Banana Almond Muffins

Made with almond flour and ripe bananas, these Almond Flour Banana Muffins have no added sugar. Plus, they are higher in fiber and protein than most muffins.

About Almond Flour Banana Muffins

I love these muffins. Love love love them. I've made them countless times, and I feel so happy whenever the Almond Flour Banana Muffins are in the kitchen.

They are not your ordinary, run of the mill muffins. This almond flour banana muffin is made without added sugar, it's higher in fiber and protein, and you can eat them without expecting to crash an hour later.

You can eat them for breakfast. Throw them in your purse on days you know you won't be back home for a few hours (saving money and a stomach ache from having to eat whatever random snack food you can buy). Or even eat them for dessert.

My absolute favorite part about these muffins is that they have no added sugar. The trick is using really ripe bananas and enhancing the flavor with cinnamon, a touch of nutmeg, plus almond and vanilla extracts.

Ingredients

Almond flour: Alternative flours can be confusing, but no need to stress here with these Banana Almond Muffins. Simply buy any type of almond flour you can find. I prefer finely ground, but coarse ground will work just fine. Also, the almond meal can be used, but it has a coarse texture so be aware of that if you think it could be a problem.

Flaxseed meal: I've made them with flax and also with chia seeds. Make sure that you have flax meal or ground flax seeds. Your body can't break down the whole flaxseed. You don't have to worry about that with chia seeds. However, they are a little more expensive than flax.

The taste of the muffins is the same with either option, and they both provide fiber and beneficial omega-3 fatty acids.

Baking soda: You need leaveners to cause your muffins to rise, and I prefer to use both baking soda and baking powder in this recipe for best results. They cause a reaction in different ways, but both are important to give you the best flavor. Any type of baking soda will work, just make sure it hasn't expired and it hasn't been sitting in the fridge acting as a scent-neutralizer absorbing all the smells of the fridge. That would possibly alter the flavor of your muffins.

Baking powder: Regular baking powder and double-acting baking powder are equally good choices for this recipe.

Bananas: For the sweetest muffins, use over-ripe bananas. This is a great time to use the brown bananas on your counter. You can also use previously-frozen bananas that have defrosted. However, your muffin batter might be a little thinner. It'll still work just fine though.

Coconut oil: I've tried them multiple ways. I like both the butter and coconut oil version. Honestly, I didn't notice much of a difference. The ones with coconut oil were not as moist as the ones with butter, but it's only really apparent when you do a side-by-side comparison.

Eggs: Large eggs are most commonly used for baking, and it's important to use large eggs in this recipe instead of extra-large or medium. I tested the recipe with extra-large eggs for one batch and that had a strong eggy-flavor that I didn't love. Simply buy large eggs (which are the most common size of eggs so no need to stress).

Flavorings: Vanilla extract, almond extract, cinnamon, and nutmeg add a ton of flavor to these Banana Almond Muffins. I highly recommend all four, but you can omit the nutmeg and almond extract if needed. However, if you want sweet muffins without adding sugar, the almond extract will sweeten the flavor.

Cost of Recipe

• Almond flour 2 cups: $3.18
• Flaxseed meal 2 tablespoons: $0.12
• Baking soda ½ teaspoon: $0.01
• Baking powder ¼ teaspoon: $0.01
• Salt ¼ teaspoon: $0.01
• Cinnamon 1 teaspoon: $0.07
• Nutmeg ⅛ teaspoon: $0.03
• Bananas 2 medium: $0.48
• Coconut oil ¼ cup: $0.72
• Eggs 4 large: $0.92
• Vanilla extract 1 tablespoon: $1.77
• Almond extract ⅛ teaspoon: $0.04

TOTAL COST: $7.36 or $0.61/muffin (Based on San Diego Sprouts 2020)

How to Make Almond Flour Banana Muffins

Banana Almond Muffins Recipe Tips

• One thing that I think helps is to make sure that you stir together the room temperature butter or coconut oil with the bananas before adding in the eggs. I forgot to do this with the butter, and I had chunks of butter in the batter.
• It wasn't a big deal; you couldn't tell in the baked muffins. But it is helpful for having a more consistently successful batter and muffin.
• One last thing, the muffins easily stick in the paper liners. I recommend either greasing the muffin tin, using silicone muffin liners, or foil liners.

Variations

Ingredient Options

Flaxseed meal: Chia seeds can be used as a substitute for the flaxseeds.

Coconut oil: Butter can be used in place of the coconut oil.

How to Make Allergy Friendly

These Almond Flour Banana Muffins are already gluten-free and soy-free. If you make them using coconut oil, they will be dairy-free. Or you can use dairy-free butter if you'd like.

Make Ahead Ideas

These can easily be made ahead of time. Simply prepare as directed and store in the fridge or freezer.

Storage Suggestions

Store these in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer. They keep in the fridge for up to 5 days. You can also freeze them for up to 4 weeks. If frozen, let thaw in the fridge at least 2 hours before eating.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Benefits

Because these are sweetened only with ripe bananas, you don't get the sugar crash often accompanying regular muffins. And it makes them great for breakfast, snacks, or dessert.

Almonds are high in Vitamin E, Magnesium, and Manganese, so you get a boost of those vitamins and minerals from these muffins. Plus, each Banana Almond Muffin has 6 grams of protein and 2 grams of fiber (with only 2 grams of sugar that come from the banana).

What to Serve with Almond Flour Banana Muffins

If you're eating as a snack or dessert, I think they are good on their own. For breakfast, I like to eat with a hard-boiled egg for protein. Or serve these Banana Almond Muffins with scrambled eggs & salsa or breakfast stuffed peppers for extra veggies.

Final thoughts:

These are great to have on hand because you can really eat them at any time of day. Plus, they are loved by adults and kids alike. Bonus points that they are sweetened only with ripe bananas and you can use up your extra ripe bananas to prevent food waste.

MORE NO ADDED SUGAR RECIPES (sweetened with fruit) YOU'LL LOVE:

• Walnut Chocolate Chip Cookies
• German Chocolate Brownies
• Almond Butter Banana Cookies
• Sugar Cookie Dough Dip
• Peanut Butter Banana Cookies

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Meme

This post was originally published on March 20, 2014. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.

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