Healthy treats are the best, aren’t they? With these healthy banana chocolate muffins you’ll get all the flavour, none of the guilt.
The skunk prided himself on his perfect fur. Every day, he brushed until his black-and-white coat gleamed. But every morning he woke up the same way: with grass, hay and dry leaves tangled in his stripe. It was maddening. “I need a proper pillow,” he sighed.
His friends tried to help. The sheep offered wool, soft as a cloud but it unraveled after two nights. The squirrel suggested pinecones, they looked neat but they were far too sharp. Frederic the starling brought a bunch of grapes. They were comfortable until he rolled over in his sleep and squashed them, waking up sticky with juice.
A week passed and the skunk grew more frustrated. Then, one bright afternoon, he received a note tied with ribbon: Baker Bunny invites you to a Muffin & Cupcake Party. With nothing to lose (and a very empty stomach), the skunk joined the other woodland animals at the edge of the meadow.
The feast was glorious. A pig happily devoured slices of plum cake. A family of mice nibbled on walnut cookies. Platters of raspberry tarts disappeared before his eyes. But the true treasure was the tray piled high with banana chocolate muffins. Fluffy, sweet and still warm, they were the pride of Baker Bunny’s table.
The skunk ate until his belly was round, then curled up right there in the grass. Hours later, he woke up refreshed, his fur spotless and under his head was the softest pillow he had ever known, a banana chocolate muffin.
From then on, his problem was solved. Every week, he visited Baker Bunny, who gave him the fluffiest muffin to rest his head on. Seven nights of heavenly sleep, then on Sunday morning he ate his pillow. And so the skunk finally had perfect fur, perfect rest and the sweetest dreams in all the forest.
Ingredients for Banana Chocolate Muffins:
- Banana
- Oats
- Apple Sauce
- Plant Milk
- Cocoa Powder
- Baking Soda & Powder
- Sugar
- (Apple Cider) Vinegar (White Wine Vinegar works too!)
- Chocolate Chips
- Nut Butter
- Vanilla Sugar/Extract
Because We Can’t Always Bake Layer Cakes…
I love baking and whenever that sweet craving hits, I’m often motivated to test new recipes. Everyone gets the urge for something sweet now and then, and it’s good to have a few healthier options so you don’t always end up stuffing your face with an extremely delicious, sweet and heavenly giant chocolate cream cake… even if it is a lot of fun to make. That’s why I adore creating healthier dessert recipes that you can enjoy without any guilt. They’re easy to whip up, perfect for sharing with friends and even make a great snack for kids.
Gluten-Free Friendly, Beginner Approved
You won’t even notice that these banana chocolate muffins are made with oats instead of regular flour. Oats are packed with fibre, vitamins and minerals and therefore a good choice that keeps you feeling satisfied. It’s a great twist on classic baking and means your gluten-free loved ones can enjoy them too. I love knowing that this is a recipe I can throw together without many ingredients and comes out perfect every single time. Totally beginner-friendly! Just make sure your oats are labeled gluten-free if you’re baking for someone who needs it, otherwise, regular oats work just fine. And no need to buy fancy oat flour either. I simply blitz rolled oats in my blender and that’s it.
How can you make these banana chocolate muffins even healthier?
You’ve got flexibility when it comes to sugar. Since ripe bananas are naturally sweet, you don’t need nearly as much as in most recipes. I wouldn’t recommend leaving sugar out completely (I tried and it was not a success) though you can easily cut it back to around 50 grams. Alternatively, you can use coconut or date sugar if you’re feeling fancy. You can also skip or reduce the chocolate chips in case you want to lower the sweetness further. Another bonus: these muffins use nut butter instead of oil. I usually go with peanut butter but almond or cashew butter all work beautifully. Nut butter adds healthy fats, some protein and makes the muffins moist without needing extra oil.
FAQ & Tips for Success
How do I get muffins with a nice dome?
Fill the muffin cups generously (about ¾ full) and don’t over-mix the batter, this helps them rise tall.
What’s the best sugar to use?
Ripe bananas add natural sweetness, so you don’t need much sugar. Cane sugar works best, but you can also try coconut or date sugar.
Any tips for gluten-free baking?
Make sure your oats are certified gluten-free before blending into flour. Otherwise, regular rolled oats are fine if gluten isn’t a concern.
My muffins turned out dense. What happened?
This usually means the batter was overmixed. Stir just until the wet and dry ingredients come together. A few lumps are totally fine.
They seem a bit dry.
Check your bake time, ovens vary and even 2 extra minutes can dry muffins out. Next time, try pulling them at the 22-minute mark if the toothpick has only a few moist crumbs.
They didn’t rise much.
Make sure your baking powder and baking soda are fresh. Old leavening agents lose their power. Also, fill your muffin liners generously (about ¾ full).
Why Ripe Bananas Are Perfect for Baking
One of my favourite things about this recipe is that it’s a great way to use up ripe bananas. If you don’t already have some sitting on your counter, you can even grab the spotty ones at the store. Most people pass them by but they are way too good to waste. Perfectly ripe bananas are amazing for baking: they add natural sweetness, create that soft, moist texture every vegan bake needs and make sure nothing goes to waste. If you’ve got extras, try them in my healthy gluten-free vegan banana bread or start your morning with my healthy vegan banana pancakes.
Best Vegan & Gluten-Free Banana Chocolate Muffins (Easy Recipe!)
Ingredients
Wet ingredients
- 120-130 grams/ ½ cup mashed banana 1 big banana
- 180 grams/ ¾ cup apple sauce
- 100 ml/ ⅓ cup + 1tbsp plant milk
- 60 grams/ ¼ cup nut butter
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
- 1 tsp vanilla sugar/extract
Dry ingredients
- 180 grams/ 1 ½ cups oat flour
- 45 grams/ ½ cup raw cocoa powder
- 70 grams/ ⅓ cup sugar or sugar alternative
- 1 ½ tsp baking powder
- ½ tsp baking soda
- ¼ tsp salt
- 60 grams/ ⅓ cup chocolate chips
Instructions
- These muffins will be one of the easiest recipes you’ll ever make.Start by preheating the oven to 180°C / 350°F on the fan setting.
- Now mix all the dry ingredients in a bowl. That’s the flour, cocoa, sugar, baking soda, salt and baking powder.
- In a second bowl, take care of the wet ingredients: mash the banana with a fork, then mix it with applesauce, plant milk, nut butter, vinegar and vanilla until smooth and creamy.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients and stir gently until a batter forms. Carefully fold in the chocolate chips at the end, don't overmix.
- Divide the batter evenly into the muffin liners and fill them up so the muffins rise nicely.
- It's baking time! Place the muffins in the oven and bake for around 20 minutes. Do the toothpick test: if only a few moist crumbs stick to it, they’re perfect. Depending on your oven and preheating time it can take up to 25 minutes to bake them.
- Once your muffins are done, let them cool for a few minutes, take them out of the tin and then all that's left is to enjoy your healthy treat!
How to Store Your healthy Banana Chocolate Muffins
These muffins taste best fresh and are ideal to enjoy within two to three days. They’ll gradually get drier, as oat-based bakes tend to lose moisture faster than regular flour ones. Keep them in an airtight container at room temperature and if you want them to last longer, you can always freeze a batch and reheat when you feel like having a treat.
Did you make this recipe?
Please let me know how it turned out for you, I’m super curious! You can leave a comment below and tag @lordsoftheplants on Instagram and hashtag it #lordsoftheplants for me to see! I absolutely love seeing your creations and interpretations of my recipes!
