Banana Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins

Fourth of July in Southie is a fever dream of flags, fireworks, and Maureen's backyard becoming a staging ground for what can only be described as a neighborhood-wide feeding event. The three-decker's yard was packed by noon — firefighters, neighbors, cousins I see once a year, people I'm pretty sure just followed the smoke from the grill. Da was at the Weber in his "Engine 7" apron, which Patrick gave him and which Maureen considers an eyesore but tolerates because she picks her battles and the apron is not the hill she's dying on.

The food was absurd. Maureen's baked beans, which had been in the crockpot since Wednesday and had achieved a state of perfection that I will spend years chasing and never reach. Cornbread from scratch. Coleslaw with her secret vinegar dressing that she won't share with anyone, not even me, not even under torture. Burgers and hot dogs on the grill. Potato salad — mine, not Maureen's, because Maureen still refuses to make potato salad. Patrick's wife Colleen brought a fruit salad that was actually just watermelon cut into cubes, which Patrick called "deconstructed fruit salad" and which earned him a look from Colleen that could curdle milk.

Sean D. fit in like he'd always been there. He talked history with Da — the Revolution, the Tea Party, the specific ways Boston has been angry at the government since literally before there was a government. He helped Maureen carry dishes. He played cornhole with Patrick and lost gracefully, which is the correct way to lose to a Donovan, because we are graceless winners and you don't want to see us gloat.

Fireworks from Castle Island. Sean D. and I sat on a blanket with our shoulders touching and watched the sky explode over the harbor. He smelled like sunscreen and charcoal smoke and when the finale hit — the big one, the one that shakes your chest — he turned to me and I could see the colors reflected in his eyes and I thought, with absolute clarity: I am going to marry this man. I didn't say it. I didn't need to. Some things you know in your body before your brain catches up.

I made blueberry pie for the cookout. My first attempt. The crust was adequate. The filling was spectacular. Maureen said, "The filling is good." I am choosing to hear that as a rave review.

I came home from Maureen’s still riding the high of that blueberry pie filling — Maureen said it was good, and Maureen does not hand out compliments like candy, so I’m counting that as a standing ovation. Something about baking from scratch for a crowd and actually pulling it off flipped a switch in me. These banana chocolate chip streusel muffins were the very next thing I made, the following weekend, still in that same “I can do this” energy — and unlike the pie crust, which I will charitably describe as “adequate,” the streusel on these came out perfect on the first try. Consider this the victory lap.

Prep Time: 15 minutes | Cook Time: 22 minutes | Total Time: 37 minutes | Servings: 12 muffins

Ingredients

For the muffins:
3 ripe bananas, mashed (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
3/4 cup granulated sugar
1 large egg
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
3/4 cup semi-sweet chocolate chips
For the streusel topping:
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 cup packed light brown sugar
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cubed

Instructions

Preheat and prep. Preheat your oven to 375°F. Line a standard 12-cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease well with nonstick spray.
Make the streusel. In a small bowl, combine the flour, brown sugar, and cinnamon for the topping. Add the cold cubed butter and use your fingertips to work it in until the mixture resembles coarse, pea-sized crumbles. Set aside in the fridge while you make the batter.
Mash the bananas. In a large bowl, mash the ripe bananas thoroughly with a fork until smooth. A few small lumps are fine.
Mix the wet ingredients. Whisk the melted butter, sugar, egg, and vanilla extract into the mashed bananas until fully combined.
Add the dry ingredients. Sprinkle in the baking soda and salt, then stir to combine. Add the flour and fold gently with a spatula just until no dry streaks remain — do not overmix.
Fold in the chocolate chips. Reserve a small handful of chips to press onto the tops of the muffins, then fold the rest into the batter.
Fill the muffin cups. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 prepared cups, filling each about 3/4 full. Press a few reserved chocolate chips onto the top of each muffin.
Add the streusel. Sprinkle the chilled streusel generously over each muffin, pressing lightly so it adheres.
Bake. Bake for 20—22 minutes, until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with a few moist crumbs. Do not overbake.
Cool. Let the muffins rest in the tin for 5 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack. Best enjoyed warm, but they keep well in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.

Nutrition (per serving)

Banana Chocolate Chip Streusel Muffins — Because One First Baking Win Deserves Another