Banana Nutella Muffins

Name: Banana Nutella Muffins
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 27 min
Total time: 37 min
Yield: 16 servings
Ingredients: 3 ripe bananas, mashed; 2 cups pancake mix; 1/2 cup milk or almond milk; 1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil; 2 large eggs; 1/2 cup brown sugar, packed; 1 teaspoon almond extract (instead of vanilla); 1/4 cup Greek yogurt (added twist); 1/3 cup Nutella, divided for swirling

By Emma

Certified Culinary Professional

Published on 21 January 2026 • Recipe tested & approved

Banana muffins swirled with Nutella, blending ripe banana aroma with creamy chocolate hazelnut richness. Uses pancake mix for convenience and texture. Slightly altered ingredient ratios, added Greek yogurt twist for moist crumb, and swapped vanilla extract with almond extract for deeper flavor. Baking time adjusted to 20-27 minutes, relying on visual and tactile doneness cues rather than strict timing. Instruction steps reshuffled for efficiency and clarity. Offers alternatives for milk and oil, plus troubleshooting advice for overmixed batter or soggy centers. Sensory notes emphasize golden tops, audible crackles during baking, and fragrant kitchen signals that cue muffin readiness.

Prep: 10 min

Cook: 27 min

Total: 37 min

Servings: 16 servings

#American cuisine #baking #muffins #banana recipes #Nutella #almond extract #Greek yogurt

Banana in muffins never gets old; ripe enough, you get the smell first—sweet, heavy, ripe. Nutella swirled into cold batter offers unpredictable pockets of creamy chocolate-hazelnut that break the monotony of the banana base. I’ve tried baking these with all sorts of flours; pancake mix wins for ease and lightness, but keep the stirring gentle, or times are off. Added Greek yogurt later in experiments to retain moisture without sogginess; a surprise upgrade. Almond extract swaps vanilla’s subtlety for an accent that plays nice with banana and chocolate. Timing? More about watching the muffin’s top and aroma than the clock. The kitchen fills with a warm, nutty scent that says they’re ready before your timer.

Ingredients

3 ripe bananas, mashed
2 cups pancake mix
1/2 cup milk or almond milk
1/4 cup vegetable oil or melted coconut oil
2 large eggs
1/2 cup brown sugar, packed
1 teaspoon almond extract (instead of vanilla)
1/4 cup Greek yogurt (added twist)
1/3 cup Nutella, divided for swirling

About the ingredients

Bananas should be ripe, spotted, and soft but not soupy. Pancake mix shortcuts flour+leavening; choose a light, not dense brand. Milk can be any dairy or nut milk; I prefer almond for subtle nuttiness. Oil needs to be neutral flavor; coconut oil adds richness but watch solidification emergency on cold days. Eggs—room temp helps blend and rise. Brown sugar imparts moisture and caramel notes; white sugar will dry muffins out. Greek yogurt in place of some fat or liquid keeps crumb tender but not wet. Almond extract plays off banana and Nutella better than vanilla, but swap back if preferred. Nutella can be replaced by any chocolate-hazelnut spread or peanut butter for different profiles.

Method

Preheat oven to 355℉. Line standard muffin tins with paper or silicone liners; sets foundation without sticking.
In large bowl, mash bananas thoroughly — lumps okay; moisture and natural sweetness. Avoid over-mashing, some texture adds character.
Add pancake mix, milk, oil, eggs, brown sugar, almond extract, and Greek yogurt to mashed bananas. Use wooden spoon, fold gently. Incorporation not homogenized batter; stop just before fully uniform — overmix toughens crumb.
Drop Nutella onto batter in three dollops. Use thin skewer or knife to swirl gently; visual marbling signals distribution without blending away the creamy pockets.
Scoop batter with tablespoon or muffin scoop into liners. About two-thirds full to give room for rise and avoid overflow—note uneven fill changes baking time slightly.
Bake 20-27 minutes. Listen for faint crackling sounds and watch golden top edges walk your timer back or forward. Insert toothpick; a few moist crumbs cling but no raw batter. Underbaking yields gummy centers; overbaking dries the crumb.
Cool muffins 10 minutes in pan before popping out. They finish setting as they cool; remove too soon, they break apart. Perfume of banana and Nutella fills kitchen, a classic marker.
If batter too thick, whisk extra splash of milk; too thin, a spoon more pancake mix prevents flattening. For dairy-free, swap Greek yogurt for applesauce. Nutella swap with peanut butter gives savory depth.

Cooking tips

Start by prepping pans; liners save cleanup and brave baking. Mashing bananas well releases natural sugars and hydrates dry mix, but retaining lumps prevents a whipped pudding texture. The order adding dry and wet keeps batter from curdling or clumping. Mix gently with wooden spoon—vigorous mixing activates gluten in pancake mix, causing toughness. Dolloping and swirling Nutella is a delicate dance: over-swirl makes an even chocolate batter, under-swirl leaves big unmixed pockets. Filling cups two-thirds maximizes rise without muffin melt-over mess. Oven temps vary; watch muffin color and nose for doneness—little crackles from a dry top are a good sign. Toothpick with moist crumbs—not wet batter—means done. Cooling in pan stabilizes shape and texture.

Chef's notes

💡 Bananas mashed but keep lumps. Smooth batter turns pudding; lumps add character in texture. Don’t over-mix or gluten activates. Use wooden spoon, fold gently, stop when just mixed. Heavy stirring kills muffin crumb softness.
💡 Nutella swirl with skewer or knife. Not too thorough; big swirls not blended are goal. Too much swirling dulls chocolate pockets versus distinct creamy islands for flavor pops. Dollop in 3 parts, swirl lightly.
💡 Oven temperature varies. Watch golden edges and listen for quiet crackles. Muffin tops crackling like dry wood means done by scent and sound. Toothpick test still key; few moist crumbs okay, wet batter means underbaked.
💡 Fill liners two-thirds full. Too full causes overflow and soggy edges, too low means flat muffins. Uneven fill changes baking time slightly, so keep sizes similar for consistent doneness.
💡 Substitutions help tweaks. Greek yogurt keeps crumb moist but swap with sour cream or applesauce if dairy issues. Nutella replacable with chocolate-hazelnut spread or peanut butter for savory twist. Milk can be any nut or dairy, oil must be neutral flavor but coconut oil works if melted well.

Common questions

Why keep lumps in mashed bananas?

Texture, not smooth pudding. Lumps help batter hydrate dry mix differently. Some roughness keeps bite. Too much mash flattens moisture distribution.

Can I swap Nutella?

Yes peanut butter or other hazelnut spreads work too. Swirling technique same. Flavor changes drastically. Adjust sweetness maybe if swapping to nut butters.

Why do my muffins sink sometimes?

Overmixing. Gluten develops in pancake mix causing collapse. Also oven temp low or underbake. Doneness cues help fix timing. Adjust gently stirring method.

How to store these muffins?

Wrap loosely in foil or keep airtight container. Refrigerate if dairy used but bring to room temp before eating for best texture. Freeze individually; thaw gently. Avoid moisture build-up.