Lots of bananas make these banana walnut muffins incredibly moist, soft, and delicious. The added walnuts and a streusel topping give the muffins extra crunch. The intense banana flavor goes perfectly with the nutty flavor of the walnuts. They are quick and easy to make and perfect for breakfast with your family or on the go. By the way, have you tried my air fryer muffins yet?
Step-by-step video tutorial
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FAQs
Yes, absolutely. Overripe, fermented black bananas work best in muffins because they add a strong, sweet banana flavor to the muffins. Black bananas may not be pleasant to eat because of the strong smell of alcohol and fermented taste, but they are great for baking like banana bread, banana cake, or banana cupcakes.
If you only have fresh yellow bananas, you can quickly ripen them by baking them in the oven at 300°F (149°C) for about 30-40 minutes until black and soft. Let them cool to room temperature before using them in this recipe.
Top tips for perfectly moist muffins
- Measure the weight of the bananas you use for the batter rather than sticking to a specific number of bananas for consistent results every time.
- Be careful not to use more flour than indicated. To measure the flour properly, fluff it up with a fork, then spoon it into the measuring cup and level with the back of a knife.
- Do the toothpick test to check doneness. Remove the muffins from the oven as soon as a toothpick comes out dry.
The secret to well risen muffin tops
Be sure to bake the muffins at 425°F (218°C) for the first 5 minutes to kickstart the baking powder and get the muffins rising quickly from the start. This initial high heat makes for perfect muffin tops. Also, don't overfill the muffin liners to avoid the batter spilling over the edges. I fill mine almost full but not all the way.
Walnut alternatives
I add 1 cup of walnuts to the muffins, but if you don't like walnuts or can't eat walnuts, you can add any other kind of mix-ins instead or leave them out. Be it a different type of nut, blueberries, chocolate chips, peanut butter chips, or a combination of these, I recommend adding a maximum of 1.5 cups total.
Streusel topping alternatives
The buttery streusel topping is crunchy (because of added walnuts!) and tastes like cinnamon, but you can replace it with other toppings if you like. These banana walnut muffins are also great with an oat crumble topping, a sprinkle of coarse sugar and chopped walnuts, or sliced banana on top.
Freezing instructions
Tightly wrap the cooled banana walnut muffins in plastic wrap and store them in freezer bags or containers for up to 2 months. To thaw, unwrap, and let come to room temperature for 1-2 hours. Reheat in the microwave for 15-20 seconds if desired.
More muffin recipes to try
If you love sweet breakfast, you've come to the right place. Here are my favorite muffin recipes loved by my family, friends and readers around the world.
- Blueberry Muffins
- Carrot Cake Muffins
- Chocolate Muffins
- Chocolate Banana Muffins
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- White Chocolate Muffins
Recipe
Banana Walnut Muffins with Streusel Topping
Ingredients
Muffins
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- 2 ½ teaspoon aluminum-free baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 ⅓ cups mashed overripe bananas
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup mild vegetable or canola oil
- 2 large eggs
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- 2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup walnuts, chopped
- 1 medium-sized ripe banana, cut into small chunks
Streusel topping
- ½ cup all-purpose flour, spooned and leveled
- ⅓ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoon walnuts, finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ cup cold unsalted butter, cut into small chunks
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F (218°C). Line two 12-well muffin pans with about 18-20 paper liners and set aside.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, and salt and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, using a whisk, mix together the mashed bananas, sugar, and oil until well combined, about 1-2 minutes. Then add the eggs, cinnamon, and vanilla and stir to combine, about 1 minute. Add the flour mixture and whisk until thoroughly combined, about 1 more minute. Then fold in the walnuts and banana chunks just to incorporate and set aside.
- In a small bowl, use your fingers to combine the flour, brown sugar, walnuts, cinnamon, and butter until the mixture is crumbly. Do not overwork. Otherwise, it will become a paste rather than crumbs.
- Spoon the batter into the prepared paper liners until almost full and top with the streusel. You will end up with about 18 muffins.
- Bake at 425°F (218°C) for 5 minutes. Then, leaving the oven door closed, lower the heat to 350°F (177°C) and bake for another 11-13 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Remove from the oven and let cool in the pan for 15 minutes. Then transfer to a wire rack and let cool completely. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days or freeze for up to 2 months.
Video
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Sharon J Mattson
These Banana Nut Muffins are the BEST EVER and i have been baking for a long time!!! I did have to add more flour and a little brown sugar to get a crumble for the top. That has happened to me in the past and i do use a scale, not sure why. Maybe the altitude.. But again Sooooo AMAZINGLY Delicious.. Can't wait to try more of your recipes!!
Vienna
I made them exactly according to the recipe and they are amazing. I might try making them with an oat streusel topping next time. This is the first time I’ve made anything from the blog but it was a complete success - I’m excited to try more of your recipes! Thanks!
Priscilla
Great recipe! Turned out moist and delicious! Was also quick and easy to make.
Anessa Petteruti
Wow; these look so amazing!!! 🙂 YUM
Sabine
Thank you so much, Anessa!
Trisha
I've just taken them out of the oven and tried one. I love everything about it. And the house smells so good!
Sabine
That the house smells sweet is one of the best parts of baking. Thank you so much for your feedback, Trisha!