Oil-Free Protein Banana Muffins

Ingredients

• Gluten free flour: For this recipe, we are using gluten-free 1:1 flour, however, you can use all-purpose flour.
• Organic brown coconut sugar: Using coconut sugar in this recipe keeps these muffins refined sugar-free. However, feel free to use regular sugar if you would like.
• Cinnamon: Cinnamon gives these banana muffins a nice aromatic flavor.
• Baking powder
• Bananas: Bananas give these muffins their naturally sweetened flavor. 
• Peanut butter: Using natural peanut butter, helps to keep these muffins healthy and oil-free.
• Eggs
• Maple syrup: Adds moisture and a more natural sweetener.
• Vanilla extract: Always use a quality vanilla extract such as Singing Dog Vanilla
• Almond slivers: Adds a nice crunch and extra protein.

See the recipe card at the end of the post for a full list of ingredients and their exact amounts.

Flavor Variations

• Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins: Add chocolate chips or mini chocolate chips to your batter for a sweet variation.
• Nuts: Chopped almonds, pecans, or even pistachios work well in these muffins.

Instructions

• First, preheat the oven to 365°F degrees. 
• Then, line a cupcake tray with muffins or cupcake liners. 
• Next, in a medium bowl, combine all dry ingredients together and whisk to combine. 
• Then, in a large mixing bowl, mash bananas until almost smooth. Or, place bananas into a large measuring cup, and mash using an avocado masher. I prefer to do it this way, that way I am able to be certain I have 1 ½ cups. If your bananas don’t measure 1 ½ cup slowly add more bananas until the measurement is met. 
• Once bananas are in the large mixing bowl, add peanut butter, eggs, maple syrup, and vanilla extract. Using a whisk, mix until well combined. 
• Then, carefully pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients. Using a rubber spatula, mix until well combined, but be careful not to over-mix. You don’t want rubbery muffins!
• Using a cookie or Ice cream scoop, add batter evenly to the muffin liners. 
• Lastly, if using the almond slivers, sprinkle these on top of the batter at this point. 
• Place the muffin tray in the oven and bake for 17-20 minutes until a toothpick comes out clean. Muffins will have risen nicely at this time. 
• Place the muffin tray onto a cooling rack and allow it to cook for 15 minutes before removing it from the tray. 

Storage

• Never leave banana muffins on the counter completely sealed. They will begin to sweat and possibly grow mold. If leaving on the counter, make sure the muffins have a small space to breathe. 
• I do recommend storing these muffins in the fridge to prevent any mold growth. They can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.

Equipment

• Muffin liners: Muffin liners keep muffins from sticking to the pan, making them easier to remove. Also, they help to keep the muffins moist by preventing them from drying out.
• Muffin tin: Muffin tins are essential for baking muffins and cupcakes, as they help to give them their characteristic shape.
• Cookie scoop: It helps to ensure that each muffin is the same size, which is important for even baking.

Top tips

• The darker the banana, the sweeter the muffin! Always use bananas with lots of dark spots. 
• Always use natural peanut butter free from sugars and oils in this recipe. I haven’t tried the recipe with any other peanut butter, and the texture may be altered if others are used. 
• You can add a few chocolate chunks and turn them into chocolate protein banana muffins or ⅓ cup of shredded carrots to make them banana carrot muffins.

FAQ

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