes
The calorie information provided for the recipe is an estimate. The accuracy of the calories listed is not guaranteed.