Rich and nutty.
Muffins hold a sovereign spot in the kingdom of delicious breakfast food—and these banana hazelnut crumb muffins are no exception. Crowned with a nutty brown sugar crumb topping and packed with rich, ripe banana, they’re sure to reign supreme at any breakfast or brunch table.
With any banana muffin recipe, the most important thing is to make sure it tastes like banana. This recipe addresses that concern by calling for a specifically measured amount of mashed banana (340 grams or 1 ½ packed cups), cutting out cultured dairy (such as sour cream or Greek yogurt) which might mute the banana flavor, and then backing that banana up with double dose of vanilla and brown sugar. Chopped hazelnuts bring more toasty notes, and cocoa nibs offer pops of fruity bitterness that play off of and enhance the banana itself.
A quick note about the hazelnuts. For the most even toasting, spread them onto a baking sheet and roast them in a 350-degree oven until golden brown in the center and taste nutty. Then, while they’re still warm, place them inside a clean folded kitchen towel and rub vigorously so the brown outer skins flake off. Don’t panic if a few stubborn skins remain: the nuts taste better without them, but it’s not a tragedy if a few remain.
Soft, tender, and full of ripe banana flavor, these muffins are sure to be a winner on your breakfast table at any time of year. If you don’t have a few overripe bananas on your kitchen counter right now, you’ll want to get your hands on a bunch as soon as you can—just so you can make them.
Enjoy!
Banana Hazelnut Crumb Muffins
(Makes 12)
For the crumb topping:
½ cup (60 g.) all-purpose flour
1/3 cup (66 g.) brown sugar
1/3 cup (40 g.) chopped hazelnuts
1 tbsp. cocoa nibs
¼ tsp. kosher salt
4 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed, at room temperature
For the muffins:
1 ½ cups (180 g.) all-purpose flour
1 ½ tsp. baking powder
¼ tsp. baking soda
½ tsp. kosher salt
6 tbsp. (85 g.) unsalted butter, melted
¾ cup (150 g.) brown sugar
2 large eggs
1 ½ cups (340 g.) ripe mashed banana (3-4 medium)
2 tsp. vanilla extract
2/3 cup (80 g.) roughly chopped toasted hazelnuts
3 tbsp. cocoa nibs
Special equipment: baking sheet, parchment paper, muffin tin, muffin tin liners (optional)
Method
For the crumb topping:
Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
In a small bowl, whisk together flour, brown sugar, hazelnuts, cocoa nibs, and salt. Using clean fingers, rub in room temperature butter until incorporated (mixture should form large clumps when pressed together).
Spread crumbs onto prepared baking sheet, making sure there are both large and small sized crumbs. Freeze until firm and cold, 15-30 minutes.
For the muffins:
Preheat the oven to 375° F. Grease a 12-well muffin tin with nonstick cooking spray, or line with paper cups.
In a small bowl, stir together the flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined.
In a large bowl, stir together melted butter, brown sugar, and eggs until blended. Stir in mashed banana and vanilla extract until combined, then fold in the dry ingredients until no flour pockets remain. Fold in the chopped hazelnuts and cocoa nibs.
Divide the batter between the muffin tin wells (wells will be nearly full). Sprinkle with chilled crumb topping.
Bake in 20-25 minutes, or until the muffins are risen, firm on top, and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in muffin tin 5 minutes, then remove to a wire rack to cool.
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