Super Easy Homemade Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

Rainy Day + Off from work + Guests = peanut butter banana muffin time!

This weekend the Small Boston Kitchen has transformed itself into the Small Boston Hotel as both my sister and cousin are up for a visit and we've got a fun weekend planned, even if the weather won't seem to cooperate.  To welcome their arrival, I wanted to make something special and figured that meant baking (if you're a regular reader, you know baking and I don't exactly get along...).  So I was looking at some bananas that were past their prime and immediately thought banana bread.  But then I thought that was a little lackluster so banana muffins came to mind (they are much cuter!). That's when my creative side stepped in and challenged my logical side that was just trying to use up some bananas.  "Then what could you do with the muffins to make them different?" my creative side asked.  "Um, dude, remember how you're not good at baking?  Why don't you just leave it at something simple?" my logical side responded.  (By the way, I have no idea why my logical side called me dude, I had always assumed that that side would be more formal.  But with it being my logical side and all, I didn't question it.) "Well what about banana peanut butter muffins?  That doesn't seem too outlandish and banana and peanut butter together is just so delicious!"  My logical side stopped and thought it over and then agreed that homemade peanut butter muffins were the way to go, on one condition: I must use a recipe...and actually follow it! 

I excitedly typed "peanut butter banana muffins" into my Google toolbar but didn't like what I saw: a small number of recipes devoted to peanut butter banana muffins, all including a lengthy list of ingredients for only 12 little muffins.  Not wanting these muffins to cost me a small fortune, I ran a search for "peanut butter muffins" and then ran a search for what bananas can replace in cooking.  I stumbled upon a recipe on Jif's website that would work, AND I had all of the ingredients on hand.  (My logical side was pretty happy about that.)

Below is the recipe, part mine and part Jif's but I think they came out very well.  The perfect balance of creamy peanut butter with a hint of banana and topped off by some cinnamon.  This recipe was super easy (even for a non-baker like me) and delicious.  I'm totally keeping this one on hand.  I also plan on serving these babies alongside some strawberry jam and Nutella.  Yuuum.

Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

- 2 cups all-purpose flour

-1 tablespoon baking powder

- 1 cup milk

- 1 ripe banana, mashed up

- 1/2 cup sugar

- 1/2 cup peanut butter (I used an all-natural brand)

- 1 teaspoon salt

- Cinnamon to sprinkle on top

1. Preheat oven to 400

2. In a bowl, combine flour, baking powder and salt.  Set aside.

3. Place milk, eggs and sugar in a blender and mix on medium speed until well combined

4. Add in the peanut butter and banana and keep mixing

5. Slowly add in the flour mixture, 1/3 at a time and keep mixing until everything is well combined.  

6. Fill greased muffin tins with batter and sprinkle cinnamon on top 

7. Bake for about 15 minutes

8. Serve along with jam or Nutella