These banana muffins with cherries are inspired by the iconic German childhood drink: KiBa! If you didn’t grow up in Germany, chances are high you’ve never heard of a KiBa, which stands for Kirsch-Banane and is simply banana juice and cherry juice poured into a glass to create a pretty pale yellow and bright red drink. It’s tart, perfectly sweet, and so good, and so are these muffins!
I make my muffins with Greek yogurt, which adds to the tartness and keeps them moist and light. And because the bananas give enough natural sweetness, I only add just a bit of brown sugar to get them just perfect. They are not too sweet just like other German pastries. They’re finished with a buttery almond streusel that gives them just the right crunch on top.
Whether you’re looking for a fun weekend baking project, a spring or Easter brunch idea, or something new for Kaffee und Kuchen, this banana muffin recipe is fast, fun, and delicious.
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Why you’ll love this banana muffin recipe
- Not overly sweet! If you haven’t already fallen in love with German baked goods, you will notice that they are naturally less sweet. I love this so much because it allows me to eat two pieces! Ha!
- Added cherries! The frozen cherries add a nice tart contrast to your banana muffins that I love so much!
- Authentic German flavor! The cherry-banana combo is a childhood classic in Germany and feels both nostalgic (90's throwback, anyone?) and unique.
- Greek yogurt for extra moisture and protein (makes them breakfast-worthy, right?).
- Crunchy streusel topping. This is what sets these muffins apart. I use ground almonds in my streusel toppings, which leads to buttery, nutty crumbs that are the perfect crunchy finish.
- Easy and quick! You’ll need just 45 minutes from start to first bite.
Ingredients
You’ll find the exact amounts in the printable recipe card below, but here’s what you need to make my banana cherry muffins:
- Flour. I use all-purpose wheat flour to create a soft, fluffy texture in the muffins and a crisp, golden almond streusel topping.
- Baking Powder & Baking Soda. A combination of both gives these muffins the perfect lift and a light crumb.
- Sea Salt. Just a touch brings out the natural sweetness of the fruit and balances the flavors.
- Vanilla Extract. Pure vanilla adds a warm, familiar note that ties everything together.
- Light Brown Sugar. Adds moisture and a subtle molasses flavor that works so well with bananas and cherries. I use it in my muffin batter and the streusel topping!
- Egg. Just one egg gives structure and helps the muffins hold together without being dense.
- Avocado oil. This one goes in the muffin batter and helps to keep your muffins moist. Other flavor-neutral oils will work too!
- Greek Yogurt. I love using Greek yogurt to add creaminess and a little protein boost - plus it keeps the muffins nice and tender.
- Bananas. Make sure they’re ripe with lots of brown spots - this brings out their natural sweetness and helps create a soft muffin.
- Cherries. I use frozen cherries because you can commonly find them in the United States all year long, which means you are always ready to mix up a batch of these muffins! They’re tart and sweet, juicy, and the perfect contrast to the banana.
- Butter. To get that perfect, buttery streusel topping.
- Ground Almonds. Adds a nutty, rich flavor that pairs beautifully with the cherry banana combo.
How to make them
Here’s how to make these delicious KiBa Muffins step by step. Scroll down to the recipe card for the detailed step-by-step instructions and a printable recipe.
Step 1: Get ready to bake
Preheat your oven. Line two muffin pans with paper liners or lightly grease them. I love these pretty tulip liners that look like you bought the muffins at a fancy bakery. Sift together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Step 2: Mix the batter
In a large bowl, mash the bananas and mix with sugar, vanilla, egg, yogurt, and oil. Add the dry ingredients and frozen cherries on top - no need to thaw them! Toss the cherries lightly in flour before mixing everything together. Add the dry ingredients to the bowl of the wet ingredients and stir just until combined, and you find no more dry spots.
Step 3: Add streusel and bake
Make the almond streusel by kneading all topping ingredients together with your hands until crumbly. Sprinkle evenly over the unbaked muffins and bake!
What is KiBa?
KiBa is short for Kirsch-Banane (or cherry-banana in English), and it’s a juice combo that’s wildly popular in Germany. It’s the inspiration for these muffins. You can order it at nearly every restaurant. Just say “ein KiBa, bitte” and you’ll get a glass of sweet banana juice swirled with tart cherry juice. A total kid classic, although I still love it even as an adult!
In the U.S., banana juice is much harder to find. So when I do see it (usually at an international market), I stock up! And if I’m not drinking it, I’m baking it, such as in the form of these cherry banana muffins!
Can I freeze muffins?
Absolutely! These banana muffins freeze well for up to 3 months. I recommend reheating them in the oven (or microwave) for a quick breakfast or snack.
Can I use fresh or frozen cherries?
Yes! I love using frozen sour cherries because they are always available and frozen at peak ripeness. Plus, you don’t have to remove the stones before baking! However, using fresh or jarred cherries will of course work too! Just make sure they’re pitted and drained well.
Can I make these muffins ahead?
Definitely! The baked muffins store well at room temperature for about 3 days, although I doubt you will have leftovers sticking around for that long!
If you would like to make a double batch to have extra for freezing, make sure to rotate your muffin pans halfway through baking. You may also need to add a couple of minutes of baking time.
Craving more muffin recipes?
If you love muffins, you are in the right spot! I used to casually be named the ‘muffin queen’ as a teenager because I always showed up with muffins at any family event. I even baked about 100 muffins for my going-away party before I became an exchange student in America.
My Rhubarb Muffins are tart and sweet like these banana cherry muffins, and I know you will love them! Perfect for spring, when rhubarb is in season!
My Starbucks copycat pumpkin spice muffins are perfectly sweet and spiced, and finished with a crunchy pumpkin seed topping, and are perfect for fall!
If you're into authentic German recipes that are always crowd-pleasing, make sure to subscribe to my weekly newsletter. I’ll send new recipes, seasonal baking ideas, and German comfort food straight to your inbox once a week.
Easy Banana Muffins with Cherries!
Equipment
- 1 Kitchen Scale I always recommend using a kitchen scale when baking because it's more accurate and leads to more consistent results. However, I am giving you US measurements as well in case you don't own a scale yet.
- 12 muffin liners These tulip shaped muffin liners help your muffins look like you bought them at a German bakery! Note that you will end up with 12 muffins using these liners (versus more when using traditional liners).
- 2 muffin pan Depending on which muffin liners you use, you will need 1 to 2 muffin tins. Also keep in mind that heavier metal pans (like the one I linked) bake faster than lighter metal pans.
Ingredients
Muffins:
- 240 grams all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 280 grams frozen cherries or use pitted jarred or fresh cherries.
- 2 ripe bananas medium-sized
- 90 grams light brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 egg size US large
- 180 grams Greek yogurt
- 80 milliliters avocado oil or other flavor-neutral oil
Almond Streusel Topping:
- 60 grams all-purpose flour
- 30 grams almond meal I use almond meal, which are ground almonds with skin on. I like the color it adds, however you could use almond flour (without skins) instead.
- 45 grams butter room temperature
- 40 grams light brown sugar
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Prep 1 to 2 muffin pans with liners or non-stick spray.The amount of muffins you end up with depends on the liners you use. For standard muffin liners, you will likely end up with 16 to 18 muffins. For the tulip liners I use, I end up with 12 larger muffins.
- In a medium-sized bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and sea salt and combine with a whisk.Toss your frozen cherries in it to keep them from sinking and set aside.240 grams all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt, 280 grams frozen cherries
- In a large bowl, mash bananas using a fork (it's esiest to mash them against the side of the bowl). Then add the light brown sugar, vanilla extract, egg, Greek yogurt, and oil to the same bowl, and whisk together until combined.2 ripe bananas, 90 grams light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract, 1 egg, 180 grams Greek yogurt, 80 milliliters avocado oil
- Add the flour mixture and drained cherries into the bowl with the wet ingredients. This will be a thick batter, so I recommend using a rubber spatula to mix your batter. Mix until you see no more dry spots, but don't overmix. Using two soup spoons, scoop and divide up your batter.
- For the streusel topping, using your hands, knead together the flour, ground almonds, butter and brown sugar until you get a crumbly texture. Sprinkle evenly over the tops of the unbaked muffins.60 grams all-purpose flour, 30 grams almond meal, 45 grams butter, 40 grams light brown sugar
- Bake on the middle rack for about 25 minutes or until an inserted cake tester or toothpick comes out clean or with a few crumbs on it. It's that easy!If baking a double batch, rotate your muffin tins about halfway through baking. You may need to extend the baking time by about 2 minutes.The total baking time will also depend on which muffin tin you use. Heavier metal pans will bake faster than lighter metal pans. Here is my favorite muffin pan made from steel, so it typically bakes a bit faster.
Sophie Sadler
I hope you will love these cherry banana muffins as much as we do! We take them to play dates and picnics all the time and they are always gone in no time!