Banana Walnut Muffins are soft, rich and delightfully easy to make. Get the flavor and texture of your favorite banana bread in an individual serving. Banana Nut Muffins are the perfect make ahead breakfast or snack.
Whether you need an easy recipe for make-ahead breakfasts or have a pile of overripe bananas that need to be used, you are going to love this banana muffins recipe.
Inspired by the flavors found in banana bread and banana cake, moist banana nut muffins have a sweet banana flavor with a hint of cinnamon. Made with basic kitchen ingredients, you can whip up the muffin batter in just a few minutes. Enjoy for an easy breakfast or freeze them for later use.
Easy banana nut muffins are crunchy on top and full of goodness. These fluffy muffins are the perfect amount for a healthy breakfast and pair perfectly with a glass of juice or a cup of coffee and a side of greek yogurt. It's a great way to start your morning.
Ingredients
- Butter – Use softened, salted butter for the best flavor.
- Sugar – A combination of white sugar and light brown sugar provides sweetness and a rich flavor.
- Bananas – Ripe or overripe bananas are perfect for this recipe.
- Eggs – Bring your eggs to room temperature for a smoother batter.
- Milk – I use whole milk but you can use whatever milk you have on hand.
- Vanilla – Real vanilla extract enhances the flavor of all the other ingredients.
- Flour – scoop and level all purpose flour.
- Baking Powder – Replace your baking powder every 12 months or it can lose its effectiveness.
- Baking Soda
- Cinnamon – For a little warm, spiciness.
- Walnuts – Chopped nuts add a nice flavor. You can also substitute pecans.
See recipe card for quantities and exact instructions.
Instructions
- In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add bananas and mix. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract. The batter will be lumpy.
2. Add the dry ingredients and mix until the flour is combined. Coat walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour and stir into batter.
3. Spoon into prepared liners and sprinkle with extra walnuts if desired. Bake for 18-20 min at 350 degrees F or until a toothpick comes out clean.
4. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes. Transfer to a cooling rack to cool for 15 more minutes.
Hint: Use silicone or paper muffin tin liners for easy cleanup and use an ice cream scoop to fill the muffin tins evenly.
Variations/ Substitutions
- Richer Flavor – Use all brown sugar for a deep caramel flavor.
- Nuts – Walnuts add a nice crunch to these muffins. You can substitute pecans if desired. For extra crunchy walnuts, toss the nuts in a dry pan over medium heat until they are lightly brown. You can also leave them out if there is an allergy or you do not like nuts.
- Chocolate Chips – The sweet banana flavor of these muffins pairs perfectly with chocolate chips.
- Gluten Free – Swap the all purpose flour with a one-to-one gluten free flour blend for a gluten free banana nut muffin recipe.
- A Sweet Finish – Sprinkle the top of each muffin with a little brown sugar and some additional walnuts before baking. Serve with honey butter or butter mixed with a bit of maple syrup.
- Mini-Muffins – Use a standard 12-cup muffin tin or divide the batter between 24 mini muffins. Make sure to adjust baking time to about 12 to 15 minutes.
Leftovers/ Storage
My favorite way to enjoy these breakfast muffins is while they are still warm. The leftovers can be covered and stored at room temperature for 2 days or popped in the fridge for up to a week.
To freeze, individually wrap each banana walnut muffin in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer bags for up to 2 months. Defrost on the counter for about 30 minutes or pop them in the microwave until warm.
Banana Nut Muffins Recipe Tips
- Bring the ingredients to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Use a handheld electric mixer or a stand mixer to blend the wet ingredients.
- Give the bananas a head start by mashing them with a potato masher.
- Use an icecream scoop to spoon batter into a prepared muffin tin lined with muffin cups.
- Check for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done.
- If you prefer you can substitute vegetable oil or melted coconut oil for the butter in this recipe.
- Don't overmix the batter. It will be slightly lumpy.
- Toss the walnuts with a bit of flour before folding them into the batter and they wont sink to the bottom.
- Let the banana walnut muffins cool for at least 15 minutes before digging in.
Top tip
The more ripe the bananas, the sweeter the flavor. I prefer to use over-ripe bananas for this recipe when possible. To preserve ripe bananas, peel them and place them in a ziplock back. Let them defrost for 10-15 minutes then add them to the recipe.
FAQ
The biggest difference between muffins and cupcakes is that muffins are not piled with frosting. Additionally, muffins often contain wholesome ingredients like fruit, vegetables or nuts and are often made with less sugar than cupcakes.
These muffins will keep well in a sealed container on the counter for about 2 days. They will last a week or so in the fridge.
Moist banana muffins have some healthy ingredients like bananas and walnuts but they do have a fair amount of sugar and fat. As with most foods, enjoy in moderation.
More muffin recipes
- Mini Pumpkin Donut Muffins
- Double Strawberry Muffins
- Lemon Olive Oil Muffins
- Mini Cornbread Muffins from Aleka's Get Together
If you like Banana Walnut Muffins, please leave a 5-star rating below.
RECIPE
Banana Walnut Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup salted butter, softened
- ¾ cup white sugar
- ¼ cup light brown sugar, packed
- 2 large ripe bananas
- 2 large eggs
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 cups all purpose flour (scooped and leveled), plus 1 extra teaspoon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, plus extra for optional garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350. Line muffin tin with liners.
- In a large bowl cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy.Add bananas and mix into butter/sugar mixture. Add the eggs, milk and vanilla extract.It will be lumpy from the bananas which is fine.
- Add flour, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon to the batter. Mix until flour is combined. Coat walnuts with 1 tablespoon flour and stir into batter.
- Spoon into prepared liners and sprinkle with extra walnuts if desired. Bake for 18-20 min or until a tooth pick comes out clean. Remove from oven and let cool for 5 minutes.
- Transfer to a cooling rack to cool for 15 more minutes.
Nutrition
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Linda Waldrep
All Spice is not listed as an ingredient in Ingredients. However, Item 3 refers to adding “All Spice” along with flour, baking soda, baking powder and cinnamon. This needs clarification. Thanks.
lisa
Sorry Linda, that was a misprint. There is no all spice in the recipe, only cinnamon. If you like all spice you can add 1 1/2 teaspoon to the batter. It will make the muffins a bit more lively.
Lisa
Pat
Hi, Lisa,
I made a half recipe today as I needed to use a very ripe banana & just for myself. I won't be trying one until morning for breakfast but they look great!
lisa
Pat,
Glad they came out good!
Best,
Lisa