Who doesn’t like a good muffin? After all, once the recipe is mixed, it bakes in minutes and is ready to serve.

Tips: Using very ripe bananas (black) is the key to success with a banana muffin recipe. Save ripe bananas and freeze them in a plastic bag until you have enough to make a full recipe.

For a "lower fat" muffin, replace the butter in part or all with applesauce.

Banana Nut Muffins

chefgeorgehirsch.com | George Hirsch Lifestyle

makes 10-12 muffins

Optional: For the Crumb Topping:

1/3 cup light brown sugar

2 Tablespoons all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon cinnamon

2 Tablespoons nuts, chopped

1 Tablespoon sweet butter

Mix brown sugar, flour, cinnamon, and nuts in a small bowl. Blend butter in with a fork until the mixture is crumb-like.

For the Muffin Mix:

1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon baking powder

1/2 teaspoon salt

1 1/4 cups, about 3-4 large very ripe bananas, mashed

1/2 cup pure cane granulated sugar

3 Tablespoons honey

1 egg, beaten

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1/4 cup walnuts or pecans, chopped into 1/4 inch pieces

1 teaspoon vanilla

1/2 teaspoon grated orange zest

1/2 cup sweet butter, melted or replace with part/ all applesauce

Lightly grease 10 muffin cups or line them with muffin papers.

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees and follow the directions below.

Mix flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. In another bowl, beat together bananas, sugar, honey, egg, cinnamon, vanilla, zest, nuts, and melted butter. Fold in the banana mixture by hand with a spatula into the flour mixture until moistened.

Place batter into muffin cups filling each cup to three-quarters full. Divide the crumb topping evenly over the top of the muffin batter.

Bake for 18 to 20 minutes. Check for doneness with a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin; when a toothpick comes out clean or when touched lightly, the muffin should resist finger pressure slightly.