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 1/2 teaspoon: $0.01
- Baking powder 1/4 teaspoon: $0.01
- Salt 1/4 teaspoon: $0.01
- Cinnamon 1 teaspoon: $0.07
- Nutmeg 1/8 teaspoon: $0.03
- Bananas 2 medium: $0.48
- Coconut oil 1/4 cup: $0.72
- Eggs 4 large: $0.92
- Vanilla extract 1 tablespoon: $1.77
- Almond extract 1/8 teaspoon: $0.04
TOTAL COST: $7.36 or $0.61/muffin (Based on San Diego Sprouts 2020)
How to Make Almond Flour Banana Muffins
Time needed: 32 minutes.
These Almond Flour Banana Muffins are quite easy. You simply mix together the wet ingredients and then mix together the dry ingredients. Add them together and bake.
- Whisk together the dry ingredients in medium bowl.
Set aside.
- Mash together the banana and oil/butter.
In another bowl.
- Stir in eggs and extracts.
- Pour dry ingredients into the wet ingredients, and stir to combine.
- Transfer to silicone muffin baking liners or muffin tins.
Bake.
- Remove from oven, and use a toothpick to check doneness.
The toothpick should come out clean.
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
Banana Almond Muffins
Ingredients
- 2 cups almond flour or almond meal
- 2 TBSP flax meal or chia seeds
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/4 tsp baking powder
- 1/4 tsp salt
- 1 tsp cinnamon
- 1/8 tsp nutmeg optional
- 2 small/medium bananas mashed
- 1/4 cup coconut oil or butter (room temperature)
- 4 eggs
- 1 TBSP vanilla extract
- 1/8 tsp almond extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a muffin tin, line with foil liners, or use silicon liners.
- Whisk together almond flour, flax or chia, baking soda, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg. Set aside.
- Stir together mashed bananas and oil or butter until well combined. Stir in eggs, vanilla extract, and almond extract.
- Stir banana mixture into dry ingredients. Mix until well combined.
- Transfer batter to prepared muffin tin or to silicon liners. Bake in preheated oven for 20-22 minutes until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool. Keep covered for up to 4 days.
What to Use in This Recipe
Meme
This post was originally published on March 20, 2014. Text, recipe, and photos have been updated.
Doesn't this recipe look good?! You should probably share it:
Kristina says
I made these and they are very good! Anyone know how many net carbs are in 1 muffin?
Meme says
So glad you enjoyed them!! The nutrition facts are included under the recipe (where it says "Click here for Nutrition Facts") if you want to know more about the muffins 🙂
Kristina says
Oh I didn’t see that there, thank you!
Meme says
It’s easy to miss!! Happy to help! 🙂
Frances Ali says
Hi. Just wanted to let you know I tried this recipe and it came out great.!!!!
Meme says
YAYYYYY!! I'm so glad it turned out well! Thanks for coming back to share 🙂
xo
Christine says
Can you add walnuts or raisins?
Meme says
Yes, you definitely can add nuts, raisins or even chocolate chips! I'd add about 1/4 to 1/2 cup to start. Then increase if you think they need more 🙂
Enjoy!
Stacey says
Can they be made without Flax seed?
Meme says
Yes, the batter won't be as thick, but they should still turn out ok. You could also add an equal amount of chia seeds or any other seeds to make sure the consistency is right. Good luck!
Ang from the mitten says
Amazing! I used 1/4 applesauce as a substitute for 1 egg (to give them a little more sweetness) and used chia seeds, not flax. I used half coconut oil and half butter for the oil. These were moist and delicious!
Sonny says
During the lockdown, I only have baking soda... will this work without the baking powder or can I add something else to balance it? Please advise.
Meme says
Eek! I honestly don't know because I haven't tried it (and I don't have the ingredients to make these to test. My niece has a severe peanut and treenut allergy so I can't make them around her!). Anywho, I did find this on the internet 🙂
"use a teaspoon of lemon juice plus a ¼ teaspoon baking soda to make 1 teaspoon of baking powder"
Sorry I couldn't be more helpful. I'd love if you came back to let me know if you try it out!! Thanks for stopping by!
Cindy says
These muffins are better than muffins made with regular flour. I love that they do not have any added sugar. I do double the banana and reduce the egg by half for a little more sweetness and banana flavor. I like the option to use butter (most almond flour muffin recipes don't). I have tried it with butter and coconut oil and prefer the butter. Adding the chia seeds gives them a little extra nuttiness and I also like to add some mini semi-sweet chocolate chips (about 1/2 cup - more if using regular size chips). I skip the almond extract since there is already so much goodness in this recipe.
Meme says
YAYYYYYYY!!!! I am so excited to hear you enjoyed them. I love how you make those little changes. Adding chocolate chips and increasing the banana sounds so good! And I prefer the butter in there too 🙂
Thanks so much for sharing your feedback!! xo