If you’re a fan of banana desserts, then let me introduce you to the most moist & fluffy Vegan Banana Nut Muffins. These vegan muffins are completely dairy-free & made without eggs for a truly delicious breakfast muffin. This easy recipe makes 6 muffins, requires only one banana, and is the perfect small batch recipe to make in 30 minutes!
I truly have been loving eating these banana nut muffins for breakfast. The inspiration behind these fluffy muffins comes from a mix of my Vegan Tahini Banana Bread and my Vegan Carrot Walnut Cake. I truly love the moist texture baking with bananas gives these muffins and fell in love with the crunch of the walnuts from my carrot cake recipe. I also have been craving an easy grab-and-go muffin I can eat for breakfast or as a healthier dessert.
Hence, these breakfast muffins filled with bananas and walnuts!
How to make banana nut muffins
This recipe can be made in one bowl, take less than 30 minutes to make, and makes baking muffins from scratch SO easy. While this small batch recipe makes 6 muffins, it can easily be cut in half or doubled to make as many muffins as you want!
Ingredients:
- 1 ripe banana (needs to be ripe aka spotty/brown)
- Maple syrup
- Brown sugar
- Plant-based milk (I used oat milk)
- Oil ( I used melted coconut oil, but avocado oil, olive oil, and any vegetable oil that is liquid works)
- Vanilla
- Flour (all-purpose or whole wheat is best)
- Baking powder
- Baking soda
- Salt
- Walnuts
(Full amounts are in recipe card below)
Preheat the oven & prep the muffin tin
First things first, preheat the oven to 350F.
Then, fill the muffin tin with cupcake liners and set aside. For reference, I love using If you Care muffin liners because they are compostable, not bleached, and hold up really well.
Mash the banana:
The very first step to making any banana dessert is to mash the bananas. I like to use a fork and do this by hand, but you’ll want the banana to be pretty mashed and not too clumpy when you are done mashing it.
By the way, if you’re wondering, the absolute BEST bananas for banana bread are very brown or overly spotty bananas. As bananas ripen they become more sweet and that helps to naturally sweeten these muffins.
Next, mix all the ingredients in one bowl
After that, all the ingredients go in!
I like to add in my wet ingredients first just so I can mix them well. This includes the maple syrup, coconut sugar, plant-based milk, ground flax, oil, and vanilla.
After that I add in the sifted flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt.
Then, mix until a thick muffin batter forms. Unlike cupcakes, muffin batter will be pretty thick, so don’t be alarmed by this. If it’s too dry, you may have added in too much flour, so just add in 1 extra Tbsp of milk to thin the batter out slightly. See pictures above for the ideal batter texture.
As a final step, chop up the walnut and gently fold them into the batter. It’s really important to chop up the walnuts so they are distributed evenly throughout the muffins. I also like to set a few to the side so I can add them to the top of my muffins right before baking.
Fill the muffin tins
Now that the batter is ready, fill the muffin tin with the banana nut batter!
Want to know my secret to really fluffy muffins? After I add the batter to the muffin tins, I actually let it rest for 5 minutes before baking. This allows the baking powder and baking soda to fully react and, ultimately, rise more in the oven. Don’t skip this step if you want super fluffy banana muffins!
Bake the muffins!
Before baking, I sprinkle any walnuts I set aside on top of the muffins. I like to do this because it makes the muffins look even better and adds a nice crunch on top. While I didn’t do this, you can also sprinkle a little extra brown sugar on top if you want a crystalized sugar on your muffins. I recommend adding about 1 tsp sugar on top of each muffin for a caramelized brown sugar top.
Then, add the banana nut muffins to the oven and bake for 18-22 min.
Remove, let cool on a wire rack, and then enjoy immediately!
FAQ & substitutions for homemade muffins:
Can I make these muffins oil-free?
Yes, just expect them to be slightly less moist. Since we’re only using 1 Tbsp of oil in the whole recipe, it can be replaced with 1 Tbsp plant-based milk or applesauce. I tried to keep this recipe oil-free, but I just loved the texture so much better with a tiny bit of oil added in.
Can I make these refined sugar-free?
Yes, but it may lead to less fluffy muffins. Using brown sugar (an acidic ingredient) helps the baking soda react and produce more gas bubbles. It can be replaced 1:1 with coconut sugar or maple sugar (or any preferred granulated sugar) but brown sugar truly is best. If you do use coconut sugar, try adding 1 tsp of apple cider vinegar to the recipe to add in more acid and help the muffins rise!
What about nut-free?
Yep! Just omit the walnuts and make sure to use a nut-free plant-based milk. I used oat milk in this recipe already which is naturally gluten-free & nut-free, but any milk alternative works. This includes soy milk, rice milk, or any seed milk you can think of. I have even replaced the walnuts with chocolate chips in this recipe and they are SO GOOD.
Can I use gluten-free flour?
I’m not totally sure. I didn’t test these recipes with any GF flour mixes, but if you do try one make sure it’s a 1:1 GF flour mix. Subbing in almond or coconut flour 1:1 will not work in this recipe.
How to store leftover banana muffins
Storing these banana walnut muffins as leftovers makes the best grab-and-go breakfast or snack! These homemade muffins will actually keep at room temperature on a counter for around 2-3 days. Just make sure to store them in a closed container or wrapped in tin foil so they don’t dry out.
Alternatively, muffins will also keep in the fridge for 5 days. If you do refrigerate them, they are best after being warmed in the microwave for 20-30 seconds.
Muffins can also be stored in a closed container in the freezer for up to 1 month. I like to store them between sheets of parchment paper to prevent them from sticking together. When you’re ready to eat simply let them defrost at room temperature and eat (or microwave them right out of the freezer for 60 seconds+ for warm muffins).
I truly hope you love these super moist, fluffy, & simple Banana Nut Muffins! This small batch homemade muffin recipe truly makes the best quick breakfast or a healthier dessert to satisfy that sweet tooth. Enjoy!
Looking for more vegan sweet breakfast recipes? Check out these SGTO favorites!
Blueberry Scones with vanilla glaze
Vegan Banana Nut Muffins
These small-batch banana nut muffins are so moist, fluffy, & easy to make. 30 minutes & 11 simple ingredients!
Ingredients
- 1 banana, mashed (119 grams)
- 2 Tbsp maple syrup (30 grams)
- 2 Tbsp packed brown sugar (28 grams)
- 1 tsp vanilla extract (3 grams)
- 3 tbsp oat milk (60 grams)
- 1 Tbsp ground flax (8 grams)
- 1 Tbsp oil (13 grams)
- 3/4 cup all-purpose or whole wheat flour (96 grams)
- 1/2 tsp salt (2 grams)
- 1/4 cup walnuts, crushed (20 grams)
- 1/4 tsp baking powder (1.2 gram)
- 1/2 tsp baking soda (2.4 grams)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with 6 cupcake/muffin liners.
- Then, add the banana to the mixing bowl and mash it until no large clumps remain. Next, add in the wet ingredients including the maple syrup, brown sugar, vanilla extract, oat milk, ground flax, and oil and gently whisk together. Once mixed, add in the dry ingredients including the flour, salt, baking powder, and baking soda, Whisk together just until a thick batter forms (try not to overmix).
- Once a batter forms, gently fold in the walnuts. I like to set aside 3-4 chopped walnut pieces per muffin to add to the top right before baking.Then, add the batter to the 6 muffin tins in equal amounts until each tin is 3/4 cup full with batter. At this point, place any walnuts you set aside on the top of each muffin.
- Next, let the batter rest for 5 minutes. Letting it rest helps the baking soda & baking powder fully react and leads to fluffier muffins. After this rest period, add the muffins to the oven and bake for 18-22 minutes until cooked throughout and lightly browned on top.
- Remove the muffins from the pan and let them cool on a wire rack. Enjoy!
Notes
- To make refined sugar free coconut sugar can be subbed for brown sugar 1:1. The muffins may not rise as much, so 1 tsp of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar can be added to the batter to help them rise.
- Muffins will keep at room temperature in a closed container or wrapped in tin foil on a counter for 2-3 days.
- They can also also be stored in a closed container in the fridge up to 5 days and in the freezer for up to 1 month. If you do refrigerate them, they are best after being warmed in the microwave for 20-30 seconds. If frozen, let defrost on the counter and either eat at room temperature or reheat in the microwave until warm.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 6 Serving Size: 1 muffinAmount Per Serving: Calories: 178Total Fat: 6gSaturated Fat: 1gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 29gFiber: 3gSugar: 11gProtein: 4g
illy says
Hi, have you tried adding some cinnamon or nutmeg to the batter? If I add some should i change the amount of any of the ingredients?
ShortGirlTallOrder says
Hi there- cinnamon and nutmeg would be great in this recipe! I’d add about 1/4 tsp-1/2 tsp total of spices and it won’t affect any other ingredient amounts- will only add more flavor :).
Alex says
These were SO good! The perfect breakfast treat without being too sweet – you won’t feel guilty eating more than 1 of these a day because they aren’t loaded with sugar. They were also super easy to make, and will definitely make them again.
Megan Horowitch says
So glad you liked them! 🙂