BANANA CRUNCH MUFFINS

I’m not a huge fan of banana muffins, but these are different. First, they’re light as air, but also tender and moist. The banana flavor is almost not there, and the crunch topping is toffee-like, crispy and tender crunchy. Even though I made these with whole wheat flour, no one could tell. This is definitely a keeper.

Banana Crunch Muffins Printable Recipe Source: Judy’s Kitchen Rating: 9 out of 10

INGREDIENTS: 1 cup plus 2 Tbsp. white whole wheat flour (or all purpose, if preferred) 1/2 cup sugar (or sugar substitute) 1/2 tsp. baking powder 1/ tsp. baking soda 1/4 tsp. sea salt 1/4 cup (1/2 stick) unsalted butter 1/4 cup vanilla low-fat yogurt (I used Stonyfield Farm) 1/4 tsp. pure vanilla extract 1 large egg 1/2 cup mashed very ripe banana Crunch topping (see recipe below) Preheat oven to 400F. Grease a 6-cup muffin tin and a 12-cup mini-muffin tin; set aside. In a small bowl, whisk together first 5 ingredients. In a medium microwaveable bowl, melt the butter on high about 30 seconds, covered, or till butter is almost melted. Let it sit in the microwave until it is completely melted, then whisk in the yogurt, vanilla, and egg till very smooth. Add the banana and whisk again till combined. Stir in dry ingredients with a spoon or spatula, and only mix till barely combined. Fill the muffin cups with the batter, using a scant 1/4 cup for standard muffin tins and about a generous tablespoonful for the minis. Top each muffin with some of the crunch topping, and bake about 12 minutes for the minis and about 15 minutes for the standards, or till a toothpick inserted near center returns with just a few crumbs. Transfer muffins to a wire rack to cool after they have rested in the pans about 3 minutes. Crunch Topping: 3 Tbsp. melted butter 1/3 cup quick oats (Do not use instant oats, use the 1-minute) 1/3 cup broken pecans 1/3 cup brown sugar 1/2 tsp. cinnamon 3 Tbsp. dried sweetened coconut Combine all ingredients in small bowl using a fork.