Banana Honey-Walnut Muffins

3/4 cup chopped walnuts
1/3 cup plus 1 tablespoon honey, divided
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1-1/2 cups all-purpose flour, spooned into measuring cup and leveled-off
1-1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 stick unsalted butter, at room temperature
2/3 cup sugar
2 large eggs
1/2 cup mashed banana, from 1 large overripe banana
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/3 cup whole or low fat milk

1. Preheat the oven to 350°. Spray a 12-cup muffin tin with non-stick cooking spray, then line with paper liners (it is necessary to do both so that the muffin tops don't stick to pan).
2. In a small bowl, toss the nuts with 1 tablespoon of the honey and cinnamon until the nuts are evenly coated (obviously, it will be very sticky). Set aside. (I used granulated sugar instead of honey to avoid the stickiness.)
3. In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder and salt. Set aside.
4. In a large bowl, using an electric mixer, beat the butter with the sugar and the remaining 1/3 cup of honey until fluffy, 2-3 minutes. Scrape down the sides of the bowl with a rubber spatula if necessary. At medium speed, add the eggs one at a time and beat until fully incorporated between additions. Beat in the banana and vanilla until blended. (It will look grainy.) At low speed, beat in the dry ingredients in 2 batches, alternating with the milk.
5. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin and sprinkle with the nut topping. Bake the muffins until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean, about 30 minutes. Let the muffins cool in the pan for 10 minutes, then turn them out onto a rack and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving.

Source: http://www.onceuponachef.com/2011/02/banana-honey-walnut-muffins.html

Try #1 - June 13, 2014

Abby wanted to make these for Father's Day, so we did!  They were yummy.  I used sugar instead of honey for the topping just to avoid the sticky mess.