I love banana muffins, but I don't want to have a whole dozen of them hanging around all day saying "Eat me, eat me." So I like to make just six of them. If you have a toaster oven, you don't even have to heat up the house on a hot summer day.
(I over-baked the batch pictured above because I got so engrossed in something I was reading that I ignored the timer!)
This recipe makes six perfect muffins you can stir up quickly by hand, using a minimal number of utensils. And isn't that what it's all about during summertime when the livin' is (supposed to be) easy?
These have a lot less sugar than most banana muffins, so the natural sweetness of the banana really comes through. So many muffins in restaurants and bakeries are so sugary they should be called cupcakes.
Low-sugar enough for breakfast, I love them for dessert as well. Add a tiny drop of frosting and call 'em cupcakes. The kids will never know! Lemon Poppy Seed Muffins are good, too. Oh, and, of course, Blueberry Muffins. What is your favorite kind of muffin?
Banana Muffins
(Makes 6)
2/3 dip-and-sweep cup (3.33 ounces/94 grams) unbleached all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup (1 ounce/28 grams) finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/30 milliliters) organic canola oil
1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2/3 cup (5.85 ounces/166 grams) mashed very ripe banana (1 large 8.25-ounce/234-gram banana in its skin)
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/8 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
1/4 cup (1 ounce/28 grams) finely chopped walnuts
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/28 grams) unsalted butter
2 tablespoons (1 ounce/30 milliliters) organic canola oil
1/4 packed cup (1.75 ounces/50 grams) dark brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 large egg, room temperature
2/3 cup (5.85 ounces/166 grams) mashed very ripe banana (1 large 8.25-ounce/234-gram banana in its skin)
1 Preheat oven (toaster oven is perfect for hot summer days) to 375F/190C/Gas5. In 2-cup glass measure or small bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt and nutmeg. Stir in finely chopped walnuts.
2 In 1-quart glass measure or bowl, melt butter. Stir in canola oil, then brown sugar and vanilla extract. Beat in egg, beating well. Stir in mashed banana (a fork works just fine on a very ripe banana). Add flour mixture to wet mixture, and mix just until combined; do not overmix.
3 Spray 6-cup standard muffin tin with cooking spray. Using a 1/4-cup measuring cup, divide batter between cups. Bake for about 18 to 23 minutes (19 minutes in my toaster oven is perfect), or until one tests done with a toothpick.
4 Turn out onto a pristine kitchen towel. Place on wire rack to cool for a few minutes before serving.
What a great idea to make just 6. They would call to me also!
ReplyDeleteColletta
Hello Jean,
ReplyDeleteYour banana muffins look just wonderful! I do like a good muffin or tea bread and banana is always a favourite. I agree with you about bakery and restaurant muffins; way too sweet! I would much rather bake my own. Thanks for the recipe for six and joining me for my little tea party. Have a lovely weekend.
Blessings,
Sandi
I've been thinking about making muffins for days now and I think this has just put me over the edge! I often make a large batch and freeze them. One minute in the microwave and they are ready for butter! I actually have two favorite muffins. Blueberry-corn and pumpkin-chocolate-chip. I know you just cringed when you read chocolate chip. ;-)
ReplyDeleteColletta, thank you. I decided I just can't have baked goods sitting there, making me think I need to eat them so they won't go to waste!
ReplyDeleteSandi, thank you. I do so love your tea parties!
ReplyDeleteOh this is perfect Jean!! I often have extra banana and I usually just make banana bread. This is a wonderful recipe to have for something different and I love that there's less sugar. I'll need to check out those other muffin recipes too. Perfect breakfast goodies! ;)
ReplyDeleteRichard, I've frozen them too, but I don't want them calling to me from the freezer either! And, yes, I DID just cringe when I read 'chocolate chip'! Too funny!
ReplyDeleteCarrie, thanks so much. I hope you'll like them all. I make everything I can with less sugar.
ReplyDeleteI love baked goods made with bananas. And this small batch is perfect for just two of us.
ReplyDeleteThanks, Angie. I hope you'll try them soon!
ReplyDeleteFlat out amazes me that recipes ever developed for something that smells like rotten bananas…OK, it is rotten bananananana – banabana – banua…that yellow fruit that looks like a blackjack. And maybe I could get it if it didn’t retain the SMELL of rotten bananas. My tastebuds just sound five alarms whenever I get banana bread or banana muffins – usually as a gift from a fan or a friend who doesn’t know me that well. Then, too, my favorite muffin is…um, oh yeah, I don’t have a favorite muffin. Check that. Bays English muffins slathered in butter. But I will defend to the death the right of all muffin lovers to eat rotten ba…nanans…yellow blackjacks.
ReplyDeleteSully, I know you're not a banana fan or a muffin fan, so double whammy! Much as I love these, double it for a good English muffin slathered in butter. Try my recipe and astonish your friends and neighbors!
ReplyDeletePerfect idea; then I won't be tempted to eat half the batch when I make them for the Great Scot.
ReplyDeleteFavourite muffin? That would be Tropical Love muffins; with banana, coconut, dried pineapple and macadamias. Mmmmm.
Mmmm, Jacqueline, that does sound good! I'd definitely have to make just a small batch of those!
ReplyDeleteGreat idea to make a small batch. Love bananas in cooking.
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea to use the toaster oven in the summer, Jean - it's so nice to have treats without heating up the kitchen! Love this versatile, tasty recipe - banana muffins are a favourite around our house! Thank you for being a part of the Hearth and Soul hop.
ReplyDeleteThanks, whiteangel. What's not to love about bananas? And yet I know a few people who don't!
ReplyDeleteThank you, April. I always enjoy the hop; still checking out those links!
ReplyDeleteLove banana muffins, but must have nuts in them as well. I'll give your recipe a try!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda! Let me know how they turn out for you. This calls for 1/4 cup finely chopped nuts, but you can add more if you like.
ReplyDeleteLooks yum. I love banana cakes... I'm gonna try your recipe :-)
ReplyDeleteMaya, thanks so much. Hope you like them!
ReplyDeleteThank you for stopping by my blog and leaving a comment! I'll need to check out your banana muffin recipe, since I love banana bread!
ReplyDeleteThanks, Linda. They bake a lot more quickly than a loaf of banana bread, so I definitely prefer muffins in hot weather!
ReplyDeleteI love muffins, but sadly not so much banana flavoured ones! I would enjoy the others that you mentioned though! I am sure that these are good, just not for me. xx
ReplyDeleteThanks, Amy! Yes, my husband was never a banana fan either. But he's actually changed his tune in recent years. Tastes sometimes change.
ReplyDeleteHi Jean! I like the idea of a small batch and the muffins look wonderful. I'm not a raw banana fan at all, but I love them in baked goods, for some reason. The small batch would be fabulous and using my Breville toaster/convection oven is so handy.
ReplyDeleteThank you for your visit to my blog. I wanted to email you, but you're a noreply comment blogger, but I appreciate your visits!
Have a wonderful day and happy baking!
p.s. I did make your microwave Mac and Cheese for my son and he enjoyed it!
Kitty, thanks so much. Glad he liked the mac and cheese! I have a friend nearby who has the same toaster oven as you; it's great. I have the Cuisinart and love it. Both of us wonder what we'd do without it!
ReplyDeleteHello Jean,
ReplyDeleteI love your small batch ideas! And the recipes sound very good.
Wishing you well,
Carol
Thanks so much, Carol! And I wish you all the best with your wonderful eGuide.
ReplyDeleteI have some over ripe bananas that need to be used in the next couple of days. Banana muffins are on the menu! Thanks for sharing with SYC.
ReplyDeletehugs,
Jann
Thanks, Jann! That's what I love about bananas, "never having to say you're sorry" you let them go to waste -- it's never too late to use a banana!
ReplyDeleteThese sound delicious and healthy. My go to banana muffin recipe is not very healthy, and I have been wanting to try one a bit healthier. Thanks for sharing yours :)
ReplyDeleteThanks, Big Rigs ... ! Hope you'll like them as much as we do.
ReplyDeletePerfect! I have a banana that I need to do something with :)
ReplyDeleteThat's great, Rue! I hate wasting food, even one lone shriveled nearly rotten banana!
ReplyDeleteI made this yesterday and it does make 6 perfect muffins. I weighed everything out just the recipe except used 1/4 tsp kosher salt, added 2 extra Tablespoons of brown suhar because I like things a little sweeter, and accidentally forgot the baking soda but they still turned out amazing! haha. Thanks for the recipe!
ReplyDeleteRebekah, thanks for letting me know! I'm glad you liked them!
ReplyDeleteI trundled over here from your banana cake post, and must admit I'm more tempted by these: "small batch" and "less sugar" sound absolutely ideal. Thank you, Jean, for the plentiful baking inspiration.
ReplyDeleteThank you, Pauline. And we quite agree. Mr Delightful and I both prefer my low-sugar muffins to a sweet cake. Though the cake itself doesn't have a lot of sugar, that caramelized banana must by its very nature have a lot of sugar!
ReplyDelete