I like sweets for breakfast, mostly because I drink coffee, and there’s just nothing like a sweet with a cup of coffee. So I’m always seeking ways to indulge my cravings while still getting a shred of nutrition to start my day and balance out the caffeine. I’m new to coconut oil, the healthy fat du jour, and have mostly been using the jar I bought as body lotion. (It’s FAB as body lotion.) Could it compete with butter in a batch of banana muffins? Combined with honey, ginger, pecans, and a handful of coconut chips, the coconut oil not only competed, it beat butter at its own game. These muffins are damned delicious.
Makes 12 large muffins.
2 cups self-rising flour (see note)
1/2 teaspoon powdered ginger
1/2 cup coconut chips, crumbled (see note!)
1/2 cup toasted pecan pieces
1/2 cup coconut oil
3/4 cup honey
2 eggs
3 large, overripe bananas, mashed
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 12-cup (large) muffin tins with vegetable or coconut oil.
2. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, ginger, coconut chips, and pecans.
3. In a smaller bowl, cream the coconut oil and honey until well combined. Add the eggs, one at a time, beating after each addition. Add the mashed banana and vanilla and mix until blended.
4. Stir the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients until just combined. (The batter will be lumpy.) Scoop batter into prepared muffin tins and bake for 25 minutes, until golden brown and spongy.
Note: I learned to use self-rising flour for muffins, cakes and cupcakes from Nigella Lawson’s How to Be a Domestic Goddess. It provides an uncommonly light, spongey texture. But if you don’t have it on hand, you can just combine 2 cups all-purpose or cake flour with 2 2/3 teaspoons baking powder and a pinch of salt.
Note: Coconut chips are SO MUCH better than flaked coconut. They are slices of fresh coconut that have been soaked in coconut milk and roasted with salt and sugar. They will haunt your dreams. Look for them at Trader Joe’s and health food stores.