This morning, I woke up in Ohio. My mom or my dad – it was early and I can’t remember who – suggested I eat one of the bananas sitting on the kitchen table for breakfast. My response? “Eeech, they already have brown spots.”
This evening, I am sitting at my desk in North Carolina thinking I should have snagged those bananas to make some more of these muffins later this week.
I like to eat bananas when they are just a shade past green. Because of this, I buy no more than three bananas at a time. Yet still, I end up with my fair share of ripe bananas. This is what led to my most recent “baking with bananas” choice: banana crumble muffins.
Banana anything – be it bread, muffins or cookies – is something I enjoy. But it is the topping – tangy cream cheese, a crunchy crumble or thick frosting – that really makes whatever it is I baked taste good.
The topping called for in this recipe – a mixture of brown sugar spiced with cinnamon – lends and an almost toffee-like texture and flavor to the top of the muffins. For something as soft as a banana muffin, the contrast of that crunch makes them shine.
If you have a few ripe bananas but are more inclined to bake bread or cookies, Honey Banana Poppy Seed Bread or Orange Banana Oatmeal Cookies are two of my past favorites. Hope you enjoy!
- For the Muffins
- 1 cup mashed bananas (2-3 bananas, depending on size)
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 1 large egg
- 5 tablespoons butter, melted
- 1⅔ cups self-rising flour
- ⅛ teaspoon salt
- For the Crumble Topping
- ⅓ cup brown sugar, packed
- 1 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 tablespoon butter
- In a large bowl, beat together the ripe bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter until fairly light and airy.
- Stir in the flour and salt until well incorporated.
- Pour the batter into the wells of a lightly greased or paper lined muffin tin until each well is ¾ or slightly more full.
- Prepare the crumble topping by stirring together the brown sugar, flour and cinnamon. Then work the butter into the mixture so a grainy mixture that resembles sand forms. (This step can be done at any point prior to or after mixing together the muffin batter).
- Sprinkle the crumble topping onto each muffin.
- Bake at 350 degrees F (180 C) for 15-17 minutes until lightly golden brown and a a wooden toothpick inserted into the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.
- Allow to cool in the pan or on a wire rack.
