Lauren Graham Taught Me How to Make Her Banana Coffee Cake Muffins & They Took Me Straight to Stars Hollow

"I'm always trying to be more healthy, and I buy bananas that I'm supposed to eat, like after I work out. And I forget, and they sit there, and then they become mushy, and then I'd make banana bread," she said.

It started out as a way to make use of browned bananas, but the ease of baking banana bread got her hooked. "You don't need a mixer; it's just really easy and it's impressive. People don't understand how simple it is," the Talking As Fast As I Can author shared.

Over time—and after a friendly competition with her brother-in-law to bake the best banana bread recipe, she landed on this hybrid, adding a coffee cake-esque streusel on top to make it stand out. And, since Graham avoids gluten, the recipe itself is gluten-free. (It's also part of the reason she partnered with Bob's Red Mill—the company recently reformulated its Gluten-Free 1:1 Baking Flour, which she uses while baking.)

As the rest of us sat on stools in a U-shape surrounding Graham, she walked us through her Banana Coffee Cake Muffins recipe. We worked in small groups, mashing bananas and measuring out ingredients, then mixing the batter into shared muffin tins. It was a fitting collaboration, considering the crux of the "Moregetherness" campaign is the idea that sharing food creates a deeper sense of connection. It worked; we had barely gotten through the first step before everyone at my table started sharing stories about their own baking wins and fails, the latest pop culture news (side note: Why haven't I seen Widow's Bay yet?!) and life in general. Suddenly, downtown Manhattan was feeling a little more like Stars Hollow.

So, what does it take to make her recipe—and, more importantly, how do they taste? Let's dive in.

Beyond gluten-free flour, the two most noticeable differences from your typical banana bread recipe are (1) it doesn't require eggs—the bananas are enough of a binder, and milk and oil provide plenty of moisture—and (2) it calls for rice vinegar. Why rice vinegar specifically? The acid reacts with the baking soda to help the banana bread rise, yet its flavor is so mild that it doesn't add tanginess to the recipe itself.

The streusel is a simple combination of turbinado sugar, gluten-free flour, oil and cinnamon.

Graham was right; the recipe is incredibly easy. In fact, it's a three-step process:

1. As the oven preheats to 350 degrees F, you mash bananas in one bowl. In another, you whisk the dry ingredients, then stir in the bananas, milk, oil, vinegar and vanilla, then divide the batter into lined or greased muffin cups.
2. Next, you make the streusel, combining all four ingredients until crumbly, then sprinkle it atop the muffin batter.
3. Finally, you bake them for about 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean.

They're dense—almost pillowy, with a light chewiness and a rich banana flavor. The streusel is truly a standout topping; it adds an oh-so fall touch of cinnamon and a crunchy sweetness to offset the tender muffin. My only tweak? I'd add some crushed, toasted walnuts and a pinch of flaky sea salt to the streusel for a little more contrast and depth of flavor.

Yes—they're a delightful, foolproof treat that pairs excellently with a massive cup of coffee and a Gilmore Girls binge-watch. And while you may be tempted to eat them all yourself, each batch makes a dozen muffins, giving you an excuse to invite people over and create your own Stars Hollow at home.