It always seems like the true start of summer with the first bonfire of the year. What is the natural fireside companion? S’mores, of course.

I knew I wanted to incorporate s’mores into a dessert, and with two perfectly ripe bananas sitting on the counter, banana muffins seemed like an obvious choice. My standard banana bread or muffin recipe includes whiskey which adds a beautiful complexity of flavor. With the handfuls of chocolate, graham crackers, and marshmallows I threw into the batter, however, Kahlua seemed like a more fitting choice.

The Kahlua complimented the banana and the s’mores add-ins perfectly, plus who can say no to a little bit of booze? The marshmallow and chocolate add a bit of melt-y gooey-ness to the muffins and make them perfect when they’re still warm from the oven.

Call me crazy for combining two separate desserts into one, but the end result was fantastic. I used bittersweet chocolate chips, but you can use dark, semi-sweet, milk, or anything your heart desires.

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Kahlua S’mores Banana Muffins

1 1/2 cups flour

3/4 cup granulated sugar

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2 bananas, mashed

1 egg

1/3 cup butter

1 teaspoon vanilla extract

1/4 cup Kahlua

1/2 cup bittersweet chocolate chips (or semisweet or dark)

1/3 cup mini marshmallows

1/2 cup chopped graham crackers (about 2 crackers)

Preheat oven to 350 F. Line a muffin tin with cupcake/muffin liners. Set aside.

Melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, whisking constantly. After a couple of minutes, the butter will begin to foam; continue whisking until the butter is brown and gives off a nutty aroma. Make sure to continually whisk during this process to prevent burning. Immediately remove the butter from the heat and pour into a separate bowl to cool slightly before using.

In a small bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking soda, and salt. Set aside.

In a large bowl, combine the mashed bananas, egg, butter, vanilla, and Kahlua. Pour the dry ingredients into the banana mixture and stir just until combined. Fold in the chocolate chips, marshmallows, and graham crackers.

Scoop enough batter into each muffin tin so it’s about 3/4 of the way full. Bake 18-22 minutes or until cake tester comes out clean.

Let cool five minutes and then remove to a wire rack and let cool completely.

Makes: 12 muffins