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 - Once Upon a Chef

Banana Nut Muffins

By Jenn Segal

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

Preheat the oven to 350°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners.
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.
For the Muffins: In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.
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.
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.
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

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