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Hi Bold Bakers!
We all know that when life hands you lemons, we are supposed to make lemonade. So what about when you glance over your morning coffee at your fruit basket and see that you have been handed some spotty old bananas? Well, of course, you know then that it’s time to transform them into my Classic Banana Nut Muffins!
Why do I love these muffins so much? Fresh from the oven, not only are they full of banana flavor, but they are warm, comforting, and have a pleasing, rich nuttiness from the walnuts and the touch of whole wheat flour. They are not too sweet and the crunchy streusel topping is flavor magic! Try my Banana Nut Muffins next time you have some bananas that are past their prime and prepare to be amazed! How could something so quick and easy be so delicious?
What Are Banana Nut Muffins?
Banana Nut Muffins are simply a basic muffin with mashed bananas mixed into the batter. The bananas add sweetness and moisture to the muffins, as well as a delicious taste. The flavor of walnuts goes perfectly with bananas and adds some nice texture as well.
I like to further emphasize the nuttiness by adding just a touch of whole wheat flour. There is just a small amount, so it won’t weigh the muffins down. One taste of my muffins and you will see what I mean!
All About Bananas
Did you know that bananas are actually a kind of berry? Like berries, they have a great number of health benefits, including properties that make them mood-enhancing (if you have any doubt about that, just try my Banana Nut Muffins)! It just so happens that overripe bananas are particularly good for you, too.
But health benefits aside, in my muffins I call for overripe bananas because they are easier to mash-up for your batter and older bananas have developed more sugar. This makes them sweeter and more aromatic and will fill your muffins with more banana flavor.
What You Need To Make Banana Nut Muffins
- A 12-cup muffin tin
- 12 paper muffin liners
- 3 mixing bowls
- A whisk
- A rubber spatula
- A fork
- Measuring cups and spoons
How To Make Banana Nut Muffins
Wanna know what you’re about to get yourself into? Don’t worry, it’s easy. Here are the steps (and don’t forget to get the full recipe with measurements, on the page down below):
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
- Prepare the streusel topping by mixing all the streusel ingredients together until well combined.
- In a bowl, whisk your dry ingredients together: both flours, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
- In another bowl, combine the wet ingredients: mash the banana with a fork, then add the milk, oil, vanilla, and egg.
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until only a few lumps remain.
- Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Spoon batter evenly into prepared muffin cups and then sprinkle with the streusel topping.
- Bake for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin.
How Do I Store Banana Nut Muffins?
Store muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to three days. These muffins can also be frozen in an airtight container for up to two months. Defrost in a 300°F (150°C) oven or just pop in the microwave for a minute.
Gemma’s Pro Tips For Making Banana Nut Muffins
- Use ripe bananas! The riper the better to make the most delicious, flavorful muffins!
- Go nuts! (Or no nuts!) Walnuts are excellent in this recipe, but if you don’t have any, other nuts like almonds or hazelnuts will also work. If you are allergic to nuts you can leave them out and the recipe will be just as delicious.
Make More Muffins!
Don’t forget to buy my Bigger Bolder Baking Cookbook!
Full (and printable) recipe below!
Try These Recipes!
Ingredients
Streusel Topping
- 6 tablespoons old fashioned rolled oats
- 5 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 2 tablespoons dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons butter, softened
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Banana Nut Muffins
- 1½ cups (7½oz/213g) all-purpose flour
- ½ cup (2½oz/71g) whole wheat flour
- ⅔ cup (4 oz/115g) dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup (7oz/218g) mashed, ripe banana (about 2 bananas)
- ¾ cup (6floz/170ml) milk
- 3 tablespoons flavorless oil (canola, sunflower etc.)
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 large egg
- ¼ cup (1¼oz/25g) chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 375°F (190°C) and line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
Streusel Topping
- In a small bowl, prepare the streusel topping: with your fingers, mix all the streusel ingredients together until well combined. Set aside.
Banana Nut Muffin Batter
- In a second bowl, whisk your dry ingredients together: all purpose flour, whole wheat flour, brown sugar, baking powder, cinnamon and salt.
- In a third bowl, combine the wet ingredients: mash the banana with a fork, then add the milk, oil, vanilla and egg
- Combine the wet and dry ingredients until mixed,a few lumps are ok. Fold in the chopped walnuts.
- Spoon batter into prepared muffin cups until full and then sprinkle with the streusel topping.
- Bake on an upper middle rack in the oven for 25-30 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let cool for 10 minutes before removing from the tin.
- These muffins can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for up to three days. For longer storage, you can freeze them for up to 2 months. Defrost in a warm oven (300°F/150°C) or just pop in the microwave.
I don’t have any whole wheat flour, can I just use all purpose flour? If so, would it be the same measurement as the whole wheat? Thanks.
Hi Gemma, I want to thank you first of all, because way back during the pandemic I started following you when I started baking. I made these today, and followed the recipe, but I’ve had a major problem with the muffin sticking to the paper? They taste great, but the sticking is an issue.
Gemma,I have all of the ingredients to make the banana nut muffins with the streusel topping.
Gemma,I have everything to make your banana nut muffins with streusel topping but I don’t have whole wheat flour.Can I make your muffins without the whole wheat flour?
I enjoyed making these and they went too fast. Now I’m ready to bake muffins. I’d like to do cranberries and banana ???? muffins. What if any, adjustments?
I love it and my family too. not too sweet. It just alright.
I love what plain yogurt does in some of your other muffin recipes. Can one substitute yogurt instead of the milk and if so how much yogurt to replace the three quarter cup of milk?
Hi
Can I use raisins in the recipe?
When making tge streusel topping, it didnt seem to come together the way I thought it would, but I carried on anyway thinking it might come together while cooking, but it didn’t?My picture should be posted soon.
Made these muffins today. It is so good. I substitute milk with yogurt drink and not adding any nuts, because I don’t have on hands. It’s still works fine.