Wholesome Banana Walnut Muffins with Whole Wheat Flour

I realize many of us are on the hunt for more nutritious options during this season!

Sure, oversized sugar-laden muffins have their appeal (who doesn't love them?), but a wholesome muffin that tastes incredible too? That's a recipe I'll turn to again and again until it's etched in my memory. I love experimenting with new healthier muffin recipes because they are (1) simple to prepare, (2) fast, (3) easy to take on the go, (4) suitable for breakfast, a snack, or even dessert, and (5) ideal for freezing—though they rarely last long enough to make it there since we devour them all.

And (6) baking muffins when temperatures drop into single digits just feels right. Brrr, it's freezing!

These are my most recent muffin creation. Banana nut—because so many of you asked for it! I chose to make them during winter since bananas are the go-to fruit for cold-weather baking. I'm really enjoying these muffins at the moment because they taste indulgent yet pack in plenty of nutritious components. Muffin alchemy!

What goes into these banana nut muffins:

• whole wheat flour
• rolled oats
• ripe bananas
• walnuts

What stays out:

• refined sugar
• that unpleasant dry texture commonly linked to whole wheat flour. Yuck.

Straightforward, nutritious ingredients can yield fantastic baked treats when employed correctly. Consider whole wheat flour. It often makes baked goods dry, but when combined with moisture-rich elements such as bananas, eggs, and coconut oil, it becomes something to celebrate. Whole wheat flour also imparts a wonderful nutty taste! A modest amount of maple syrup adds sweetness, but that sweetness can diminish during baking and be overshadowed by other flavors. Enhance it with mashed banana rather than refined sugar, and you've got a winner.

I based this recipe on my whole wheat apple cinnamon muffins. I incorporated oats and mashed banana, cut back the baking soda (1½ teaspoons is sufficient), and reduced the maple syrup because mashed bananas provide ample sweetness. Recall my tip for mashing bananas? Simply use your mixer. Then add the remaining wet ingredients directly into that same bowl.

These muffins are not excessively sweet, so you won't experience a sugar rush. For a bit of pizzazz, I sprinkled oats and a dusting of coconut sugar on top. Completely optional, but I believe you'll love the additional caramelized crunch that coconut sugar provides. It was absolutely delicious! Don't they look beautiful?

A smear of melted butter because these muffins are wholesome. Perfect balance.

Next up, give my light whole wheat waffles a try!

Wholesome Banana Walnut Muffins

Ingredients

• 2 cups (260g) whole wheat flour (spoon & levelved)
• 1/2 cup (40g) old-fashioned rolled oats
• 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
• 1 and 1/2 teaspoons baking soda
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1 and 1/4 cups mashed banana (about 3 medium bananas)
• 3 large eggs
• 1/3 cup (80ml) vegetable, canola oil, or melted coconut oil
• 1/3 cup (80ml) pure maple syrup*
• 1/4 cup (60ml) milk (any kind)
• 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
• 1 heaping cup chopped nuts (any kind– I use 130g walnuts)
• optional: 3 Tablespoons oats and coconut sugar for sprinkling

Directions

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F (218°C). Grease a 12-cup muffin tin with nonstick spray or line with paper liners. Since this recipe yields 15 muffins, have a second muffin pan ready with 3 liners.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, oats, cinnamon, baking soda, and salt until well blended. Set aside. In a separate medium bowl or your stand mixer bowl, mash the bananas. Then whisk in the eggs, oil, maple syrup, milk, and vanilla until smooth. Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, stir a few times, then add the nuts. Gently fold everything together just until incorporated, being careful not to overmix—no streaks of flour should remain.
3. Fill each liner all the way to the top with batter. If desired, sprinkle oats and a light dusting of coconut sugar on top. Bake at 425°F for 5 minutes, then—without removing the muffins from the oven—reduce the temperature to 350°F (177°C). Continue baking for another 16–17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Total baking time is approximately 22–23 minutes. (For mini muffins, bake 11–13 minutes at 350°F.) Let the muffins cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
4. Store muffins covered at room temperature for up to a few days, then refrigerate for up to 1 week.

Make ahead tip: For extended storage, freeze muffins for up to 3 months. Thaw them overnight in the fridge, then bring to room temperature or reheat in the microwave as needed.

Recipe Notes

1. Honey can substitute for maple syrup, though the flavor will change. Maple pairs beautifully with banana!
2. Why start with a high temperature? The initial blast of heat causes the muffin tops to rise rapidly, allowing the interiors to bake through afterward. This technique gives the muffins a nice tall dome.

According to SparkRecipes calculator, using coconut oil, skim milk, and walnuts, each muffin contains 205 calories, 10g fat, 22g carbs, 3g fiber, and 5g protein.

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