My neighbor dropped off four bananas that were past saving for eating, so I mashed them into muffin batter and hid a cinnamon sugar stripe in the middle. That stripe is the whole trick. People bite in expecting plain banana bread and get a soft hit of cinnamon instead.
The topping here is oats, flour, sugar and spice, not the sandy crumble you might expect on a coffee cake. It stays a little dry and crisp, which is what you want against a soft banana crumb. If you'd rather have a classic crumble, swap the oats for more flour, but the oat version is the one I keep making.
You'll need 12 muffin liners and about 45 minutes from start to last drizzle. Three ripe bananas, one bowl of dry, one of wet, and a small bowl of cinnamon paste. That's the whole job.
Step-by-Step Instructions
1. Heat the oven and line the tin
Set the oven to 375°F (190°C) and put paper liners in all 12 cups of a muffin tin. Mixing goes fast once you start, so have the tin ready.
2. Whisk the dry ingredients
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until no streaks remain.
3. Whisk the wet ingredients
In a medium bowl, whisk the melted plant butter, eggs, oat milk and vanilla until smooth and slightly frothy.
4. Combine and add the bananas
Pour the wet mix into the dry and whisk just until you can't see dry flour. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the mashed bananas. Stop as soon as they're mixed in.
5. Stir the cinnamon sugar paste
In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, sugar and melted plant butter until it forms a thick, spreadable paste. It will look like wet sand at first, then come together.
6. Make the streusel
In a medium bowl, stir the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together, then add the melted plant butter. Mix with a spatula until clumps form. The mixture should still look a bit dry.
7. Layer the batter and filling
Scoop batter into the liners so each is a little less than half full. Drop a small spoonful of cinnamon paste into the center of each, then add more batter until the cups are about three-quarters full. Spoon the streusel evenly over the tops.
8. Bake until golden
Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted off-center comes out clean. Start checking at 20 minutes.
9. Cool the muffins
Take the tin out of the oven and leave the muffins to cool for 30 minutes. Move them to a rack after the first few minutes so the bottoms don't get damp.
10. Mix the icing
While they cool, whisk the powdered sugar with the plant cream. You want it loose enough to drizzle but thick enough to hold a line. Add more cream or more sugar until it gets there.
11. Drizzle and serve
Zigzag the icing over the cooled muffins with a spoon. Let it set for a few minutes, then eat.
Variations
Chocolate version
add 1/2 cup chocolate chips to the batter and skip the cinnamon paste.
Nut streusel
swap 1/4 cup of the oats for chopped pecans or walnuts.
No plant cream
use any milk or a spoon of water in the icing. Add it drop by drop.
Mini muffins
bake in a mini tin and start checking at 12 minutes.
Pro Tips
How to Store Banana Coffee Cake Muffins
Refrigerator
Keep muffins in a sealed container at room temperature for 2 days, or in the fridge for up to 5. The streusel softens either way.
Freezer
Freeze cooled muffins without icing in a zip bag for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature for about an hour.
Reheating
Warm a muffin in a 300°F oven for 5 minutes to crisp the topping. A microwave works but softens the streusel. Add icing after warming.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: Can I use frozen bananas?
Yes. Thaw them first and drain the extra liquid, or the batter will be too wet. Three medium bananas mash to about 1 cup.
Q: Why did my cinnamon filling sink to the bottom?
The paste was too thin or the batter under it too loose. Keep the paste thick and add a full scoop of batter on top to seal it in.
Q: How do I know the muffins are done?
A toothpick inserted off-center should come out clean, and the tops should be golden. The center holds the cinnamon paste, so don't test there.
Q: Can I make these dairy free?
The recipe uses plant butter and oat milk, so it's already dairy free as written. Check your powdered sugar label if that matters to you.
Q: Can I bake this as a loaf instead?
Yes, but the timing changes. Use a 9 by 5 inch loaf pan and expect 50 to 60 minutes at 350°F, testing with a skewer until it comes out clean.
Banana Coffee Cake Muffins With Oat Streusel and Icing
Ripe bananas, a cinnamon sugar swirl and a crunchy oat streusel make these muffins taste like coffee cake. Ready in about 45 minutes for 12 muffins.
Ingredients
Instructions
- 1Heat the oven and line the tin — Set the oven to 375°F (190°C) and put paper liners in all 12 cups of a muffin tin. Mixing goes fast once you start, so have the tin ready.
- 2Whisk the dry ingredients — In a large bowl, whisk the flour, granulated sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg until no streaks remain.
- 3Whisk the wet ingredients — In a medium bowl, whisk the melted plant butter, eggs, oat milk and vanilla until smooth and slightly frothy.
- 4Combine and add the bananas — Pour the wet mix into the dry and whisk just until you can't see dry flour. Switch to a rubber spatula and fold in the mashed bananas. Stop as soon as they're mixed in.
- 5Stir the cinnamon sugar paste — In a small bowl, mix the cinnamon, sugar and melted plant butter until it forms a thick, spreadable paste. It will look like wet sand at first, then come together.
- 6Make the streusel — In a medium bowl, stir the oats, flour, sugar, cinnamon and nutmeg together, then add the melted plant butter. Mix with a spatula until clumps form. The mixture should still look a bit dry.
- 7Layer the batter and filling — Scoop batter into the liners so each is a little less than half full. Drop a small spoonful of cinnamon paste into the center of each, then add more batter until the cups are about three-quarters full. Spoon the streusel evenly over the tops.
- 8Bake until golden — Bake for 20 to 25 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted off-center comes out clean. Start checking at 20 minutes.
- 9Cool the muffins — Take the tin out of the oven and leave the muffins to cool for 30 minutes. Move them to a rack after the first few minutes so the bottoms don't get damp.
- 10Mix the icing — While they cool, whisk the powdered sugar with the plant cream. You want it loose enough to drizzle but thick enough to hold a line. Add more cream or more sugar until it gets there.
- 11Drizzle and serve — Zigzag the icing over the cooled muffins with a spoon. Let it set for a few minutes, then eat.
Priya writes about eggs and breakfast casseroles, cookies and bars, and slow cook breakfasts that feed a crowd without fuss. Her angle is flexible, budget-minded cooking: one base recipe that scales for two or for a holiday table, with clear notes on freezing and reheating. She keeps the writing light and story-first, then lands on a tight recipe card.
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