Banana Walnut Muffins

Jump to Recipe

I love making muffins! They are so simple to put together and a much healthier alternative to store-bought varieties. There are almost always extra ripe bananas in my house, so what better way to use them up than by making banana muffins! Today I’ll share one of my favorite muffin recipes and why it is a nutritious option any time of day.

Nutrition

This recipe makes 12 muffins. Prepared without chocolate chips, each muffin contains around:

• 235 calories

• 13 grams of unsaturated fat

• 23 grams of carbohydrate

• 4 grams of fiber

• 5 grams of protein

These muffins are made with a combination of whole grain flour and ground flaxseed, making them much higher in fiber than most store-bought muffins. Avocado oil provides plenty of heart-healthy fats. The ripe banana provides a natural sweetness so only a minimal amount of additional sweetener needs to be added (just 2 tablespoons of honey!).

Compared to most store-bought varieties, you’ll be getting far less added sugar and far more protein and fiber in my homemade muffins. The long ingredient list above is a banana nut muffin you’d find at the grocery store; compare this to my recipe which has only 10 ingredients!

Banana Walnut Muffins

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
• 1/2 cup ground flaxseed
• 1 tsp baking soda
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 2 tsp ground cinnamon
• 3 overripe bananas
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 1/2 cup avocado oil
• 2 tbsp honey
• 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
• 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips, optional

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit/175 degrees Celsius. Grease a 12-cup muffin tin.
2. In a medium bowl, combine flour, ground flaxseed, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon.
3. In a large bowl, mash the bananas until they become liquidy. Add beaten eggs, avocado oil, and honey, then mix.
4. Add wet ingredients to dry ingredients and combine until just mixed; avoid over-mixing.
5. Add chopped walnuts and optional chocolate chips then mix until combined.
6. Pour batter evenly into muffin cups and bake for about 18-20 minutes, until tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

Storage

The muffins will last 2-3 days on the counter or 5-6 days in the fridge. If you can’t eat them that quickly, try sticking a few in the freezer where they’ll last 2-3 months.

Recipe modifications

These muffins are super easy to make. I like using these silicone baking cups; they make cleanup a breeze and there’s no need to grease the pan before baking.

These muffins can be easily modified as well. I’ve made this recipe with 1:1 gluten-free flour and it works just as well. If you want to decrease the fat content, you can replace the avocado oil with unsweetened applesauce (just keep in mind that this will make the muffins higher in carbs). These muffins are also great with pecans instead of walnuts.

Muffins are often thought of as a sweet treat but they can be made much more nutritious with the addition of whole grain flour and flaxseed and a minimal amount of added sugar. They’re perfect for an on-the-go snack or paired with peanut or almond butter for a quick and simple breakfast. Enjoy!