Making homemade banana nut muffins is easier than you think. Made from scratch and filled with sweet, ripe bananas and walnuts - perfect for breakfast, snacking, or a light dessert.
Have a few ripe bananas on hand and not sure what to do with them? Make a batch of homemade banana nut muffins!
Muffins are a great beginner baker recipe - they're made with simple ingredients and are easy to prepare. No complicated kitchen appliances needed - just two bowls and a spoon are all you need!
These banana nut muffins turn out moist and tender, and they're perfect for breakfast, snacking, or as a light dessert. Crunchy walnuts add texture and a dash of cinnamon adds a warm, cozy flavor.
Ingredients and substitutions
Walnuts can be substituted with other chopped nuts, like pecans, almonds, or hazelnuts. Or, they can be omitted entirely if desired.
Since baking is an exact science, I do not have many substitutions to offer. Each ingredient serves a purpose in the recipe and should not be omitted or substituted.
Using ripe bananas
Ever wondered why banana bread recipes call for ripe bananas? There are a few reasons.
First, ripe bananas are softer and easier to mash and incorporate into your muffin batter.
Second, as bananas ripen, they naturally become sweeter. Sweeter bananas equal sweeter muffins!
Freezing and reheating muffins
Muffins can be frozen safely for up to 3 months. Store in a freezer safe container, or alternate rows of muffins with wax paper in a freezer-safe bag.
Thaw them by placing your muffins on the counter and allowing to come to room temperature for about 30 minutes.
Or, place your frozen muffin on a microwave safe plate and cover lightly with a paper towel. Microwave in 30 second increments until warmed through.
How to prevent dry muffins
If your muffins are dry straight from the oven, this is caused by over-baking. When baked just the right amount of time, your muffins will turn out soft, moist, and tender.
- Ovens can run hot or cold. If your oven runs hot, your baked goods may be done a few minutes before what is written in the recipe.
- Use an instant-read thermometer inside your oven to make sure your oven is set to the proper temperature for any given recipe. Here's what I use: Rubbermaid Instant Read Oven Thermometer
- If your oven regularly runs hot, try testing your muffins about 2 minutes earlier. Stick a toothpick in the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out dry, or with crumbs, your muffins are done. If your toothpick comes out with wet batter, give them another 2 minutes and check again.
Banana Nut Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 very ripe bananas
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a muffin pan with paper liners and set aside.
- In a large bowl, add your bananas and mash with a fork or potato masher. Then, add granulated sugar, brown sugar, oil, eggs, milk, and vanilla extract. Stir until well combined. Set aside.
- In a separate bowl, whisk (or sift) together the dry ingredients: flour, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and stir until just combined (do not overmix, this can cause your muffins to turn out tough). Fold in chopped nuts.
- Distribute batter between 15 muffin cups. Bake for 19-21 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of muffin comes out clean (or with crumbs, not batter).
- Remove from oven and allow pan to cool for 2-3 minutes before removing muffins to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cooled muffins in a sealed container.
Equipment Recommendations
Notes
- Muffins will keep at room temperature in a sealed container for 3 days.
- Baked muffins can be stored in the freezer for up to 3 months in a freezer safe container.
- If using paper liners, allow your muffins to cool completely before unwrapping, or they will stick to the papers.
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