Hello, August! With the start of school right around the corner brings the return of prepping all the meals and snacks to set everyone up for success. My family is always go-go-go in the mornings, and we live by the phrase: the best days start the night before, aka prepping is king. Starting with breakfast, since that’s the easiest thing to grab and go as we’re all running out the door.

Remember that foolproof cinnamon loaf recipe? Turns out that same batter makes an excellent muffin too.

This time I went banana and walnut — classic, and topped a few different ways depending on my mood. It’s soft, moist, and freezer-friendly, which is really the whole point during this time of year.

Why Muffins?

First of all, I love muffins. Muffin tops are one of the best things ever invented, and they come in their own individual container, which is exactly what you need whenever mornings get away from you.

If you’ve made my cinnamon loaf before, this will feel familiar. If you haven’t, this is a good entry point — and either way, you’ll want to bookmark the loaf version too, because once you have this base down, you’ll start seeing mix-in possibilities everywhere.

What You’ll Need

• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup white sugar
• ¼ cup brown sugar
• 2 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• 4 tsp ground cinnamon
• 1 tsp salt
• ¾ cup buttermilk (slightly less than the loaf version — the banana adds moisture)
• ¼ cup olive oil
• 2 eggs
• 2 tsp vanilla extract
• 2 ripe bananas, mashed
• ½ cup chopped walnuts (swap for a nut-free topping, like extra mini chocolate chips, if you’re packing these for a nut-free classroom)

Let’s Make It

1. Mix the batter. In a large bowl, mash the bananas, then mix in the flour, both sugars, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Add the buttermilk, olive oil, eggs, and vanilla, and stir until just combined. Fold in the walnuts.

2. Fill the muffin tins. Preheat your oven to 350°F. Line or grease a muffin tin and divide the batter evenly among the cups — about ¾ full so they have room to dome.

3. Bake. Bake for 20–22 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean and the tops are golden.

4. Let cool and enjoy! Let the muffins cool fully before storing — thank me later!

A Few Swap Ideas

Just like my cinnamon loaf, this batter is built to flex:

• Walnuts → pecans, or omit for a nut-free option
• Banana → blueberries or even chopped apple to keep with the fall season vibes
• Add a handful of oats on top for extra texture — I personally love this since it feels more breakfast-y

If you haven’t already, go check out the original cinnamon loaf this recipe is built from.

Happy back to school season!