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    Home ยป Recipes ยป Muffins

    Banana Nut Muffins

    October 24, 2018 By Sam 91 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read my disclosure policy.
    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video
    Banan Nut Muffins made with Browned Butter

    Banana Nut Muffins that are better than anything you can buy at the bakery! Made with browned butter, these are truly gourmet.

    Since my banana muffins have been so popular and have received so many 5 star ratings (thank you!) I thought I’d do an extra special version with nuts and browned butter. I really think you’re going to love these!

    Banana Nut Muffin on parchment paper wrapper

    One day I’m sure I’ll run out of things to say about muffins. I’ve shared so many muffin recipes (remember my pumpkin muffins from earlier this month?) that it’s bound to happen.

    Some of you might even be glad when that happens. When a muffin recipe pops in your inbox with just a thumbs-up emoji and the recipe and none of my rambling.

    But today is not that day. Today, I want to talk to you about banana nut muffins. I need to let you know that these muffins are worth your time. They’re stop what you’re doing right now good. Soft, moist, oh-so-fluffy interiors topped off with crackly, crisp, well-sugared tops and punctuated with crunchy nuts. The. most. divine vanilla-accented buttery/banana flavor in every melt-in-your-mouth bite.

    These banana nut muffins are muffin heaven, and it all starts with one key ingredient.

    Brown Butter.

    Browned butter for banana nut muffins

    Why Use Browned Butter

    Brown butter is baking gold. It’s simply butter that’s been heated long enough to cook out the water and turn the milk solids brown. This results in a kitchen with a buttery, cozy, and slightly nutty aroma that’s better than any scent Yankee Candle could ever lay claim too. But most importantly, it’s going to add a deep, rich flavor to your banana nut muffins.

    With most of my muffin recipes, I prefer to use a blend of butter and oil. While the butter lends a great flavor to baked goods, the water content has the tendency to make your baked good come out drier (ironically)and denser than I like. To combat this, I often use a blend of butter (for flavor) and oil, which contains no water, for a moist, fluffy baked good.

    But, since we’re cooking out that water, we can use all butter and no oil for a banana nut muffin with a truly incredible flavor. I mean, truly incredible. Oh, and it’s also more formally known by its French name, buerre noisette, and if that isn’t just the fanciest sounding ingredient I’ve ever cooked with then I don’t even know what is.

    OK, I think I’m done nerding out about browned butter for the day, thanks for bearing with me. Let’s continue.

    Banana Nut Muffin in parchment paper liner

    Tips for Making Banana Nut Muffins

    • Don’t take your eyes off the butter while you’re browning it! Browned butter can become burnt butter really fast if you don’t pay attention, and if it becomes even a little burnt the taste changes from magical to awful. Burnt butter will ruin your banana nut muffins so you’ll have to toss it and start over. Don’t let this happen.
    • Cook the banana nut muffins on 2 temperatures (as indicated in the recipe). I use this technique in my chocolate chip muffins and my blueberry muffins, among others. It helps the muffins to get a nice rise on them and gives them soft fluffy interiors without burnt or tough exteriors.
    • My preferred nuts for Banana nut muffins are pecans, but walnuts or really any nut you like best will work just fine!

    Freshly baked banana nut muffin with bite out of it

    Enjoy!

    Be sure to check out my VIDEO just below the recipe! If you enjoy these videos, please consider subscribing to my YouTube Channel so you can be the first to see all of my cooking videos!

    Browned butter banana nut muffins

    Banana Nut Muffins

    How to make Banana Nut Muffins with browned butter! These are gourmet, better-than-bakery muffins and I think you'll love them!
    Instructional how-to VIDEO included below the recipe!
    5 from 29 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Prevent your screen from going dark
    Course: Breakfast
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 30 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 19 minutes minutes
    Butter Cooling Time: 20 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 1 hour hour 9 minutes minutes
    Servings: 18 muffins
    Calories: 245kcal
    Author: Sam Merritt

    Ingredients

    • 10 Tablespoons (142 g) unsalted butter cut into 10 pieces
    • 1 ½ cups (385 g) mashed ripe or over-ripe bananas* (this is typically 3 large bananas for me)
    • ½ cup (100 g) sugar
    • ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar tightly packed
    • 2 large eggs room temperature preferred
    • ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk room temperature preferred
    • 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
    • 2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour
    • 2 teaspoons cornstarch
    • 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder
    • ½ teaspoon baking soda
    • ½ teaspoon salt
    • 1 ¼ cups chopped pecans or walnuts divided
    • sugar for sprinkling optional

    Instructions

    • Begin by browning your butter. Place butter pieces in a medium-sized saucepan (preferably not a cast iron or dark-colored one as it will be hard to see when your butter begins to change color) over medium-low heat.
      10 Tablespoons (142 g) unsalted butter
    • Once butter has melted, increase heat to just above medium. Swirl butter frequently with a wooden spoon as the butter bubbles and pops. Once the bubbling/popping slows, the butter will begin to turn brown.
    • Watch the butter very carefully. Once it begins to brown and you can smell the nutty aroma of browned butter, remove from heat immediately and pour into a large heatproof bowl.
    • Allow browned butter to cool for at least 20 minutes before proceeding.
    • Once butter has cooled, preheat oven to 425F (220C) and line a muffin tin with paper liners.
    • Stir mashed bananas into butter and stir well. Add sugars and stir again.
      1 ½ cups (385 g) mashed ripe or over-ripe bananas*, ½ cup (100 g) sugar, ½ cup (100 g) light brown sugar
    • Add eggs, vanilla extract, and buttermilk and stir ingredients very well. Set aside.
      2 large eggs, 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract, ¼ cup (60 ml) buttermilk
    • In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
      2 cups (250 g) all-purpose flour, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 ½ teaspoons baking powder, ½ teaspoon baking soda, ½ teaspoon salt
    • Add the dry ingredients to your wet batter and gently fold until ingredients are mostly combined and then stir in 1 cup of pecans (reserve ¼ cup for top) until all ingredients are just combined -- do not over-mix this batter or your muffins could come out dense and dry.
      1 ¼ cups chopped pecans or walnuts
    • Portion batter into prepared muffin tin, filling each liner ¾ of the way full.
    • Sprinkle with remaining chopped pecans and coarse sugar, if using.
      sugar for sprinkling
    • Transfer muffins to oven and bake on 425F (220C) for 10 minutes and then, without opening the oven door, reduce the temperature to 350F (175C) and bake another 6-8 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs.
    • Allow to cool and enjoy!

    Notes

    *I like to use a potato masher to mash my bananas, but a fork will work well too. Make sure to mash them well!

    Nutrition

    Serving: 1muffin | Calories: 245kcal | Carbohydrates: 31g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Cholesterol: 38mg | Sodium: 124mg | Potassium: 132mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 17g | Vitamin A: 450IU | Vitamin C: 2.5mg | Calcium: 10mg | Iron: 1.1mg

    Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered an estimate only. Actual nutritional content will vary based upon brands used, measuring methods, cooking method, portion sizes, and more.

    Tried this recipe? Show me on Instagram!Mention @SugarSpun_Sam or tag #sugarspunrun!

    Freshly baked banana nut muffin

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. vlreilly

      October 19, 2022 at 7:09 pm

      I used the powdered buttermilk (mixed with water to make 1 Cup, per the directions.) Then used only 1/4 C for the recipe and put the remainder in the fridge for use in any recipe that comes up in the next few days. The buttermilk seemed watery, but the recipe came out great…moist and tasty. Even though browning of the butter was a bit time consuming, especially waiting for it to cool to room temperature, it was worth the effort especially when you realize the quantity of the end result is 18 muffins, not 12. Liked have the convenience of just grabbing a muffin instead of pulling out a loaf, cutting a slice and washing a knife each time I feel like having/serving a slice. Will definitely use this recipe again. Would like to know if I could use this same recipe for a jumbo size. Would understandably adjust baking time.

      Reply
      • Sam

        October 19, 2022 at 9:06 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them! Thank you for the feedback using the powdered buttermilk. I frequently have questions about it, but I’ve never used it to know for sure. They could be baked as jumbo muffins, but I’m not 100% sure on bake time. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    2. Kim

      September 11, 2022 at 1:26 pm

      5 stars
      The best muffin Iโ€™ve ever made, by a long shot! The browned butter gives a depth of flavor that is totally worth the effort. I followed the recipe exactly and these came out PERFECT!

      Reply
    3. Tom C

      May 08, 2022 at 7:33 pm

      5 stars
      I made these muffins for my mom and she really loved them. My dad liked them alot as well. Will definitely make these again.

      Reply
      • Sam

        May 08, 2022 at 8:50 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Tom! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    4. Marianne

      May 07, 2022 at 2:44 pm

      I too used yogurt instead of buttermilk with no added liquid, they are deliciously fool proof!

      Reply
    5. Annie

      February 13, 2022 at 4:56 pm

      What are the metric measurements for 3 ripe bananas? Either that or how many cups? Bananas vary so much in size!

      Reply
      • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

        February 14, 2022 at 4:20 pm

        Hi Annie! The average banana weighs about 118 grams, so you’ll need roughly 354 grams of mashed bananas. If it’s a little more or less, the muffins will still turn out just fine. Hope that helps ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    6. PATRICIA HYLAND

      November 09, 2021 at 10:59 am

      5 stars
      These are the very best banana nut muffins that I have ever tasted! Was worried about the extra work doing the melted butter, but it was definitely worth it. Will definitely make this again.

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 09, 2021 at 12:25 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Patricia! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    7. Alyson A

      August 22, 2021 at 11:56 am

      5 stars
      These are amazing! My 83 year old mom canโ€™t stop raving about them. The browned butter is a little extra work, but well worth it. I used butternut extract in place of vanilla. Sam, I love your trick of adding a few pecans on top for looks, which makes them as beautiful as they are delicious. I always have some overripe bananas in the freezer, and when you thaw them, they almost pour out of the peels, pre-mashed. Iโ€™ll be making these again soon!

      Reply
      • Sam

        August 22, 2021 at 9:40 pm

        I’m so glad everyone enjoyed them so much, Alyson! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    8. Andres

      March 03, 2021 at 4:01 pm

      What’s the metric measurement for the nuts?

      Reply
      • Sam

        March 03, 2021 at 10:08 pm

        I’m so sorry I missed this! It’s 156g. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Paulette

          March 08, 2023 at 4:50 pm

          I made these today and my 3 year old granddaughter loves them. She enjoyed licking the spoon and the bowl as much as the muffins. She says they are delicious. Thank you for sharing

        • Emily @ Sugar Spun Run

          March 08, 2023 at 5:18 pm

          We’re so happy you chose our recipe, Paulette! Sounds like you made some sweet memories together โค๏ธ

    9. Sarah

      February 02, 2021 at 1:41 pm

      Could you tell me the bake times you would use if you were to use mini muffin tins? Like little bite size one.
      Super excited to try this recipe. Have LOVED all your others Iโ€™ve tried!
      Thanks so much!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        February 02, 2021 at 9:23 pm

        Hi Sarah! I haven’t baked these as mini muffins so I’m not sure what the bake time would be. I would just keep an eye on them. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    10. Yamit

      December 14, 2020 at 8:59 pm

      This is a brilliant recipe!!

      Reply
      • Sam

        December 14, 2020 at 9:30 pm

        Thank you so much! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    11. Michelle Baker

      November 15, 2020 at 6:15 pm

      5 stars
      Hi Sam,
      I was watching your banana nut recipe video and I also saw the written recipe on your website. In the video, I noticed that you said to bake the muffins at 425 degrees F for 8 minutes and the written recipe said 10 minutes. Also, in the video you said to reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F and continuing baking the muffins for 7-8 minutes while the written recipe said 6-8 minutes. Can you clarify that for me please? Thank you.

      Reply
      • Sam

        November 15, 2020 at 9:21 pm

        Hi Michelle! I’m sorry about the confusion. Either will work here. I actually used the times from a different muffin in the video, but either way they will work. Sorry again for the confusion. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    12. Rachel

      October 16, 2020 at 8:04 pm

      Could I use apple sauce or anything as an egg substitute? Thank you!

      Reply
      • Sam

        October 17, 2020 at 11:36 am

        Hi Rachel! I haven’t used applesauce but I think it could work here. Let me know how it goes if you try it. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    13. Bruce

      September 22, 2020 at 7:16 am

      5 stars
      Amazing muffins! These are wonderfully light and fluffy, with a lot of banana flavor. I only had two bananas, and I didn’t need 18 muffins, so I halved the recipe, but still used the extra half banana, which added even more flavor. To avoid losing any of the browned butter flavor, I mashed the bananas in the pan I used to brown the butter, sort of “deglazing” the pan with the bananas. I filled the cups nearly to the top and got perfectly proportioned muffins.

      Be sure to cool them completely before eating, or the papers will stick very badly and you’ll lose some of your muffin, which you definitely don’t want to do.

      Reply
      • Sam

        September 23, 2020 at 9:24 pm

        I’m so glad you enjoyed them so much, Bruce! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
    14. Beri Minick

      August 07, 2020 at 2:00 pm

      Hi. If I make this in a loaf pan instead , do I adjust the cooking time ? Thank you

      Reply
      • Sugar Spun Run

        August 07, 2020 at 2:28 pm

        Hi, Beri! If you wish to make it in a loaf pan, I would reccomend using my Banana Bread Recipe instead. This recipe will guide you on bake time. Enjoy! ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
        • Beri Minick

          August 07, 2020 at 7:07 pm

          Actually made this recipe in the loaf and came out fabulous . Thanks

        • Sam

          August 08, 2020 at 11:38 am

          I’m glad you enjoyed it! ๐Ÿ™‚

    15. Cheryl

      July 28, 2020 at 6:34 pm

      Hi, could you substitute Greek yogurt for the buttermilk?

      Reply
      • Sam

        July 29, 2020 at 3:50 pm

        Hi Cheryl! It most likely wouldn’t be a 1 to 1 substitute. You would probably need to add some extra liquid, but I haven’t tried it so I can’t be sure. If you try it let me know how it goes. ๐Ÿ™‚

        Reply
      • Bruce

        September 22, 2020 at 7:19 am

        I used whole milk yogurt instead of buttermilk, and it worked great,, although I did use 2 bananas in a half recipe, so that was more liquid.

        Reply
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