A new muffin recipe for you today, Chocolate Banana Muffins, made without flour. That’s right, no flour. Don’t worry, if you are a flour eating and loving individual (as my entire house is) you will love these as well, and there are no crazy ingredients in them. Oats are giving flour the day off in this recipe. My two picky eaters gobbled these up, and trust me, they are a tough crowd to please.
If you haven’t noticed, I’m a little obsessed with muffin recipes. You can almost always find homemade muffins at my house and I try to keep a stock of them in the freezer. They are such a quick and easy breakfast and are also a great grab and go snack. As much as I love muffins, I rarely, if ever, buy them. These chocolate banana muffins are so easy to make, and put a healthy spin on, that I always go for homemade when it comes to muffins. I made these chocolate banana muffins without any flour, and I wasn’t sure how they were going to turn out. While they won’t win any beauty contests, they turned out super moist and delicious, with a big thumbs up from both of my picky eater kiddos.
With more and more of my friends needing gluten free diets for themselves or their kids, due to allergies, Celiac Disease and other issues, I’m trying to experiment a bit with gluten free recipes to help give them some options. That said, I’m not ready to rush out and grab gluten free baking mixes just yet, so I’m trying to see what I can do with the ingredients I already have in my kitchen and am used to working with. I’ve had some recipes fail miserably, and some that are declared winners. This one is a winner.
Heck, I would go so far as to say that if you needed a gluten free chocolate cupcake, you could just frost one of these chocolate banana muffins and call it good. They are that chocolatey and moist. And heck, with frosting they’d probably even be pretty as well! Oh well, don’t judge this book by it’s cover, they taste better than they look, though you can certainly see how moist and chocolatey they are!
In place of regular flour, I used oat flour in these. I make my own oat flour in my food processor, it’s so easy. Throw your oats into your food processor and pulse away, I usually go about two minutes. You can also buy oat flour, but if you have a food processor you can do this, easy peasy. I have made oat flour in both my full size food processor and my mini, so either will work! When making oat flour, I find that I usually have to start with more oats than the recipe calls for (so for a 1 1/2 cup recipe, start with say 2 cups of oats). Make sure you measure your oat flour as flour for the recipe, not as whole oats PRIOR to turning them into oat flour.
If you are making these because you specifically need gluten free, make sure the ingredients you use such as your oats, baking soda, baking powder, vanilla, cocoa powder and chocolate chips are all gluten free (not all brands are).
Chocolate Banana Muffins
Chocolate Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup butter softened
- 1/2 cup plain or vanilla Greek yogurt
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 2 eggs
- 2 tsp vanilla
- 4 large ripe bananas
- 1 1/2 cup oat flour
- 2/3 cup dark cocoa powder
- 1 tsp baking soda
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1 cup chocolate chips nuts or other mix ins (optional and can be left out)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Puree, mix or blend bananas until smooth. Add in butter and yogurt and mix until well combined. Add in eggs and vanilla, mixing until well combined. Stir in sugar until well combined. In a separate bowl, mix oat flour, dark cocoa powder, baking soda and salt. Combine wet and dry ingredients and stir until well combined. Scoop into a muffin pan that has been lightly sprayed with cooking spray. Bake for 20-25 minutes or until tops spring back lightly when touched. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Store loosely covered or in refrigerator.
Notes
Disclaimer
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
*To make gluten free: make sure to use oats that are specifically gluten free, as well as gluten free baking soda, baking powder, cocoa powder, basically check all ingredients.
*To make nut free: No nut products are used, but make sure all ingredients are nut safe.
*When avoiding anything is your baking for health purposes, always make sure that YOU verify that YOUR ingredients are safe and meet your particular dietary requirements. Also, if you are baking for someone else with food allergies, sensitivities or special diets, make sure to consult with them (or their parent) regarding ingredients to verify if everything is “safe”. Food allergies are not to be messed with, and it is always better to check and double check versus assume. To state the obvious, I am not a doctor, and this is not medical advice. š
A few other recipes that I’ve made using oats in place of flour include my Oatmeal Chocolate Chip Cookies…
And Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins…
If you love muffins, make sure to check out more of the muffin recipes here at Love From The Oven! Thanks for stopping by!
Maggie says
Made a batch of these tonight, amazing!! They are moist and so good warm from the oven. I added Trader Joe’s chocolate chunks to them.I’m excited to have my picky eaters try them for breakfast! I ended up with 18 muffins , Thanks for a great recipe!
Maggie says
These look delicious! Definitely going to make these tomorrow as I have bananas just about ready to be over ripe! Does it matter if you use quick cook oats or regular old fashioned oats?
Thanks!
Christi says
Maggie, I usually use old fashioned as that’s typically what I buy in the large packages. š
Crystal says
I love muffins…either snack, breakfast, lunch. etc… I love that you used oat flour and made it yourself. Awesome!! Thanks so much for the recipe!! I will be making these this week!!
Christi says
Thanks Crystal! My girls seriously loved these. Just finished the last one off this morning and I’ve been reminded of that fact a few times already today. š Time to make more!
Janine (sugarkissed.net) says
You mentioned freezing your muffins. Do you typically do this after you bake them or do you freeze the mix? Any special instructions for thawing? Thanks!
Christi says
Janine, I just cool them after baking and then throw them in a Ziploc freezer bag and freeze. I’m sure there’s a better way, but that’s the quick way that seems to work just fine. I have no idea about freezing the mix, my goal is to just go a bit longer between baking more batches! š
Janine (sugarkissed.net) says
Hhmmm…. flourless muffins… intriguing. I think a chocolate banana recipe is the perfect way to give it a try!
David @ Spiced says
Wow…these look delicious Christi! I’m always amazed at flourless recipes…can’t wait to try these!
Christi says
Thanks David! The oats work perfectly for this and I think they really enhance the flavor. š
Laura @ Lauras Baking Talent says
Thanks fro the tips regarding making your own oat flour. I will have to keep that in mind.
Christi says
Laura, you are welcome. It really is super easy!
Betsy @JavaCupcake says
Love that you’ve been adding healthy options for your recipes! š Although… I may never make them that way… I have friend who will! hehe š Happy Baking, Christi!
Christi says
Thanks Betsy! I have to say, these didn’t end up tasting healthy at all! I’m just on the eternal quest for something both girls will eat. And like. And not complain about. It’s the little things! š
Lisa says
I LOVE banana and chocolate. Like I could teach a whole college course in the genius that is the combo of banana and chocolate. And hooray for baking them with oats instead of flour! My husband recently decided to take a mini vacation from gluten, so these are perfect! Pinning!
Christi says
Thanks Lisa! It’s such an awesome combo, love what banana does for baked goods.
Katy says
Being that I’m trying to be a healthier person, I cannot wait to make these muffins! I can’t believe they don’t have flour in them! But they sound so nutritious and healthy. Thanks for the post!