I have been on a mission for years to find the perfect recipe for banana bread/muffins. I have tried so many different recipes and they have been okay. Nothing spectacular. I had almost given up when I came across a book from my local library full of sourdough recipes. I had hoped to improve my skills in baking a crusty loaf of sourdough, and yet this book was full of so much more!
Let me start with giving credit where credit is due. The book is Sourdough Everyday by Hanna Dela Cruz. It includes many recipes from standard bread loaves to unique sourdough twists on everyday recipes. The “Cookie Top Bananas Foster Muffins” are the best-ever banana bread recipe I have found to date. I get so, so many compliments on these delectable treats every time I make them.
Of course, I did tweak the recipe from the original to suit my own desires. Regardless of the recipe, I have always added 1 more banana than what the recipe calls for. I subbed the original rum for homemade vanilla extract. And I omitted the pecans. I am sure they would be great, but most people in our house are more than happy without the added nuts. I also, from time-to-time, make this recipe in loaf form. It is a bit faster than scooping the batter into muffin liners.
Want to SEE how I make these amazing muffins? Visit: https://youtu.be/f2DPPsOIXLI?feature=shared
Cookie Top Banana Muffins
Ingredients
Muffin Batter
- 4 Overripe Bananas
- 1/4 cup Sourdough Discard
- 2 tbsp Vanilla Extract
- 1 3/4 cup Flour
- 1 tsp Baking Soda
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- 1 1/2 tsp Sea Salt
- 3/4 cup Butter softened
- 1 cup Sugar "white" cane or brown
- 2 Large Eggs room temperature
Topping, if desired
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 2 tsp Cinnamon Add or Sub Cloves or Pumpkin Pie Spice
Instructions
- Use an immersion blender or regular blender to puree bananas. Add in sourdough discard and vanilla extract. Stir and set aside.
- In a separate mixing bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt. Set aside.
- Using a stand mixer, whip butter until it has doubled in size. This should take about 5 minutes. Add sugar. Beat another 2 minutes, or until sugar & butter are well combined.
- Add one egg at a time, allowing each to be fully incorporated before adding the next one.
- Add half of the flour to the butter mixture and mix until just combined. Add half of the banana mixture and mix well. Repeat each step until all ingredients are combined well.
- Cover and allow to rest for at least one hour.
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Prepare baking tin by placing silicone or paper muffin liners in each cavity. Divide the batter into each of the 12 muffin liners. Sprinkle cinnamon-sugar mixture on top of muffins prior to baking. This can be skipped but will not produce the crunchy "cookie-top" on the muffins.
- Bake muffins for 20-25 minutes or until golden brown. Allow muffins to cool for at least 15 minutes before removing from the muffin tin.
