Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping

Do I even need to write words in this post with a recipe title like that? Probably not, but I just can’t help myself.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

Recognize the new board I’m using? Pretty excited about it!

Now back to butter.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

Brown butter to be exact. It’s easier than you think to make and adds a whole extra depth of flavor to baked goods. In this recipe I’ve used it in the muffins and in the streusel topping. If you can keep yourself from eating all of the topping before putting the muffins in the oven I commend you. It’s kind of insane. You’ll see soon enough.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

See. Right here.

I did something a little tricky and not only used brown butter in this topping but also banana! It gives the muffins an extra kick of happy. The mixture isn’t a crumble due to the mashed banana but more of a thick dough. You are going to l.o.v.e. it.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

Someone please come help me on baking days. The messes are out of control. Especially when multiple trials are involved. Luckily, these muffins only needed two tries.

I tried to change up a few things from an existing recipe, like adding an extra egg and changing the flour ratios, but I could tell with the first bite they weren’t up to snuff for you guys. The extra egg was just too much. If you’ve ever added 1 egg too many to a baked good you know what I mean. It’s like it turns too stiff or something and doesn’t have as tender a crumb.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

But the good news is batch two exceeded my expectations.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

The texture was possibly the best yet for any muffin I’ve made and the little crunchy bits of chocolate just take it to another level. Not to mention the crunchy brown butter banana streusel topping.

Still can’t get over the topping.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

The muffins have a lovely crispy top [!!!] and a perfectly soft and tender interior texture. It’s just the right amount of crumbly. The kind you can bite through without it falling into a million pieces. They’re dense in a good way and just lightly sweet, per the usual.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

These muffins.

Need to happen in your kitchen.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

Print this!

adapted from my Coconut Banana Bread

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping

gluten-free // yields 12-14 standard muffins

for the topping:

  • 2 1/2 tablespoons softened brown butter
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons well mashed banana
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/4 cup + 3 tablespoons gluten-free oat flour
  • 1/4 cup muscovado sugar, or brown sugar
  • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
  • pinch of salt

for the muffins:

  • 1 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 3/4 cup raw buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 cup + 2 tablespoons almond meal
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax meal
  • 2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup + 2 tablespoons well mashed banana
  • 6 tablespoons 2% milk
  • 6 tablespoons honey
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons melted brown butter, slightly cooled
  • 3/4 – 1 cup dark chocolate chips

Preheat your oven to 350* F and thoroughly grease a 12 tin standard muffin pan with butter or use liners.

In a bowl combine all of the ingredients for the streusel topping. Mash with a fork for a minute or so until it all comes together and turns into a very thick, paste-like dough. Set aside.

In a large bowl combine the flours, almond meal, flax, cinnamon, baking powder, soda, and salt. Stir well.

In another bowl whisk together the eggs, banana, almond milk, honey, and vanilla until fully combined. Whisk in the butter and pour the wet mixture into the dry bowl. Whisk or stir until just combined [when you no longer see dry flour].

Fold in the chocolate chips then scoop the mixture into the muffin tin until each mold is just over 3/4 the way full. Using your fingers drop little dots of the topping mixture onto the top of each muffin until you’ve used it all. Place muffin tins in your oven and bake for 20-24 minutes until golden brown around the edges and a toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool in the pan for 15 minutes then slide a knife around the edge and place on a cooling rack until fully cooled. Serve or store in a sealed container for 3-4 days. For the best texture allow muffins to fully cool.

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notes: I recommend grinding your own buckwheat flour at home with raw groats [pale yellow/green color] for a lighter flavor. You can grind them in a blender, food processor, or coffee grinder until flour-like in texture. Sift if needed and store in the fridge. Regular buckwheat flour will work but the flavor will be more pronounced. Regular butter or can be subbed instead of the brown butter if desired. To make this dairy free: Use almond or soy milk instead of 2% and use coconut oil in place of the brown butter.

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How to make Brown Butter: Heat a light colored saucepan [so you can see the brown bits] over medium/medium-low heat with 1 stick of butter cut into tablespoon sized pieces. Let melt then start whisking constantly. While you whisk the butter will start to foam, then simmer, then turn clear, and then foam a bit more and eventually little brown bits will start to show up after a few minutes. When brown bits start to form remove the pan from the heat and continue to whisk for another 20 seconds. Pour into a jar, let cool to room temperature, and then refrigerate or use in its liquid form. You’ll definitely be able to see and smell [very rich and nutty] when the butter starts to brown. If you’re using higher temperature or leave it on the burner for too long it will burn. You want golden brown liquid, not at all blackened.

Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree
Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Brown Butter Banana Streusel Topping | edibleperspective.com #glutenfree

How about that for your Wednesday?

Ashley

Honey Kissed Baklava Muffins

Apparently I’m preparing for a muffin party.  Either that or I have lost my brain posting 2 muffin recipes in a row.  Between the trials for Friday’s PB Chocolate Muffins for Two and now these beauties I have a pretty big stockpile of muffins on my hands.

No complaints here.

Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com

How many times will I say “muffin” in this post?  Count so far: 4

Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com

The idea for this recipe actually stemmed from the Baklava Doughnuts that you will find in my cookbook!  Those were a definite favorite recipe, and I couldn’t believe how much they reminded me of traditional baklava [minus the whole flaky, phyllo dough thing]. 

And while I absolutely love all of the components that make up real-deal baklava it was always a bit on the sweet side for me.

And when I say a bit I mean I feel like my teeth are going to fall out of my mouth when I eat it.  But the amazing flavors would always lure me in for more.

Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com

The base muffin recipe stems from my Blueberry Crumb Muffins but instead of blueberries these are stuffed with pistachios and walnuts.

Honey was the obvious sweetener of choice and I used butter instead of oil to really try and achieve that traditional baklava flavor.

Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com

Fluffy and soft.

Hearty and wholesome.

Crunchy and sweet.

And now all the teeth can stay put in my mouth.

I originally attempted layering the “filling” mixture with the batter [shown below] but ultimately preferred folding the nut mixture into the batter for better distribution.

Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com

Print this!

adapted from: blueberry crumb muffins [vegan version: here]

Baklava Muffins

gluten-free // yields 12-16 standard muffins

Muffins:

  • 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour
  • 3/4 cup raw buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 cup almond meal
  • 2 1/2 tablespoons ground flax meal
  • 1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon baking powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1/2 cup + 1 tablespoon unsweetened applesauce
  • 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk, or soy, 2%, etc.
  • 1/2 cup clover honey
  • 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
  • 4 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

Filling:

  • 1 1/4 cups chopped unsalted pistachios and walnuts
  • 3 tablespoons clover honey
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted
  • 1 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon

Topping:

  • Honey to drizzle, about 1 teaspoon per muffin
  • 1/3 cup chopped unsalted pistachios and walnuts
  • 2 tablespoons butter, melted and slightly cooled

Preheat your oven to 350* F and line 1-2 standard muffin tins with 12-16 liners.

In a large bowl stir together the oat flour, buckwheat flour, almond meal, flax, cinnamon, powder, soda, and salt. In another bowl whisk together the eggs. Then whisk in the applesauce, milk, honey, and vanilla until fully combined. Wait to add the butter.

In another bowl stir all of the “filling” ingredients together until fully incorporated. Set aside.

Whisk in the 1/4 cup melted butter to the wet ingredients then pour the wet into the dry and stir or whisk until just combined [when you no longer see dry flour]. Fold in the nut mixture and portion into muffin liners about 3/4 the way full.

Bake muffins for 17-22 minutes and test with a toothpick for doneness [slightly moist, not sticky]. Let muffins cool for about 7-10 minutes.  Keeping muffins in their liners drizzle a small amount of honey over each muffin, then a sprinkle of nuts, then another small drizzle of honey, and then about 1/2 teaspoon melted butter over each.  Let fully cool.  Muffins will firm and hold together once cooled.

Notes: Raw buckwheat flour can be ground from raw buckwheat groats [not kasha or toasted buckwheat]. You can grind the groats in a blender, coffee grinder, magic bullet, etc. Raw buckwheat flour is much milder in flavor than packaged buckwheat flour but you can substitute store-bought if desired.  Substitute flours at your own risk. 

Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com
Crunchy + Sweet Baklava Muffins | edibleperspective.com

Muffin time.

All the time.

Time to start your ovens.

Ashley