Coffeehouse banana-nut muffins with chocolate and cinnamon

Prep: 20 minutes Cook: 25 minutes Makes: 12 muffins These are delicious served warm. Or when cool, wrap them in foil and place in a sealed plastic bag for up to 2 days. They freeze well too. 2 cups stone-ground, white whole wheat flour 3 tablespoons espresso powder 2 teaspoons baking powder ¾ teaspoon salt ½ teaspoon each: baking soda, cinnamon (optional) 2 large ripe bananas, peeled 2 large eggs 2⁄3 cup packed light brown sugar 1 teaspoon vanilla 6 tablespoons safflower or sunflower oil ½ cup chopped toasted pecans ½ cup semisweet or dark chocolate chips ½ cup cinnamon chips, peanut butter chips, white chocolate chips or more chocolate chips Espresso glaze, recipe follows 1 Heat oven to 350 degrees. Line 12 regular muffin tins with paper liners. Alternatively, line the tins with foil liners and spray the liners with nonstick spray. 2 Mix flour, espresso powder, baking powder, salt, baking soda and cinnamon in a medium bowl. 3 Put bananas in a separate bowl. Mash smooth with a potato masher or fork. Stir in eggs until smooth. Stir in sugar and vanilla. Stir in oil. Add flour mixture, and fold gently to moisten all the flour. Gently mix in pecans, chocolate chips and cinnamon chips, if using. (Do not overmix or muffins will be tough. ) 4 Use a spoon to divide the mixture among the muffin tins filling them to the top. Tap the pan on the work surface to release any air pockets. Bake, turning pan once for even browning, until a wooden pick inserted comes out clean, 22 to 24 minutes. Cool in the pans. Glaze when barely warm. Best served the day baked.

Espresso cinnamon glaze: Mix ½ cup powdered sugar, 2 teaspoons espresso powder, ½ teaspoon cinnamon and 1 tablespoon half-and-half (or milk or cream) in a small bowl. Mix until smooth, adding a few drops of half-and-half if needed to make a pourable glaze. Nutrition information per muffin (with the glaze): 323 calories, 15 g fat, 3 g saturated fat, 31 mg cholesterol, 46 g carbohydrates, 27 g sugar, 6 g protein, 312 mg sodium, 4 g fiber