Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins

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Moist with sticky tops, these bakery style banana nut muffins are simply the best. You won't believe how easy they are to make and taste better than any bakery muffin.

You might also like my frosted banana bread bars, banana cream slab pie, or banana cream trifle.

two banana nut muffins staked on top of eachother.

My Copycat Bob Evan's banana bread recipe is one of the most popular recipes on the site. Several readers have reached out asking if the batter can be used for muffins and what adjustments would need to be made. You can absolutely use any quick bread recipe on my site and make it into muffins with a few small adjustments. It was time for these muffins to have their own spot on the blog as they are just as delicious, if not more delicious, than traditional loaves of banana bread.

Why I Like This Recipe

Moist and sticky. A quality banana nut muffin isn't dry. The tops are moist and sticky, but not gummy or dense. These muffins are perfectly moist and baked through.
Large muffins. I fill my muffin pan to the tippy top! Not ⅔ or ¾ full. This doesn't work for all recipes, but it does work for banana nut muffins, since they don't rise much and spread a lot. You can easily bake 12 large muffins in a regular-sized pan.
Flavorful. Not only are the muffins flavored with mashed bananas, but they also get a boost of sweetness from a box of pudding mix. They are even softer and more flavorful on day 2 as the pudding has a chance to come through. If you like Otis Spunkmeyer banana nut muffins, you will LOVE my homemade version.

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Why I Like This Recipe
Tips and Tricks
Ingredients
How To Make Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins
Banana Muffin FAQs
More Muffin Recipes To Bake
Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins

Tips and Tricks

Cover the muffins. For extra-moist muffins, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes until they are warm (NOT hot), then cover them with plastic wrap or foil for at least 30 minutes. I leave them in the pan, but you can move them to a rack if you'd like. The condensation will soften the tops of the muffins, making them slightly sticky and moist. The softening and sticky tops will happen anyway when they are stored in an airtight container, but I'd like to speed up the process.
Ripe bananas. Very ripe bananas make the best banana bread. The more spots, the better. If your bananas aren't quite brown enough, bake them unpeeled for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until the peels are dark brown. Mash, then use in banana bread.
Instant pudding mix. Not only does pudding mix add flavor to banana bread, but it also adds moisture. Use banana- or vanilla-flavored pudding mix for the best results!
Oven temp. For the best banana nut muffins, bake at 425 degrees for 7 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees for an additional 15 minutes. I learned this trick from Beth at The First Year blog. The higher initial baking temperature helps the muffins rise and dome, while the lower final temperature bakes the interior to perfection.

Ingredients

Bowls of oil, sugar, milk, flour, walnuts, baking soda, baking powder and salt, two eggs, box of vanilla pudding and 3 ripe bananas.

Bananas: Ensure your bananas are ripe. If they don't have brown spots or peels, see my tip above to speed up ripening.
Banana cream pudding mix: Adds flavor and moisture to the recipe.
Oil: Vegetable or canola oil.
Milk: Any kind.
Eggs: For richness and texture.
Sugar: White sugar adds sweetness and texture.
Flour: All-purpose flour works well.
Baking powder, baking soda, and salt: For leavening and flavor.
Nuts: Walnuts are my favorite for banana nut muffins, but pecans are delicious as well.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

How To Make Bakery Style Banana Nut Muffins

Eggs, sugar and oil in a large glass mixing bowl.

Step 1: Combine flour, salt, baking soda, and baking powder in a mixing bowl. Set aside.

Step 2: In a large mixing bowl, combine oil, sugar, and eggs. Mix until smooth.

Mixing bowl with eggs, oil, sugar, milk and pudding mix.

Step 3: Add the pudding mix and milk to the wet ingredients and mix until combined.

Step 4: Add mashed bananas and mix.

Mixing bowl with banana nut muffin batter.

Step 5: Add dry ingredients and mix until just combined.

Step 6: Fold in nuts.

Step 7: Let the batter sit while you prepare a muffin pan. Line a muffin pan with liners AND spray the top of the pan with nonstick cooking spray.

Muffin pan with liners and filled with batter.

Step 8: Fill the muffin liners to the top. The pan will be FULL.

Step 9: Bake the muffins at 425 degrees for 7 minutes, then reduce the temperature to 350 degrees and bake for an additional 15 minutes.

Step 10: Allow the muffins to cool for 15 minutes, then cover the pan with plastic wrap or foil for 30 minutes.

Banana Muffin FAQs

What is the best baking temp for banana nut muffins?

For the best banana nut muffins, bake at 425 degrees for 7 minutes, then bake at 350 degrees for an additional 15 minutes. I learned this trick from the muffin queen, Beth, at The First Year blog. The higher initial baking temperature helps the muffins rise and dome, while the lower final temperature bakes the interior to perfection.

How do you ripen bananas for banana nut muffins?

Very ripe bananas make the best banana bread. The more spots, the better. If your bananas aren't quite brown enough, bake them unpeeled for 15 minutes at 350 degrees until the peels are dark brown. Mash, then use in banana bread.

How do you get sticky tops on banana muffins?

For extra-moist muffins, let them cool in the pan for 15 minutes, then cover them with plastic wrap or foil for at least 30 minutes. The condensation will soften the tops of the muffins, making them slightly sticky and moist. Perfection.