Banana Walnut Muffins
If you haven’t already noticed, I love muffins. My family loves muffins. There’s something special about baking muffins mid-day (when two out of my three kids are napping) and enjoying them warm out of the oven as an afternoon snack when everyone wakes up. Smear them with a pat of butter or peanut butter and a glass of milk, and man, I’m ready to go for the rest of the day! The rest get stored in the freezer for us to grab at breakfast-time. My husband usually takes a muffin to work, and the rest of us will have them with a side of eggs or yogurt and fruit.
I created these muffins because I wanted a “muffin form” of our favorite banana bread, “Dahle’s Banana Bread”. I took out the chocolate chips (because I really don’t like chocolate in my banana breads… my kids do!) and added flax and walnuts for some omega 3’s. My husband and I enjoy a hardy muffin - nothing light and fluffy - the more mix-in’s and texture the better. I folded in half a chopped banana and found it created wonderful moist pockets that I really enjoy. You can skip this, if you want, or add in chocolate chips instead! I took the extra half of the banana (because I didn’t want fruit flies in my banana bowl!) and sliced it as a topper for the muffins. I love how they look - a muffin that looks as beautiful as it tastes!
I hope you enjoy!
Banana Walnut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups whole wheat flour
- 1/4 cup ground flax seed
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 cup mashed overripe bananas (2 large)
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup milk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1/4 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup canola oil
- 3/4 cup walnuts
- 1/2 banana, chopped
- 1/2 banana cut into 12 slices
- 1/2 cup chopped walnuts
Instructions
- Heat oven to 375 degrees.
- Spray a muffin tin with cooking spray and set aside.
- In a large bowl, whisk the dry ingredients (the flour through the cinnamon) until combined. Set aside.
- In a medium bowl combine the wet ingredients (the banana through the oil) and mix thoroughly.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix until almost combined. Then add the walnuts and chopped banana pieces and mix until fully combined, but do not overmix.
- Fill the muffin tin. Top each muffin with extra walnut pieces and slices of banana (if you want... I just think they look prettier that way!) and bake for 15-20 minutes.
- Remove the muffins from the pan immediately and allow to cool slightly before serving.