Summer’s over, folks. It’s time to start enjoying cool, crisp mornings with a cup of joe and a sweet muffin. I can help you with the muffin part.

These banana crumb muffins are seriously tasty. The recipe is not mine; I found it on one of my favorite recipe sites and then adapted it to make it a little healthier. I love bananas and this recipe is a great way to use them, especially if they’re starting to get a little too ripe. In fact, ripe bananas are actually best for this.

I’m usually happy with a straight-up healthy muffin, but my husband prefers a sweeter variety. I figure it doesn’t hurt to indulge every now and then. This recipe only makes 10 muffins, so they won’t last long. The original version didn’t call for whole wheat flour, but I like that addition because it gives the muffins more texture.

I also use Ceylon cinnamon rather than the more common Cassia variety. Ceylon cinnamon has more health benefits, but you do have to seek it out. Cassia cinnamon is much more common and a little less expensive. But if you like the taste of cinnamon, it’s worth it to find the Ceylon variety. You can order it online or find it in some grocery stores. But if it doesn’t say “Ceylon” on the label, you can rest assured that it’s the cheaper Cassia type. I make a lot of quick breads in the fall and a bottle of cinnamon goes a long way. You might as well use the good stuff!

Ingredients:
1 cup all-purpose flour
1/2 cup whole wheat flour
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
3 bananas, mashed
3/4 cup white sugar (You can use a little less if you’d like. The crumb topping also adds sweetness.)
1 egg, lightly beaten
1/3 cup butter, melted

Crumb Topping
1/3 cup packed brown sugar
2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/8 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon butter

Directions
Preheat your oven to 375 degrees. Grease 10 muffin cups, or use paper liners.

In a large bowl, mix together the flour, baking soda, baking powder and salt. In another bowl, beat together the bananas, sugar, egg and melted butter. Stir the banana mixture into the flour mixture just until moistened.

Banana Crumb Muffin Mixture

Spoon the batter into prepared muffin cups.

In a small bowl, mix together brown sugar, 2 tablespoons flour and cinnamon. Cut in 1 tablespoon butter until the mixture resembles coarse cornmeal. Sprinkle the topping over the muffins.

Bake in a preheated oven for 18 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into center comes out clean.

Enjoy!

Baked Banana Crumb Muffins