Banana Protein Muffins with Walnuts

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These banana protein muffins are a nutritious twist on a breakfast classic. With 10 grams of protein per serving and wholesome ingredients like whole wheat, flax, and yogurt, these muffins will help you start your day strong. Whip up a batch for an easy grab-and-go breakfast to enjoy all week.

Two muffins stacked on a small white plate, with more muffins blurred in the background.

Reasons to love these muffins

Banana bread and banana muffins are classics for a reason. They’re moist, tender, and perfect backdrops for fun additions like nuts, spices, and chocolate chips. These banana walnut muffins are no exception – they’re nutty, fluffy, and flavorful without being too sweet.

If you’re looking for a convenient make-ahead breakfast option, this recipe has you covered. Prepping these muffins is a breeze – just mix, bake, and you’ll have 12 servings ready for grab-and-go.

As an added plus, this recipe has a few secret ingredients that make it higher in key nutrients and way more satisfying than a standard muffin. Goodbye, midmorning slump!

Overhead view of muffins on a cooling rack.

Nutrition fun facts

How do you make muffins high in protein, anyway?

Protein is a key nutrient for building healthy tissues and keeping you full. It’s especially important to get protein at breakfast if you want to stay focused and avoid pre-lunch hangry feelings.

When you hear the word ‘protein’ you may think of things like meat, eggs, or tofu. These absolutely count! You can also get some protein from dairy, soy, peas, whole grains, nuts, and seeds.

This recipe gets its 10 grams of protein per serving from yogurt, whey protein powder, eggs, flaxseeds, and whole wheat flour.

Closeup, angled shot of muffins on a cooling rack.

Ingredients you’ll need

The ingredient list might look long, but I promise there’s nothing fancy in here. This is a pretty basic muffin recipe, with a few additions to boost its nutritional value.

Bananas – the browner, the better!
Yogurt – This adds some extra protein to your recipe and can act as a replacement for oil. You can use plain yogurt or Greek yogurt, but I do suggest vanilla for a bit of sweetness and added flavor.
Brown sugar – You can also swap in granulated sugar. (I haven’t tested this with liquid sweeteners like honey or maple syrup yet – if you do, let me know how it goes!)
Canola oil – You can use any neutral-flavored oil here.
Eggs – another protein source!
Whole wheat flour – This adds protein, fiber, and flavor to your muffins.
Ground flax – Adding a bit of ground flax to your baking recipes boosts their healthy fat and fiber content.
Whey protein powder – Protein powder is the secret ingredient that makes these muffins high in protein. I enjoy the taste and texture of whey protein, but I haven’t tried alternative protein powders (soy, pea, etc.) in baking. You might have a different result if you use a different type!
Baking soda – This helps your muffins rise.
Cinnamon – measure this with your heart!
Salt – It might sound weird, but adding a pinch of salt helps bring out the sweetness in baked goods.
Walnuts – these are optional but they add a delicious crunch! You can swap in other chopped nuts like almonds, pecans, or pistachios if you like.

Overhead view of recipe ingredients arranged in bowls - bruised bananas, walnuts, eggs, brown sugar, yogurt, dry ingredients, and oil.

Tips for success

Baking is equal parts art and science. There are endless ways to make muffins and other baked goodies, but you can mess them up if you veer too far from your recipe. Here’s what I do to make sure these muffins come out perfectly every time.

Mash the bananas with a potato masher. A fork works, but it takes way longer! When you use a potato masher, you’ll get a more consistent mash with fewer lumps.
Use the muffin method. Do you know the muffin method? (The muffin method… the muffin method. I’m sorry – I had to.) The muffin method is a specific way to mix batter that results in a tender (instead of tough) crumb structure. I’ll walk you through this process in the recipe card, but make sure to mix your dry ingredients and wet ingredients in seperate bowls, then pour the wet ingredients into the dry ones.
Don’t overmix. Mix the wet and dry ingredients until just combined. It’s okay if you see some flecks of dry flour. Overmixed muffins will be too dense and smooth – we want light and fluffy!
Full muffin cups = fluffy muffin tops. Don’t be afraid to fill those muffin cups to the top with batter!

Collage of 4 images showing the main recipe steps. 1 - mixing dry ingredients in a bowl; 2 - mixing wet ingredients in a separate bowl; 3 - combining wet and dry ingredients; 4- batter in muffin pan.

FAQs

How do you store protein muffins?

Since these muffins are quite moist, they keep best when they’re refrigerated. Store cooled muffins in a sealed container in the fridge for up to about 4 days. You can toast them, microwave them, or eat them cold.

What should you serve with these muffins?

Although these high-protein muffins are full of beneficial nutrients, one muffin is still too low in calories to be called a meal on its own. Pair a muffin with your favorite egg dish and a piece of fruit to make it a meal. You can also add some calories by spreading some peanut butter on your muffin.

Overhead view of baked muffins in a muffin pan on a cooling rack

Recipe modifications

Chocolate version – Add a tablespoon of cocoa powder, chocolate protein powder, and chocolate chips for a chocolate/banana combo.
Add a hidden veggie – Fold in ¼ cup of shredded zucchini or carrot (with excess water squeezed out) for some extra nutrition.
Vegan/dairy-free – Use vegan yogurt, a flax egg, and plant-based protein powder. (I haven’t personally tried this variation, so your final product might look different from mine.)
Gluten-free – Use a 1:1 gluten-free baking flour instead of the whole wheat flour.
Nut-free – omit the walnuts. You can also swap in pumpkin seeds!

Two muffins stacked on a small white plate

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5 from 1 vote