Once you sink your teeth into one of these banana walnut muffins, you’ll be hooked. They’re moist, tender, and loaded with real banana flavor and a smattering of walnuts. Finished with a buttery raw cane sugar topping, they’re the perfect grab-and-go breakfast or snack.
I have two beautiful daughters – a tween and a teen – who ask me to make muffins or blueberry crepes just about every weekend. Sundays, mostly. And the top request is to make these particular muffins over and over again. Luckily for me, they are super quick and easy to make and a great way to use up overripe bananas. Moist and tender with the perfect raw cane sugar topping, this banana muffins recipe is excellent as a quick breakfast or snack but even better slathered with butter alongside a whole brunch spread.
Why We Love Banana Walnut Muffins
- Texture-perfect. The sour cream and bananas make these classic muffins wonderfully moist. The sour cream also contributes a tenderness that takes them over the top, and you also have the crunch of the walnuts scattered throughout. Can’t get any better!
- That raw sugar topping. I love the subtle addition of raw sugar to the tops of these muffins. It provides the perfect bit of sweetness and a subtle crunch.
- Quick and easy. You’ll only need about 15 minutes in the kitchen before you pop these babies in the oven. Plus, the steps are super easy to follow. Then, in just 20-25 minutes of baking time, you’ll be ready to dive into some of the best muffins ever.
- An any time of day treat. Banana walnut muffins are sweet but not too sweet, making them perfect for breakfast, snack, or even dessert.
Recipe Ingredients
Are you ready for some delightful banana and walnut muffins? You’ll need a few simple ingredients like all-purpose flour, ripe bananas, and chopped walnuts along with a handful of other baking staples.
- All-purpose flour – For the best results, I recommend sticking with all-purpose flour for this recipe to make sure these muffins turn out delicious.
- Baking soda – The baking soda helps the muffins rise as they bake so they turn out nice and light and fluffy.
- Salt – You need the salt to balance out the sweetness of the muffins.
- Ground Cinnamon – Sometimes I will add a pinch of ground nutmeg as well.
- Brown sugar – Light or dark brown sugar will work here. If you want a deeper, more molasses flavor, go with dark brown sugar.
- Unsalted butter – Required for both the batter and to mix with the cane sugar; ensure it’s at room temperature for proper creaming with the sugar.
- Eggs – I suggest using room-temperature eggs because they mix more easily into the batter.
- Vanilla extract
- Sour cream – The sour cream adds to the tenderness of the muffins.
- Bananas – You want to use over-ripe bananas. They have a higher sugar content and mash up better, which will yield sweeter muffins with a superior texture.
- Walnuts – The walnuts are optional. You could use a different nut (pecans would be great) or leave them out altogether. Alternatively, replace the nuts with raisins, chocolate chips, or fresh blueberries.
- Raw cane sugar – You’ll use the raw cane sugar to top the muffins before you bake them. This step is optional but I think it makes a world of a difference.
How To Make Banana Walnut Muffins
Let’s get to baking! Follow these simple steps to create a batch of deliciously nutty banana walnut muffins. I have a feeling they’ll quickly become a household favorite!
- Prep. Preheat the oven to 350°F and grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter.
- Combine the dry ingredients. In a bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
- Combine the wet ingredients. Using a mixer, cream the brown sugar and butter until fluffy and lighter in color. Mix in the eggs, one at a time, followed by the vanilla, and then the sour cream.
- Mash the bananas. Mash the bananas until mostly smooth.
- Put it all together. Mix the bananas into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Mix in the dry ingredients and then fold in the walnuts.
- Bake. Fill each muffin tin to the brim, brush the muffins with melted butter and sprinkle with raw cane sugar. Bake for 20-25 minutes.
- Cool. Cool the muffins in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack.
Tips for Success
- Room temperature butter. Allow the butter to soften at room temperature before beginning. If it is too cold, it won’t cream properly with the butter and sugar.
- Cream thoroughly. When creaming together the butter and sugar, it is important to do so until the mixture has lightened significantly in color and become fluffy. By doing so, you are incorporating air into the batter to yield lighter, fluffier cupcakes.
- Measure the flour carefully. Baking is a science. As such, it’s important to measure everything carefully, especially the flour. Too much flour can yield dry, dense muffins. If you use too little flour, your muffins will turn out sticky and dense. Instead of scooping flour out of the bag, use a spoon to fill the measuring cup and then level it off with a butter knife.
- Don’t over-mix. When adding the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients, mix just until everything is combined. Over-mixing can cause the glutens in the flour to over-develop, which usually results in dense, tough muffins.
- Don’t over-bake. Overbaking is a one way ticket to dry muffins. So set a timer and check the muffins at 20 minutes and then again every couple of minutes after until a toothpick inserted in the center of a muffin comes out mostly clean. I also suggest using an oven thermometer to make sure your oven is preheated to the proper temperature.
Serving Suggestions
I love serving these banana muffins warm, sliced in half and spread with a pat of melted butter. Maybe even a drizzle of honey or a slather of jam as well.
How To Store Muffins
- To store. Once the muffins have cooled to room temperature, seal them in an airtight container and store them on the counter for up to 4 days. Alternatively, wrap each in a double layer of plastic wrap and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months to be thawed when needed. I do not recommend storing muffins in the fridge. They will dry out.
- To reheat. You certainly don’t have to reheat these muffins but I prefer them warm. Allow a muffin to thaw (if applicable) before covering it with a damp paper towel and microwaving in 15-second intervals until warm.
More Muffin Recipes To Try
In a muffin mood? Here are some of my other top picks for you to try. Let me know which ones make it to your favorites list.
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Prep. Preheat your oven to 350°F and liberally grease a 12-cup muffin tin with butter.
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Combine the dry ingredients. In a medium mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Set aside.
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Cream. In a separate large mixing bowl, using an electric mixer at medium speed, cream together the brown sugar and butter until fluffy and significantly lighter in color.
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Combine the wet ingredients. Beat the eggs into the creamed butter, one egg at a time, scraping down the batter as needed. Then, mix in the vanilla and sour cream. Set aside.
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Mash the bananas. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until they are pretty smooth but not completely. You still want some chunks in there.
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Put it all together. Beat the mashed bananas into the creamed butter and sugar mixture. Then, with the mixer on low, gradually add the flour mixture to the creamed mixture and mix until just combined; don’t overmix. Finally, using a rubber spatula, fold in the walnuts. The batter will be thick.
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Prepare to bake. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each cup almost to the brim. Brush the tops of the muffins with melted butter and sprinkle a liberal pinch of raw cane sugar over each.
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Bake. Bake for 22-26 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
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Cool. Remove from the oven and let the muffins cool in the tin for a few minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
- Flour Swap: If you’re looking to add a bit of whole grain, you can replace half of the all-purpose flour with whole wheat flour.
- Nuts: I like the walnuts here because they add a crunchy texture and a subtle sweetness.
- Sugar Topping: Skipping the raw cane sugar on top is an option, but I’d suggest you try it. It not only sweetens the muffins but also gives them a delightful crunch.
- Sour Cream Alternatives: Use your preferred sour cream, or switch it up with yogurt.
- Storing for Later: You can freeze the muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge. If you like them warm, you can heat them up in the microwave.
Serving: 1 muffin | Calories: 437 kcal | Carbohydrates: 46 g | Protein: 5 g | Fat: 27 g | Saturated Fat: 14 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 6 g | Trans Fat: 1 g | Cholesterol: 87 mg | Sodium: 317 mg | Potassium: 215 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 26 g | Vitamin A: 716 IU | Vitamin C: 3 mg | Calcium: 49 mg | Iron: 2 mg
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
