My take on the classic muffins I grew up baking.

This recipe makes 12 muffins.

• Prep time: 15 minutes

• Baking time: 15 minutes

• Cooling time: 30 minutes (or until cool enough to eat)

• Total time: 30 minutes (not including cooling time)

• Equipment needed: mixing bowls, rubber spatula, measuring cups/spoons, digital scale (if weighing in grams)

See *Notes for more important tips/clarifications

One of my very first baking memories is of pulling out some very ripe bananas from the freezer, cracking open my mom’s worn out Better Homes and Garden’s cookbook and turning the page to the recipe that I could probably bake with my eyes closed: Banana Muffins. The recipe was originally for a banana cake, but we always turned it into muffins for a grab-and-go kind of treat (and so we wouldn’t feel as bad eating more than one 😉). I love how the batter smells when the vanilla hits the sweet bananas; how the baked muffins always have that perfect crunchy top while keeping things moist inside. Some additional crunch in every bite from chopped nuts never hurt too! It slowly became that one recipe that always made home feel like home.

So, using that recipe as a base, and being careful to maintain the simplicity I love about it, I created my own version with a couple of twists, namely adding some semi-sweet chocolate chips because I love a good banana-chocolate mash-up (yes, pun intended 😅). I hope this recipe can become for you what the original one was for me: a simple, comforting goodie that you can always come back to and really make with all pantry ingredients (and I know you got some ripe bananas just waiting to be used for something yummy).

Ingredients:

• 1 3/4 cup (213 grams) of all-purpose flour

• 1 1/4 tsp (5 grams) baking powder

• 1/2 tsp (3 grams) baking soda

• 1/4 tsp (2 grams) fine sea salt

• 3/4 cup (150 grams) granulated sugar

• 1 large egg, room temperature

• 1/4 cup unsalted butter, melted and slightly cooled

• 1/4 cup vegetable shortening, melted and slightly cooled

• 3 medium bananas, mashed (about 1 cup)

• 1 tsp apple cider vinegar

• 1 tsp vanilla

• 1/3 c milk, room temperature (whole preferred, see *Notes)

• 1/2 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips, plus a few to top

• 1/4 cup pecans or walnuts, chopped

*Notes

• Milk: whole milk is my preference for these muffins and really any baked good (more fat = more flavor), but if all you have is 2% or skim, that’s totally fine.

• I love semi-sweet chocolate chips in these muffins, but milk or dark would work just as well if you prefer either of those.

• Make sure those bananas are super ripe! The riper they are, the more flavorful/sweeter they’ll be, and will be moister than unripe bananas, which will help your muffins stay super moist!

• Storing: These muffins will stay fresh for about 2-4 days at room temperature, stored in an airtight container, and 1 week in the refrigerator. Reheat for 10-15 seconds in the microwave or for 5 mins in a 350°F oven or toaster oven.

Process:

1. Preheat your oven to 425°F and prepare a 12 cup muffin/cupcake tray with liners (or spray with cooking spray).

2. In a small bowl, mash the bananas with a fork. Set aside. Chop pecans or walnuts with a chef’s knife or in a food processor. Set aside.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Set aside.

4. In a large bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, butter, shortening, bananas, vinegar, and vanilla for about 1 minute, or until smooth and well-combined. Add the dry ingredients and milk, alternating, starting and ending with the dry ingredients, and whisk until combined. Last, fold in chocolate chips and nuts using a rubber spatula or large wooden spoon.

5. Scoop batter into prepared muffin liners 3/4 of the way full. I love using a #40 cookie scoop to make things easier. Bake for 5-7 mins at 425 or until muffins rise 1/4 to 1/2 an inch above the liners. Turn down the oven to 350°F and bake an additional 12-14 mins, or until a toothpick inserted into the muffins comes out clean.

6. Let cool on a wire rack and enjoy!