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Banana Nut Muffins

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Lightly sweetened with honey, these fluffy banana nut muffins are a delicious way to use up overripe bananas.

banana nut muffins

When I was in culinary school, the chefs would randomly (and terrifyingly!) inspect our trash cans to make we hadn’t tossed any scraps that could be repurposed into something else. I quickly learned that absolutely nothing is wasted in restaurant kitchens: stale bread becomes breadcrumbs and croutons; bones become stock; vegetable odds and ends become soup; cake trimmings become dessert trifles; and old bananas become muffins, banana cake, banana bread or banana ice cream.

These fluffy banana nut muffins sweetened with honey and enriched with Greek yogurt are one of my favorite ways to use up overripe bananas. Instead of folding the walnuts into the batter, I toss them with honey and cinnamon and sprinkle them over top to give each muffin a sweet and crunchy lid.

“Just made these and they turned out amazing. Super moist and fluffy…The sweetness is perfect, not too sweet. This is the perfect muffin recipe.”

Daniella

What You’ll Need To Make Banana Nut Muffins

ingredients for banana nut muffins
  • Chopped Walnuts: Adds crunch and nutty flavor to the muffin topping.
  • Honey: Provides natural sweetness and helps to bind the topping. Additionally, it adds sweetness and moisture to the muffins.
  • Cinnamon: Adds warmth and spice to enhance the flavor of the topping.
  • All-Purpose Flour: The base for your muffins. Measure it by spooning it into the measuring cup and leveling it off to ensure accuracy.
  • Baking Powder and Baking Soda: Act as leavening agents, helping the muffins rise. Additionally, the baking soda reacts with acidic ingredients for extra lift.
  • Butter: Adds richness, flavor, and moisture to the muffins.
  • Sugar: Sweetens the muffins and contributes to their texture.
  • Eggs: Add richness, help bind the ingredients together, and provide structure.
  • Mashed Bananas: Offer moisture, sweetness, and banana flavor. The browner and spottier your bananas, the better.
  • Vanilla Extract: Enhances the flavor of the muffins.
  • Greek Yogurt or Sour Cream: Adds moisture and tenderness to the muffins.
  • Jump to the printable recipe for precise measurements

Step-by-Step Instructions

ingredients for muffin topping in mixing bowl

To begin, make the walnut topping: In a small bowl, toss the nuts with the honey and cinnamon until the nuts are evenly coated (the mixture will be sticky). Set aside.

stirring nut topping

Next, combine the dry ingredients for the muffins in a medium bowl.

dry ingredients in bowl for banana nut muffins

Whisk and set aside.

whisked dry ingredients in bowl

In a large bowl of an electric mixer, combine the butter, sugar and honey.

butter, sugar and honey in mixing bowl

Beat until fluffy, about 2 minutes.

creaming butter mixture

Beat in the eggs one at a time.

beating in the eggs

Add the banana, vanilla, and yogurt (or sour cream).

adding sour cream, bananas, and vanilla

Beat until blended (the batter will look grainy; that’s okay).

banana nut muffin wet mixture mixed in bowl

Add the dry ingredients.

adding dry ingredients to wet ingredients

The batter will look like this.

finished batter for banana nut muffins

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin (the cups will be very full) and sprinkle evenly with the nut topping.

banana nut muffin batter in muffin cups with walnut topping

Bake the muffins until the tops are golden and domed, 25 to 28 minutes.

baked banana nut muffins cooling on rack

Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

Frequently Asked Questions

How can I ripen bananas quickly?

Banana nut muffins, banana bread, and banana cookies are best when your bananas are overripe, so you’re looking for them to be pretty brown and spotty. If your bananas are not quite ripe enough for baking, you can speed things up by placing them in a brown paper bag and folding down the top. The natural ethylene gas produced by the bananas is trapped in the bag, which accelerates the ripening process.

Can banana nut muffins be made in advance?

Sure! Banana nut muffins keep nicely, covered, at room temperature, for up to 4 days. 

Can banana nut muffins be frozen?

Absolutely, the muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or resealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 to 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

What can I use in place of nuts for the topping?

It’s fine to omit the nuts; just add the cinnamon to the dry ingredients. Or if you’d still like a crunchy topping, you can try a nut-free granola or a sprinkling of coarse sugar (omit the honey).

banana nut muffins

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Banana Nut Muffins

Lightly sweetened with honey, these fluffy banana nut muffins are a delicious way to use up overripe bananas.

Servings: 12 muffins
Prep Time: 20 Minutes
Cook Time: 25 Minutes
Total Time: 55 Minutes

Ingredients

For the Walnut Topping

  • 1 cup chopped walnuts
  • 1 tablespoon honey
  • 1 teaspoon cinnamon

For the Muffins

  • 1⅔ cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1 teaspoon baking soda
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • 1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
  • ⅔ cup sugar
  • ¼ cup honey
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup mashed bananas, from 2 to 3 overripe bananas
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  • ⅓ cup Greek yogurt or sour cream (low fat is fine)

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
  2. Make the walnut topping: In a small bowl, toss the nuts with the honey and cinnamon until the nuts are evenly coated (the mixture will be sticky). Set aside.
  3. For the Muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
  4. In a large bowl of an electric mixer, beat the butter, sugar, and honey until fluffy, about 2 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time, beating until fully incorporated between additions. Add the mashed bananas, vanilla, and yogurt (or sour cream) and beat until blended (the batter will look grainy; that's okay). Add the dry ingredients and mix on low speed until well blended.
  5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin (the cups will be very full) and sprinkle evenly with the nut topping. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden and domed, 25 to 28 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.
  6. Freezer-Friendly Instructions: The muffins can be frozen in an airtight container or sealable plastic bag for up to 3 months. Thaw for 3 – 4 hours on the countertop before serving. To reheat, wrap individual muffins in aluminum foil and place in a preheated 350°F oven until warm.

Nutrition Information

Powered by Edamam

  • Serving size: 1 muffin
  • Calories: 302
  • Fat: 15 g
  • Saturated fat: 6 g
  • Carbohydrates: 38 g
  • Sugar: 21 g
  • Fiber: 2 g
  • Protein: 5 g
  • Sodium: 216 mg
  • Cholesterol: 52 mg

This website is written and produced for informational purposes only. I am not a certified nutritionist and the nutritional data on this site has not been evaluated or approved by a nutritionist or the Food and Drug Administration. Nutritional information is offered as a courtesy and should not be construed as a guarantee. The data is calculated through an online nutritional calculator, Edamam.com. Although I do my best to provide accurate nutritional information, these figures should be considered estimates only. Varying factors such as product types or brands purchased, natural fluctuations in fresh produce, and the way ingredients are processed change the effective nutritional information in any given recipe. Furthermore, different online calculators provide different results depending on their own nutrition fact sources and algorithms. To obtain the most accurate nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator.

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Comments

  • I love your recipes so much that I have tried so many of them. My colleagues thought that I am a good baker when I am simply copying yours. One friend requested for banana with chocolate chip muffins, can I simply replace nuts with chocolate chips?

    • Hi Shirley, I’m so sorry for the late reply! Somehow your comment got filed under spam and I’m just now seeing it. Anyway, I would probably stir the chocolate chips into the batter (but dust them with a touch of flour first so they don’t sink to the bottom). You can also sprinkle a few on top if you like. Glad you are enjoying the recipes!

  • My kids loved these muffins and so did my husband. So happy friends referred me to once upon a chef. I’m such a fan

    • Thanks, Tara!

  • Thank you so much for a wonderful recipe. I don’t generally bake but the moment I saw this recipe, I wanted to try. The muffins were very delicious and tastes like store bought.
    Thank u so much.

  • Mine didn’t rise. My baking powder was fine, but the muffins are flat. Any ideas?

    • Hi Dana, These muffins don’t rise especially high — they are more delicate and cake-like, which means they won’t dome.

  • How much is 1 stick butter.

    • Hi Yati, One stick of butter is 1/2 cup, 4 ounces, or 113 grams.

  • Will the muffins come out good if I add 4 bananas? Or would it affect it and not come out the same?

    • Hi Sarah, That’s a lot of extra bananas — I’d stick to the recipe for the best results. Sorry!

  • Amazing!!!!!
    The banana, honey and walnut recipe is sooooooo yummy…. A winner for all!!
    Can’t wait to try her other recipes, I can’t believe how great it was!

  • Thank you for this wonderful recipe! We tried it and replaced the regular sugar with brown sugar, and all purpose flour with 1 cup of whole wheat flour and 1/2 cup of rolled oats(instant).Turned out really tasty and healthy!

  • Looking after ‘the boys’ in the school holidays and they loved the Banana Honey Walnut Muffins!! Recipe was well set out for me — only had to Google the weight of a Stick of Butter as that isn’t a term used in Australia!!
    Thank you.

  • I followed this recipie to a T and it was so easy to make. My son said he didn’t want walnuts but I added them anyway and he loved it. My apartment smelled of bananas and honey! Next time i would try it with whole wheat flour and either reducing the honey or the sugar by just a bit. but my mom who is such a picky eater loved it. Going to freeze half the batch for breakfast To serve my son whenever! Thanks for the yummy recipe.

  • These were really delicious! We replaced the butter with coconut oil and had no issues at all. These will be going into regular rotation in our home.

  • Just mde these, they’re great! So moist and flavorful. I also (by mistake) added the cinnamon to the batter and the topping, and they are awesome! Thank you for the recipe, it’s a keeper!!

  • Love this recipe!!! Thank you. Beautiful photos, too.

  • I haven’t made this yet, but I want to completely get rid of the sugar and change the recipe to 2 overripe bananas. Would that be enough to make it less sweet? Or should I cut down on the honey as well? I’m hoping it won’t mess with the consistency, I just want lightly sweetened muffins. Can’t wait to try these!

    • Hi Yuliya, I’m afraid I can’t advise omitting the sugar — it will definitely change the consistency. Sorry!

  • Since I also hate to waste any uneaten bananas I puree mine and then freeze in small containers. When I need to use in a recipe, it’s easy to thaw. Have found it works better than freezing whole bananas. Love all your recipes, Jenn! You inspire me every week and my husband loves the results.

  • So simple and quick to make. Absolutely delicious. I loved the honey walnuts on top! Thank you for the recipe. I went 1/3 cup less on the sugar and they still tasted deliciously sweet!

  • Wonderful muffins. I took them to work and everyone loved them. So easy to make. I signed up for your email newsletter last week and wasn’t sure when to expect my first newsletter. Thank you!

    • So glad you enjoyed the muffins, Susie! Thank you for subscribing to my newsletter. I’ve been away for the holidays so it has not gone out in a few weeks, but I plan to resume in the next few days.

  • I’ve never made muffins before today and I’m 20. However, these muffins came out amazing and i was able to impress my wife and mother in law and even myself. Just wanted to say thanks for the recipe.

  • These were a major hit today – I made them first thing this morning, and the hubby gobbled them up when he got home from work for breakfast. 🙂

  • Back to school planning in progress. Looking for something I can make in advance and then have quick breakfasts ready for a 5 yr old and 8 yr old that are sorta picky. I think they would like these if I made them, but thoughts on freezing and serving at later date? Also, do you think if I made the nuts really fine in a food processor, would it hide them from a kid, but allow the flavor to still come through? I’m a sneaky parent when it comes to introducing new things to the kids.

    • They freeze beautifully. Grinding the nuts would work but not sure your kids won’t notice them — I know my picky daughter can spot a nut from a mile away 🙂

  • Wonderful muffins. Made these and took them when we were going fishing. Got the boat launched, then had a great breakfast of these muffins. With a piece of fresh fruit and a cup of coffee was ready for a morning of good fishing.

  • Ѕuperb, what a webpage it is! This web site presents useful information to us, keep it up.

  • I cannot wait to try this before all of the bananas disappear! My four year old loves bananas. 🙂

  • This muffin recipe is simply divine….I love baking muffins and this is one of the best recipes I’ve ever made. The honey flavor makes this muffin not too sweet and the added walnut topping makes is yummerific!

  • These muffins were amazing! I never knew what to do with my old bananas! This is one of my go to favorites! Love you e-blast! Thank You! Thank You!

  • I loved this recipe. The muffins turned out perfect!

  • Almost all my muffins turn out bland and just plain bad. This one and the chocaholic ones on here are the only two muffin recipes that I have ever made and were good.
    Thank you for these!!

  • Plain delicous! These are the best muffins I’ve ever made.

  • These were awesome. I substituted agave nectar for the honey as that’s what I had on hand. It probably made it a little sweeter but my kids didn’t complain :).

  • Classic yummy!

  • I’m stuffing my face with a just-cooled Banana Honey-Walnut muffin as I type. Banana and honey are 2 of my favorite flavors, especially combined. I am adoring this recipe, since it really lets the honey shine through. The honey/cinnamon walnuts are a great topper and give a nice crunch. For muffins, these really have a wonderful fluffy texture. As you suggested, I used 1/2 c whole wheat and 1 c AP flour. My husband doesn’t like walnuts, so I left the topping off of 6 muffins but threw in a handful of dark chocolate chips to half of the batter. This is going in my permanent recipe file! Oh, and thanks for the tip on defrosting the banana in a bowl, you weren’t kidding about the leak factor.

  • Great blend of being superbly moist with a crunch! A family favorite.

  • I love these muffins

  • hi!! thank you for this lovely recipe. i will soon try this. i had a query, i would like to know if i can use another substitute for granulated sugar as i am going to bake it for my mom who is diabetic! 😀

    • Hi Sharmeen, I think that would be just fine. Hope you and your mom enjoy the muffins!

  • These sound delicious. Can’t wait to try them.

  • I made these yesterday with my 3 year old son and they came out perfect! I love the topping and the batter is so light and fluffy. Yum!

  • I wanted to comment on how delicious, light and fluffy these muffins are! My whole family loves them. I also think they would be fantastic as cupcakes just skip the nuts on top and frost with cream cheese icing!

  • Hey Jennifer! I wanted to comment to enter your AWESOME giveaway and also let you know that these muffins are so awesome that my sister in law made them after I made them and her three little sons gobbled them up! She made them even more decadent by using half and half in place of milk because she was trying to use stuff up in the fridge. yum. thanks for the great recipe. -Meg

  • these are heavenly! i made 6 jumbo muffins instead of 12 regular muffins… yum.

  • I made these this morning for a group breakfast they are sooo yummy! Thanks for the great idea I will post them on your FB wall soon!

  • I also collect ripe bananas in my freezer but cut into chunks for smoothies. This recipe sounds amazing and I will be making it this weekend!

  • I just made this and they are delcious! The best banana nut muffins I’ve made yet. Light, fluffy and yummy! Thanks for sharing.

  • ..more on frozen bananas, they are good just to eat like a popsicle, the sweetness of the fruit is intensified.

  • I like Banana Honey-Walnut Muffins. This recipe is really very nice and also it looking are great. Also here all recipes look are awesome.

    • — appointment setting
    • Reply
  • I’ve never heard of freezing old bananas! Needless to say, the one on my counter has a new destination tonight! Thanks for the tip… but I do need to ask, do you peel it before you freeze it?

    • Yes, make sure you peel your ripe bananas before freezing.
      Otherwise, they’re impossible to peel.
      Frozen bananas also make great smoothie ingredients!

      • — Margaret Corbett
      • Reply
  • these look amazing:) i cant help but freeze bananas as well. my husband is mad about banana bread, i cant wait to make some of these for him soon. thanks for sharing this.

  • My neighbor an I were just discussing our craving for a yummy muffin and here it is! And, I too, have bananas in the bottom of my freezer. Can’t wait to try these.

  • They do leak! First time I made bread from thawed, ripened bananas I was unsure if it was a good idea… The consistency is not what you have from a very ripe “fresh” banana. My husband eyed the bowl full of bananas with a mixture of disgust and much uncertainty! But the finished product yielded a taste that was divine.

    • Delicious! Didn’t change a single thing and they were perfect. Thank you, Jenn!

  • I too have a stash of yucky black bananas in my freezer! Yummy muffins!

  • I also gather old bananas in the freezer! I love honey added to anything, this recipe looks great 🙂

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