Jennifer shares a delightful grain-free muffin with us today. Using coconut and almond flour, lots of nourishing eggs, and sweet bananas, these muffins would make a fun start to the day. The chocolate chip variation sounds especially delicious. -Kimi
These muffins are a new favorite in our home! I typically make them plain, but have also added some homemade dark chocolate chips to them for a fun, chocolatey twist. They make a nice snack during the day or side for breakfast. Enjoy!
Banana Muffins
Ingredients:
- 1 cup mashed, ripe bananas
1/2 cup unsweetened applesauce
5 eggs
1/4 cup honey (or more or less depending on your taste preference)
3/4 cup sifted coconut flour
1/2 cup almond flour
1/2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. baking soda
(optional) 1/2 cup dark chocolate chips
Directions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees and line muffin pan with muffin papers.
2. Combine mashed bananas, applesauce, eggs and honey in a large bowl.
3. Add coconut flour, almond flour, salt and baking soda to the bowl and mix until well incorporated.
4. Fold in chocolate chips if using.
5. Fill muffin cups 3/4 full of batter.
6. Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 25-35 minutes until muffins are slightly browned and don’t indent when gently tapped. (My last batch took 30 minutes.)
Yield: 14-17 muffins
Jennifer Maltby is a food blogger for The Unrefined Kitchen. She has been happily married to her husband for 6 years. They have one two-year old daughter and a baby on the way. Jennifer loves being in the kitchen and especially loves baking. Due to multiple health issues, she changed her diet in April 2011 and saw significant, positive changes. Parting from the average American diet was a bit of a challenge, but Jennifer found that using some creativity could turn this diet into something that could be very tasty. She started the website The Unrefined Kitchen to be a tool and resource for others trying to change their diet in a similar way. The Unrefined Kitchen is grain-free, gluten-free, refined sugar-free and dairy-free (almost, we like butter!).
Latest posts by Jennifer (see all)
- Rhubarb Coffee Cake with Butter Cream Sauce - June 18, 2012
- Creamy Ham and Sweet Potato Soup - May 11, 2012
- Banana Muffins (w/Banana Chocolate Chip option!) - April 11, 2012
Thanks for sharing. We buy eggs from a farmer, and I need to use some up, and I also have ripe bananas. Since I have Almond and Coconut flour this recipe is perfect!
Great–enjoy!
I don’t have almond flour. What other flour could I substitute?
I don’t have the perfect answer for this. I would try possibly using another type of nut-flour or maybe using arrowroot powder. The 3 flours I use in my kitchen are coconut flour, almond flour and arrowroot powder. But people doing GAPS diet cannot use arrowroot, so that is why I designed this recipe with the other two flours.
Hi Jennifer – this looks like a great recipe….have bought some coconut flour and wondering where to start! Plus went through the freezer last night and found HEAPS of frozen ripe bananas so need to start using them! Would you mind telling me what applesauce is? We have something like maple syrup in NZ that is called apple syrup but I’m wondering if what you are referring to is stewed apples? Thanks so much for your help! Nicky
Applesauce is cooked, pureed apples. In the states here, you can buy it in the grocery stores, but we make our own. We quarter apples, remove the stems, and cook them in water until they start to soften. Then we use this incredible machine called a Squeezo-Straino that grinds the apples all up and separates the seeds/skins from the squished-up apples. After that, we process it so it can be stored on shelves. I’ve heard that you can make fresh applesauce, maybe try searching for that. I think you would probably just peel and core an apple and put it in a food processor until it is all blended up. I hope that helps!
or leave the core in the apple:
http://www.gaiahealthblog.com/2012/01/01/applecore/
I love using bananas in breads or desserts; I always find that I can cut way back on (or omit) the sweetener when there’s bananas in a recipe.
We have an egg-allergy in the family. Any recommendations for baking with coconut flour without eggs? I substitute flax and water for eggs in some recipes, but coconut flour recipes tend to use so many eggs that substituting this way yields unpleasant results.
Sorry, I don’t have any recommendations for you.
Hi there, as a substitution for eggs, we use 1tsp of white vinegar for everyone 1 egg asked for.
They look so good! I reckon I could polish off a plate of them in 5 minutes flat!
Making applesauce. I use organic apples, a variety of kinds. Core them (taking out seeds, middle part and stem). Add a little water. Cook the apples with the skins on. I usually cook for quite awhile, maybe 45 minutes, on a low heat. Once the apples are really soft, process/puree in a blender, food processor, or a hand blender (as a Bamix). When using organics, one can eat the peel. Add some cinnamon which flavors applesauce nicely. This can be frozen in small containers, or larger. I take out of the freezer in AM to have with my lunch later. My grandmother used to make applesauce similar to this without the pureeing and canned them in quart jars; I’ve not done that.
I love how short the list of ingredients is here and that there is no junky sugars! I am going to buy an extra bunch of bananas just for these!
These look yummy!!
I’ve been making my applesauce in the crockpot, using this recipe:
http://crockpot365.blogspot.com/2008/09/crockpot-applesauce-recipe.html
I skip the sugar, then add a bit of honey (if needed) when the apples are done. I mash them with a potato masher for a somewhat chunky texture. Homemade does not even compare to storebought, IMO…
hello great recipe, thankyou!
i don’t have applesauce or apples so was going to soak some chia seeds, i don’t know if this works within the framework of your paradigm but just a thought.
These look so yummy! I recently found an awesome recipe for plain muffins made with coconut flour (and I add chocolate chips) and it is seriously the best gluten-free/grain-free thing I’ve tasted as of yet in my life! Then hubby and I were remarking to each other that we really wished we could have banana chocolate chip muffins that were made with coconut flour… I tried tweaking the recipe a bit but the first time didn’t turn out great. Now this arrives in my google reader – I am so excited to try it! Thank-you!
I love experimenting recipes with coconut flour. I will try this recipe next.
We’ve made these several times now. It’s our new favourite go-to recipe! THANK-YOU!
I’ve made these twice now– they are amazing! They were easy and had simple ingredients (unlike a lot of gluten-free baking recipes). The combo of coconut and almond flour make the texture just perfect. This is the best gluten & dairy free muffin recipe I have tried. Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for this awesome recipe! I just made a double batch. When I mashed up all of my bananas, I had 2 cups exactly. Coincidence? I think not! These are GREAT. I also added 1/4 c. coconut oil, 1 t. vanilla, and 2 t. cinnamon (to the double batch). Since I was hungry and impatient, I fried some of the batter up pancake style and I think I’m in love. Finally, FINALLY, a grain free pancake that’s moist and tender – perfect with butter or coconut oil alone. How cool to have a recipe that can be a muffin or a pancake! 🙂 I will definitely be making these again. My toddlers are going to devour these. They’ve been asking for bread, macaroni & cheese, crackers and other grain things a lot since we’ve started transitioning to a paleo diet (butter/ghee being the only dairy we consume – hubs would go bonkers without butter!) Kinda crazy that the little ones would be having such strong grain cravings. I’ve since upped their banana and sweet potato intake and they are happier. Okay, sorry to be so long winded, I’m just really happy to have found a grain free recipe that I like so much. Most of the other ones are too dry for my liking. Take care!
Do you think I can sub. butter for the applesauce? I have run out of applesauce for the year and I hate to pay$3.99 lb. for apples in July! Will be making a larger batch this fall to get me through the next year but meanwhile… Butter?
Well, I haven’t tried it but go for it! Let me know how it turns out!
Any suggestions for making these without bananas, or subbing something else ? My DH has a banana allergy. I am trying to find an easy b-fast for him (& me) since he leaves for work at the crack of dawn & I cannot peel myself out of bed at that hour.
Thank you!
Possibly you could try substituting applesauce for the mashed banana…but I haven’t tried it. Let me know if you do try it and if it works!
Can I use all almond flour and no coconut flour? I’m not a coconuty person
Kelly–If you do all almond flour, I would reduce the eggs to 2. I haven’t tried it…but let me know if it works!
Just wanted to say that I’ve made these SO many times since really committing to the paleo/primal lifestyle 6 months ago, and they are a life saver! I’m on the run a lot, so it’s great to have something delicious, healthy and filling to grab and go. Even family members and friends who are totally skeptical about grain-free/refined sugar-free love these muffins, especially with dark chocolate chips added. I consistently add 1/8-1/4 c coconut oil, 1 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp cinnamon to mine – I find that it gives them a slightly deeper flavor and the oil helps keep them from drying out over the course of a couple days. Huge thank you for dreaming up THE perfect paleo muffin!
Is there a formula for substituting almond flour for Coconut flour. My husband can’t eat coconut.I can though.
Thanks
Joan
You could try doing almond flour for both flours (total of 1 1/4 cups) and reduce the eggs to 2. That might work 🙂
This recipe is delicious! Perfect for a school snack for my kids too! One question…it might be a silly one…but because there are so many eggs in the recipe (I made a double batch)…should these be refrigerated at all?
Thank you!
I always do refrigerate them just in case…they are pretty moist so I would think fridge or freezer is the best way to store them!