These amazing banana nut muffins with crumb topping turn out moist, fluffy, and full of banana flavor! Crunchy pecans and a wow-factor crumb topping make these better-for-you muffins taste like a fancy treat!

One of my favorite ways to use up large ripe bananas is to make Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins. They’re easy, kid-friendly, and so yummy!
My family still loves those muffins, but when I had a bunch of bananas going brown a bit quicker than I thought they would, I wanted to make something that tasted more…sophisticated. Just a smidgen more grown-up maybe?
Something that reminded me more of a fancy coffee shop treat and less of chocolate.
I have nothing against chocolate whatsoever. I’ll happily indulge in a Chocolate Zucchini Mug Cake, Black Bean Brownies, or a bowl of 5-Minute Chocolate Hummus any day of the week.
But sometimes it’s nice to not have chocolate too.
I landed on banana nut muffins with crumb topping. And friends, these are next-level delicious!
HEALTHY BANANA NUT MUFFIN RECIPE
In my effort to make a grown-up better banana muffin recipe that still tasted YUMMY, I started with a great basic muffin recipe and made some changes, mostly following the rule of halves:
- Flour: Half of the all purpose flour is swapped for whole wheat flour. More whole grain means more fiber, which keeps you feeling full longer so you’re not reaching for a snack an hour after breakfast.
- Butter: Half of the butter is replaced with some yogurt (here’s how to make homemade yogurt). Like chocolate, I have nothing against butter, but I’m already adding butter in with the crumb topping, so there’s still plenty of buttery goodness in these muffins.
- Sugar: Not half, but ALL the processed sugar is being replaced with honey and maple syrup. It’s my goal to eat less processed sugar (including light brown sugar), and my 50/50 honey and maple syrup substitution trick works in almost any baking recipe. In these banana nut muffins though, we’re cutting the amount nearly in half too.
Afraid I halved the flavor too? Oh no my friends, because there are two magical words still left to discuss: crumb topping.

BANANA MUFFIN NUT TOPPING
When you were a kid, did you ever pick the crumb topping off a coffee cake? I sure did! The crumb topping is the best!
Crumb topping rocks so much because it’s the trifecta of baking: flour + butter + sugar.
For this banana muffin nut topping, you simply combine the ingredients in a bowl, crumble them on top of the nuts and muffin batter, and let the oven do its magic.
When the timer goes off, you have a perfectly moist banana nut muffin with a delicious balance of pureed banana and chunks of banana in every muffin. Meaning unlike most banana nut muffins, YOU CAN ACTUALLY TASTE THE BANANA.
You have nuts (hopefully pecans) that are slightly warm, slightly toasted, and slightly crunchy – a perfect match for the muffin underneath them.
And then you have the crumb topping, tying all of the above into a neat little package ready for you to consume.
INGREDIENTS FOR BANANA NUT MUFFINS
I think the goal is achieved here. Banana nut muffins that are grown-up and sophisticated, lighter and fluffier, yet still packed with flavor. Proven by the fact that a batch of these muffins didn’t even last a day! Here’s what you need so you can enjoy these banana nut muffins too.
- Flour. I used a 50/50 mix of whole wheat flour and all-purpose flour.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder. These give lift to the muffins and help them turn out light and fluffy.
- Salt. To enhance the flavor.
- Cinnamon + Nutmeg. Just enough warm and cozy spice.
- Bananas. Aim for slightly overripe bananas with yellow peels with plenty of brown spots.
- Honey + maple syrup. Combined with the sweetness of the overripe bananas, these natural sweeteners help the muffins turn out just sweet enough.
- Butter. Melted and cooled to room temperature for easier mixing.
- Greek Yogurt. Here’s how to make your own. This adds extra moisture to the muffins without making them heavy.
- Large Egg. To help hold everything together. A flax egg should work here as well.
- Vanilla Extract. Here’s how to make your own. Vanilla gives extra depth to the flavor.
- Pecans. Chopped pecans add a nutty, crunchy layer between the muffin batter and the crumb topping. Chopped walnuts or almonds are a fine substitute.
- Crumb Topping. Many of the muffin ingredients repeat here – you’ll need all-purpose flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, melted butter, and ground cinnamon.
HOW TO MAKE BANANA AND NUT MUFFINS
Step 1. Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
Step 2. In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine the dry ingredients. Set aside.
Step 3. In a separate small bowl, mash 1 banana with a fork until clumpy, but not pureed. Set aside.
If you prefer your banana and nut muffins without chunks of banana, add mashed bananas to the mixer in the next step instead for all the banana flavor but with a smooth texture.
Step 4. In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine honey, maple syrup, and 1 banana. (Tip: You need ⅓ cup of sweetener total, so to save on dishes, I fill a ⅓ measuring cup halfway with honey and then top it off with maple syrup.) Using the whisk attachment, turn the mixer on medium-low and mix for 3 minutes (or use an electric mixer). The mixture should be very smooth and very well combined when the timer goes off.
Step 5. Add the remaining wet ingredients of melted butter, Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
Step 6. Fold in the mashed banana and dry ingredients with a spatula until JUST combined.
Step 7. Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups, filling each about halfway full with 2 heaping Tablespoons of batter. Gently tap the muffin tin on the counter to pop any air bubbles.
Step 8. Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the muffins.

Step 9. In either of the bowls you previously used, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter for the crumb topping. Mix using a fork OR the whisk from the batter.
Step 10. Using your fingers, pinch some crumb topping and break it apart over the muffins.
Step 11. Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
These banana and nut muffins are best served warm but keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container. They also freeze well in freezer bags.

BANANA & WALNUT MUFFINS FAQS
What nuts pair well with bananas?
I love pecans in this banana nut muffin recipe, but banana & walnut muffins are another great combination. You can also use almonds or walnuts if that’s what you have on hand.
How ripe is too ripe for banana muffins?
The riper your bananas are, the sweeter they are. I usually aim for yellow peels with plenty of brown spots, but even if your bananas are a little more ripe or a little less ripe, you’ll still end up with delicious muffins.
What is the secret to moist banana nut muffins?
The bananas, melted butter, and yogurt all help to keep these muffins moist and fluffy.
MORE HEALTHY AND EASY MUFFIN RECIPES
- Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
- Easy Blender Banana Bread Muffins
- Pumpkin Chocolate Chips Muffins
- Buttermilk Oatmeal Muffins
- Zucchini Muffins with Carrots and Apples
- Applesauce Muffins
- Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Muffins

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These amazing banana nut muffins with crumb topping turn out moist, fluffy, and full of banana flavor! Crunchy pecans and a wow-factor crumb topping make these better-for-you muffins taste like a fancy treat!
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12 muffins 1x
- Category: Breakfast
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
Ingredients
Muffins
- ½ cup whole wheat flour
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ¾ tsp baking powder
- ¼ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp nutmeg
- 2 bananas, slightly overripe
- ⅓ cup honey + maple syrup*
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled
- 1 ½ Tbsp Greek yogurt
- 1 egg
- ½ tsp vanilla
- ¼ cup pecans, chopped
Crumb Topping
- 6 Tbsp all-purpose flour
- 2 Tbsp granulated sugar
- 2 Tbsp brown sugar
- 3 Tbsp butter, melted
- ⅛ tsp cinnamon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F and line a muffin pan with muffin liners.
- In a small bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Stir to combine the dry ingredients. Set aside.
- In a separate small bowl, mash 1 banana with a fork until clumpy, but not pureed. Set aside. If you prefer your banana and nut muffins without chunks of banana, add mashed bananas to the mixer in the next step instead for all the banana flavor but with a smooth texture.
- In a bowl of a stand mixer or a large bowl, combine honey, maple syrup, and 1 banana. (Tip: You need ⅓ cup of sweetener total, so to save on dishes, I fill a ⅓ measuring cup halfway with honey and then top it off with maple syrup.) Using the whisk attachment, turn the mixer on medium-low and mix for 3 minutes (or use an electric mixer). The mixture should be very smooth and very well combined when the timer goes off.
- Add the remaining wet ingredients of melted butter, Greek yogurt, egg, and vanilla and mix well, scraping down the sides of the bowl if needed.
- Fold in the mashed banana and dry ingredients with a spatula until JUST combined.
- Divide the batter evenly between 12 muffin cups, filling each about halfway full with 2 heaping Tablespoons of batter. Gently tap the muffin tin on the counter to pop any air bubbles.
- Sprinkle the pecans evenly over the muffins.
- In either of the bowls you previously used, combine the flour, granulated sugar, brown sugar, cinnamon, and melted butter for the crumb topping. Mix using a fork OR the whisk from the batter.
- Using your fingers, pinch some crumb topping and break it apart over the muffins.
- Bake the muffins for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- These banana and nut muffins are best served warm but keep well for a couple of days in an airtight container. They also freeze well in freezer bags.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 muffin
- Calories: 454
So good!
Hi, I was wondering if you could use 3 bananas instead of two. Would it affect the banana muffins or would it be fine?
They’d be a bit more moist, but nothing to complain about in my book!
I am so excited for this recipe!! I love muffins but realized they’re basically cupcakes masquerading as being healthy. So I’m exited to find healthier ones that taste like banana. And banana nut with crumb topping is right up my alley. Thank you, Tiffany!!! 🙂
Planning to make them soon. Thanks for all the notes.
Do you have the nutritional info on these?
I’d also like nutrition info too. Especially macros. Fat carbs fiber and protein. “clean” is not always for those of us who need to limit carbs and sugar and bump up protein. I can make changes to any good recipe to make it healthier for myself if I have nutrition info. 🙂
Hi Sheryl,
You can check a free online app for full nutritional content. We don’t list nutritional content because recipes/ingredients vary so much from person to person. It’s best to use a calculator for your specific recipe and ingredients. Hope this helps.
These look spectacular! I can’t wait to make them… I must ask why you do not include the metric version of the recipe?? I have switched to using a scale weigh every ingredient as opposed to measuring (which is tedious and inaccurate). I will spend time to make the conversion myself. Please include the metric version of your delicious recipes in the future… To all who bake get a $10 kitchen scale on Amazon and make the switch! You will never go back to measuring once you see how much easier and more accurate it is to use the metric version of any baking recipe!
Hi Fino! Although most of the world uses metric, we don’t here in the US so I’ve never baked that way!
This looks delicious and I am excited to add these to our morning routine! One question, the ingredients say baking soda and baking powder, but I only see baking soda in the instructions. Can you tell me if I should add both or just the baking soda? Thanks!
Sandy
You need both, Sandy. I’m sorry about that!
Great – thank you! I made them yesterday with just baking soda (and Millet flour because I was out of whole wheat) and they turned out fantastic! So much so that my husband requested that I make them for his teacher breakfast tomorrow. So it looks like I will be making them again today, this time with the baking powder 🙂 Thanks again for a fantastic recipe.
Sandy
You’re so very welcome Sandy!