Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins

One of my favorite blogs is Annie’s Eats.  She’s a fun food blogger whose recipes always have me wanting to run right into my kitchen.  So when I saw these, I “starred” {anyone else a habitual “starrer” in Google Reader?} them with the intention of making them as a summer treat.

If you look at my menus, you know I have an obsession with oatmeal.  I eat it a lot for breakfast, and I am always looking for a way to put it into my meals.  Oatmeal is so good for you and so incredibly filling that I just can’t resist it.  Plus, bananas and peanut butter are two of Nathan’s favorite foods {and he LOVES them together}.  I just knew these would be a hit in our house.

Um, also, please don’t judge me for using Disney Cars muffin liners.  I realized I was out the day before I went to make these, and apparently Publix thinks only 5 year old boys eat muffins.  These were the ONLY liners in the entire store.  It’s a little funny, but it mostly made me realize it is time to place an order for some grown up liners.

Peanut Butter Banana Oatmeal Muffins {slightly adapted from Annie’s Eats}

Ingredients:

• 1½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 cup old-fashioned oats
• 1 tsp baking powder
• ½ tsp baking soda
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 tbsp applesauce
• ¾ cup light brown sugar
• 2 eggs
• 3 bananas + extra for topping
• 6 tbsp creamy peanut butter + extra for topping
• 1 cup low-fat buttermilk

Directions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350˚ F.  Line 24 muffin cups with paper liners {or do two batches of 12 like I did}. 
2. In a medium mixing bowl, combine the flour, oats, baking powder, baking soda and salt. Stir together with a fork to blend.  
3. Mash the 3 bananas in a small bowl using a fork.
4. In an electric mixer, blend together the applesauce, brown sugar, eggs, banana, peanut butter and buttermilk until smooth. 
   
   
5. Pour the dry ingredients into the bowl with the wet ingredients and mix just until incorporated and fully blended. 
6. Divide the batter between the prepared muffin cups.  Bake 18-20 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.  Allow to cool in the pan 5-10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.
7. Top the ones you are going to eat immediately with 1 tsp peanut butter and a banana slice!

Grade: B

Comments: First, Annie’s Eats says this recipe only makes 18.  When I did it I got 24.  I’m not sure what happened, but I just went with it.  These were good.  Something about them wasn’t quite what I was expected.  I’d make them again, but I may cut back the peanut butter a little bit to see if that helps.  They are very filling and incredibly dense.  Definitely a great brunch item.  Nathan took the leftovers into his office that Monday, and they seemed to be a hit there too!

Tagged as: annie's eats, banana recipes, breakfast foods, breakfast recipes, brunch, brunch recipes, kid friendly, muffin recipes, muffins, recipes