These Air Fryer Banana Muffins are soft and fluffy inside with a perfectly golden, crusty top. Ready in minutes, you might never go back to the oven! Use paper or silicone liners!
Looking for more air fryer breakfast recipes? Try the hands-free air fryer oatmeal or the air fryer omelet recipe next!
Why You'll Love These Banana Muffins Made In The Air Fryer?
Making muffins in the air fryer is a total game changer, especially when you’re craving a small batch. The hot circulating air creates beautifully golden, crusty tops while keeping the centers soft and fluffy—giving them a texture that’s a little different from traditional oven-baked banana muffins.
They’re also perfect when you don’t need a whole dozen. You can make a small batch in the air fryer, and they bake in nearly half the time of traditional oven baking.
This recipe is a muffin-style twist on my hugely popular air fryer banana cake, with cinnamon and chopped walnuts added for even more flavor and texture. Every time I make them, I’m amazed at how well they turn out!
If you’re new to air fryer baking, these banana muffins are a great place to start. And if you’re looking for more yummy treats, check out my other air fryer desserts recipes!
-maria doss
★★★★★
"This was so quick easy and perfect. Loved it. Thank you so much for the recipe"
-HEIDI
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How to make air fryer muffins with paper liners?
To make muffins in the air fryer with paper liners, simply triple up the liners to give them enough structure to stand on their own—no silicone molds needed! A single paper liner isn’t sturdy enough to hold wet batter and may collapse or spill without extra support.
Ingredients
Scroll down to the recipe card below for full information on ingredients and amounts.
- All-Purpose Flour: I prefer using Gold Medal or Pillsbury all-purpose flour, which has a lower protein content (around 10.5%). Lower protein means less gluten development, resulting in softer, more tender muffins.
- Flavoring: Ground cinnamon adds cozy warmth to the banana walnut muffins, but you can also mix in a splash of vanilla extract for extra depth and aroma.
- Banana: Use very ripe bananas with heavy speckling or dark spots—these are naturally sweeter and mash easily, adding moisture and rich banana flavor.
- Brown Sugar: It brings moisture and a subtle molasses flavor that pairs beautifully with bananas, enhancing their natural sweetness.
- Yogurt: Use plain yogurt or even sour cream to add moisture and a slight tang, which balances the sweetness and helps create a tender crumb.
- Oil: A neutral oil like vegetable or corn oil keeps the muffins soft and moist without overpowering the flavor.
- Egg: It provides structure and lift, helping the air-fried muffins rise.
- Baking Powder: Baking powder activates twice—once when mixed with the wet ingredients and again from the heat in the air fryer—giving the muffins a nice rise and fluffy texture.
- Baking Soda: Baking soda reacts with the acidity in the yogurt to produce carbon dioxide, which helps the muffins rise. It also promotes those beautiful, golden-brown tops during air fryer baking.
- Nuts: I used chopped walnuts for a bit of crunch and flavor, but toasted pecans are a great alternative too.
Tips for Success
- How to use Greek yogurt? Use ¼ cup + 2 tablespoons plain greek yogurt along with 2 tablespoons water instead.
- Halve the recipe to make 4 banana muffins with yogurt and bake for 9 to 11 minutes.
- Air fryer used : This banana walnut muffins recipe was tested in Instant Pot 6qt Vortex Air Fryer, cooking time may vary for other brands. Seven large muffins fit perfectly in the large basket. If you are using a smaller one, then you can halve the recipe to make 4 medium muffins.
- Try these muffins with chocolate chips for an extra treat!
- Skip the paper liners and use silicone liners.
- If you have a smaller air fryer you may need to cook the muffins in two batches.
FAQ'S
Prefer to use your oven? No problem! Prepare the batter as directed, then divide it among about 8 paper-lined muffin cups in a standard muffin pan.
Bake in a preheated 350°F oven for about 25 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Since oven temperatures can vary, start checking a few minutes early.
The best results come from using two temperatures. Start by preheating the air fryer to 350°F to give the muffins a quick burst of heat and get them rising. Once you add the batter, lower the temperature to 320°F. This gentler heat helps the centers cook through while keeping the tops from browning or burning too quickly.
Air fryer muffins bake quickly because hot air constantly circulates around them in a small cooking chamber. The concentrated, moving heat transfers efficiently to the batter, helping the muffins rise and the outside sets faster than they typically would in a large oven.
The downside? The tops can brown or even burn before the centers are fully cooked. That’s why air fryer muffins generally do best at a lower temperature than traditional oven-baked muffins. A gentler temperature gives the center enough time to cook through while keeping the tops beautifully golden instead of too dark.
Air fryer muffins can brown more quickly on top because hot air constantly circulates through the small cooking chamber. This concentrated heat can cause the tops to turn dark before the centers have finished cooking.
The easiest fix is to use a lower temperature than you would in a traditional oven. I find 320°F works well for these banana muffins, giving the centers enough time to cook through while keeping the tops golden instead of burnt.
If your air fryer muffins are golden on top but still raw in the center, the intense circulating heat is likely browning the tops faster than the middle can cook.
The best fix is to lower the temperature rather than simply cooking them longer. I find 320°F works especially well for these banana muffins, allowing the centers to cook through while keeping the tops nicely golden. Also, use a toothpick inserted into the center to check for doneness before removing them.
Yes, you can use paper cupcake liners in an air fryer, but a few precautions are important.
Never place empty paper liners in the air fryer during preheating. They’re lightweight and can move around from the circulating air and potentially reach the heating element.
For air fryer muffins, use 3 paper liners stacked together. The extra layers make them sturdier and help them hold their shape once filled with batter.
Use liners that fit your air fryer basket properly. Avoid oversized liners with loose edges that bunch up or hang over the basket, as the circulating fan can move them toward the heating element.
Once filled with batter, the liners are much more stable because of their weight.
For the safest and most reliable results, add the paper liners only when you're ready to fill and bake them.
More Air Fryer Baking Ideas
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Air Fryer Banana Muffins
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup + 2 tablespoons mashed banana about 1 very large
- ½ cup packed light brown sugar
- ½ cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Prep. Stack 3 paper liners together for each muffin, creating a sturdy 3-layer liner. Have them ready before you start filling the batter.
- Preheat. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 10 minutes. Let it run empty during this time—this gives the muffins a nice head start on baking. While it preheats, prepare the muffin batter.
- Mix dry ingredients. Add 1 cup flour, ½ teaspoon baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and ¼ teaspoon salt, into a small bowl and whisk to combine.
- Finish batter. Add ½ cup + 2 tablespoon mashed banana, ½ cup packed brown sugar, ½ cup sour cream, ¼ cup oil and 1 egg into a larger bowl. Whisk until smooth and combined. Stir in the flour mixture along with half the walnuts and mix with a rubber spatula until combined well. Don't overmix.
- Place in the air fryer. Open the air fryer (it’s okay if the 10-minute preheat isn’t finished yet). Working quickly, place the seven 3-layered muffin liners into the basket. They’ll fit snugly, which helps keep them stable while baking.Divide the batter evenly among the liners, then sprinkle the remaining chopped walnuts over the tops.👉 Try to work quickly while filling the liners so you don’t lose too much of the heat from the air fryer.
- Cook. Close the air fryer basket and set it to 320°F. Cook for 12 minutes, or until the tops are deep golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Start checking around the 10-minute mark, since air fryers can vary in cooking time. Cool muffins and enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
How to make air fryer banana muffins
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
1 & 2. Whisk all purpose flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon and salt together in a small bowl.
3 & 4. Mash bananas with the back of a fork or potato masher and mix with brown sugar, yogurt, oil and egg until smooth.
5 & 6. Stir flour mixture into the wet and mix until just combined (do not over mix).
7 & 8. Stir in chopped walnuts, until evenly distributed.
9. Pre heat air fryer to 350 degrees for 8 minutes (I use this time to make the batter). When 8 minutes is done, set to 320 degrees for 12 minutes. Working quickly, place 3-layered cupcake liners into the basket, divide batter into the liners and top with more chopped nuts. Cook until done.
Tip: Work quickly when pouring batter into paper cups so you don't loose much of the heat.
10. This recipe makes 7 big muffins! They take about 12 minutes. I like to check after 10 to 11 minutes. Insert a tooth pick in the middle to make sure that it comes out clean and it is deep golden on top.
👩🍳 Love banana muffins? We have a huge selection of them - almond flour banana muffins, mini banana muffins or eggless banana muffins!
More Air Fryer Baking Recipes You’ll Love
Looking for more delicious air fryer baking ideas? Check out these cozy favorites:
- Air Fryer Lava Cake for Two — Perfect for a date night, this rich, deeply chocolatey dessert features a molten center that’s effortlessly created by the air fryer’s hot circulating air.
- Custardy Air Fryer Bread Pudding with Raisins — A comforting treat ideal for brunch or dessert, with a soft, creamy texture that melts in your mouth.
- Apple Hand Pies — Hosting a small Thanksgiving gathering? These cute, fun, and tasty hand pies are sure to impress your guests.
- Air Fryer Chocolate Chip Cookies — Loaded with melty chocolate chips, they have a crispy golden top and a soft, chewy center—just like bakery-style cookies!
- Air Fryer Apple Crisp — Craving a fall-inspired dessert? This warm apple crisp is a simple and satisfying way to enjoy seasonal flavors.
MADE THIS RECIPE AND LOVED IT? 💚 Please leave a ⭐️STAR rating and COMMENT below- I love to hear your feedback! Tag me with your creations on Instagram and find me on Facebook.
Hi, I’m Maria! I share easy, flavor-packed dinners, high-protein meals, and irresistible baking ideas. If you’ve ever asked, “Don’t know what to cook tonight?” you’re in the right place. And yes—there’s plenty here for breakfast, snacks, and dessert too. More about maria ->
Heidi Faure
This was so quick easy and perfect. Loved it. Thank you so much for the recipe
Maria Doss
Hi Heidi, Happy to hear hun - Maria
Rachel de Kok
My children loves these muffins! I added a bit more cinnamon and used vanilla yogurt, it tastes delicious!
Maria Doss
Sounds wonderful hun, Maria
Rhonda Braban
Have a Tefal 3-in-1 air fryer.
These banana muffins did not cook. Followed instruction, now in my oven 😤
Maria Doss
I'm unsure of the reason and curious if other readers have experimented with baking in a Tefal air fryer - Maria
Peta
Delicious muffin recipe! I've made them twice and they turned out perfectly each time. I used a silicone mini muffin tray in my ninja, they're moist and not crumbly. I added a teaspoon of vanilla, a full teaspoon of cinnamon and some chia seeds too. My family loved them, all gone within the day!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you enjoyed it – Maria ♡
Graham Walker
Love them. Just as expected - crunchy on the outside but soft and fluffy on the inside. One issue though, mine took 20 mins to bake. Could be my air fryer
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear! So glad you love it – Maria ♡
Patricia Siew
I have made it twice. 2nd time taught my foreign domestic helper. It work well and she is very proud of herself.
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡
Hlogi
I tried the recipe. It was straight forward and one of the softest and moist cake I have ever done!
Maria Doss
That’s so great to hear, so glad you loved it - Maria ♡