Get ready for muffins!
This week we’re going to make two einkorn muffin recipes: banana-maple muffins and pumpkin spice muffins.
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A couple of months ago, I shared a master muffin recipe. Many of you have commented on that recipe and expressed your love for the easy-to-customize muffins. While that recipe has many possibilities as far as fillings and flavors, the actual base recipe doesn’t mention anything about variations like banana or pumpkin.
I’ve been experimenting with these variations, and this week I’m going to share both recipes. In the future, I think it would be fun to test out other variations, too, like chocolate-zucchini muffins.
You’ll notice that both today’s banana muffins and the pumpkin spice muffins (shared later this week) start with very similar dry ingredients. The tweaks to these recipes are mainly found with the liquid ingredients. See, a base/master recipe can be incredibly helpful in mastering cooking. Once you have a good base for something like muffins, salad dressing, or pesto, you can experiment and tweak based on the seasons or what you have on hand.
Why share yet another muffin recipe? Aren’t there a ton of muffin recipes already on the blog?
Maybe you don’t ask these questions, but I certainly do. Maybe it’s because I’m constantly thinking about the recipes shared here on Live Simply.
So, here’s the why behind sharing more muffin recipes: muffins are the ultimate prep food. A whole chicken and hard-boiled eggs are next in line.What makes muffins the ultimate prep food?
- They’re easy to make. About 15-20 minutes is all you’ll need to prep muffins.
- They keep in the fridge for about a week.
- They don’t require any special reheating. I keep muffins in the fridge and take out as many as needed when I wake up in the morning. By breakfast time, the muffins are usually around room temperature. Muffins may be reheated in a microwave, too.
- They will feed a family for multiple days, especially if paired with eggs, yogurt and fruit, or smoothies. <–This keeps the muffins from getting boring morning after morning.
- It’s easy to cook once, eat twice with muffins. Make a double batch so you can save some in the freezer for another week (or even later that week). For most flour-based recipes, I don’t recommend doubling recipes in the same bowl since the results aren’t always favorable. Use two bowls, and whisk together each batch in their own separate bowl. Sure, this means cleaning up an extra bowl, but think about the time savings in the future.
- Muffins aren’t just for breakfast. They also make a great lunchbox addition and snack.
Why make muffins with einkorn flour?
This is a question I like to address every time an einkorn recipe is shared, because einkorn is not a common ingredient in today’s world. I hope to change that in your kitchen, by sharing more einkorn recipes. For me, einkorn has been a game-changer in the way I bake and also my ability to consume gluten-based baked goods. (Sourdough and ancient grains, one being a method and the other an ingredient, are easier to digest and a great option for people who may feel sensitive to gluten–not for someone with celiac disease.) In a day when gluten is feared, I think it’s important to reconsider the use of ancient grains and also ancient methods, like souring and sprouting.
Einkorn is known as the oldest variety of wheat making it an “ancient” grain. The ancient grain is believed to have originated in the Tigris-Euphrates region and is possibly the main grain referenced in the earliest accounts of the Bible. Einkorn is said to be the wheat men were eating in the earliest days before modern day wheat varieties. While modern wheat has undergone hybridization, einkorn still holds true to its original properties. Einkorn is slowly gaining popularity, but it’s still grown in only a few regions in Europe. This means many people, including myself just a few years ago, don’t know about this wonderful grain.
Einkorn is my favorite flour to work with when making traditional, flour-based baked goods. The sweet, ancient grain has a lighter texture and taste than modern day wheat, and contains a more favorable gluten ratio.
I hope you’ll give these banana muffins a try. I think you’ll love the naturally-sweet flavor (thanks to the banana and maple syrup combo) and light texture (thanks to the einkorn flour).
Einkorn Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 8 TB unsalted butter melted
- 1/3 cup maple syrup or honey
- 3 ripe bananas or 1 1/4 cup (280g)
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 1 3/4 cup all purpose einkorn flour sifted (222g)*
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp salt
Special Equipment:
- large bowl
- medium bowl for sifting the einkorn flour
- sieve for sifting the einkorn flour
- muffin pan
- muffin liners
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350F. Grease or line a muffin pan.
- In a large bowl, whisk the wet ingredients together: melted butter, maple syrup, mashed bananas, eggs, cinnamon, nutmeg, and vanilla extract.
- Add the sifted einkorn flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Stir to combine. Don't over-mix the batter. Just stir until the ingredients are combined.
- Scoop the batter into the muffin pan (it will be thick). I use an ice cream scooper.
- Bake the muffins for 18-22 minutes, until firm on top. Allow the muffins to cool for a few minutes before enjoying.
- For storage, I keep the muffins in an air-tight container in the fridge for up to a week. They also freeze well.
Notes
Nutrition
We now make these weekly for my family of 5! So easy and delicious.
Yay, so happy to hear that, Dee!
I just made these, my first time using all purpose einkorn flour— what a delicious recipe! They’re moist, dense, yet lightweight! I also added 1 tsp of this delicious organic vanilla bean paste by Taylor & Colledge —in addition to the 1tsp of vanilla. 🤌*chef’s kiss* The whole family loved it!
Hey Courtney, That makes me so happy! So glad you had great success with einkorn and loved the muffins.
Made these twice, exactly as recipe says. So good. I want to eat them all.
So happy they turned out well for you, Tim! They’re one of my family’s favorite! Thanks for sharing.
LS Team
We loves these! My son loves to eat the cold. I use an equal weight of fresh ground einkorn berries to make these whole grain and it works perfectly. Thank you for saving breakfast and snacks with a healthy whole grain einkorn option!
These were great!
So glad you liked them, Marie! Thank you for coming back and rating the recipe.
Today was my first time baking with einkorn flour. Success! I made two batches of this muffin. The first batch I made vegan – subbed olive oil for the butter and flax eggs for the eggs. They turned out wonderfully. Slightly sweet with a tender interior. The second batch I made following your recipe. It would be hard to tell the difference. I did sub 1/2 cup whole wheat in both recipes. Definitely will make again.
Hey Catherine, That’s awesome! I’m so glad you had such a great success baking with einkorn. Thank you for sharing the substitutions you made–that’s really helpful for others who may need to go egg or dairy-free.
WOW! Thanks for sending, Kristin, I have been wanting more einkorn recipes. I first started using Einkorn berries when I got my Mill. I very rarely use regular flour any more.
P S. I love ALL of your recipes by the way
Thank you, Mary. I’m so glad you’re loving the recipes.
I just recently started making your muffin recipes and they are so delicious!!! And, my kids love them too! You mention in this one that they make a good lunchbox snack. One of my kids has a nut free classroom. This might be a dumb question, but is it safe for me to assume that any of your muffin recipes that call for almond or coconut flour are NOT okay to send, but your muffin recipes that call for other types of flour (einkorn, spelt, oat flour) are okay to send so long as there are no additional nuts added? Just getting familiar with these other types of flour. Thanks so much!
Hey Courtney, I’m so glad your kiddos love the muffins. My kids also attend a nut free school, so I’m not able to send anything made with almond flour. I avoid any kind of tree nut. I would recommend doing the same if the classroom is completely nut-free. As far as coconut, it’s technically a fruit, not a tree nut. So it should be safe to send coconut flour. Einkorn, spelt, and oat flours are made from grains, so they’re okay to send and not considered a nut, as long as you don’t add any tree nuts to the batter. Any grain is just fine.
I love your pumpkin muffins. I have a ton of over ripe bananas and am making these right now. Can’t wait. I’m sure they’ll be great. I was wondering if you have a suggestion if using spelt flour. Would it be the same reduced flour amount as when substituting whole wheat? Thanks so much!
Hi Michelle!
Kristin is on vacation until the new year. Im am not certain and don’t want to give incorrect information so Kristin will reply once she returns!
Merry Christmas!
Hey Michelle, I’m so glad you’re loving the pumpkin muffins. With spelt, which can produce a drier muffin, I would decrease the flour like with the whole wheat. I need to work on a master spelt muffin recipe soon :).
These are SO delicious! Definitely my favorite banana muffin, and the first time I’ve used einkorn flour. Thank you!
Ah I did wonder if it meant that but just wanted to make sure in case I was putting the wrong amount in. Thanks Kristin…looking forward to making these!
Absolutely, Jools. It’s a common question. Enjoy!
Hi Kristin What does TB mean in your banana muffin recipe for the butter please? I’m British so am wondering if it’s an American term.
Hey Jools, Tablespoon = tablespoon :).
Look Yummy! Do you put the banana slices on top before baking? I love the einkorn master muffin recipe with chopped apples and extra cinnamon. I will definitely try the banana and pumpkin muffins also!
Hey Belinda, I do! I’m so glad you’re enjoying the master recipe.
My kids would ADORE these. Gotta put this on my to-bake list!
Awesome, Erica Lee. Enjoy!!