Making Muffins

by Meredith Antunez September 06, 2017

My husband says that in our house the freezer is where things go to die. Which is sad, but true. I hate waste, so I will freeze different food items (a portion of braised meat here, a few cups of sauce there) but then I just never get back around to them. Eventually when the item is no longer recognizable, I throw it out. The exceptions to this unfortunate cycle are bananas and muffins, and the two go hand in hand. When we have a surplus of bananas going brown on the counter, I chuck them in the freezer, and every few weeks make a batch of healthy-ish banana muffins. We usually eat half immediately out of the oven, and then freeze the other half, which I can then pull out for the kids' school lunches or a quick on-the-go breakfast.

Here are some baking pointers that can help you achieve great muffins at home-

Don't over-mix the batter. It will make your muffins dense.

Quickbreads and muffins are hydrating batters, which means the flour absorbs the liquid over time, resulting in a very moist muffin, and improving the flavor. So let your muffin batter rest, up to 24 hours if possible. I know, that sounds like a big ask. But thinking ahead, even just making your batter the night before, means fresh-baked muffins in the morning. You'll be a hero.

Resist the urge to over-fill. Fill your muffin tins three quarters full. They will rise, I promise.

Speaking of rising, start by baking your muffins at 425* for the first 5 minutes, then turn the oven down to the temperature specified. This will help your muffins rise beautifully, for that impressive coffee shop "dome". The baking time will be shorter overall, so keep an eye on them.

And here is my go-to Banana Muffin Recipe:

(Makes 12 muffins)

1 1/2 cups White-Whole Wheat Flour

1 tsp. Baking Powder

1 tsp. Baking Soda

1/2 tsp. Salt

1/2 tsp. Cinnamon

3/4 cup Sugar

1 Egg

3 Frozen Bananas

1/3 cup Vegetable Oil

1 tsp. Vanilla Extract

Whisk the dry ingredients together (flour, baking soda and powder, salt, cinnamon). In a separate bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, defrosted bananas, oil and vanilla. Combine with a spatula, being careful not to overmix. Let your batter rest in the refrigerator, up to 24 hours. Then fill your muffin tins 3/4 full, and bake a t425* for 5 minutes. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 for 12-15 minutes longer. Muffins are done when a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean. Enjoy!