Banana Avocado Muffins

 

Only one banana left?  Avocados looking a little past their prime?  This is the use it up recipe to try out.  With only a small banana and half an avocado, you get 8 nice standard muffins.  In my case, it was one small perfect banana, and one avocado with lots of brown spots that when trimmed out was equal to half an avocado!

Hubby actually asked if they were available to snack on, and eldest said more than once that they were quite good.  Considering I am the only big muffin person in the house, I consider that a very good endorsement.  And browned butter is just such an awesome ingredient.  If you don't like nuts in your banana baked goods, and I tend to leave it out of the bread itself, I can imagine these with crumbled bacon on top instead of the nuts, or just the plain browned butter icing.

Banana Avocado Muffins
makes 8 standard muffins

¼ cup salted butter (will be browned and divided)
¾ + 2 tbsp all purpose flour
½ tsp sea salt, divided
¼ tsp baking soda
¼ tsp ground cinnamon
⅛ tsp baking powder
⅛ tsp freshly ground nutmeg
1 small ripe banana, mashed
1 egg
¼ cup granulated sugar
¼ cup packed brown sugar
½ avocado, halved, seeded, peeled, and pureed
¼ cup buttermilk or 2 tbsp plain yogurt, skyr, or sour cream + 2 tbsp milk; divided
1⅛ tsp vanilla, divided
¼ cup chopped toasted pecans
1 cup powdered sugar

In a small pot, melt the butter over medium heat.  Cook and stir frequently until golden brown and having a nutty fragrance, 5-10 minutes.  (The butter will foam up twice and start to brown after the solids fall to the bottom for the second foaming.  Stir constantly and watch closely to avoid burning.)  Transfer browned butter to a bowl and set aside until lukewarm.

Preheat oven to 375ºF.  Line a standard muffin tins with 8 parchment liners or spray with non stick spray.

In a medium bowl, mix together the flour, ⅜ tsp sea salt, baking soda, cinnamon, baking powder, and nutmeg.  Make a hollow in the middle.

In another bowl, combine the banana, egg, sugars, and pureed avocado.  Mix in 2 tbsp of the browned butter, reserving the rest for the icing.  Mix in half, (2 tbsp), of the buttermilk or milk mixture, and 1 tsp vanilla.

Add the banana mixture to the hollow in the middle of the flour.  Stir until flour is just evenly moistened.

Portion into prepared muffin wells with a spoon or muffin scoop.

Bake for 20-22 minutes until golden brown on the top edges and cooked through.  (Internal temp will be around 200ºF).  Remove from oven and let sit for a couple minutes, then remove to a wire rack to finish cooling.

While the muffins cool, place remaining browned butter in a bowl.  Add the powdered sugar, ⅛ tsp sea salt and ⅛ tsp vanilla and stir to combine.  Add in as much of the remaining 2 tbsp buttermilk or milk mixture as needed to achieve a spreadable icing glaze.  Once the muffins have mostly cooled, spread about a tbsp of icing as desired onto each muffin and sprinkle with the chopped pecans.  Allow to cool and set completely.

 Enjoy!

Here are some more muffins for your Monday:

• Banana Avocado Muffins: A Messy Kitchen 
• Blueberry Cornbread Muffins: Food Lust People Love
• Caramel Apple Muffins: Jolene's Recipe Journal
• Molasses Bran Muffins with Cherries: Karen's Kitchen Stories