These banana muffins are so easy to make with just 3 ingredients. And unlike most muffin recipes, these muffins don’t need butter, oil, dairy or eggs. Instead, the recipe uses a secret ingredient to produce moist and soft muffins.
a plate of banana muffins.

These muffins are so easy to make. I was able to make them in less than 30 minutes. They are not super sweet, letting the banana flavor really shine through.

Ingredients

  • Self-Rising Flour
  • Overripe Bananas
  • Sparkling Water

Self-Rising Flour

These muffins are made with self-rising flour. Self-rising flour already contains a rising agent and salt, so it eliminates the need for those ingredients. However, if you don’t have self-rising flour you can easily make your own using all purpose flour, baking powder and salt. I discuss the exact quantities in the recipe card notes at the end of the post.

Overripe Bananas

This recipe works best with overripe bananas because they will be pureed to a liquid consistency and overripe bananas have more liquid. The pureed bananas provide both sweetness to the batter and half of the liquid needed for the batter.

Sparkling Water

The secret ingredient in this recipe is sparkling water. Sparkling water helps these muffins rise and keeps them moist without the need for butter or oil. You can substitute sparkling water with any carbonated beverage. Just keep in mind that you will likely taste the flavors of whatever sparkling drink you choose.

close-up shot of the muffins on a plate.

Muffin Sweetness

I did not add sugar to these muffins because I wanted them to be only mildly sweet. For me, just the banana flavor and natural sweetness from the bananas was enough. However, if you want or prefer sweeter muffins you can definitely add sugar to the batter. You can add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of sugar without affecting the texture of the muffins.

overhead photo of the muffin stacked on a plate.

More Easy Muffin Recipes

5 from 6 votes

3 Ingredient Banana Muffins

Easy banana muffins that are just 3 ingredients and don't require any butter, eggs, or oil!
Servings: 8 muffins
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 15 minutes
Total Time: 25 minutes
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Ingredients

  • 1 ¼ cups (159 grams) self-rising flour
  • 5 oz (142 grams) pureed overripe bananas, (see notes)
  • 1/2 cup (4 oz) sparkling water
  • 1/4 cup - 1/2 cup sugar, (optional, only if you want sweeter muffins)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat oven to 350°F. Line 8 cavities in a 12-cup muffin pan with muffin liners. I recommend using parchment paper liners because otherwise the muffins will stick to the liners.
  • Add flour to a large mixing bowl. If you are planning on adding sugar to the batter, add it now and whisk together. Add in banana and then water. Whisk until batter is smooth.
  • Pour batter into muffin liners, filling them about 3/4 full. Use a spatula to scrape sides of bowl to release the batter stuck to the bowl so you have enough for all 8.
  • Bake muffins for about 15-18 minutes. Tops of muffins should bounce back if you apply light pressure and toothpick inserted should come out clean.

Notes

  • Make sure to puree the bananas to a liquid consistency. Then use a liquid measuring cup to measure out the 5 oz. The 5 oz measurement is volume, not weight. You will need approximately 2 large bananas for this recipe.
  • I wanted my muffins to be only mildly sweet. If you want sweeter muffins, you can add 1/4 to 1/2 cup sugar.
  • To make your own self-rising flour, add 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp salt to a bowl. Whisk to combine. Measure out 1.25 cups for the recipe. The remaining flour can be stored for another recipe.
  • Any sparkling beverage will work but it must be carbonated. See the post for more details.
  • Because these muffins don't have butter, oil or eggs, they will be pale in color even after they are fully baked.
  • I used these parchment muffin liners.*
  • I used White Lily Self Rising Flour.*
  • Measurements are in US measurements.
  • *This product link is an affiliate link. This means I earn a small commission from qualifying purchases (at no extra charge to you).
Serving: 1muffin, Calories: 78kcal, Carbohydrates: 18g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 1g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 222mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 2g, NET CARBS: 17
The nutrition information provided are only estimates based on an online nutritional calculator. This is not a comprehensive list of all the nutrients in the recipe (i.e., does not include vitamins, cholesterol, etc). I am not a certified nutritionist. Please consult a nutritionist or doctor for accurate information and any dietary restrictions and concerns you may have.
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