Banana Nut Recipe

Banana Nut Muffins

1. 1

   Prep

   Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C). Line a 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups. Place the walnuts on a small baking sheet and toast in the oven for 6–8 minutes until fragrant and lightly browned; watch closely to avoid burning. Remove and let cool, then roughly chop if not already chopped.

2. 2

   Mash bananas

   In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas with a fork or potato masher until mostly smooth with a few small lumps. Measure 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas and set aside.

3. 3

   Combine dry ingredients

   In a medium bowl whisk together 2 cups all-purpose flour, 3/4 cup granulated sugar, 1/4 cup packed light brown sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, 1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, and 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon until evenly distributed.

4. 4

   Combine wet ingredients

   In the banana bowl, whisk the 2 large eggs until combined. Stir in the 1/2 cup melted cooled butter, 1/4 cup Greek yogurt, and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Add the 1 1/2 cups mashed bananas and stir until uniform. If the batter seems very thick, stir in up to 2 tablespoons milk to loosen slightly.

5. 5

   Mix batter

   Make a well in the center of the dry ingredients and pour in the wet banana mixture. Using a flexible spatula, fold gently until just combined — a few streaks of flour are okay. Overmixing will make the muffins dense. Fold in 3/4 cup toasted chopped walnuts, reserving about 2 tablespoons for topping.

6. 6

   Fill cups

   Divide the batter evenly among 12 prepared muffin cups (about 3/4 full). Sprinkle the reserved chopped walnuts on top of each muffin and, if desired, a light pinch of coarse sugar for crunch.

7. 7

   Bake

   Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 18–22 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out with a few moist crumbs (not wet batter). Rotate the pan halfway through baking for even color, if your oven bakes unevenly.

8. 8

   Cool

   Allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5–7 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely or serve warm. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze for longer storage.