These incredibly moist, tender Walnut Banana Muffins taste better than a bakery! Featuring fresh bananas along with chopped walnuts and a simple topping of (MORE!) honey glazed nuts, you’ll want to make this banana nut muffins recipe again and again! Best of all, these homemade muffins are easy to prepare, made with basic kitchen ingredients (plus 3 ripe bananas) and freeze beautifully!
Reader comment: Turned out PHENOMENAL. Super moist and delicious. The honey butter is worth making!” – Olivia
Continue to read on for simple tips and tricks for preparing the ultimate banana walnut muffins! And, don’t miss the comprehensive step-by-step photographs and recipe video showing you exactly how easy it is to make these bakery-style banana muffins at home!
Update: This post was originally published in March 2019. I made updates to the post below to include more information about bakery-style banana muffins with nuts. Plus, I added step-by-step photos and a recipe video to show you exactly how easy it is to make nut muffins with ripe bananas!
Hey, friends! Welcome to the week of bananas! I swear I didn’t actually plan this banana recipe overload; however, I for one, am not mad about it. I mean, give me all the Tally Man’s bananas!
So, if you are like me and could eat bananas for breakfast, lunch, dessert and at every snack in between, I see you and I got you!
About this banana nut muffins recipe
Soft yet dense, moist, bakery-style muffins loaded with real bananas, spiced with warm cinnamon and studded with crunchy walnuts. Topped with sticky, sweet honey drenched walnuts, these muffins are irresistibly delicious!!
But, if you want to take these banana nut muffins to the next level of yum – slather them with a sweet and savory homemade cinnamon honey butter. Seriously, the combination of tender crumbed muffins with soft cinnamon butter is outrageously delish!
These muffins are perfect for breakfasts and snacks on the go, a wonderful addition to brunch spreads, and they are fabulous drizzled with honey for dessert!
While these banana muffins aren’t a one bowl situation, they are super quick and easy to throw together, plus they are made with basic kitchen ingredients (plus 3 ripe bananas)! Besides, they are so moist and flavorful, they are worth the extra bowl!
Regardless of whether you love or loath bananas, I promise these banana nut muffins will be a hit with everyone!
Why you’ll love this easy recipe
- Pantry ingredients: This recipe uses basic pantry ingredients, plus 3 ripe bananas!
- Bananas: These muffins are the perfect way to use up any soft, overripe bananas you have hanging around your kitchen!
- The best texture: These banana muffins are ultra moist, soft and tender, yet slightly dense and satisfying!
- Irresistible flavor: This recipe yields flavorsome muffins that are bursting with real banana flavor and crunchy walnuts! Plus, they’re subtly spiced with warming cinnamon, rich brown sugar and exquisite vanilla!
- Topping: While these muffins are insanely delicious on their own, a generous sprinkling of honey kissed nuts take these muffins to the next level of yum!
- Quick and easy: These muffins are super simple and the batter can be ready in 15 minutes!
- Anytime muffins: Banana nut muffins are the perfect treat for breakfast, brunch, snack-time and dessert!
What are banana nut muffins?
Banana nut muffins are a single-serving quick bread made with a batter of very ripe bananas, egg, milk, chopped nuts and a chemical leavening agent, such as baking soda and/or baking powder.
Banana muffins are soft and moist with a slightly sweet taste and a strong banana flavor. These muffins are a great way to use up bananas that are overly ripe and make a delicious breakfast, snack or dessert!
What’s the difference between banana bread and banana muffins?
Banana muffins and banana bread are both forms of quick breads; therefore, they are interchangeable as far as ingredients! The three variables that set the two apart are the baking vessel along with baking time and temperature.
Banana muffins bake in muffins tins at a higher temperature for a shorter period of time, while banana bread bakes in a loaf pan at a lower temperature for a longer period of time.
Can I convert this muffin recipe into banana bread?
Absolutely! You can easily convert this muffin recipe to a banana loaf with just a few simple tweaks!
- Loaf pan: Instead of using muffin tins, use a 9×5-inch loaf pan to make banana bread. Make sure you grease or coat the pan well with nonstick spray before adding the batter to the pan.
- Lower baking temperature: Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven.
- Increase baking time: Bake the banana bread for approximately 60-65 minutes, tenting the bread lightly with aluminum foil after the first 30 minutes of baking to prevent the top from browning too quickly. Check the doneness of your banana bread loaf by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread – the loaf is done baking when the toothpick comes out clean (a few crumbs is fine).
- Cool: Once your banana bread is done baking, remove the loaf from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before serving and enjoying!
Ingredients in walnut banana muffins
With just a few pantry staples and three ripe bananas you can make the best banana nut muffins in your very own kitchen!
- Flour: All-purpose flour is the foundation of this muffin recipe. Flour helps the batter remain sturdy and thick.
- Baking Powder and baking soda: A combination of chemical leavening agents provide lift and help the top of the muffins rise!
- Spices: Ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt all provide a ton of warming flavor!
- Bananas: Three ripe bananas are all you need for incredibly delicious muffins! Make sure your bananas are are ripe (brown and soft) as possible for the best flavor! (See below for tips on how to make bananas ripen fast!)
- Sugar: Brown sugar gives the most delicious, deep and rich flavor!
- Butter: Unsalted butter provides moisture and fat which creates a tender muffin.
- Eggs: Two large eggs give the muffins structure and moisture while binding everything together.
- Milk: Milk provides even more moisture and helps lighten up the muffin’s crumb.
- Vanilla: Pure vanilla extract adds a depth of flavor!
- Nuts: I prefer to use walnuts; however you can use whatever nut you love or have on hand!
- Honey: A touch of honey increases the moistness and softness in the muffins, plus is provides a more uniform, beautifully brown muffin top!
Muffin variations
Want to make some changes to these bakery-style muffins? Go for it! Get creative in the kitchen and create banana nut muffins chock full of ingredients you and your family love! Below are a few ideas to get you started!
- Gluten-free flour: You can substitute gluten-free flour if you would like, just make sure you look for brands that can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for regular flour.
- Chocolate: Are you allergic to nuts? Substitute all of the nuts for an equal amount of your favorite chocolate chips!
- Extract: Did you just run out of pure vanilla extract? Now’s the perfect time to play around different flavors on extracts in muffins! Try using butter or rum extract for a subtly different flavor!
- Jumbo Muffins: Do you think bigger is better? Yeah, me too! Turn these standard muffins into jumbo muffins! Follow the recipe instructions below, baking for 5 minutes at 425°F Reduce oven to 350°F and bake for 25-28 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean.
- Banana Bread Loaf: Try to transforming this fan favorite muffin recipe into banana bread with just a few minor tweaks! (See above for making banana bread!)
How do I make bananas ripen faster for muffins?
Dying to make these banana bread muffins but you don’t have any overly ripe bananas? No worries! Below are a few different ways to quickly ripen bananas.
- To ripen bananas in 24 hours – Place the bananas in a brown paper bag and loosely fold the top to seal. Set the bag aside on the kitchen counter for 24 hours. Make sure you check the bag occasionally to see how the bananas are ripening!
- To ripen bananas in 12-18 hours – Place the bananas in a brown paper bag and add a ripe apple or tomato to the bag. Loosely fold the top to seal and set the bag aside on the counter for 12-18 hours. Make sure you check the bag occasionally to see how the bananas are ripening!
- To ripen bananas in 15-30 minutes – Preheat oven to 300ºF. Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and transfer the baking sheet to the oven. Check on the bananas frequently. Bananas are ripe when the peels are shiny and black. (Note: The bananas may leak a little bit, but this is normal!)
How to make this recipe for banana nut muffin from scratch?
This banana walnut muffin recipe is fool-proof and so easy to prepare! The batter is made with basic kitchen staples (plus 3 ripe bananas) and comes together in 15 minutes!
Tip: Make sure your eggs and milk are at room temperature. Room temperature ingredients bond together more easily than cold ingredients, resulting in an evenly textured, smooth muffin batter!
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners.
- Prepare the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients and set them aside.
- Prepare the wet ingredients: In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with wire whisk, beat the bananas with the sugar on medium speed until well whipped. Add in the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Beat well, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet batter and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until everything is mostly combined. Add in the walnuts and fold until just combined.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each tin ¾ of the way to the top.
- Prepare the honey walnut topping: In a small bowl, toss the walnuts with cinnamon and honey until the walnuts are evenly coated. Sprinkle the honey coated walnuts (and coarse sugar if using) evenly on top of the muffin batter.
- Bake: Transfer the muffins to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Keeping the muffins in the oven, and without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue baking for an additional 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs is fine).
- Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy!
Step-by-step photos: Making banana bread nut muffins at home
Tips for the best muffin recipe with banana and nut
Below are a few easy tips to creating bakery-style muffins with bananas at home!
- Properly measuring flour: This may seem obvious, but properly measuring your flour is key to moist muffins! If you add too much flour, the muffins will come out too dense and dry. To properly measure flour, use a large spoon to lightly ladle the flour into your measuring cup. Next, use the flat, straight edge of a butter knife (or similar object) to level off the top of the flour. Never pack the flour into your measuring cup!
- Overripe bananas: The trick to flavorful banana muffins is to use overripe bananas! The riper the banana the better the flavor and the easier they will be to mash (just make sure it isn’t rotten).
- Do not over-mix the batter: Do not over-mix the batter when combining the wet and dry ingredients! Mixing muffin batter causes gluten to develop, which is good to a degree. However, if you over-mix you will over-develop the gluten, which will lead to muffins that are tough, dense and dry! Tip: When mixing, make sure you gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until they are just combined – you want the batter to be lumpy and not smooth!
- Properly bake: Both under-baking and over-baking your muffins will have dire results. Under-baking will cause your muffins to be raw in the center. However, over-baking will transform perfectly moist and fluffy muffins into dry hockey pucks. Every oven is different, so make sure you use a toothpick to test the muffins for doneness. Bake your muffins until a toothpick inserted into the middle of the muffin comes out clean – a few crumbs on the toothpick are fine!
- Cool in the pan 5 minutes after baking: Cooling muffins in the pan is imperative, as muffins sit in the hot tins the residual heat releases steam. This steam helps the muffin crumb absorb some moisture. However, that residual heat will also continue to cook your muffins, so make sure you do not leave the muffins to cool longer than 5 minutes in the pan!
Troubleshooting: banana nut muffins, easy
Before you bust out your mixing bowls and crank up your oven, read the easy tips and tricks below to ensure your muffins turn out perfect every single time!
How to make banana nut muffin moist?
To ensure your banana muffins turn out moist, make sure you use overripe bananas! The riper the banana the better (just make sure it isn’t rotten).
As well, using melted butter, eggs and brown sugar, plus a fourth of a cup of milk will give your muffins an incredibly soft, buttery and moist texture.
Also, to guarantee your muffins are tender, make sure you combine your wet and dry ingredients until they are just mixed. The muffin batter should still be a little lumpy. If you over-mix your batter the muffins will turn out too dense and chewy.
Why are my muffins with bananas dense?
If your muffins come out dense, you over-mixed the batter. When you mix batter you are developing gluten and, the more you mix your muffin batter, the more gluten you are developing. Over-mixing will over-develop the gluten in the batter and cause the muffins to be very dense and slightly rubbery instead of light and tender.
Tips to prevent over-mixing:
- Scrape down the sides of the bowl. It is imperative you stop and scrape down the sides of the bowl between ingredient additions to ensure ingredients are incorporated. This will also help you avoid over-mixing at the end.
- Fold in the dry ingredients. Make sure you use a rubber spatula to gently fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. If you use a handheld or stand mixer, chances are you are going to over-mix the batter.
How long to bake muffin recipe with bananas?
The length of time banana bread muffins take to bake will depend on the temperature of your oven. These banana honey muffins will take approximately 20-22 minutes to bake. You should always bake your muffins until a toothpick inserted into the center of the muffin comes out clean (a few moist crumbs is fine).
The secret to muffins with a high rise and gorgeous muffin top (the best part!) is baking the muffins initially at 425 degrees F for 5 minutes, and then reducing the oven temperature to 350 degrees F for the remainder of baking. The initial burst of hot air allows the muffins to spring up and rise tall. This genius secret muffin trick is from Sally’s Baking Addiction, and I absolutely swear by it!!!
Serving this banana nut muffin recipe
These banana muffins are the perfect breakfast, brunch, snack and dessert option. I love serving them with a Crustless Spinach Quiche, Fluffy Omelettes or Banana Overnight Oats for a breakfast (or brunch) my entire family loves!
Tips for storing homemade banana muffins
Food safety is of the upmost importance when it comes to storing homemade baked goods! Make sure you follow the simple tips below to ensure you are properly storing, freezing and reheating your breakfast muffins!
How to store nut muffins so they stay fresh
The best way to store muffins depends upon how soon you plan to eat them! If you plan to eat the muffins within the next few days, store them at room temperature. If you plan to keep the muffins longer, store them in the freezer to extend their shelf life!
Generally, there is no need to refrigerate banana muffins; however, if you live in a hot climate, you may prefer to keep your muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator to prevent fermentation.
How to properly store muffins at room temperature
- Cool the muffins completely. Once you are done baking, make sure you cool the muffins completely before storing! Cooling is imperative as you do not want to trap moisture inside the storage container! Moisture will cause your muffins to turn soggy.
- Add a layer of paper towel to your storage container (or bag). Once your muffins are completely cool, line the bottom of an airtight storage container (or storage bag) with sheets of paper towel. Then, place the cool muffins in a single layer on top of the paper towels. The layer of paper towels will absorb any excess moisture that may leak from the muffins, allowing them to stay fresher for longer!
- Add more paper towels on top. Cover the muffins with another layer of paper towel so that the muffins are sandwiched between two layers of paper towels.
- Seal. If your muffins are in a storage container, firmly seal the lid in place. If your muffins are in an airtight bag, make sure you press out any excess air before sealing the bag.
- Store. Store the banana muffins at room temperature for up to four days.
Can you freeze these easy banana nut muffins?
These banana nut muffins freeze beautifully, making them the perfect treat to have on hand for easy breakfast and snacks on the go!
To properly freeze homemade muffins
- Cool the muffins completely. Once you are done baking, make sure you cool the muffins completely before storing! Regardless of how you are storing your muffins, cooling is a very important step!
- Wrap individually in plastic wrap. Once your muffins are completely cool, wrap each individual muffin in a double layer of plastic wrap to ensure the muffins are completely secure.
- Heavy-duty airtight bag. Transfer the muffins to a freezer-safe heavy-duty airtight bag.
- Seal. Press out all the excess air from the storage bag before sealing.
- Store. Once the muffins are completely wrapped to prevent freezer burn, store them in the freezer for up to 3 months.
How to thaw muffins?
When you are ready to enjoy your banana nut muffins, you can simply remove them from the freezer and let them sit on the countertop. Muffins will thaw in about 30-45 minutes at room temperature.
Alternatively, you can speed up the process by gently thawing the muffins in the microwave. Place the muffins in the microwave and set the power to 50%. Microwave for about 30 seconds, or until slightly defrosted – make sure you do not over-microwave the muffins or they will become extremely hard!
Soft, buttery, loaded with flavor and topped with sticky honey coated walnuts, these banana bread nut muffins are delicious plain or slathered with warm homemade cinnamon butter! Easy to prepare and made with basic kitchen ingredients (plus 3 ripe bananas), this muffin recipe is guaranteed to become a go-to in your house!
XOXO
Cheyanne
Recipe testimonials
Here’s what people are saying about this tried and true recipe for banana walnut muffins:
- “Oh my word! These are delish and that topping is 🔥, it makes the muffins. So good with butter!” – Christine
- “This recipe works great! I especially love the toppings! I used chopped pecans instead of walnuts.” – Lauren
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The best Banana Nut Muffins recipe plus step by step video👇
Banana Nut Muffins
Equipment
- Mixing Bowls
- Handheld or Stand Mixer
- Muffin Pan
Ingredients
- 2 Cups All-Purpose Flour - spooned & leveled (SEE NOTES)
- 1 ½ tsp Baking Powder
- 1 tsp Ground Cinnamon - divided
- ½ tsp Baking Soda
- ½ tsp Kosher Salt
- ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg
- 1 ¼ Cups Walnuts – chopped & divided
- ¼ Cup Honey
- 3 Overripe Bananas – peeled and mashed (SEE NOTES)
- 1 Cup Brown Sugar – packed
- 8 TBS Unsalted Butter – melted & cooled
- 2 Large Eggs – at room temperature
- ¼ Cup Milk – at room temperature
- 1 tsp Vanilla Extract
- Optional: Coarse Sugar (for dusting tops before baking)
- Optional for Serving: Cinnamon Sugar, Honey Butter (recipe below)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees F. Spray a 12-count muffin pan with nonstick spray or use muffin liners.
- Prepare the honey walnut topping: In a small bowl, toss ½ cup of walnuts with ¼ teaspoon of cinnamon and all the honey until well combined and walnuts are evenly coated. Set aside.
- Prepare the dry ingredients: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, ¾ teaspoon cinnamon, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Prepare the wet ingredients: In a large bowl with a handheld mixer, or in the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with wire whisk, beat the bananas with the sugar on medium speed until well whipped, about 2 minutes. Add in the melted butter, eggs, milk and vanilla extract. Beat well, stopping to scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed.
- Add the dry to the wet: Pour the dry ingredients into the wet batter and use a rubber spatula to gently fold until everything is mostly combined. Add in the remaining ¾ cup walnuts and fold until all the ingredient are just combined – take care not to over-mix or the muffins will come out dry and dense.
- Spoon the batter into the muffin tins, filling each tin ¾ of the way full. Sprinkle the honey coated walnuts (and coarse sugar if using) evenly on top of the muffin batter.
- Bake: Transfer the muffins to the oven and bake for 5 minutes. Keeping the muffins in the oven, and without opening the oven door, reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Continue baking for an additional 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean (a few moist crumbs is fine).
- Allow the muffins to cool in the muffin pan for 5 minutes and then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Serve and enjoy or store for later!
Video
Notes
- Flour: You can substitute gluten-free or whole-wheat flour if you would like, just make sure you look for brands that can be substituted in a 1:1 ratio for regular flour.
- Measuring Flour: Make sure you properly measure your flour! To do so, use a spoon to scoop the flour into measuring cup - do not pack the flour down! Then, use a knife to gently level the flour off.
- Bananas: To ensure your banana muffins turn out moist, make sure you use overripe bananas! The riper the banana the better (just make sure it isn’t rotten).
- To quickly over-ripen bananas:
- To ripen bananas in 24 hours: Place the bananas in a brown paper bag and loosely fold the top. Make sure you check the bag occasionally to see if they are at desired ripeness.
- To ripen bananas in 12-18 hours: Place the bananas in a brown paper bag and add a ripe apple or tomato to the bag. Loosely fold the top. Make sure you check the bag occasionally to see if they are at desired ripeness.
- To ripen bananas in 15-30 minutes: Preheat oven to 300ºF. Place unpeeled bananas on a baking sheet and place in the oven. Check on the bananas frequently. Bananas are ripened when the peels are shiny and black. (Note: The bananas may leak a little bit, but don't worry about it.)
- Mashing bananas: To mash bananas you can use a potato masher or a fork. You will be whipping them with sugar using a mixer, so don’t worry too much about mashing them up really well.
- Cinnamon Honey Butter: These muffins are outrageously delicious slathered with cinnamon honey butter!! Recipe below.
- Loaf pan: Instead of using muffin tins, use a 9×5-inch loaf pan to make banana bread. Make sure you grease or coat the pan well with nonstick spray and then spoon the batter into the loaf pan, filling it ¾ of the way full. (If you have any leftover batter, save it and make muffins!)
- Lower baking temperature: Adjust the oven rack to the lower third position and bake in a 350°F (177°C) oven.
- Increase baking time: Bake the banana bread for approximately 60-65 minutes, tenting the bread lightly with aluminum foil after the first 30 minutes of baking to prevent the top from browning too quickly. Check the doneness of your banana bread loaf by inserting a toothpick into the center of the bread - the loaf is done baking when the toothpick comes out clean (a few moist crumbs is fine).
- Cool: Once your banana bread is done baking, remove the loaf from the oven and place the pan on a wire rack. Allow the bread to cool completely in the pan before serving and enjoying!
Nutrition
©No Spoon Necessary. All images and content are under copyright protection. Please do not use any images without prior permission. Please do not publish this recipe without prior consent. If you want to reference this recipe, please do so by linking directly to this post.
I know that the idea of overripe bananas (and even moderately ripe, with just a few brown patches) turns so many people off. That’s insane because overly ripe bananas have a fantastic, almost intoxicating flavour, which makes them perfect for baking and desserts. These muffins look irresistibly delicious and inviting; loving the beautiful topping!
Oh my ..thes muffins are de..licious. They were fun to make. This recipe Is perfect and needs no adjustments whatsoever. Thank you for sharing. I will make these again. They really are the best ever..
Hi Teresa,
I’m so thrilled to hear you loved the muffins and will make them again! You’ve made my day! Thank you for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! Cheers! 🙂
These muffins baked beautifully! Can’t wait to dive in!
Hi Jodie,
I’m thrilled to hear the muffins turned out great!! Thank you for coming back and letting me know how everything went over! Cheers!
These muffins sound out of this world! I just had to pin them to my cakes and muffins board. Thanks so much for including step by step photos, as I like to know my mixture is the same consistency as its supposed to be 😀 xo
I love banana baked goodies, but I avoid getting them from bakeries and coffee shops as they often tend to be underbanked, soggy. Plus, they don’t always put nuts which is a strange thing to do. These muffins are nothing like those you can get at your local bakery; these guys look and sound outrageously delicious!
Love the updated photos and the video for these beauties Chey. I can never, ever pass up a banana muffin and neither can our son Sean! These look totally delicious and the perfect side for my morning coffee! Pinned!
Banana muffins are the best! I’ll never turn one down–and these look PERFECT. I have to try your recipe because I have exactly three over-ripe bananas on my kitchen counter right now :). Have an awesome week, Chey!
Definitely know what to make with those browning bananas sitting there!
Yes, to banana muffins, Cheyanne! Sometimes I find muffins dry but adding banana makes all the difference and makes a nice moist muffin. These are the perfect for breakfast or a grab and go snack. Love the honey walnut topping!
I love banana muffins with ALL the nuts so these are totally calling my name!! Love this kind of tasty, healthy, portable breakfast or snack!!
Of course these muffins taste better than from a bakery (Because bakeries often don’t put enough nuts in their produce…which should be considered a felony in my book). But I have nothing negative to say about these bad (Good indeed) boys as they look and sound spectacular…Not to mention all these walnuts!
I always have bananas around, so I always have over-ripe bananas. Perfect to try these fabulous muffins. Loving the walnut topping!
Nothing better than a homemade banana muffin Chey. And I’ve always got extra bananas around just for this purpose. You know my love of nuts, walnuts, pecans, whatever, I’m so into adding them for that extra crunch. Slathered with that homemade cinnamon honey butter and breakfast never looked better! Pinned!
So moist, and not overloaded, and perfect with those honey coated walnut topping!