Small Batch Raspberry Banana Muffins

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In these Small Batch Raspberry Banana Muffins, the tartness of the raspberries is perfectly balanced with the sweetness of a banana. Made in one bowl, this small batch makes just enough for a few friends to enjoy breakfast or a snack!

Front view of a sliced raspberry banana muffin with other muffins behind.

July is raspberry season here in New Jersey and I can't help myself from putting them in all of my morning baked goods. From pancakes to mixed fruit crisps to these Small Batch Raspberry Banana Muffins, I'm popping the berries in everywhere!

I don't know about you, but I do find raspberries to be pretty darn tart. When I use them I like to combine them with another sweeter fruit to balance that tartness, while still highlighting its essential raspberriness.

For this recipe I added a banana. Just one. Its creamy sweetness perfectly compliments the raspberry without trying to be out here saying "Look at me! I'm a banana!!" like a maniac. It's just chill, letting raspberry be the star without being overwhelming. Like an emotional support fruit. I think you'll like these raspberry banana muffins a lot.

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Ingredients
Substitutions
Variations
Instructions
Equipment
Expert tips
Recipe FAQ's
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Small Batch Raspberry Banana Muffins

Ingredients

I hope you've been around the blog enough times to have a well stocked baking section in your pantry. If not, get started. We'll wait. Then we'll make a small batch of these raspberry banana muffins. Wheee!

You can freeze your fresh raspberries overnight to save time in the morning. Freezing the berries makes them easier to fold into the muffin batter without them breaking apart. It also makes slicing some to garnish the tops easier.

See recipe card for quantities.

Substitutions

I know how it is. You pulled up a recipe for raspberry banana muffins and you don't have, or can't eat, one of the ingredients. Let's make this work:

Raspberries - You can use frozen raspberries from the freezer section of your mega market, but don't defrost them. Place them in the batter fully frozen.
Gluten - Although I haven't tried it in this recipe, you can substitute all-purpose flour with gluten free flour.
Bananas - If you have a banana sensitivity, try adding raspberries to my classic buttermilk muffin recipe instead.
Yogurt - If you don't have Greek yogurt, you can always use regular yogurt or sour cream as a one-to-one replacement, by weight.

Variations

Listen, you came here for raspberry banana muffins, but maybe you want to change things up. You're crazy like that.

Chocolate - Add your choice of white or dark chocolate for an even more complex Raspberry Banana Muffin.
Other Berries - You can add another berry, like blackberries, if you like.
Streusel - Instead of raw sugar on top, try making a quick streusel for your raspberry banana muffins. Combine ¼ cup granulated sugar or brown sugar (50 g) + ⅓ cup all-purpose flour (40 g) + 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (43 g). Mix with your fingers until crumbly and sprinkle a generous amount on top of each muffin.

Instructions

By having you mix your small batch muffins all in one bowl, I am keeping you from a life of dishwashing drudgery. And if you weigh your ingredients (as I always recommend with baking), you won't dirty any measuring cups, just a few utensils. You're welcome.

Start your Raspberry Banana Muffins by putting your raspberries on a small sheet pan in a single layer. Place them in the freezer while you get going on the batter. Taking this step will help keep your berries whole when you mix them in.

Next preheat your oven to 425°F and either spraying 6 wells in your muffin pan with nonstick spray or lining the wells with muffin liners. Now let's make some muffins.

Mashing a banana with a fork in a glass bowl.

1. In a medium bowl, mash your banana with a fork.

Banana, yogurt, egg, and vanilla in a glass bowl.

2. Add egg, yogurt, and vanilla.

3. Mix until everything is well combined. Small chunks of banana are fine, preferred even. Yum!

Sprinkling flour and sugar over muffin wet ingredients.

4. Sprinkle your flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, and salt evenly over the top of your wet ingredients.

Using a spatula to mix the dry ingredients on top of muffin batter.

5. Use your spatula to kind of mix the dry ingredients over the surface, then start combining the two.

Drizzling melted butter into muffin batter.

6. Halfway into mixing, start drizzling in your butter while you continue to stir. Stop mixing when there are still some visible streaks of flour.

Folding whole raspberries into muffin batter.

7. Now add your frozen raspberries, reserving about 8 or 10 for garnish. Gently fold until evenly distributed.

Scooping raspberry banana muffins into a muffin pan.

8. Scoop your batter into the muffin pan. For better heat distribution, and a better rise, leave every other well empty.

Pressing raspberries on top of unbaked muffins.

9. Slice your remaining raspberries in halves or quarters and garnish the top of each muffin with a few pieces.

Sprinkling raw sugar on top of unbaked muffins.

10. Sprinkle to top of each muffin with raw sugar.

11. Bake muffins at 425°F for 5 minutes. Without opening the oven, turn down the heat to 350°F for 15 to 18 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into a muffin comes out clean.

Vertical photo of a muffin pan filled with raspberry banana muffins.

Allow to cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a wire rack to cool for another 10 minutes. Dig in and enjoy!

Equipment

Although you can purchase a 6-well small muffin pan, I still like to use a standard size muffin pan with 12 wells when making a small batch of muffins. This allows heat to circulate completely around each of the muffins, encouraging better browning and a better rise.

By the way, you can small batch any of my muffin recipes by clicking on the .5X button on the recipe card, near the ingredients. Small batch my ultra-chocolate muffins, my banana nut muffins, even my crumb cake muffins!

Expert tips

Most muffin recipes include melted butter and have you mix them in with the rest of the wet ingredients. Unfortunately, even if your eggs and yogurt are room temperature, your butter is likely to clump when you add it.

What I have you do is start mixing your other wet ingredients together with the dry ingredients and add the melted butter as you are mixing. This ensures that the fat is fully incorporated into the batter without clumping

Recipe FAQ's

Why do we start baking at a higher temperature?

One thing I learned about as a professional baker was something called 'oven spring". Normally applied to yeast risen breads and croissants, it still applies to a smaller degree to leavened goods. When your muffin hits the oven at the higher temperature, the initial contact with the heat causes the baking powder to work and the batter to puff, giving your muffins a higher dome. This happens in the first 5 minutes. Then you turn the temperature down and allow the rest of the muffin to bake to perfection.

How should I store these muffins?

Store any fully cooled leftover muffins in an airtight container, or a cake stand, lined with paper towels underneath and on top of the muffins, for up to 2 days. The paper towels will absorb any excess moisture, keeping the muffins from becoming gummy in texture.

Can I refrigerate them or freeze them to make them last longer?

I don't recommend refrigerating muffins or other quick breads. Doing so changes their flavor and texture, making them not as delicious. For longer storage I recommend wrapping your muffins in plastic wrap and then placing in a zip top bag. Freeze them for up to a month. Let thaw at room temperature.