These Banana Walnut Muffins are as hearty as they are delicious. Packed full of sweet bananas, a robust punch of cinnamon, and crunchy walnuts, they are sure to sweeten your day!
We love a delicious, savory breakfast like my Easiest Ham & Cheese Casserole or my Farmer’s Breakfast Crustless Quiche, but when we want a sweet breakfast treat, these Banana Walnut Muffins are my go-to! These Banana Walnut Muffins are my take on a delicious classic and it’s one of my favorite ways to use up overripe bananas. They're the perfect on-the-go breakfast or snack. And speaking of snacks...
Did you know that kids like to snack? A lot. I feel like every time I turn around, my kids are telling me they’re hungry or asking for a snack. Having healthy, homemade snacks and treats around is a must if I want to keep my sanity! While this recipe is a sweet treat and should be enjoyed periodically, it is packed with heart-healthy minerals like potassium and magnesium, and vitamin B6 which has been proven beneficial for brain health and to improve immune function.
Be sure to bake a double or triple batch to have on hand for when snack time hits. These muffins freeze beautifully and can thaw at room temperature in about 15 minutes. They're also a great addition to home-packed school lunches!
This Banana Walnut Muffin Recipe requires simple ingredients like:
Bananas
For the best flavor, you’ll want to use bananas that are very ripe. The peels should be really brown, and the banana should be slightly mushy. This will provide the sweetest natural flavor. You should be able to use a standard kitchen fork to mash the bananas.
Flour
You can absolutely use gluten-free flour for this recipe; however, I used organic, unbleached, all-purpose flour. To ensure accurate flour measurements, use a spoon to add the flour to your measuring cup and level it off with a flat edge, like the back of a butterknife.
Applesauce
Unsweetened applesauce not only adds additional fiber, but it acts as a binder for the dry ingredients. The high water content found in applesauce also adds additional moisture and helps keep the muffins from drying out.
Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt
To get a nice, tall rise from your muffins, you'll need leveling agents like baking powder and baking soda. Both will help the muffins achieve that delicious golden color during the baking process. Just a little bit of salt will help to balance the sweetness in the muffins.
Cinnamon
Ground cinnamon adds a toasty warm richness that pairs perfectly with the sweetness of the bananas and the woodiness of the toasted walnuts.
Vanilla Extract
I absolutely love my homemade vanilla extract and will likely never return to the store-bought version again! Homemade extracts offer a cleaner flavor, meaning they don’t taste artificial like the common store brands. They are also really affordable to make and easy to customize. You can check out my favorite homemade extracts here.
Walnuts
Not only do walnuts offer a delicious crunch, but they're also full of essential nutrients like omega-3 fatty acids and antioxidants, making them a great addition to banana muffins. The nutrients found in walnuts have been found to aid in inflammation and support good brain function.
For the most flavor, I like to toast the walnuts for just a minute or two over low heat. Toasting gives the walnuts a stronger aroma and intensifies their nutty flavor. Toasting also makes them even crunchier which adds a fantastic complexity.
How to Make Banana Walnut Muffins
These muffins are super easy to make and only take a few simple steps!
First, preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
Chop and toast the walnuts in a medium skillet over low heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
Next, in a medium bowl, combine all of the dry ingredients.
In a large bowl, combine all of the wet ingredients.
Begin adding dry ingredients about a half cup at a time, mixing well after each addition.
Reserve ¼ cup of the walnuts and set aside for a moment. Add the remaining walnuts to the batter and gently fold them in to combine with the batter.
Evenly distribute the batter among a 12-cup muffin pan that has been lightly greased with an avocado oil spray. I find that a cookie scoop helps to make this process easier.
Top each of the muffins with a few pinches of the reserved chopped walnuts.
Bake for approximately 18-22 minutes.
Remove from oven and allow the muffins to cool for about 5 minutes before transferring to a wire cooling rack. Cool completely.
Yield: 12 muffins
Ingredients
2 cups all-purpose flour
3 very ripe bananas, mashed
2 large eggs
1/3 cup unsweetened applesauce
1 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon baking soda
½ cup white granulated sugar
1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup finely chopped walnuts, toasted
Directions
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare a 12-cup muffin pan with liners or non-stick spray.
Chop and toast the walnuts in a medium skillet over low heat for about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool.
In a large bowl, gently whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
In a medium bowl, mix sugar, eggs, applesauce, vanilla extract, cinnamon, and bananas to combine.
Add ¾ cup of the toasted chopped walnuts to wet mixture.
Add dry ingredients to the wet ingredients mixture and mix thoroughly to combine.
Using a cookie scoop, carefully divide mixture among muffin cups.
Top each with remaining chopped walnuts.
Bake for approximately 18-22 minutes or until muffins are slightly firm and the batter has pulled away from the edges of the muffin cup. An inserted toothpick should come out clean when testing center.
Wait 5 minutes before transferring muffins to a wire cooling rack and cool completely.
Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Enjoy warm by heating in the microwave for approximately 10-15 seconds.
To freeze these Banana Walnut Muffins
Place muffins on a cookie sheet uncovered in the freezer for approximately 1 hour. Remove from the freezer and place the frozen muffins in a freezer-safe storage bag for up to 3 months.
To thaw, simply remove the desired amount of muffins from the freezer-safe storage bag and place them on a plate. Allow to thaw at room temperature for about 10-15 minutes.
If you tried this Banana Walnut Muffin recipe, we'd love to hear how they turned out. Be sure to let us know in the comments below, tag us on Instagram, or share with us on Facebook!
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