Soft, moist and fluffy, these Paleo Banana Muffins are made with simple ingredients, no refined sugar, and perfect for a healthy on the go breakfast or snack. Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Refined Sugar-Free, and Grain Free.
It sure is hard to beat a good banana muffin--I mean even those who despise bananas will get down and dirty with some banana muffins and/or bread. There's just something about that soft, moist texture and sweet banana flavor that undeniably hits the spot. Not to mention, it's a great way to use up those spotty brown bananas! So we're putting a date-able and paleo spin on the classic banana bread.
Light, fluffy, and naturally sweetened with date syrup and coconut sugar, these Paleo Banana Muffins are infused with sweet cinnamon and studded with caramel-y medjool dates, which adds a little extra natural sweetness. Plus, medjool dates are a nutrient-dense superfruit, rich in fiber, potassium, magnesium, and vitamin B6 to name a few!
Baking paleo definitely works a different muscle than gluten-rich baking, but it's just a matter of reworking the chemistry and adjusting the percentages of it all. No need to worry, a chemistry textbook is NOT a required tool for this recipe😂 BUT if you are intrigued by baking ratios, etc, I highly encourage you to look into How Baking Works by Paula Figoni!
Tips and Tricks for Fluffy Paleo Muffins
- Use finely ground almond meal to create the right texture (it will be super gritty and nutty if not).
- Use super ripe bananas to give more natural sweetness. Not the ones with a few brown spots on them! Don't have ripened bananas? Just pop your un-ripened bananas (still peeled) on a baking sheet and put in the oven at 250 degrees for 20-25 minutes or keep them in a paper bag overnight.
- Don't over-mix the batter. When adding the dry ingredients to the wet, mix with a spatula until just combined. Over-mixing the batter can result in dense, rubbery muffins and nobody wants that!
- Have fun with mix-ins! Throw in some pecans or walnuts for extra nuttiness or some dark chocolate chips for a little indulgence. Top with some nut or seed butter and you basically have a cupcake!
Ingredients you'll need:
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- Ripe Bananas
- Not only do you get a great *natural* sweetness, but also vitamins and nutrients like Vitamin B6 + C! Make sure that your bananas are super spotty--that's when they are the sweetest and easily mash-able. For a really smooth texture, you can puree them in a blender or food processor.
- Joolies Date Syrup
- This natural sweetener is made with only ONE ingredient: upcycled medjool dates and you still maintain all the nutrient and health benefits of a medjool date in the syrup form.
- Avocado Oil
- This neutral oil keeps our muffins moist and works with the baking powder and baking soda to create a fluffy and tender texture. You can substitute with olive oil or melted coconut oil. If using coconut oil, be sure all of your ingredients are room temperature to ensure even distribution (aka so you won't have chunks of hardened oil in your muffins)!
- Eggs
- This adds structure by helping to bind all the ingredients together!
- Joolies Organic Medjool Dates
- These are just as essential as the bananas! Medjool dates become even more caramel-like when warmed, adding amazing texture, moistness, and a boost of nutrients like potassium (3x that of a banana!), magnesium, fiber, Vitamin B's, etc!
- Almond Flour
- This will thicken up the batter and also has a stellar nutritional profile that's rich in Vitamin E and magnesium and just like medjool dates, almond flour is a great low glycemic option!
- Tapioca Flour
- This helps bind gluten free recipes and absorb any extra moisture to get us the desired texture of our delicious fluffy muffins. Note: Tapioca starch is the same thing.
- Coconut Sugar
- To get the sweetness we all love, while keeping it refined sugar-free, we added a little bit of coconut sugar. We don't recommend substituting with a liquid sweetener as it will throw off the baking ratio.
- Baking Soda + Baking Powder
- Baking powder & baking soda work hand in hand together. They both are essential to getting the FLUFF by helping them rise properly.
- Cinnamon + Sea Salt
- Adds a little cozy spice while the salt helps to enhance and meld all the flavors together.
- Ripe Bananas
