Banana-Macadamia Nut Muffins
These muffins were just the thing I needed to kill two birds with one stone. Number one, I had been staring at a mostly-used bag of macadamia nuts since I made the Macadamia Nut, Coconut & White Chocolate Blondies a couple of months ago. Number two (and more importantly), I’ve been craving fresh muffins lately. Growing up, we didn’t eat a lot of muffins (my mom mostly stuck to banana-nut oat bran muffins), but once I was in college and discovered the pallets of banana, blueberry and chocolate muffins from Sam’s Club, it was all over. You mean I could eat a chocolate cupcake, call it a muffin, and it’s an acceptable breakfast? Count me in. These days, I much prefer making my muffins at home and while I have had a favorite banana muffin for some time, this recipe called out to me as the perfect way to use up those macadamia nuts.
I’m so thrilled that I decided to make this recipe even though I already had a perfectly good banana muffin recipe in my archives. While the older recipe has fabulous banana flavor, it definitely is a little sweeter and tastes more like a cupcake (no complaints from me!); this recipe, however, tastes almost exactly like my grandma’s banana-nut bread. The muffin is moist, fluffy and loaded with nuts, only instead of walnuts, macadamia nuts. You could use any type of nuts you’d like for these muffins – they’re highly adaptable.
I love collecting new muffin recipes; they’re fabulous warm, straight from the oven, and they’re perfect for freezing – just pop in the microwave and you have a warm breakfast! What are some of your favorite types of muffins?
[If you love muffins, be sure to check out the entire muffin recipe archive on BEB.]
One year ago: Cinnamon-Sugar Rice Pudding with Bourbon-Soaked Raisins
Two years ago: Italian Pasta Salad
Three years ago: Triple-Chocolate Cookies
Four years ago: Banana Cream Pie
Five years ago: Fresh Orange Cream Tart
Banana-Macadamia Nut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1½ cups (187.5 g) unbleached all purpose flour
- 1½ teaspoons (1.5 teaspoons) baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon (0.25 teaspoon) salt
- â…› teaspoon (0.13 teaspoon) ground nutmeg
- 1¼ cups (187.5 g) mashed ripe bananas, about 3 large
- ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
- ¼ cup (55 g) dark brown sugar
- ½ cup (113.5 g) unsalted butter, melted and cooled slightly
- ¼ cup (61 ml) milk, whole, 2% or 1%
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup (134 g) unsalted macadamia nuts, toasted and finely chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a standard-size muffin pan with paper liners or spray with non-stick cooking spray; set aside.
- Sift together the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg into a large bowl.
- In a separate medium bowl, whisk together the mashed bananas, both sugars, butter, milk and egg. Pour over the dry ingredients and fold to combine. Add half of the chopped macadamia nuts to the batter and fold gently to combine.
- Divide the batter evenly between the muffin cups. Sprinkle the tops with the remaining chopped macadamia nuts.
- Bake until golden brown and a thing knife inserted into the center comes out clean, about 25 minutes. Let cool in the muffin pan for about 10 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool completely. Store muffins at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Notes
Did you make this recipe?
Leave a review below, then snap a picture and tag @thebrowneyedbaker on Instagram so I can see it!
A great recipe. Have had this recipe in my files for many years. It was published in Bon Appetit magazine June 1991. I too love to bake muffins but always jumbo size.
I just sent a comment and said the original recipe had pictures of Sponge Bob on the back, it was The Simpson’s. I’ve never watched either so I got mixed up.
My mother-in-law has made this recipe since 1992. She made them with pecans, and I use walnuts – my husband’s favorites. Just found her handwritten recipe and the original recipe and will have to try them with macadamia nuts. Do you know where this was originally published? There is no contributor name on it or any magazine info. The back has a book from 1991 and a picture of Sponge Bob cookies.
Delicious! Accidentally put all the nuts in the batter – still great!Â
Can you substitute the baking soda with baking powder .
Hi Liah, I would not recommend that substitution.
We made these today, I messed up and didn’t melt the butter, but it was gooey soft. They came out so moist. These were sooooo goooood!!! Thanks a bunch.
Can anyone tell me what the little black marks are? I made this recipe and while they tasted great, i can’t get over the visual of the back squiggles. any ideas?
Hi Phylicia, Those are from the banana; you’ll see that in any recipe where you have baked banana.
I made these just now with sliced almonds instead of macadamias and I added a 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. SO GOOD. My go-to banana muffins, for sure!
Mine just came out of the oven and i couldnt resist so i took a big bite out of a hot one and man! Theyre delish!! Thank you for this super easy recipe! :)
These are EXCELLENT. My husband wanted banana muffins and I of course searched here first since you have the best recipes. I used walnuts instead of macadamia nuts and he claims they are the best muffins he has ever had! Thank you!
Yum yum, Perfect! Mine were done in 20 minutes, but I have a very moody oven. These were a hit for my macadamia-nut-loving husband. Thanks for sharing!
Macadamia nuts always remind me of Hawaii! These look amazing and so tropical and yummy!
I actually just made this recipe when I saw it on Epicurious. I used walnuts and these were the best muffins I have ever made, no joke.
I also used walnuts and by far the best banana muffin recipe I’ve ever used! Delish and scrumptious! This is a keeper!
Oh my! These look so good. Perfect for a sunday brunch
Wow, those muffins look deeeelish! I love that you topped it off with macadamia nuts – yum!!
These look so delicious! I’ve never tried banana and macadamia nuts together, but I love the sound of the combination!
I used to buy those giant muffins at Costco. But now I make my own. I probably make muffins more than anything else because they’re so easy to make and so satisfying. Love freezing them for a quick breakfast.
I love how you put the macadamia cuts in these amazing muffins! Delish!
Reminds me of the macadamia nut banana bread in Hawaii!
Now I am craving Banana chocolate chip muffins because I don’t have any macadamia nuts on hand…Glad I have bananas in the freezer, though! Yum.
Seriously banana in almost anything is amazing, and these do look really good. I always seem to forget to make muffins always going for the more pretty cupcakes. You have inspired me I am going to get my groove on for making muffins. Thanks for sharing your recipe :)
I love macadamia nuts, and combining them with banana in a muffin sounds mouthwatering! Great recipe!
Who! Those close-ups are to-die-for!! This would make my breakfasts at my work desk a bit more bearable :)
I love macadamia nuts! Bring on the muffins!
Wow – I love the madacamia nut topping!!
These looked so good. Had to try them. Turned out yummy. I used whole wheat flour and “whey low” for the sugar. They are great.
This recipe couldn’t have been more timely! I have three large overripe bananas waiting to be used! I have every single ingredient in this recipe and that almost never happens on any given day. The house will smell amazing tonight!
I’m a big muffin person, and I make them all the time! Putting macadamias on top of banana muffins sounds great. I never have macadamias and I’ve wanted some since I saw your blondies! You just reminded me to get some — I’ll have to try them on muffins next!
The topping looks scrumptious! I love that you took a simple muffin and created a new masterpiece!
If you can believe it – I’m not a big fan of walnuts. So I typically omit them altogether when I bake anything banana. For some reason, I’ve never thought to substitute with macadamia nuts, which I absolutely love. I will have to try this one out!
These look absolutely lovely!
Anything involving bananas and muffins is the best! Count me in!
YUM!!! Can’t wait to try this. Thanks for sharing.
Love the macadamia nuts in here – perfect complement to these beautiful banana muffins!
What a lovely recipe, I really want to start baking more with macadamia nuts as i’ve never really used them before, so this is perfect
Thanks for sharing x x
That topping looks awesome! I also have an open bag of macadamia nuts, but they’ve been open for more like a year. This sounds like a good use for them! And great pictures. :)
You can never have too many banana recipes. I recently counted for Natl Banana Bread day, which was about a month ago, and I have umm…..over 40 :)
So…I love that you cheated on your old recipe b/c you came up with this, reminding you of a nostalgic favorite. Love it when things work out like that!
Love the macadamia topping!
Oooh yum! I’m a sucker for anything with macadamia nuts!