Welcome to the ultimate Banana Walnut Muffins recipe – a delightful blend of ripe bananas and crunchy walnuts that come together to create moist, tender muffins bursting with flavour.
Whether you’re looking for a quick breakfast option, a satisfying snack, or a sweet treat for dessert, these muffins are sure to hit the spot. The rich, nutty flavour of the walnuts perfectly complements the natural sweetness of the bananas, making each bite irresistibly delicious. Plus, they’re simple to make, so you can whip up a batch anytime you’re craving something homemade and comforting. Let’s dive into the recipe!
The Nutritional Benefits of Walnuts
Walnuts are a nutritional powerhouse, offering a range of health benefits that make them a valuable addition to any diet.
- Rich in heart-healthy omega-3 fatty acids, walnuts support cardiovascular health by reducing inflammation and improving cholesterol levels.
- They’re also packed with antioxidants, which help protect your cells from damage and support overall wellness.
- Walnuts are an excellent source of protein, fibre, and essential vitamins and minerals like magnesium and vitamin E, making them a great snack for boosting energy and promoting brain health. Walnuts in your diet can contribute to improved memory, cognitive function, and even a healthier gut, thanks to their fibre content. Whether enjoyed on their own, in salads, or baked into delicious treats like muffins, walnuts are a tasty way to nourish your body.
Adding walnuts in your diet can contribute to improved memory, cognitive function, and even a healthier gut, thanks to their fibre content. Whether enjoyed on their own, in salads, or baked into delicious treats like muffins, walnuts are a tasty way to nourish your body.
If you like walnuts as much as I do, please check out my Coffee Walnut Loaf Cake, Banana Walnut Cake and FLOURLESS walnut Swiss roll with coffee cream. These recipes are not only delicious, but also very easy to make. I really hope that you would enjoy them!
Why you’ll like this Banana Walnut Muffins recipe
- Irresistible flavour combination: Highlight the perfect balance of sweet bananas and crunchy walnuts.
- Quick and easy to make: Perfect for busy mornings or spontaneous cravings.
- Simple ingredients: No need for exotic or hard-to-find ingredients.
- Versatile recipe: Can be enjoyed as breakfast, snack, or dessert.
- Packed with nutrients: Highlight the benefits of bananas and walnuts.
- Lower sugar option: Ripe bananas are packed with natural sugars, making them the perfect sweetener for these delicious muffins.
Ingredients in Banana Walnut Muffins
At a Glance: Here is a quick snapshot of what ingredients are in this recipe. Please see the recipe card below for specific quantities.
- All-purpose flour: The base structure of the muffins. Provides the framework for the batter to hold its shape.
- Baking powder and baking soda: These are leavening agents, causing the muffins to rise and become light and fluffy.
- Salt: Enhances the overall flavour of the muffins and balances the sweetness.
- Walnuts: Add texture, crunch, and a nutty flavour to the muffins. Toasting the walnuts brings out their flavor.
- Eggs: Bind the ingredients together, add moisture, and contribute to the structure of the muffins.
- Vegetable oil: Provides moisture and tenderness to the muffins, ensuring a soft texture.
- Unsalted butter: Adds richness and flavour, contributing to the overall taste of the muffins.
- Light brown sugar and caster sugar: Provide sweetness and help to create a moist texture.
- Sour cream: Adds moisture and tanginess, resulting in tender and flavorful muffins.
- Vanilla extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg: Enhance the flavor of the muffins, creating a warm and inviting taste.
- Bananas: Add sweetness, moisture, and the characteristic banana flavour to the muffins.
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Tips for success
- Ripe Bananas: The riper the bananas, the sweeter the muffins. For extra sweetness, you can even freeze them and then thaw them before mashing.
- Room Temperature Ingredients: This ensures even mixing and a smoother batter.
- Toast the Walnuts: Toasting enhances the nutty flavour of the walnuts.
- Gentle Mixing: Over mixing can lead to tough muffins. Mix just until the ingredients are combined.
- Fold in the Dry Ingredients: This helps to maintain the lightness of the batter.
- Preheat Oven: Ensure your oven is preheated to the correct temperature for even baking.
Check out the video tutorial
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Recipe Frequently Asked Questions
You can store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Yes, they are. You can wrap the muffins separately with tin foil and plastic wrap before place them in the freezer. Let them thaw on the countertop for 15 to 30 minutes, remove the plastic wrap then reheat them wrapped in tin foil in a preheated oven for 10 to 15 minutes.
Using a cupcake / muffin tin to ensure even baking and prevents the muffins from spreading.
Yes, you can. Be careful not to over fill it as the batter might spill out during baking. Try to fill the muffin / cupcake liners about 2/3 full to allow for rising.
More muffin recipes you might like
- Chocolate Chip Hazelnut Muffins
- Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins with Streusel
- Lemon Coconut Muffins (Gluten Free & Refined Sugar Free)
- Healthy Savoury Sweetcorn and Carrot Muffins (Gluten Free & Dairy Free)
Banana Walnut Muffins
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 18 minutes
- Total Time: 48 minutes
- Yield: 9 muffins 1x
- Category: afternoon tea, breakfast, snacks
- Cuisine: American
Description
These banana walnut muffins combine the natural sweetness of ripe bananas with the rich, earthy flavour of walnuts, creating a moist and tender treat that’s perfect for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert.
Ingredients
- 260 grams all purpose flour
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 1/4 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon sea salt
- 140 grams walnuts (chopped + toasted)
- 2 large eggs
- 60 millilitres vegetable oil
- 30 grams unsalted butted (melted)
- 30 grams light brown sugar
- 15 grams caster sugar
- 195 grams sour cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- 2 ripe bananas (about 186 grams)
Instructions
- Preparation: Preheat the oven to 180℃ / 350℉. Line the muffin pan with tulip muffin cases.
- Chop the walnuts into small pieces and toast them in a preheated oven at 180℃ / 350 ℉ for about 10 minutes or until they turn golden brown. Keep an eye on them to avoid them getting burnt.
- Once they are done, let them cool completely.
- Get 110 grams of toasted chopped walnuts in a medium mixing bowl. Spray water mist onto them and add 2 tablespoons of flour into it. Mix well until the walnuts are coated with flour (it acts like glue and prevents the walnuts sinking down to the bottom of the batter). Set them aside.
- Turn the oven temperature up to 220℃ / 425℉ to get it nice and hot for baking the muffins.
- Make the batter: In a large mixing bowl, mix the vegetable oil and melted butter thoroughly using a whisk until they are completely blended together.
- Pour in sour cream and continue to mix until well combined. Add in the eggs, one egg at a time, mix well before adding the next one.
- Then add in the mashed banana and vanilla extract. Mix well.
- Add in the brown sugar and caster sugar. Whisk the mixture thoroughly until everything is well incorporated.
- Place a sieve on top of the mixing bowl, sift in the remaining flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Gently fold / mix the dry ingredients into the mixture until there are no dry bits in the mixture. Please remember, do not over mix as this can cause gluten to form and can make the muffins tough.
- Finally, add in the flour-coated walnut pieces, gently fold them in until they are evenly distributed.
- Bake the muffins: Scoop the batter into the tulip muffin cases almost to the top (around 95% full) using an ice cream scoop to avoid mess.
- Once the batter is evenly distributed into the cases, sprinkle the remaining 30 grams of toasted walnut pieces on top of each of them. Use your finger to gently press them into the batter to avoid them getting push up too much during baking.
- Bake in an preheated oven at 220℃ / 425℉ for the first 5 minutes to help the muffin rise (creating the classic dome effect). Then lower the oven temperature to 180℃ / 350℉ and continue to bake for further 16 to 18 minutes or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.
- Once they are done, remove the muffins from the oven and let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes.
- When you can comfortably handle them, place them on a wire rack to cool down completely. This allows air to circulate around the muffins, preventing them from becoming soggy on the bottom.
- Serve them warm with a cup of coffee! Enjoy!
Notes
- Watch my video tutorial to see me how to make these muffins in action.
- The muffins can be stored in an airtight containers for up to 3 days on the countertop.
- They are also freezer friendly. Unwrap the muffin case, then wrap each in a tin foil and they will keep in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
- To thaw- place the frozen muffin still in the tin foil on the countertop for around 30 minutes, then heat up, still in the tin foil, in a preheated oven at 180℃ / 350℉ for around 10 minutes. Delicious!
- Feel free to substitute the walnuts with hazelnuts or any kinds of nuts or seeds of your choice.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 308kcal
- Sugar: 11.2g
- Sodium: 2970mg
- Fat: 19.3g
- Saturated Fat: 2.5g
- Carbohydrates: 29.4g
- Fiber: 5.9g
- Protein: 7.2g
- Cholesterol: 83mg
It would be fantastic if you could take a moment to rate this recipe with stars ⭐️ after trying it. Your feedback helps other readers!
Thanks for joining me in the kitchen today. Keep Baking!
This Post Has 2 Comments
Brown sugar? None listed in the recipe
Hi Karen,
Thank you so much for pointing that out! I apologise for the oversight. I’ve now added the missing ingredient to the recipe card. I really appreciate your understanding, and I hope you enjoy making the recipe! Happy baking! 😊