Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

THESE MUFFINS. Where do I even start? They are basically a dream come true.

They have the BEST texture and the crazy thing is how healthy the ingredient list is. We’re talking bananas, oatmeal, peanut butter, eggs, and pure maple syrup.

That means they’re gluten-free (as long as you use certified GF oats), oil-free, dairy-free, and refined sugar-free. You can also make them nut-free AND I have an egg-less version here. Basically, they tick all the boxes and they’re incredibly good. Like the muffins, I crave good more than any other muffins.

Ingredients for flourless peanut butter banana muffins

wet ingredients

• bananas– To make sure you get the right amount of moisture (and that everything mixes well), you’ll want to make sure your bananas are big enough. You should have 1 full cup when mashed, which makes about 2 medium sized bananas. Make sure they are ripe as they are a main source of sweetness in the muffins!
• non-dairy– I tested these with soy milk and almond milk and both options worked great. Oat milk would also work well. I haven’t tested them with cow’s milk, but my suspicion is that it would work the same way.
• maple syrup Pure maple syrup is ideal for this recipe due to its thin texture compared to honey. That means you could use honey, just keep in mind that things are a bit trickier to mix. You should be careful not to add too much extra milk (to help the mixing process) as this will alter the end result and may give a gummy texture. Agave nectar would also work in place of the maple syrup.
• Peanut butter- Peanut butter is usually the most inexpensive nut butter option (and my personal favorite). I tend to use natural peanut butter where the only ingredients are roasted peanuts and maybe salt, but I believe peanut butter with added oil will work as well. Cashew butter, almond butter, and/or tahini or sunflower seed butter are good nut-free alternatives. Keep in mind that sunflower butter can turn the muffins green. If your nut/seed butter contains salt, you can omit the salt from the recipe. Equal amounts of melted coconut oil would also work in place of the nut butter.
• vanilla extract– While not strictly necessary, I personally consider it a necessity because vanilla just takes your baked goods to the next level, you know?

dry ingredients

• Oatmeal- Oatmeal is naturally gluten-free food, but most is processed on equipment containing wheat, so cross-contamination is common. Please ensure you purchase certified gluten-free oats if you are preparing these with someone who is allergic.
• baking powder and soda It may seem redundant to use both baking soda and soda, but please don’t skip either one! They are both required for the maximum muffin height.
• cinnamon and salt- I prefer to add cinnamon and a touch of salt for flavor, but you could probably skip it, especially if your nut butter is salted.
• Dark Chocolate Chips- Enjoy Life is my favorite brand of dairy free chocolate chips. That means you can easily mix things up and use chopped nuts or dried fruit instead.

How to make Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

I love this recipe so much because the only dishes I have to wash are my blender and some measuring cups/spoons. Plus, they’re ridiculously easy to make!

1. Start by adding the wet ingredients to the blender: banana, milk, maple syrup, vanilla, and peanut butter.
2. Next, layer the dry ingredients on top: rolled oats, baking soda, baking soda, salt, and ground cinnamon.
3. Blend on high until smooth.
4. Stir in the chocolate chips.
5. Bake until golden and puffy. Let cool and try to resist devouring the entire batch at once.

WHAT IF I DON’T HAVE A HIGH SPEED BLENDER?

You’ll find that the Vitamix does a fantastic job of crushing oatmeal and making my muffins look like a perfect bakery. If you can afford to invest in one, I highly recommend it.

That means if you don’t have a high speed blender, you can easily make these using equal amounts oatmeal and combining the dry ingredients and wet ingredients in two separate bowls. Then you simply add the dry ingredients to the bowl with the wet ones and stir to combine.

With around 200 calories each and nearly 6 grams of protein, they’re perfect for breakfast or an afternoon snack. Or dessert. I won’t even pretend I haven’t eaten before bed. This is probably not the best time to have one, but hey, I couldn’t help it.

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