Banana-Nut Muffins

BANANA-NUT MUFFINS

I always think it's funny when people curl their noses at recipes with the word “nut” in the title. With so many types of nuts out there, I find it hard to believe that a person could hate them all. And yet for many people the very word disgusts them into a veritable seizure of bared teeth and hawking sounds. So if you are resolutely determined to avoid any and all foods that associate with nuts, you might consider preparing these delicious muffins without nut for a wonderful breakfast treat that everyone is sure to enjoy.

Makes 1 dozen

½	cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus more for greasing
½	cup light-brown sugar, firmly packed
¼	cup pure maple syrup
2	large eggs, lightly beaten
½	teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1¾	cups all-purpose flour
2	teaspoons baking powder
½	teaspoon baking soda
½	teaspoon kosher salt
½	teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼	cup buttermilk
2	large bananas, peeled and cut into ½-inch pieces
½	cup pecan halves, chopped (optional)

1. Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease the top of a standard 12-cup muffin tin with butter and line with paper liners. Set aside. In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, cream together the butter and sugar on medium speed until light and fluffy, about 5 minutes. Scraping the sides of the bowl as needed, incorporate the maple syrup, eggs, and vanilla extract. Mix just until well combined.

2.  Into a separate bowl, sift together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. With the mixer running on low, add the dry ingredients, followed by the buttermilk, to the batter. Mix until just combined, being careful not to overmix. Using a rubber spatula, gently fold the bananas and pecans into the batter. Divide the batter evenly among the paper-lined muffin cups.

3.  Bake in the preheated oven until the muffins are golden brown and a cake tester inserted into the center of the muffins comes out clean, 20 to 25 minutes. Remove and allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 10 minutes. Then, transfer the muffins to a wire rack and cool.