Hi there friends, welcome back & a very happy friday to you! I’m here with yet another banana recipe. Sorry, can’t stop. But i’m sure you have some bananas that you bought that are going brown on the counter that you thought you were going to eat, but then you didnt. 🙂 Don’t worry, this is a judgement free zone. Plus I have just the thing for those old bananas: Easy Banana muffins with granola crumble.
Oh, yea…these aren’t just regular banana muffins. You know I had to spice them up some how right?! TBH, you could use your favorite muffin recipe, top it with granola and a bit of sugar and voila, you basically have the same thing.
Oops, I just let you in on my secret. Oh well. I actually adapted this muffin recipe from my roasted banana cupcakes (linked at the end of this post, if you’re curious). I did not, however, roast these bananas. Feel free to do so, if you want a more caramelized flavor — the how to is in that post! I wanted to keep this recipe simple and easy for the home cook who’s just looking for a way to use those dang bananas!
Do you know the Muffin….Method?
The muffin method in and of itself is rather simple. The idea is to mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another. You then pour the wet over the try and combine, mixing as little as possible. Eggs and sugar are both considered wet. Use a spatula to combine the ingredients. The mixture does not have to be lump-free. If you use a mixer or stir too much, the gluten in the flour develops and you get tough muffins. (source)
This method is also great for quick bread recipes (think banana, zucchini, pumpkin….) that can be quite dense, especially if using a mixer. Now I have been known to use a mixer for the wet ingredients, for both quick breads and muffins, but I normally always fold in the dry ingredients. This help the muffins (or bread) not feel so dense and bake up with an even texture (IMO).
The way the Granola Crumbles:
So muffins are great and everything, but I love a good crumble on top of a muffin. It’s what really *sells* it to me. That’s why I topped these muffins with a easy granola — probably with ingredients you already have on hand.
- Store bought Granola
- Dried Cranberries
- Toasted Unsweetened Coconut
- Slivered Almonds
- Brown Sugar
See? It really couldn’t be simpler. All of these ingredients are interchangeable — pick what you like best! Dried fruit, nuts, seeds — you name it you can pop it on top of these muffins for that little bit of extra crunch and texture. You wont regret it. 🙂
So there you have it! Easy Banana muffins with granola crumble whipped up in no time at all. Bonus? You can prep these the night before baking: mix the wet ingredients in one bowl and the dry in another the night before cooking. Place the wet bowl in the refrigerator and the dry bowl – covered – on the counter. Combine the two and place them in the oven the next day — almost instant muffins. 🙂
Xo, Danielle
Other Recipes you might be interested in:
Cakey Banana Cookies with PB & Chocolate
Easy Banana Muffins with Granola Crumble
These Easy Banana Muffins with Granola Crumble are perfect for a lazy Saturday morning, or a quick snack during the week. Whip them up and watch them disappear!
Ingredients
For the Muffins:
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoon salt
- 1 1/2 cup Mashed banana about 3 large very ripe bananas
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter melted
- 1/2 cup packed light or dark brown sugar
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1/4 cup sour cream or plain yogurt
- 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup buttermilk at room temperature
For the crumble:
- 1 Cup Store bought Granola I used a simple low fat variety
- 1/2 Cup Dried Cranberries optional
- 1/2 Cup Toasted Unsweetened Coconut optional
- 1/2 Cup Slivered Almonds optional
- 1/4 Cup Brown Sugar
For the Glaze:
- 3/4 Cup Powdered Sugar
- 1 tsp Vanilla
- 2 tbsp. hot water
Instructions
Make the Muffins:
- Preheat the oven to 350°. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with cupcake liners. Line a second pan with 6 liners as this recipe yields about 18 cupcakes.
In a large bowl, whisk the flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt together. Set aside.
In another bowl, mix the butter and both sugars together with a whisk until smooth and creamy, about 2 minutes.
Add the eggs, yogurt, mashed banana, buttermilk and vanilla, and mix until combined.
Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and using a spatula, mix until just incorporated.
Combine the ingredients for the granola crumble in a small bowl, set aside.
Pour/spoon the muffin batter into the liners – fill only 2/3 full to avoid spilling over the sides. Top with granola crumble mixture. Bake for 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
For the Glaze (optional):
- Whisk all ingredients together in a bowl. Drizzle over cooled muffins as desired.
- Store muffins in an airtight container for up to 3 days.
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