Extra Moist Banana Nut Muffins Recipe

Banana muffins, like banana bread, could be a poster child recipe for the zero waste food movement. Not only can they be made with fruit that's past its prime, but, as recipe developer Erin Johnson tells us, "The browner your bananas, the better these muffins will be." That way, you can indulge your love of this budget-friendly fruit with no fear that you won't be able to get through the whole bunch before the bananas go bad. Once they get soft and speckled, it's a great excuse to make up a batch of muffins! While there is such a thing as a banana that's too ripe for baking, it takes about 2 months to reach the stage where it's black and rotten.

Besides overripe bananas, Johnson says these muffins contain another special ingredient, a secret one, in fact: Greek yogurt, something that "makes the muffins incredibly moist and flavorful." She also informs us that you can swap out the nuts if you should happen to prefer pecans or some other type, but tells us, "I prefer the classic walnut version" of the muffins.

In addition to bananas, yogurt, and walnuts, what else do you need to make these muffins? Well, you'll need sugar, an egg, oil, vanilla, and vinegar (the plan white distilled kind) for the batter, along with flour, baking soda, and salt. You will also need some brown sugar and butter for the nutty topping.

Before you start making the muffin batter, preheat the oven to 350 F. Peel and mash the bananas (you can do the mashing with a fork), then, once they are creamy, add the sugar, then stir in the yogurt, eggs, oil, and vinegar. Mix the flour with the baking soda, salt, and ¾ cup of the walnuts, then stir the dry ingredients and nuts into the banana mixture.

One interesting note about this muffin batter: Johnson tells us, "I like to use this same recipe for other muffins," explaining that all you need to do is "sub in blueberries or chocolate chips for bananas and walnuts."

Line a 12-cup standard-sized muffin pan with paper cups, then add a squirt of cooking spray for good measure. Fill the cups about ¾ of the way, which should use up all of the batter.

At this point, take the remaining nuts and mix them with the butter and brown sugar. Sprinkle the sugary nuts over the unbaked muffins.

Bake the muffins for 30 to 35 minutes. When they are done, they will be golden brown in color, and they should also pass the famous toothpick test — push one of these wooden skewers into the middle of a muffin and check to make sure it comes out free of still-wet batter.

Johnson says these muffins will last for about 3 days in an airtight container, but adds that they "freeze well." She does note, though, that you'll need to thaw out the frozen muffins overnight (or all day) before you eat them.