Who doesn’t love a tender, fruit-filled muffin? These Banana Pecan Muffins are moist, sweet, and studded with toasted pecans for a delightful nutty bite. The tall, bakery-style muffin tops and a sprinkle of coarse sugar make them irresistible.
These muffins are adapted from a classic banana bread batter with a few tweaks to produce the best texture and tall tops. Sour cream adds richness and tenderness, while the turbinado sugar on top creates a satisfying crunch.
Ingredients
Gather the ingredients below before you begin.
- Flour — all-purpose
- Baking soda — for lift
- Salt — kosher or fine sea salt
- Cinnamon — for warmth
- Sugar — a mix of dark brown and white sugar
- Bananas — very ripe and mashed
- Sour cream — adds richness
- Vanilla — for flavor
- Eggs — room temperature
- Butter — unsalted, melted and cooled slightly
- Pecans — unsalted, toasted and chopped
- Turbinado sugar — optional, for crunchy tops
See the recipe card for exact quantities.
Equipment
A standard 12-cup muffin tin is ideal. If you want extra-tall tops, using two tins and filling every other cup (or baking in two batches) helps the muffins rise without excess steam collapsing them.
Step-by-step directions
Follow these steps to make banana pecan muffins. Full instructions and exact measurements are in the recipe card below.
Step 1. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
Step 2. In another bowl, whisk the eggs with brown and white sugar until combined.
Step 3. Stir in the vanilla and slowly add the melted butter, mixing until combined.
Step 4. Add the mashed bananas and sour cream and mix until blended.
Step 5. Fold the dry ingredients into the banana mixture until just combined.
Step 6. Fold in the toasted chopped pecans. The batter should be slightly thick.
Divide the batter into prepared muffin cups, sprinkle tops with turbinado sugar if desired, and bake following the oven timing in the recipe card below.
👩🍳Expert tips
- For deeper flavor and better rise, refrigerate the batter overnight (do not add pecans). Bring it back to room temperature before folding in the nuts and baking.
- To help muffins develop tall domes, fill every other cavity in a 12-cup tin so steam can escape and cups remain stable. Use two tins or bake in two batches.
- Fill the cups nearly to the top for bakery-style domes. If that yields fewer muffins, the height and texture are worth it.
Substitutions
Missing an ingredient? Try these swaps.
- Sour cream — use buttermilk, Greek yogurt, or crème fraîche (room temperature).
- Pecans — walnuts or your favorite chopped nuts work well.
- Cinnamon — try a pinch of cloves or pumpkin pie spice for variation.
- Chocolate chips — use ½ to 1 cup in place of pecans for a sweeter version.
- Fruit — fold in up to 1 to 1¼ cups of chopped fruit like strawberries or blueberries for a fruity twist.
Storage and make-ahead tips
Store cooled muffins in an airtight container lined with a paper towel to absorb moisture. Place another paper towel on top and keep at room temperature for up to 4 days.
To freeze, wrap cooled muffins individually in plastic wrap and place them in a freezer-safe bag for up to 3 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm briefly in the oven.
FAQ
Yes. Place unripe bananas in a paper bag at room temperature. The ethylene gas will concentrate and speed ripening—bananas often brown overnight or within a day.
Are you bananas for bananas?
Try other banana-forward recipes next time for variety and inspiration.
📖Recipe
Banana Pecan Muffins
Equipment
- 1 12-cup standard muffin tin
Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon kosher or fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, room temperature
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- ½ cup (4 ounces or 1 stick) unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- ⅓ cup sour cream, room temperature
- 1 cup mashed very ripe bananas (about 2 large)
- ½ cup chopped pecans, toasted (optional)
- 1 tablespoon turbinado sugar for sprinkling (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners or spray with cooking spray.
- Whisk together the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt in a medium bowl.
- In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs with both sugars until combined. Stir in the vanilla, then slowly whisk in the melted butter. Add the mashed bananas and sour cream, stirring until blended. Fold the banana mixture into the dry ingredients until just combined.
- Fold in the chopped pecans, if using. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups and, if desired, sprinkle the tops with turbinado sugar.
- Bake at 425°F for 6 minutes. Without removing the muffins, reduce the oven temperature to 350°F and bake an additional 15–20 minutes, until golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool briefly in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
Notes
Tips for tall muffin tops: refrigerate batter overnight (without pecans), bring to room temperature before baking; fill every other cup in the tin to allow steam to escape; fill cups nearly to the top for higher domes.
Storage: Store cooled muffins in a paper towel-lined airtight container at room temperature for up to 4 days. To freeze, wrap individually and store in a freezer bag for up to 3 months.
Nutrition*
*Nutrition information is an estimate and provided as a courtesy. Actual values may vary based on ingredients, measurements, and substitutions.
Leave a comment and rating. If you took a photo, share it to show how your muffins turned out!