Description
This recipe for the best banana nut muffins offers bakery-style perfection at home with minimal effort, featuring the comforting aroma of cinnamon and sweet banana, making it an ideal treat for busy families or a wholesome snack.
Ingredients
- 3 large (about 1.25 cups) ripe bananas, mashed
- 280 g (2.25 cups) all-purpose flour
- 150 g (0.75 cup) granulated sugar
- 50 g (0.25 cup) light brown sugar, packed
- 1.5 teaspoons baking soda
- 0.5 teaspoon baking powder
- 0.5 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- 60 ml (0.25 cup) vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon alcohol-free vanilla extract
- 120 g (1 cup) pecans, chopped and toasted, divided
Instructions
- Prep and Preheat: Preheat your oven to 190°C (375°F). Line a 12-cup muffin tin or grease it well.
- Mash Bananas: In a large bowl, mash 3 ripe bananas until mostly smooth, leaving a few small lumps for texture.
- Combine Wet Ingredients: Whisk eggs, granulated sugar, light brown sugar, vegetable oil, and alcohol-free vanilla extract into the mashed bananas until well combined and smooth.
- Whisk Dry Ingredients: In a separate bowl, whisk flour, baking soda, baking powder, and fine sea salt until fully mixed with no lumps.
- Combine Batter: Pour wet into dry. Mix with a spatula until just combined; do not overmix, as this causes tough muffins. (If the batter looks dry, add 1-2 tablespoons milk).
- Fold in Pecans: Gently fold in 0.75 cup of the chopped, toasted pecans.
- Fill and Bake: Divide batter into 12 muffin cups, filling two-thirds full. Bake until golden brown tops and a skewer comes out clean (18-22 minutes).
- Cool Muffins: Let muffins cool in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
To make gluten-free, use a 1:1 gluten-free baking blend. For dairy-free, swap oil for plant-based butter alternative. Reduce sugar by 0.25 cup if bananas are very ripe. Add unflavored protein powder for a boost. A pinch of ground cinnamon, nutmeg, or chocolate chips can be added for extra flavor. Walnuts or a mix of sunflower and pumpkin seeds can replace pecans. Avoid overmixing batter or overbaking to prevent dry muffins. Ensure bananas aren’t too watery and muffins are fully baked to prevent soggy bottoms.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Category: Breakfast/Snack
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 320 calories
- Sugar: 28 g
- Sodium: 220 mg
- Fat: 18 g
- Saturated Fat: 5 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 13 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 45 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 5 g
- Cholesterol: 6 mg
Keywords: banana nut muffins, bakery-style, comfort food, quick snack, easy recipe, family breakfast, pecans, sweet, moist, baking