Butternut Squash Banana Muffins (Print version)
Moist muffins combining roasted butternut squash and sweet bananas for a satisfying breakfast or snack.
# What goes in:
→ Produce
01 - 1 cup butternut squash purée (roasted and mashed)
02 - 1 cup ripe banana, mashed (about 2 medium bananas)
→ Wet Ingredients
03 - 2 large eggs
04 - 1/3 cup melted coconut oil or vegetable oil
05 - 1/2 cup pure maple syrup or honey
06 - 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
→ Dry Ingredients
07 - 1 3/4 cups all-purpose flour
08 - 1 teaspoon baking soda
09 - 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
10 - 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
11 - 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
12 - 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
→ Mix-ins (optional)
13 - 1/2 cup chopped walnuts or pecans
14 - 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
# Cooking steps:
01 - Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or lightly grease each cup.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the butternut squash purée and mashed banana until smooth and free of lumps.
03 - Add the eggs, melted coconut oil, maple syrup (or honey), and vanilla extract to the squash-banana mixture. Whisk vigorously until fully combined.
04 - In a separate bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, baking soda, baking powder, ground cinnamon, ground nutmeg, and salt.
05 - Gradually fold the dry ingredients into the wet mixture using a spatula. Stir gently until just combined—avoid overmixing to keep muffins tender.
06 - If using, gently fold in the chopped nuts or dark chocolate chips until evenly distributed throughout the batter.
07 - Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared muffin cups, filling each about three-quarters full.
08 - Bake on the center rack for 22 to 25 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
09 - Let the muffins rest in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire cooling rack to cool completely.
# Tips from flavorandfeast:
01 -
- The squash and banana together create a moisture level that stays soft for days without any dairy at all.
- Maple syrup does all the sweetening so you never feel that heavy sugar crash after eating two of them back to back.
02 -
- Overmixing the batter is the fastest way to turn these into rubbery hockey pucks so treat folding like a gentle conversation rather than a workout.
- The squash puree must be cool before you add it to the wet ingredients or it will scramble the eggs on contact and ruin the texture.
03 -
- Let the squash caramelize deeply during roasting because that concentrated flavor is what makes these muffins taste complex rather than like health food.
- A tiny pinch of extra nutmeg on top of each muffin before baking creates a beautiful speckled dome and a warm hit of spice with the first bite.