Ingredients — 12 muffins
Muffins
- 3 very ripe bananas, mashed (about 1¼ cups)
- ½ cup unsalted butter, melted
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup white sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp nutmeg
- ¾ cup chopped pecans
Pecan topping
- ½ cup pecan halves, roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp butter
- 2 tbsp honey or maple syrup
- 1 tbsp heavy cream or milk
- Pinch of salt
Instructions
- Heat oven: 450°F/230°C. Line a 12-cup muffin tin.
- Make batter: Whisk melted butter, both sugars, eggs and vanilla. Mix in mashed bananas.
- In another bowl, combine flour, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon and nutmeg.
- Fold dry ingredients into wet just until combined. Fold in chopped pecans; don’t overmix.
- Divide into muffin cups, filling about ¾ full.
- Bake 5 minutes at 450°F, then reduce to 350°F/175°C and bake another 15–18 minutes, until a toothpick comes out clean. This high-heat start helps create the tall bakery-style tops. What’s in the Pan
- Make topping: Melt butter in a small pan. Add brown sugar, honey/maple syrup, cream and salt. Simmer 1–2 minutes, then stir in pecans.
- Spoon the warm pecan mixture over the muffins while they’re still slightly warm.
- Cool 10–15 minutes before serving.
For the texture in your photo: use very ripe bananas, toast the pecans first, and don’t overmix the batter. The glossy pecan topping is what gives them that caramelized appearance. Los Angeles Times