Banana Nut Muffins
Learn how to make bakery style banana nut muffins with simple everyday ingredients! This easy banana nut muffin recipe will impress everyone with those big domed muffin tops loaded with nuts!
Any good banana muffin starts with ripe or (even better) over ripe bananas! You want to mash those babies well. Use a potato masher, electric mixer or blender for this step. You need about 1 & 1/2 cups mashed bananas.
I normally put my bananas in my mixing bowl and use my electric mixer to blend them. I like this method since I’ll be using my mixer to combine the batter anyway – no need to get something else dirty!
Ingredients
- bananas: adds banana flavor and moisture
- vegetable oil: adds fat and moisture
- brown sugar: adds sweetness and flavor
- egg: binds the batter together by providing structure
- vanilla extract: adds flavor
- all purpose flour: flour is necessary to build structure
- baking soda: helps to leaven and lift the batter
- cinnamon: banana muffins benefit from cinnamon!
- salt: just a pinch to balance the sweetness and enhances the other flavors
How to Make Banana Nut Muffins
- Mash the bananas in a blender, mixing bowl or with potato masher.
- In a mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stir together with a spatula. Add in 3/4 cup of nuts, stir until combined.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Fill the liners to the top with batter. Press the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts onto the tops of the muffins.
- Bake for 9 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven turn the temperature down to 375ºF and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
How to Create Bakery Style Muffin Tops
Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have domed tops
1. THE REST PERIOD
Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest.
2. BAKE AT HIGH TEMPERATURE INITIALLY
Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) for 9 minutes then lower to 375ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, producing a domed shaped.
3. FILL THEM TO THE TOP
Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.
How to Make Muffins Gluten Free
I’ve made these muffins with both regular and gluten free flour with AWESOME results on multiple occasions. I recommend King Arthur’s Gluten Free Measure for Measure Flour. Use it as a one for one substitute for regular flour.
How to Freeze Muffins
Allow the muffins to cool completely first. I like to wrap two muffins together (the bottoms of the muffins touching) in plastic wrap, then place all the wrapped bundles in a ziplock bag.
To thaw, either let them come to room temperature on the counter or place as many as you need in the microwave for 15 second intervals.
Total Time Required
- 5 minutes to prep the batter
- 15 minute rest (this helps produce domed tops!)
- Bake for 9 minutes at 425ºF
- Bake for 13-15 minutes at 375ºF
- 10 minutes to cool
Tips for Making Banana Nut Muffins
- Do not swap baking soda for baking powder
- Allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes
- Top the muffins with lots of nuts and sanding sugar for a true bakery style muffin
- Bake at a higher temperature initially to cause the muffins to rise quickly
More Muffin Recipes
Banana Nut Muffins
Ingredients
- 3-4 large ripe bananas, about 1 & 1/2 cups mashed
- ⅓ cup vegetable oil
- ½ cup brown sugar
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 ½ cups
all purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 ¼ cups chopped nuts, divided (I recommend walnuts or pecans)
Instructions
- Mash the bananas in a blender, mixing bowl with mixer or with potato masher.
- In a mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, brown sugar, egg and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula or mixer on low.
- Add in the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt, stir together with a spatula or mix on low. Add in 3/4 cup of nuts – reserve the remaining 1/2 cup for the top of the muffins. Stir until combined.
- Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
- Line a muffin pan with muffin liners. Fill the liners to the top with batter. Yes – to the top! Press the remaining 1/2 cup of nuts onto the tops of the muffins. Add sanding sugar if desired.
- Bake for 9 minutes at 425ºF, then keeping the muffins in the oven turn the temperature down to 375ºF and bake for 13-15 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes before moving them to a cooling rack.
Can I use coconut oil instead of vegetable oil?
I haven’t tried it myself, but I would say go for it!
Can you make this in a jumbo muffin tin?
Yes but the baking time will be longer – not sure the exact time because I haven’t tried it myself!
I did and they came out well. I did the 9 minutes at 425 degrees and then 15-20 minutes at 375.
Just made them. They turned out beautifully with the domed top. Very impressed!
This recipe looks great. I’m baking them now in the oven. Can’t wait to eat one. Will follow up soon.
Sooo Delicious!!! I’m in love with this recipe. Wish I could add a picture. Thank you for sharing.
Just took them out of the oven they look and smell delicious!!! Stirred them up by hand let the batter rest and then baked 350 until toothpick came out clean about 18 minutes.
I have these in the oven right now and I cant wait to try them, they are making the house linger with a smell of a bakery… YUM
How long will they taste fresh without freezing them?
Up to 4 ish days!
These smell so amazing. My five year old helped me make them and she can’t wait to have one! Thank you so much for the recipe!
I didn’t have liners. I placed them in my squared baking pan. Excited to taste!
In the oven now! I’ve added blueberries to mine. Smells yummy & can’t wait for my family to try them….
I like the idea of adding blueberries
These are amazing. I made them gluten free with the 1:1 mix and you can’t tell. I’m adding these to my menu for my treat business.
Luvva luvva your tips and notes cuz it all came out awesomely! Wish I could post a pic 💜
I made these yesterday and they tasted delicious. My only question is why didn’t they come out of the muffin paper liners easily. Toward the base and bottom had to be peeled out. Advice?
What kind of muffin liners and pan did you use?
Spray the liners lightly with Pam or equivalent. Works wonderfully!
It’s a whole new ball game with this one
Perfect recipe – could be sweeter, but that’s all relative. I have a sweet tooth! May up the sugar next time or maybe add honey or maple syrup in addition to brown sugar.
Very fluffy, not heavy at all. Can’t believe how much difference the resting for 15 minutes makes. You can tell as you’re scooping batter into muffin tin. Nice and light. Thanks so much for sharing! This will be my go-to recipe from now on.
Wish I could post photos. Very pretty, too! Sprinkled with sparkling sugar and nuts.
Superb muffin. So moist. Loved the topping💖. First time making this recipe
These muffins are delicious! I added hemp hearts in place of the nuts and they are delicious. Next time I think I will toast the hemp hearts. 😊
Worked as pictured :)
I let my batter rest for the first time ever and my muffins turned out beautifully! Thanks so much for the great tip…also I added a craisons ..dried cranberries…
Such a great recipe👍
They are absolutely delicious and they look soooooooooo nice!!! Thank you for this fantastic recipe!!! I already tasted one of them and it is perfect!!! Not too sweet and I love all the walnuts !!! Next time I will use pecans. I love both kinds of nuts so this is great!!!
We loved this recipe. Not to sweet, and so moist. Hubby said to make more. Thank you for sharing.
They were SOOOO good. I will be making these again!
What is the best way to store them? Sealed Tupperware? Zip lock back?
In the fridge? On the counter?
Made them for the second time today! I set my timer in 5 minute increments after lowering the temperature because I cooked them a little too long the first time I made them. I think my total time was 18 minutes.
Hi Shaylee! In a tupperware container on the counter!
These muffins are so delicious and husband approved! keeping this recipe for sure. I did add about 1/3 cup Greek yogurt out of habit.
Did you use Greek yogurt to replace something or as an addition?
I’m looking to make the extra large muffins, would I double the recipe to do that. I don’t see where this recipe states how many muffins thus yields and I’m assuming that’s a standard size muffin.
Hi Mechele! This recipe yields 12 standard muffins, it’s under the prep time, cook time section in the recipe card.
Are you using a jumbo sized muffin pan? If so, I would recommend doubling the recipe.
PERFECTION! Moist, great texture, incredible flavor balance. The tip to let the batter sit was a game changer. I used silicone pan without liners with great results. Nom!
Beth these are absolutely delicious. I was up very early this morning baking, while it was still cool in Las Vegas. I can always count on you for wonderful muffin recipes! I have your orange cake and coffee cake muffin recipes printed to bake this week. Thanks so much!!
This is the best banana nut muffin recipe I have ever made. I make maybe 2 batches a week. Love it, thank you for posting it.
Theses muffins are SO good! The dome just makes them perfect!
I really loved this recipe and was even able to substitute part of the flour for oat flour and still got great domes!!
I can’t wait to try some of the other recipes. Thank you!!!!
The directions for this helped me make my first successful batch of banana muffins ever! I added 1/4 cup extra brown sugar and dusted lightly with white sugar, and they came out great!