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Banana Nut Muffin Recipe

Banana Nut Muffin Recipe guarantees soft, fluffy, moist muffins that are slightly sweet and always delicious. This easy banana muffin guarantees a nutty crunch in every bite.

3/4 view of a bananna muffin sitting on a plate surrounded by more homemade banana muffins

We’re bananas for bananas! It doesn’t break my heart when we don’t get our bananas eaten before they become too ripe. This Banana Nut Muffin recipe comes together in a jiffy with the simplest ingredients.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe for Banana Nut Muffins

  • Simple ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry.
  • Quick and easy to put together without any fancy equipment.
  • Lower in sugar and fat make these banana muffins a healthier choice than most commercially made muffins. The natural flavor of the sweet banana flavor shines through in this recipe.

Equipment Needed To Make Banana Nut Muffins

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  • Muffin PansThis recipe makes 18 good-sized muffins so I used 2 muffin tins so I didn’t have to wait for the first one to cool before filling it.
  • Scoop – Muffins are easily filled with the perfect amount of batter without overfilling. This scoop is what I use for large cookies too.
  • Mixing Bowls – I use this set of bowls for mixing, serving, storing, and transporting food. The pretty lids guarantee no spilling too!

Banana Nut Muffin Recipe Ingredients

Top down view of ingredients used to make low fat banana muffins
  • All-purpose Flour – Bleached or unbleached.
  • Baking Powder
  • Baking Soda
  • Cinnamon
  • Salt
  • Bananas – 3 to 4 ripe bananas.
  • Vanilla Extract – I prefer pure vanilla extract in my baking but if you use imitation that’s fine.
  • Eggs – I always use Large, Grade A eggs for consistency in my baking.
  • Sugar – White granulated sugar.
  • Brown Sugar – I prefer dark brown sugar. I think it makes baked goods moist and we like the additional molasses flavor. If you prefer light, that’s fine too.
  • Yogurt – Plain yogurt either Greek or traditional. I used full-fat. Since this recipe is already very low in fat, I felt it was needed. You could use lite but I don’t recommend non-fat.
  • Pecans – optional or substitute the nut variety of your choice.

How To Make A Banana Nut Muffin

Please note, that the printable recipe card has the full list of ingredients, quantities, complete instructions, and nutritional information. The following is a quick overview of the recipe.

Step 1: Mix the dry ingredients

Add the flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to a medium-sized bowl. Whisk together and set aside.

Step 2: Mix the wet ingredients

Mash the bananas in a large bowl. It’s o.k. if they’re lumpy because they will break down when baked. Add the white sugar, brown sugar, and yogurt to the bananas and mix until combined. Add the beaten eggs and the vanilla to the banana mixture and stir until combined.

Step 3: Combine the ingredients

Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir together with a wooden spoon or spatula only until no dry flour shows. Fold in the nuts.

A muffin tin filled with banana muffins topped with ground nuts.

Step 4: Fill and bake

Add the muffin batter to a muffin tin, filling approximately 3/4 full. Sprinkle with additional nuts if desired. Bake for 17 to 20 minutes or until the banana nut muffins test done.

Top down view of healthy banana nut muffins sitting in a muffin tin

Popular Substitutions and Additions

  • I used pecans in this recipe but you can make banana walnut muffins by exchanging the nuts. You could also leave them out completely for more of a banana bread muffin.
  • Adding raisins or craisins would be delicious.
  • 3/4 cup chocolate chips are delicious in Banana Nut Muffins. Dark chocolate or semi-sweet would be my preference.
  • You can replace the yogurt with sour cream or even applesauce.
  • Add spices such as nutmeg, cloves, or allspice.

How To Reheat and Store Banana Nut Muffins

Best Way To Store Homemade Muffins

Store completely cooled baked muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. I store mine in a single layer in a reclosable zip-top bag. If you find your muffins get soggy you can put a paper towel under the muffins in the bag.

How Long Will Banana Muffins Last In the Fridge?

If it’s warm in your kitchen, store banana nut muffins with sour cream in the refrigerator in a covered container for 3 to 4 days.

Can I Freeze Moist Banana Muffins?

Yes! Banana Nut Muffins freeze very well. Put them in an airtight freezer-quality resealable bag or container for up to 3 months.

This recipe makes 18 muffins so I’ll freeze what we can’t eat within a couple of days. I can then take out just what I need for a quick breakfast on the go or for overnight guests.

How To Reheat Easy Banana Nut Muffins

Baked Banana Nut Muffins can be warmed quickly in the microwave whether they’re frozen or at room temperature.

Top down view of a baked banana muffin cut in half showing nuts

Banana Nut Muffin Recipe FAQs

Why are my muffins flat?

Muffins can come out flat for several reasons. I’ve listed a few of the most common reasons for flat muffins. Always follow the recipe to assure light and fluffy muffins. I’ve tested this muffin recipe several times to assure you have a positive outcome.

  • Make sure your ingredients are fresh. Especially your baking powder and baking soda. If you’re unsure if they’re active, you can test them. I explain how to do this in my Techniques post.
  • Another reason could be that you’re underbaking the muffins. See my tips below for testing them.
  • If your muffins consistently come out flat and you’ve ruled out the previous suggestions, you may want to increase the temperature of your oven to 375° or 400°. The burst of heat should make them rise. Watch them because you may have to adjust the baking time.

Why do my muffins crack on top?

Cracks indicate that the muffins are rising too fast, usually as a result of too hot of a temperature. Test your oven with an oven thermometer and don’t be afraid to lower the temperature.

When you consistently have your recipes bake faster than what the recipe calls for, this indicates that your oven bakes hot so you know to lower the temperature when you use it.

Should muffin batter be thick?

The batter for these banana nut muffins is on the thicker side. Muffin batter can be thick or thin with positive results. I usually make notes on a recipe about what I’d do differently the next time I make it like adding spices or how l baked them.

Why do my muffins have a hard top?

Cooking at too high a temperature. One of my attempts at creating this recipe resulted in a beautifully domed muffin that had a crusty top. They weren’t what I wanted to eat.

A muffin laying on it's side surrounded by upright muffins.

Tips For the Best Banana Nut Muffin

  • This muffin doesn’t contain oil or butter so it’s more likely to stick to cupcake liners. I recommend either greasing the muffin tin or lining it with cupcake liners and then spraying them with non-stick cooking spray.
    • If you forget to spray your cupcake liners, placing the muffins in a reclosable bag will create enough moisture that will allow the liners to peel right off usually by the next day. Microwaving them in a covered container for a brief time will also make them easier to peel.
    • I also suggest that you leave the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes before removing them to a cooling rack which will add moisture to the muffin and help them set up.
  • Use Ripe bananas. Bananas are ripe when you see brown spots on the peel. Bananas that have turned black should be thrown out.
  • Finely chop the nuts but don’t grind them too finely. You will lose texture. I also prefer to add nuts to the top of these muffins which I chop even a little thicker.
  • Don’t overmix these muffins. Doing so can result in a tough and dense muffin. That is the reason we combine the wet and dry ingredients together separately before combining them and then gently folding in the nuts.
  • Fill the muffin pan 3/4 full which is perfect for this banana nut muffin recipe. Overfilling create
  • Don’t overbake these banana muffins. They’re done when the edge just starts to brown. I check them at the minimum baking time to see if they need another minute or two by inserting a toothpick into the center of the muffin. If it comes out clean or with just a couple of crumbs they’re done.

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3/4 view of a baked homemade muffin topped with chopped nuts sitting on a plate

Other Recipes You May Enjoy

Don’t Forget To Come Back And Let Me Know How Your Banana Nut Muffins Came Out!

3/4 view of a bannana muffin topped with nuts and surrounded by a half eaten muffin

Easy Banana Nut Muffin Recipe

Author: Julie Menghini
Banana Nut Muffin Recipe guarantees soft, fluffy, moist muffins that are slightly sweet with a nutty crunch in every bite.
5 from 7 votes
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 27 minutes
Total Time 45 minutes
Course Bread, Breakfast
Cuisine American
Keyword: Banana Bread, Banana Muffins
Servings: 18

Equipment

Ingredients
 
 

  • 2 cup all-purpose flour I used unbleached
  • 1 tsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1 tsp cinnamon
  • 1/4 tsp salt
  • 2 cups bananas mashed (3 to 4 medium ripe bananas)
  • 2 tsp vanilla
  • 2 eggs – room temperature, slightly beaten
  • ¼ cup sugar
  • ½ cup brown sugar – I prefer dark but light is fine.
  • ½ cup yogurt
  • 1 cup chopped pecans

1/2 cup of chopped nuts for garnish (optional)

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the oven to 350 °F. Grease a muffin pan or add paper liners and then spray the paper liners with the non-stick spray.
  • In a large bowl, mash the bananas. Add white sugar and brown sugar to the bananas and mix until combined. Add the yogurt, beaten eggs, and vanilla. Stir until combined.
  • In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt, baking powder, cinnamon, and baking soda. Whisk together.
  • Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients.  Mix until just combined with a wooden spoon or spatula. Fold in the pecans.
  • Fill a muffin pan 3/4 full and sprinkle with additional chopped nuts if desired.  Bake 17 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
  • Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 5 minutes and then remove the muffins from the pan and allow them to cool on a cooling rack. Cool completely before storing.

Notes

If you use cupcake liners, I highly recommend spraying them with non-stick cooking spray. Since this is a low-fat muffin, they’re more likely to stick to the liners.

Nutrition

Calories: 153kcalCarbohydrates: 24gProtein: 3gFat: 5gSaturated Fat: 1gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0.002gCholesterol: 18mgSodium: 104mgPotassium: 146mgFiber: 1gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 41IUVitamin C: 2mgCalcium: 32mgIron: 1mg

Nutritional Disclaimer

This recipe was calculated using the exact brands and measurements I used to make this recipe. If you are following a strict diet please note changing anything will cause the nutritional info to change. My calculations are intended as a guide only.

Tried this recipe?Let me know how it was!
5 from 7 votes
Recipe Rating




Tristin

Thursday 28th of July 2022

Made these for my kids as an afternoon snack, they ate them very quickly and are asking me to make them again!

Julie Menghini

Friday 29th of July 2022

They make a great snack. Thanks, Tristin!

MS

Wednesday 27th of July 2022

Made it and LOVED it! This will be my go-to banana muffin recipe going forward

Julie Menghini

Friday 29th of July 2022

Thank you!

Michaela Kenkel

Wednesday 27th of July 2022

I always freeze my bananas and I was getting quite the collection - so I made this muffin recipe. SO GOOD! I am making another batch today!

Erin

Tuesday 26th of July 2022

YUM! These muffins make the BEST breakfast ever. Next time, I'm making a double batch so I can freeze some of them to reheat for busy mornings...

Amy

Monday 25th of July 2022

These muffins are my kids new favorite! Love the crunch of the pecans and they froze really well!

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