Delicious Banana French Toast Muffins: Your New Favorite Breakfast Hybrid
Get ready to elevate your breakfast game with these incredible Banana French Toast Muffins! Imagine soft, wonderfully moist banana muffins crowned with a light, fluffy French toast topping, all finished with a delightful sprinkle of peanut butter chips. This recipe brings together the best of two breakfast worlds into one irresistible bite.
The Relatable Resolution Roadblock & A Culinary Revelation
Confession time, friends. The start of a new year often brings with it a surge of ambitious resolutions, and like many, I find myself navigating the challenging terrain of keeping them. Are you still going strong on yours? Keep up the good fight!
Some resolutions started off easy. Reading more books? Check. Especially when your house becomes a medical clinic for a month and your car decides it needs a costly spa treatment – suddenly, books are your most affordable and accessible escape! And spending less time on things with no real value? I’ve been surprisingly good at this one too. No more mindless clickbait or endless scrolling through social media. I’ve learned to ask myself, “Is this truly worth my precious minutes or hours?” The answer, almost without fail, is no. Even my beloved phone games, like Marie Tsum Tsum (why do you evade me!), are now reserved only for those unavoidable waiting moments.
However, some resolutions have proven to be a tad more stubborn. “Exercise more” immediately became a hurdle. I even bought a new knee brace because my old one (last year’s excuse, mind you) no longer fit. Then I found an exercise class that sounded promising, at a perfect time, only for it to fill up before I could even register. The universe, it seems, has a sense of humor.
Then there’s “Eat breakfast every day.” This one is a perennial struggle. By the time I’ve navigated the morning chaos and ensured my children are fed, I’m usually eager to dive into the next task of the day, often forgetting myself. Recently, I bought a bunch of bananas with the noble intention of making my beloved Chunky Monkey Breakfast Chia Pudding. But, as often happens in a house with hungry kids, half of them vanished from the shopping bag into eager little hands almost immediately. The remaining bananas? Well, after a brief stint as “Mom Detective,” I found them mysteriously tucked away behind the food processor. By then, they were perfectly, gloriously ripe. And right next to them? A slightly stale half loaf of bread. My theory? A child’s secret stash, forgotten in the thrill of the moment.
From Leftovers to Lick-Your-Lips Delicious: The Muffin Magic
Two perfectly ripe bananas and a forgotten half loaf of stale bread. What’s a resourceful baker to do? Well, this gal saw an opportunity for a serious breakfast win! The result? These incredibly moist banana muffins, topped with a luscious French toast crumble, and for an extra touch of deliciousness, sprinkled with peanut butter chips. A truly delicious breakfast? Absolutely! A fantastic way to use up ingredients and practice frugal cooking? You betcha! I’m counting this as a monumental success, transforming potential waste into a delightful treat.
You probably know by now that I have a soft spot for frugal recipes that transform humble ingredients into something extraordinary. My Maple Bacon Cornbread from last week and my Instant Oatmeal Scones are prime examples, both relying on simple pantry staples. Add these muffins to that growing list of favorites! The foundation of these banana French toast muffins is a classic, moist, and incredibly flavorful banana muffin. But the topping is where the real “wow” factor comes in.
Crafting the Perfect French Toast Topping
The secret to this unique French toast topping lies in a little trick: a portion of the mashed bananas is reserved and incorporated into the French toast batter. This infuses the topping with a delicate banana flavor that complements the muffin perfectly. When baked, it creates a light and fluffy crust that mimics traditional French toast, but in a convenient, grab-and-go muffin form. I added just a teaspoon of peanut butter chips to each muffin, carefully balancing the flavors so the peanut butter enhances, rather than overpowers, the sweet banana. If peanut butter isn’t your thing, feel free to omit them – these muffins are fantastic on their own. But for me, the classic combination of peanut butter and banana (PB&B) is simply irresistible!
Why You’ll Adore These Banana French Toast Muffins
- Unforgettable Flavor Combination: Experience the comforting sweetness of banana bread mingling with the familiar warmth of French toast. It’s a breakfast symphony!
- Perfect Texture: Enjoy a base of incredibly moist and tender banana muffin, crowned with a soft, slightly chewy, and fluffy French toast crumble.
- Frugal and Smart: This recipe is a hero for using up those overripe bananas and that slightly stale bread that might otherwise go to waste.
- Easy to Make: With straightforward steps and common pantry ingredients, these muffins are approachable for bakers of all skill levels.
- Versatile Treat: Ideal for a quick weekday breakfast, a leisurely weekend brunch, a delicious snack, or even a delightful dessert.
- Customizable: While delicious as is, they’re fantastic with a drizzle of maple syrup, a dollop of whipped cream, or a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar.
Tips for Perfect Banana French Toast Muffins
- Don’t Overmix: For tender muffins, mix the wet and dry ingredients just until combined. A few lumps are perfectly fine! Overmixing develops gluten, leading to tough muffins.
- Ripe Bananas are Key: The riper your bananas (dark spots or almost black skins), the sweeter and more flavorful your muffins will be. They also mash more easily.
- Stale Bread for Topping: Slightly stale bread works best for the French toast topping as it absorbs the custard mixture without becoming soggy. If your bread is fresh, you can lightly toast it first.
- Evenly Coat Bread Cubes: Ensure each bread cube is fully coated in the French toast batter for that delightful fluffy texture on top.
- Don’t Skip the Maple Syrup: For the ultimate French toast experience, a warm drizzle of maple syrup over the freshly baked muffins is highly recommended!
- Storage: Store leftover muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or refrigerate for up to 5 days. They also freeze beautifully for longer storage.
Variations to Try
- Chocolate Lovers: Swap the peanut butter chips for chocolate chips (milk, dark, or white) in both the muffin batter and topping.
- Nutty Crunch: Add chopped walnuts or pecans to the muffin batter for extra texture and flavor.
- Cinnamon Sugar Swirl: After adding the French toast topping, sprinkle with a mixture of cinnamon and sugar before baking.
- Berries and Cream: Fold a handful of fresh or frozen blueberries into the banana muffin batter.
- No Peanut Butter? No Problem! Simply omit the peanut butter chips if you’re not a fan or have allergies.
These banana French toast muffins are not just a recipe; they’re a testament to resourceful baking and the joy of creating something truly special from everyday ingredients. So, whether you’re acing your New Year’s resolutions or, like me, celebrating small victories, these muffins are a delicious reward.
PS: Best of luck on your resolutions!
PPS: If one of your resolutions was to bake more, here’s a good place to start!
Banana French Toast Muffins
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Ingredients
For the muffins:
- 2 large mashed bananas ((Reserve 1 heaping Tablespoon for topping)*)
- 2/3 cup sugar
- 1/2 cup vegetable oil
- 2 large eggs
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 2/3 cup all purpose unbleached flour
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 tsp salt
For the French Toast Topping:
- 6-8 slices bread
- 3 Tablespoons milk
- 1 large egg
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 Tablespoon mashed banana*
- 1/3 cup peanut butter chips (if desired)
Instructions
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Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
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Prepare muffin tins by lining with paper liners or greasing well with shortening/non-stick spray. This recipe makes 15 muffins, so you’ll need one standard 12-cup muffin tin and another 3-cup tin, or two 12-cup tins with some empty cups.
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In a medium-sized mixing bowl, combine the mashed bananas (remember to reserve one heaping Tablespoon of finely mashed banana for the French toast topping mixture), sugar, vegetable oil, eggs, and vanilla extract. Whisk until well combined and smooth.
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In a separate bowl, whisk together the flour, baking soda, and salt. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and mix gently until all ingredients are just moistened. Be careful not to overmix; a few lumps are okay.
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Divide the muffin batter evenly among the prepared muffin cups, filling each approximately 2/3 full. Set aside while you prepare the topping.
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To make the French toast topping, first remove the crusts from the bread slices and cut the bread into small cubes.
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In another medium-sized mixing bowl, whisk together the milk, egg, vanilla extract, and the reserved heaping Tablespoon of mashed banana. This is your French toast batter.
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Place the bread cubes into the French toast batter, gently tossing and turning them so that every piece is evenly coated with the mixture.
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Place one heaping Tablespoon of the coated French toast topping onto the top of each muffin in the tins.
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If desired, sprinkle a teaspoon of peanut butter chips onto the top of each muffin, gently pressing them lightly into the topping so they adhere.
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Bake at 375 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 18-22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden brown and set. A toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin should come out clean.
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Remove from oven and let cool in the muffin tins for a few minutes before transferring to a wire rack to cool completely. Serve warm, ideally with a drizzle of maple syrup for the full French toast effect!
Nutrition
Craving More Baked Breakfast Delights?
Here are a few more of my baked breakfast favorites you might like: