muffin

Cream Cheese Filled Banana Nutella Muffins

When you find yourself with yet another snowy icy day, and a handful of really ripe bananas on the counter, you investigate banana muffins. I love a good banana bread. I love banana bread with chocolate chips, with coconut, with walnuts or pecans…it’s a beautiful thing.

But somedays, you just want the simplicity of a paper wrapped treasure that travels well and freezes well and doesn’t require a knife to cut a slice. So yeah, muffins are lazy bread. Or are they?

I love this recipe because it creates a light but dense muffin. (It is possible). It packs a punch of banana flavor without being heavy.

The original recipe for this is from www.u-createcrafts.com. Then, I saw another recipe from www.thenovicechef.com that incorporated a drizzle of Nutella on top of a banana muffin. Hence my Frankenstein muffin creation wherein I combine two recipes.

Cream Cheese Filled Banana Nutella Muffins

What is there to say about a muffin with a cream cheese filling except, “yes please?” A sweetened cream cheese filling that holds up to the muffin mixture and creates the perfect little pocket of yummy.

Topped with a remainder of batter, a slightly warmed Nutella is swirled on the top. Just enough chocolate hazelnut-ness to bring this muffin to dessert status. Hello tastebuds.

Here’s where I have to ask myself…have we now crossed over from breakfast foods to post-supper food? I mean, a pop tart, a danish, a donut, a toaster strudel all are considered breakfast foods…right? I mean, an Eggo waffle is still considered breakfast even though they come in birthday cake and chocolatey chip flavors…right? The end result of this inner monologue is stop over thinking it. Eat the darn muffin/breakfast cupcake.

Again, I brought these to my teacher’s room…and again, they disappeared quickly. Even the healthy eaters shared one between them. I can’t fault them. There is a reason I get this stuff out of my house right away.

Now, if I were to add yet another layer, (and I will, and I will post when I do) what I would have added was bacon. Or, peanut butter. Because a banana bacon Nutella muffin is just insane. Insane enough for me to try to make it. Or, a banana peanut butter fluff muffin. OOOOh my wheels are spinning. Hey, banana, peanut butter and bacon worked for Elvis. They didn’t call him the King for nothing.

The teacher’s room discussion when I brought these in centered around ripe bananas and what to do with them. Some people throw them out. DON’T. Peel and throw in a plastic bag. Break into chunks if you want to take the extra step or don’t. Why? Because frozen bananas are spectacular in so many things. Smoothies. As is, or dipped in chocolate, thrown into the blender and made into “nice-cream,” the possibilities are endless. The best part is, if you want to use them for banana bread, you can. Almost every recipe calls for mashed bananas. No banana is easier to mash than the thawed banana from the freezer.

These muffins keep for several days in an air tight container, if they last that long. The Nutella drizzle is just enough, not too much, but you could always add more if you wanted.

This recipe filled 24 muffin tins to a pretty full capacity with their glorious layers.

In a winter filled with less than wonderful weather, it is nice to have a recipe like this in your repertoire. It makes a cold day warmer, and sweeter. Isn’t that all we want in life? A little warmth and sweetness? You betcha.

I hope you enjoy this recipe, and as always, thank you for coming to the table!
Chrissy

Click below for a printable recipe.

Cream Cheese Filled Banana Nutella Muffins

Print Recipe

Light Banana Muffins with a cream cheese filling and a Nutella swirl on top! Original recipe from www.u-createcrafts.com

• Author: chrissy@mythankfultable.com

Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 2 Cups Mashed Bananas (4–5 Bananas approximately)
• 1 Cup Brown Sugar
• 1/2 Cup White Granulated Sugar
• 1/2 Cup Vegetable Oil
• 2 Large Eggs
• 1/2 Cup Sour Cream
• 4 Teaspoons Vanilla Extract
• 2 Cups AP Flour
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Soda
• 1 Teaspoon Baking Powder

Filling:

• 2 Large Eggs
• 8 Ounces Cream Cheese (softened)
• 1/2 Cup Granulated Sugar
• 6 Tablespoons AP Flour

Nutella: Approximately 4 Tablespoons warmed slightly

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350*
2. In a mixer, combine sugars, oil, sour cream, and vanilla extract.
3. Add mashed bananas to mixture and combine.
4. Add Dry ingredients and mix well, set aside and make cream cheese filling.
5. Combine cream cheese filling ingredients.
6. Line muffin tins (This recipe made 24 muffins) and fill 1/2 way with banana mixture.
7. Scoop 1-2 Teaspoons of cream cheese filling into each muffin tin.
8. Cover with remaining banana mixture.
9. Take warmed Nutella and swirl on top of each muffin.
10. Bake for 30-35 Minutes or until tester comes out clean.