Banana Walnut Muffins

There comes a point in time when you have to commit to using the collection of bananas you've tossed into the freezer as they've gone from yellow to brown to just not okay. You toss them in the freezer, peeled or maybe unpeeled, and forget about them until space is limited. I think of these as guilt reduction bananas because I actually use the bananas (and maybe some nuts) instead of throwing them out. Also, the neighbors get some and that just good community building. This wins times a million.

There isn't anything spectacular about this recipe other than it's a solid, not going to spill over the sides of your muffin pan cups nor be too dry kind of recipe. You don't have to fret. I promise.

The only little bit of a tricky thing about this recipe is that it takes buttermilk powder, which is a fun thing to have in the house. If you use real butter milk, strain your banana goop and use only the banana solids. It will reduce the liquid in the muffin.

Oat Topping

0.25 cup butter
0.50 cup flour
0.25 cup sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
0.50 cup quick oats
pinch of salt

Muffin Batter

1.25 cup sugar
0.5 cup butter
2 eggs
3 bananas, super ripe, drained, reserve and measure the liquid
0.5 cup of banana liquid
1 tsp. vanilla
2.5 cups flour
2 tablespoons buttermilk powder (or 0.5 cup buttermilk)
2 tsp. baking powder
0.5 tsp. salt
1 tsp. cinnamon
0.25 ginger, allspice and cloves
1 cup chopped walnuts

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Topping-heat the butter to soft in a microwavable bowl. Add the remaining ingredients, toss with fingers until combined. Squeeze it into fragile lumps. Set aside.

In a bowl cream the sugar and butter. Add eggs. Add bananas, liquid and vanilla.
In a separate bowl combine flour buttermilk powder, salt and spice. Combine until just moistened. Add the nuts by hand.

Line 24 muffin cups with paper, scoop batter evenly between the cups, about half full. Top with crumble, making small clumps as you put it on the muffin.

Bake for 17-21 minutes.

Oh, I've been asked why I type my recipes in decimals and not fractions. Mostly it's because I scale recipes for a living and the first step is converting fractions to decimals. It's how my brain works.