Banana nut muffins are soft, moist and fluffy banana muffins made with creamy ripened bananas, sweet brown sugar and toasted chopped nuts, topped with a crunchy brown sugar nut topping. These quick and easy banana muffins are the perfect breakfast treat.
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Why Should You Make This Recipe
I absolutely adore a banana muffins. My Banana Buttermilk Muffins, 2 Banana Muffins, Pumpkin Banana Muffins, Banana Carrot Muffins, Banana Mini Muffins, Banana Coffee Cake Muffins are just some banana muffins recipes I love from the blog. I know you’ll love this banana nut muffin recipe just as much as I do.
- Easy to make and bake. All you need to make these easy and cozy banana muffins are a few mixing bowls, a whisk and a muffin pan (or two).
- Perfect for breakfast or snacks. These banana nut muffins are perfect for busy school mornings, meal prep or as a quick, but filling snack.
- A great alternative to banana bread. These banana muffins with nuts use all the same ingredients as banana bread, but have a lighter, fluffier crumb compared to banana bread. So, the next time you have a couple of ripe bananas, make the best banana muffins.
Ingredients
These nut banana muffins require only a handful of simple ingredients to make. Here’s what you’ll need.
- Dry Ingredients: Gather all purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- Wet Ingredients: Gather ripe bananas, butter, light brown sugar, eggs, vanilla extract, milk and toasted nuts.
Substitutions
These moist and fluffy banana nut bread muffins are as easy to make as they are delicious. Here are my recommended substitutions if you need them.
- All Purpose Flour: Make these gluten free by using a good 1-1 gluten free flour. I recommend using the one from Bob’s Red Mill. Measure based on weight (240 g) rather than cup for cup.
- Baking Soda and Baking Powder: Make sure both are fresh and in date.
- Mashed Bananas: Make sure the bananas are fully ripened with some brown spots.
- Melted Butter: Feel free to use plant based or dairy free butter if you like. Any neutral tasting oil will also work well.
- Light Brown: These cozy banana muffins with nuts call for light brown sugar, but maple sugar or coconut sugar would also work well to make these muffins refined sugar free.
- Eggs: This recipe has not been tested without eggs.
- Vanilla Extract: This adds a lovely background flavor that pairs really well with banana.
- Milk: Feel free to use the same amount of yogurt, sour cream or buttermilk.
- Nuts: This recipe for banana nut muffins uses toasted walnuts. However, pecans, hazelnuts or macadamia nuts would also work well.
Variation
Mini Banana Nut Muffins: Prepare the muffin batter according to the recipe directions. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Lightly grease a 24 ct. mini muffin pan. Use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop the muffin batter into each of the mini muffin wells. Bake the muffins for 12-14 minutes or until the tops bounce back quickly when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted unto the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes. Gently remove them from the pan and enjoy. Tip: Make sure to finely chop the nuts for both the inside and to top the muffins when baking as banana nut mini muffins.
How To Make
Learn how to make banana nut muffins in a few easy steps.
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes prior to baking the banana muffins. Line (2) 12 ct. muffin pans with cupcake liners, alternating cups. In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together until well combined.
- In another bowl mash the ripe bananas until thoroughly mashed. Then whisk in the butter and light brown sugar until smooth and well combined. Once smooth and well combined whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and milk until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently stir in the toasted chopped nuts.
- Use a 3 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop the banana and nut muffin batter into each of the muffin liners, alternating every other cup. If you would like to top the muffins with the brown sugar nut topping, sprinkle some brown sugar and a few finely chopped nuts on top of each muffin.
- Bake the muffins at 375 F (190 C) for 20 - 20 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes about with a few moist crumbs or when a finger pressed gently into the center of the muffins quickly bounces back. Be careful when touching the tops of the muffins as the light brown sugar could burn. Cool the banana muffins in the muffin pan for 5 - 10 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins to cool to room temperature and enjoy.
How To Store, Freeze and Thaw
- Store: Place the banana nut muffins in an airtight container for up to 5 days.
- Freeze: Make sure the muffins are completely cooled to room temperature. Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Place each wrapped muffin in a ziplock bag. Store in the freezer for up to 2 months.
- Thaw: The easiest and tastiest way to thaw the banana and nut muffins is to let them sit out at room temperature until thawed. Enjoy at room temperature or microwave the muffin for 20 - 30 seconds for that “fresh from the oven” taste.
M’s Expert Tips
- Bring cold ingredients to room temperature.This allows the ingredients to mix together more evenly which requires less mixing, resulting in soft, fluffy and moist muffins.
- Toast the nuts. For even more cozy, nutty flavor, make sure to gently toast the nuts prior to using the in the recipe. To toast nuts, place them on a lined baking sheet and bake at 350 F (177 C) for about 5 - 10 minutes or until lightly browned and very fragrant. Alternatively, dry toast the nuts in a skillet over medium heat for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently.
- Use ripe bananas. Bananas with lots of brown spots are perfect for making these banana and muffins. Basically, if the bananas are perfect for banana bread, they are perfect for these banana muffins.
- Don’t overmix the muffin batter. Mix in the dry ingredients into the wet by hand until just combined.
- Alternate muffin wells in the muffin pan. This allows each muffin to get the maximum of amount of even heat circulating around it. The tops will still pop up, but they won’t be as high if you decide to fill all the muffin liners at once.
FAQs
You absolutely can. Prepare the muffin batter according to the recipe directions. Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Lightly grease a 24 ct. mini muffin pan. Use a tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop the muffin batter into each of the mini muffin wells. Bake the muffins for 12-14 minutes or until the tops bounce back quickly when lightly pressed and a toothpick inserted unto the center comes out with a few moist crumbs. Cool the muffins in the pan for 10 minutes. Gently remove them from the pan and enjoy. Tip: Make sure to finely chop the nuts for both the inside and to top the muffins when baking as banana nut mini muffins.
About 4 medium bananas equals 1 ¾ cup mashed bananas. Make sure to measure the mashed banana in a measuring cup for the most accurate results.
Bananas with lots of brown spots are perfect for making the best banana nut muffins. Basically, if the bananas are perfect for banana bread, they are perfect for these banana muffins.
Yes, swap the all purpose flour with a 1:1 gluten free flour. Measure the flour based on weight.
Other Muffin Recipes To Try
If you try this Banana Nut Muffins recipe please rate the recipe and leave a comment below. Doing so helps other readers decide if this is a great recipe to bake. Don’t forget to tag me on Instagram using @olivesnthyme so I can see what you’re baking! Happy Baking! -M
Banana Nut Muffins Recipe
Equipment
- 1 - 2 12 ct. muffins pan(s)
- 16 cupcake liners
- 1 large cookie scoop (3 tbsp, 45 ml) optional
Ingredients
Banana Nut Muffins
- 2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour
- 2½ teaspoons baking powder
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1¾ cup mashed bananas about 4 medium bananas
- ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted
- 1 cup (200 g) light or dark brown sugar
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract
- ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, room temperature
- 1 cup (112 g) toasted, chopped nuts
Brown Sugar Topping
- ¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar
- 3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375 F (190 C). Preheat the oven for at least 20 minutes prior to baking the banana muffins. Line (2) 12 ct. muffin pans with cupcake liners, alternating cups.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon and salt together until well combined.2 cups (240 g) all purpose flour, 2½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon , ½ teaspoon salt
- In another bowl mash the ripe bananas until thoroughly mashed. Then whisk in the butter and light brown sugar until smooth and well combined. Once smooth and well combined whisk in the eggs, vanilla extract and milk until smooth and well combined. Stir the dry ingredients into the wet until just combined. Do not overmix. Gently stir in the toasted chopped nuts.1¾ cup mashed bananas , ½ cup (113 g) unsalted butter, melted, 1 cup (200 g) light or dark brown sugar, 2 large eggs, room temperature, 2 teaspoons (10 ml) vanilla extract , ¼ cup (60 ml) milk, room temperature, 1 cup (112 g) toasted, chopped nuts
- Use a 3 tablespoon sized cookie scoop to scoop the banana and nut muffin batterinto each of the muffin liners, alternating every other cup. If you would like to top the muffins with the brown sugar nut topping, sprinkle some brown sugar and a few finely chopped nuts on top of each muffin.¼ cup (50 g) light brown sugar, 3 tablespoons finely chopped nuts
- Bake the muffins at 375 F (190 C) for 20 - 20 minutes. The muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes about with a few moist crumbs or when a finger pressed gently into the center of the muffins quickly bounces back. Be careful when touching the tops of the muffins as the light brown sugar could burn. Cool the banana muffins in the muffin pan for 5 - 10 minutes. Carefully remove the muffins to cool to room temperature and enjoy.
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