Banana S'mores Muffins
These Banana S'mores Muffins combine sweet, overripe bananas with gooey toasted marshmallows, graham cracker crumbs, and melted chocolate chips for the ultimate bakery-style treat.
- Late-Stage Marshmallow Addition: Adding the marshmallows during the final five minutes of baking prevents them from dissolving into the batter, ensuring a perfectly toasted, gooey topping.
- Graham Cracker Flour Substitute: Replacing a portion of the flour with finely crushed graham crackers infuses authentic campfire flavor directly into the crumb structure.
- High-Moisture Banana Base: Overripe bananas provide natural sweetness and binding power, keeping the muffins incredibly moist without becoming greasy.
The summer I turned twelve, my cousin Clara and I tried to toast marshmallows over a vanilla-scented candle in her bedroom, nearly burning her carpet to a crisp. We ended up with a sticky, black-sooted mess that tasted mostly of cheap wax.
I still love that gooey mess.
This recipe is my adult, highly successful apology to Clara's mother, combining that campfire nostalgia with the comforting weight of overripe bananas. I wanted something even more indulgent than my usual chocolate caramel muffin cups to really make amends, smashing the bananas with a heavy metal potato masher until my forearms actually ached to get the base absolutely perfect.
But getting marshmallows to behave inside a muffin is a nightmare because of basic food physics. When exposed to the dry heat of an oven, the sugar structure in a standard marshmallow collapses, liquefying into a sticky syrup that burns against the metal pan. This moisture loss disrupts the starch gelatinization of the flour, leaving you with a dense, gummy mess.
They literally vanished into burnt sugar craters.
Cleaning that black gunk off my favorite muffin tin got annoying fast. I almost gave up on the whole concept.
The simple fix is twofold: we fold graham crackers into the batter to build a sturdy protein matrix, saving the marshmallows for the end. Pressing them into the tops during the last five minutes lets them toast beautifully. Trust me on this.
No fancy equipment is needed here.
If you have brown bananas, this is hands down the best way to use them. Skip the standard banana bread chocolate chip or traditional moist banana bread this time.
Banana S'mores Muffins
Ingredients
- 3 large overripe bananas, mashed (about 1.5 cups)
- 1/2 cup (113g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- 1/2 cup (100g) packed light brown sugar
- 1 large egg, room temperature
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1.5 cups (190g) all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs (about 4 full sheets, crushed)
- 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
- 1/2 cup mini marshmallows
Directions
- Preheat your oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher until smooth. Whisk in the melted butter, light brown sugar, egg, and vanilla extract until fully combined.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, and Diamond Crystal kosher salt. Gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined; do not overmix.
- Fold in the graham cracker crumbs and chocolate chips, distributing them evenly throughout the thick batter.
- Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
- Bake for 15 minutes. Carefully slide the oven rack out and press 4 to 5 mini marshmallows onto the top of each muffin.
- Return to the oven and bake for an additional 3 to 5 minutes, or until the muffins are golden brown and the marshmallows are toasted to a perfect campfire brown.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
- Salt Conversion: I highly recommend using Diamond Crystal kosher salt. If you only have standard fine table salt, cut the measurement in half (use 1/4 teaspoon instead of 1/2 teaspoon) to avoid over-salting.
- Banana Science: Bananas provide excellent moisture and structure due to their high pectin content, which helps bind the crumb without requiring excess oil or eggs.
- Burn Warning: Keep a very close eye on the oven during the final 3 minutes of baking. Marshmallows transition from beautifully toasted to completely charred and bitter in a matter of seconds.
- Liner Tip: Standard paper liners without a silicone coating are a total scam; the melted marshmallow will glue itself to the paper and tear your muffin apart. Use high-quality silicone or parchment liners.
Serving Suggestions
These muffins are best enjoyed warm when the chocolate is still melty and the marshmallows are gooey. Here are a few ways to serve them up for breakfast or dessert:
- Serve warm with a smear of salted butter to balance the sweetness.
- Pair with a cold glass of milk or a hot cup of black coffee.
- Drizzle with a bit of warm peanut butter for an extra layer of decadence.
- Plate them alongside fresh strawberries or raspberries for a bright, acidic contrast.
Storage and Reheating
Store any leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. Do not refrigerate them, as the cold environment accelerates starch retrogradation, making the muffins dry and crumbly.
The marshmallows will get a bit sticky.
To revive that fresh-from-the-oven magic, pop a muffin in the microwave for exactly 8 to 10 seconds. This softens the banana crumb and makes the chocolate and marshmallow gloriously gooey again.
Ingredient Substitutes
If you are missing a few ingredients, here are some easy swaps that won't ruin your bake:
- Graham Crackers: You can swap these for crushed Biscoff cookies or digestive biscuits.
- Chocolate Chips: Milk chocolate or dark chocolate chunks work beautifully if you don't have semi-sweet chips.
- Butter: Coconut oil or canola oil can be used in a 1:1 ratio, though you will lose that rich, buttery flavor.
- Brown Sugar: Coconut sugar or granulated white sugar can work, but brown sugar provides the best moisture.
Let me know if you make these—and especially if you manage to toast the marshmallows without setting off your smoke detector. If you love these, you might also enjoy our hearty oatmeal muffins for a quicker weekday breakfast. Happy baking!
Susan Rosie
I've spent over 12 years perfecting recipes so you can cook with confidence. Every dish on Storied Skillet is tested multiple times – because your dinner matters. I believe in simple ingredients, clear instructions, and big flavors.
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