Caramel Banana Poke Muffins

Ingredients

Muffins:

¾ cup old-fashioned oats

1½ cups boiling water

½ cup butter at room temperature

1 cup granulated sugar

1 cup packed brown sugar

1 teaspoon vanilla

2 eggs

1 cup mashed overripe bananas

1 ¾ cups flour

½ teaspoon salt

1 teaspoon baking soda

1 teaspoon cinnamon

1 can (14 oz) caramel flavored sweetened condensed milk

Topping:

½ cup butter, melted

1 cup packed brown sugar

¼ cup heavy cream

1 cup chopped nuts and/or sweetened shredded coconut (opt.)

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease 12 muffin cups, or line with paper muffin liners.

In a small bowl, combine oatmeal with boiling water and let stand for 20 minutes.

In a large bowl, cream together butter and both sugars for at least 3 minutes. Add in the vanilla, eggs and banana; stir well to combine. Add in the oatmeal and mix well.

In another medium bowl, sift together the flour, salt, soda and cinnamon. Then, add it to the oatmeal mixture and mix well.

Scoop batter into prepared muffin cups and bake at 350 degrees for 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted into the middle of a muffin comes out clean.

Remove the pan from the oven and allow muffins to rest for 5 minutes. Poke 3 deep holes into each muffin using the round handle of a small wooden spoon (see example below). Carefully spoon the caramel sauce over each of the holes, I used about a tablespoon on each. Let set until cool.

While muffins are cooling, in a small bowl combine all the topping ingredients. Drizzle over muffins.