Muffins are like cupcakes you can eat for breakfast. Banana nut muffins are great, but with a dash of coffee, they are even better. These muffins are simple to make, and undeniably yummy. With a hint of espresso, these are a treat to wake up to in the morning.

This recipe makes about twelve muffins, sometimes a little bit more.
Prep Time: 15 Minutes
Bake Time: 25-30 Minutes
Overall: 45 Minutes

Step 1: Raw Materials

These muffins consist of ingredients you will most likely already have.

To make these muffins, you will need:
3 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup of unsalted butter
3/4 cup of sugar
1 egg
1 teaspoon of vanilla
1 1/2 Tbsp espresso or strong coffee**
1 teaspoon of baking soda
Pinch of salt
1 1/2 cup of flour
1 cup walnuts

** You can use either ground coffee, or instant espresso. If you do not have instant espresso, use regular ground coffee. Instant espresso is better to use because it has a more distinct coffee flavor, and regular ground coffee does not mix into the batter as well as the espresso does.

And if you aren't a coffee person, you can omit the coffee entirely. But I recommend keeping it in.

Step 2: Mash

Peel all three bananas and put them in a big bowl. Mash them until they look like the second picture. You can use a spatula or a wooden spoon for this, but I prefer using a fork for this step. The metal tines of the fork get the job done faster.

Preheat your oven to 360ª.

Step 3: Mix in the Butter

Melt the 1/3 cup of butter, making sure it doesn't burn. This melting is easily done in the microwave, but you could do it on the stove.

While you are waiting for the butter to melt, chop up your cup of walnuts. (Thanks for helping me chop, mom)

Now and mix the butter into the mashed banana. This may take a while, the butter and banana don't like to combine, but just keep with it. Stir until the mixture resembles the second picture.

Step 4: Mixing in the Yummy Stuff

Lightly beat the egg, and add it to the mixure. Also add the 1 1/2 tablespoons of instant espresso or ground coffee, 3/4 cup of sugar, and teaspoon of vanilla. Mix that all up until it looks like the third picture.

Sprinkle the pinch of salt and teaspoon of baking soda over the combination, and stir.

Note: If you are using ground coffee, your mixture will look a little bit more grainy from the coffee grounds.

Step 5: Finish the Batter

Now we add the 1 1/2 cups of flour. Add it by half cups, mixing with a spatula after each one. Make sure you get all of it, flour likes to stick to the sides of the bowl. Mix until your batter looks like the second picture.

Then add your cup of chopped walnuts, and stir gently. Your finished batter should look like the fourth picture.

Step 6: Fill the Muffin Tin

Line and fill your muffin tin. Look at the second picture for directions as to how much should be in the cup. Compare your filled muffin liners to the first picture.

If you want to get fancy, you can sprinkle your instant espresso or coffee grounds over the muffins before you put them in the oven, as seen in the third picture.

Don't worry if you have leftover batter, once the muffins are done, you can bake some more. If you have more than two muffin tins, then go ahead and do this step with both if you have extra batter.

Step 7: Oven Time

Stick them in the oven and set your timer to twenty-five minutes.

Wait.

Once it rings, pull out the muffins and do a toothpick test. If there is batter on the toothpick, stick them back in the oven, and bake them for another five minutes.

Step 8: Cool

Take your muffins out of the oven. Take them out of the tin as soon as possible, to prevent over-baking from the hot tin.

Step 9: Fin

The muffins are done!

When I eat them, I stick them in the microwave for 20 seconds, just to get a warm, out of the oven taste.

Enjoy those muffins, and don't forget to turn the oven off!

I best be going then. I'll be back.

-daisy