Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins sweetened with dates and banana for a tasty, satisfying snack with no added sugar! Free of eggs, dairy, and gluten.
This recipe came into the world because my bananas were so overripe that I swear they were starting to ferment. Can bananas turn into wine? Maybe that's why these tasted so spectacular.
These stunners are super moist with a delightfully crisp top. They're banana-y and chocolatey in the most sensational way. Just sweet enough from bananas and dates but not the teeth hurting kind.
They're made in the food processor instead of two bowls for easy peasy clean up! See, I'm always thinking about you guys.
I was actually shocked at how great these turned out. I thought they might taste like chocolatey hockey pucks. Or banana-y cardboard. Sometimes I surprise myself.
How to make healthy chocolate banana muffins
- Blend bananas, dates, oil, and vanilla in a food processor until smooth.
- Add almond and oat flour, cacao, salt, and baking soda. Blend until you don't see any more flour. It's quite thick!
- Spoon batter into muffin tin. Bake for about 25 minutes and devour!
Key ingredients and tips
No added sugar, gluten, dairy, or eggs...oh my!
- Bananas: One of our lovely natural sweeteners! I like to use extra ripe mashed bananas for sweeter muffins but regular yellow bananas will work too for slightly less sweet muffins.
- Medjool dates: The one and only. I buy them in bulk at Costco but all grocery stores have them now. If they're dry and hard, remove the pit and pop them in a bowl of hot water to soften up.
- Oat flour: I blend oats quickly in the Nutribullet to make my own. Use certified gluten free if needed.
- Almond flour: For delicate sweet flavor and amazing fats that lend a beautiful crumb.
- Cacao powder: Any unsweetened cocoa powder for this recipe. I like using raw cacao for an extra antioxidant punch.
- Ground flax: To help bind the muffins and an extra boost of healthy fats.
- Baking soda: Essential for a nice rise.
- Avocado oil: Just a couple tablespoons for moist texture. Melted and cooled coconut oil or canola oil also work.
- Vanilla extract: Love how this brings out the amazing chocolate flavor. A teaspoon of instant espresso powder would be delish here, too!
- Chocolate chips: Optional for extra chocolate goodness! You can also use dark chocolate chunks. These will add a bit of added sugar.
Storage tips
You can keep these muffins in an air-tight container on the counter for up to 3 days.
Can you freeze muffins?
Yes, I love freezing muffins for easy snacks! You can freeze completely cooled muffins on a lined baking sheet. Once frozen, transfer them to a freezer baggie and squeeze all the air out (this prevents them from sticking together).
They'll keep for 3 months in the freezer.
More banana recipes to enjoy
- Almond Flour Chocolate Banana Bread
- Gluten Free Banana Bread
- Banana Bread Protein Bars
- Banana Oatmeal Cookies
Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins Recipe
- Prep Time: 10 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Total Time: 35 mins
- Yield: 9 muffins 1x
- Category: Snack
- Method: Oven
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Vegan
Description
Healthy Chocolate Banana Muffins sweetened with dates and banana for a tasty, satisfying snack with no added sugar! Free of eggs, dairy, and gluten. Recipe makes 9 muffins.
Ingredients
- 2 medium overripe bananas
- 2 tbsp avocado oil, melted (can sub coconut oil)
- 8 large soft medjool dates, pitted
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 ¼ cups oat flour*
- ¼ cup cacao powder (can sub cocoa powder)
- 2 tbsp ground flaxseed
- ¾ tsp baking soda
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F. Line a muffin tin with silicone liners or spray with cooking spray.
- Place bananas, coconut oil, dates and vanilla in the bowl of a large food processor. Blend until very smooth and creamy, scraping down the sides as needed with a rubber spatula.
- Add almond flour, oat flour, cacao powder, flax, baking soda, and salt. Process until combined, being sure not to over-mix. The mixture will be very thick.
- Spoon mixture evenly into 9 muffin cups. Top each muffin with a few chocolate chips (these have added sugar) if you fancy! Wet your fingers and gently press down the top of each muffin to get rid of any peaks.
- Bake for about 25 minutes. Cool muffins in pan for 10 minutes before transferring to a cooling rack to cool completely. Store cooled muffins at room temperature for up to 3 days and then store in the refrigerator.
Notes
*I make my own oat flour by grinding old fashioned oats in the Nutribullet until it forms a fine powder.
Keywords: healthy chocolate banana muffins
Chinks says
Since the recipe does not call for any type of liquid, my muffins turn out dry and weird. Doughy in the middle, and nothing resembling muffins. Retained the same shape as they went in… clumps.
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Alexis Joseph says
Hi there, did you make any changes to the recipe? Did you blend everything with a food processor? Since this recipe is made with dates and gets moisture from the fat of almond flour, the texture comes together without needing any liquid. There are surely not traditional muffins given they don't have added sugar and are flourless, but they should taste delicious nonetheless so I'd love to help you troubleshoot.
Chinks says
Thank you for getting back so fast.
I don't have a food processor, but I did blend the wet ingredients first, then combined the dry ingredients and blended it with Ninja blender. It usually doubles as a food processor quite well for other recipes. The mixture wasn't thick per se, but turned soft but dry pretty quickly as the blending/processing happened. Then I hand mixed a few chocolate chips, and scooped them off into muffin paper cups... Didn't my Ninja have the chops for this recipe?
Alexis Joseph says
Hmmm that should work assuming the date mixture was totally blended? I've only made them as written with the food processor. The batter should be as thick as that third food processor photo. They don't get puffy like traditional muffins so they do have the same look once they're baked (not the prettiest, LOL). I'm sorry these weren't your favorite but I hope you'll try another recipe! This double chocolate banana bread has a more traditional texture and is always a huge hit (check out the comments section); it's still healthier than most and GF so I'd recommend that if you want a similar chocolate banana profile. Cheers!
Katelyn Jacob says
Hi, I was wondering if a blender would work instead of a food processor?
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Hi! The batter is suuuuper thick. Unless you have a blender where you'd made a thick batter before successfully, I wouldn't recommend it!
Karen says
In instructions it says to add oats in #3. but in ingredients there are no oats?
Alexis Joseph says
Shoot--just updated this! Just oat flour 🙂 Thanks, Karen!
Kori Daniel says
Fantastic recipe! I made these last night, and I absolutely love having a homemade baked good to enjoy. Your recipes are stellar! A coworker saw me eating it, and he asked for the recipe for him and his wife. I shared it and your baby banana muffins. Spreading the wealth that is your blog!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
Thanks a TON Kori! And how fun that your coworker got in on the goodness, too 🙂
Dylan says
These are so good, and love that they are sweetened with dates only!
★★★★★
Alexis Joseph says
AMEN!!
Michele says
I make your original chocolate banana muffins (with the coffee grounds) a lot and they’re always delicious. My teenage son devours them! I see this recipe has some tweaks to the old one - will have to bake and compare! But I’m sure both will be equally yummy. Thanks for all your lovely recipes!
Alexis Joseph says
Love it! This is the exact same recipe, I just removed the coffee to simplify the ingredients a bit 🙂 Enjoy!
Alisha says
I love these! A guild free snack when I’m craving a yummy treat 😋
★★★★★
andrea jensen says
I am excited to find this recipe! My kids are allergic to eggs, peanuts and milk. Now they are on a 3-month elimination diet and can't have gluten or almond either. Do you have any suggestion for replacing the almond meal? Thanks so much. I love your blog btw.
Alexis says
Yay! You could use cashew meal? I haven’t tried it with anything else, sorry!
andrea jensen says
I am excited to find this recipe! My kids are allergic to eggs, peanuts and milk. Now they are on a 3-month elimination diet and can't have gluten or almond either. Do you have any suggestion for replacing the almond meal? Thanks so much. I love your blog btw.
Alexis says
Yay! You could use cashew meal? I haven’t tried it with anything else, sorry!
Ananda says
I made these muffins yesterday, following the recipe exactly, and they are delicious! My husband liked them and usually his radar goes off when baked goods are 'too healthy'. Just wanted to say Thanks!
★★★★★
Ananda says
I made these muffins yesterday, following the recipe exactly, and they are delicious! My husband liked them and usually his radar goes off when baked goods are 'too healthy'. Just wanted to say Thanks!
★★★★★
Jenny says
Any nutritional info? 🙂
Jenny says
Any nutritional info? 🙂
Madeleine says
First of all, bananas are one of my top five favorite foods, so thank you for giving me another way to consume them. 😉
Secondly, I don't drink (or eat) coffee in any way, shape, or form. But I still want to give these a go. Do you think they'll be yummy?
P.S. Might an oil-free adaptation exist? Maybe with more banana or applesauce? I realize the texture could be quite different with a replacement.
Madeleine says
First of all, bananas are one of my top five favorite foods, so thank you for giving me another way to consume them. 😉
Secondly, I don't drink (or eat) coffee in any way, shape, or form. But I still want to give these a go. Do you think they'll be yummy?
P.S. Might an oil-free adaptation exist? Maybe with more banana or applesauce? I realize the texture could be quite different with a replacement.
Dana says
hi Alexis! I do not own a food procesesor but I really want to try out these muffins? What do you think about using a blender instead?? They look fantastic! Thanks!!
Dana
Alexis says
Hmmm I would suggest blending the dates and bananas in the blender and then removing them from the blender and putting the mixture in a large bowl. Then stir in everything else by hand. Hope it works!
Dana says
hi Alexis! I do not own a food procesesor but I really want to try out these muffins? What do you think about using a blender instead?? They look fantastic! Thanks!!
Dana
Alexis says
Hmmm I would suggest blending the dates and bananas in the blender and then removing them from the blender and putting the mixture in a large bowl. Then stir in everything else by hand. Hope it works!
Erica says
These are so good! I have been seeing your pictures of them on instagram and I finally decided to make them (plus I had bananas). I omitted the coffee because I have little kids, but I followed the recipe exact otherwise. Easy to make, I had everything on hand and they turned out so yummy. They're sweet and delicious but not a sugar gut bomb.
★★★★★
Alexis says
I'm so glad you made them!! The coffee really just intensifies the chocolate flavor 🙂
Erica says
These are so good! I have been seeing your pictures of them on instagram and I finally decided to make them (plus I had bananas). I omitted the coffee because I have little kids, but I followed the recipe exact otherwise. Easy to make, I had everything on hand and they turned out so yummy. They're sweet and delicious but not a sugar gut bomb.
★★★★★
Alexis says
I'm so glad you made them!! The coffee really just intensifies the chocolate flavor 🙂
Tara says
Just made this muffins - wow, they are so yummy and were super easy to make! I should have made double because I feel like these are not going to last for long. I always have overripe bananas and never know what to do with them, so this was a great recipe - thanks!!
★★★★★
Alexis says
Fabulous! Aren't they so easy?! I've literally been making them every weekend!
Tara says
Just made this muffins - wow, they are so yummy and were super easy to make! I should have made double because I feel like these are not going to last for long. I always have overripe bananas and never know what to do with them, so this was a great recipe - thanks!!
★★★★★
Alexis says
Fabulous! Aren't they so easy?! I've literally been making them every weekend!
Anna says
Second time making these! I love them! This time, along with cutting the oil, I added a banana and halved the number of dates and added, wait for it....zucchini! I was inspired by your WIAW from this week mentioning how forgiving the recipe is. Guess what, you were right! So great!
★★★★★
Alexis says
WOWZA! Look at all those fab substitutions! I'm so glad that all of that worked. I'm totally gonna post a zucchini version!
Anna says
Second time making these! I love them! This time, along with cutting the oil, I added a banana and halved the number of dates and added, wait for it....zucchini! I was inspired by your WIAW from this week mentioning how forgiving the recipe is. Guess what, you were right! So great!
★★★★★
Alexis says
WOWZA! Look at all those fab substitutions! I'm so glad that all of that worked. I'm totally gonna post a zucchini version!
swati says
HI Alexis, I baked these yesterday and they turned out fab. Didn't have flax seed and rolled oats at hand. replaced coconut oil with EVOO as i didn't have that too..and still they turned out gorgeous. I added some chocochips :))
This recipe definitely a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing. Now i'm all excited to try out your vegan raspberry muffins.Cheers
Alexis says
I'm so glad they worked with your adjustments! I make these like one a week--so easy and perfect for snacking. Hope you love the raspberry version as well!
swati says
HI Alexis, I baked these yesterday and they turned out fab. Didn't have flax seed and rolled oats at hand. replaced coconut oil with EVOO as i didn't have that too..and still they turned out gorgeous. I added some chocochips :))
This recipe definitely a keeper. Thank you so much for sharing. Now i'm all excited to try out your vegan raspberry muffins.Cheers
Alexis says
I'm so glad they worked with your adjustments! I make these like one a week--so easy and perfect for snacking. Hope you love the raspberry version as well!
Frauleinbutterlfy says
Thank you for the inspiration!
I just made My on chocolate - banana muffins - nom! Nom!
Alexis says
Yummy!!
Frauleinbutterlfy says
Thank you for the inspiration!
I just made My on chocolate - banana muffins - nom! Nom!
Alexis says
Yummy!!