Fudgy Double Chocolate Banana Muffins | Healthy, Gf
Rich, moist and deeply chocolatey, these fudgy double chocolate banana muffins are naturally sweetened with ripe bananas and honey and made with a wholesome blend of oat flour and almond flour. Cocoa, espresso and plenty of dark chocolate create an intense chocolate flavor, while chopped hazelnuts add a delicious nutty crunch.
Ingredients
Wet Ingredients
- 3 medium ripe bananas mashed
- 2 large eggs
- ⅓ cup extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil 72 g
- ⅓ cup honey 113 g
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 tsp apple cider vinegar
Dry Ingredients
- 1¼ cups oat flour, see Note 1 125 g
- ½ cup almond flour 50 g
- ¼ cup + 2 tbsp unsweetened cocoa powder 30 g
- 1 tsp espresso powder
- ½ tsp cinnamon
- ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- Pinch of salt
- ½ cup sugar-free dark chocolate chips 85 g
- ⅓ cup hazelnuts roughly chopped (45 g)
Topping
- Extra sugar-free dark chocolate chips
- Extra roughly chopped hazelnuts
Instructions
Prepare the oven and muffin pan
Preheat the oven to 175°C (350°F). Line a muffin pan with paper liners. This recipe makes 14 muffins, so prepare a second pan or bake in batches if needed.Mix the cocoa and oil
In a small bowl, whisk the cocoa powder with the olive oil or avocado oil until smooth and glossy, with no dry lumps remaining. Set aside.Prepare the wet ingredients
In a large mixing bowl, mash the bananas until mostly smooth.Add the eggs, honey, vanilla extract and apple cider vinegar. Pour in the cocoa and oil mixture, then whisk until smooth and well combined.Combine the dry ingredients
In a separate bowl, sift together the oat flour, almond flour, espresso powder, cinnamon, baking soda, baking powder and salt, then whisk briefly to make sure everything is evenly combined.Make the muffin batter
Add half of the dry mixture to the wet ingredients and gently fold until partially combined.Add the remaining dry mixture and continue folding just until no visible streaks of flour remain. Do not overmix.Add the chocolate and hazelnuts
Gently fold in the sugar-free dark chocolate chips and roughly chopped hazelnuts until evenly distributed throughout the batter.Fill and top
Divide the batter evenly between 14 muffin liners.Top each muffin with extra sugar-free dark chocolate chips and chopped hazelnuts.Bake
Bake for 20–22 minutes, or until the muffins have risen and the centers are set.Insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin, avoiding a melted chocolate chip. It should come out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter. Avoid over baking to keep the muffins soft, moist and fudgy inside.Cool
Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then transfer them to a wire rack to cool completely.The muffins will continue to set as they cool while staying moist and fudgy in the center.
Notes
- Homemade oat flour: You can make your own by blending rolled oats in a high-speed blender or food processor until very fine and soft, with a flour-like texture. Measure 125 g after blending
- Bananas: Use very ripe bananas with plenty of brown spots for the best natural sweetness, moisture and banana flavor.
- Espresso powder: Espresso powder intensifies the chocolate flavor without making the muffins taste strongly of coffee.
- Chocolate: Use your favorite sugar-free dark chocolate chips. For a dairy-free version, make sure the chocolate chips are dairy-free.
- Oil: Extra virgin olive oil, avocado oil or melted coconut oil can all be used. Choose a mild-flavored extra virgin olive oil if you don’t want a noticeable olive oil flavor. Avocado oil is more neutral. If using coconut oil, melt it first and allow it to cool slightly before mixing it into the batter.
- Do not over mix: Once the dry ingredients are added, fold only until everything is combined. Over mixing can make the muffins denser.
- Do not over bake: These muffins are meant to stay moist and
fudgy in the center. Remove them from the oven when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs rather than wet batter.
- Storage: Store completely cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Bring refrigerated muffins to room temperature before serving for the softest texture.
Nutrition Facts per Serving:
Nutrition per serving: 1 of 14 servings, Calories: 202 kcal, Protein: 4 g, Carbohydrate: 23 g, Net Carb: 18 g, Sugars: 11 g, Fat: 12 g, Saturated Fat: 3 g, Fiber: 5 g, Sodium: 105 mg, Calcium: 35 mgNutrition Facts Notes:
✔️ Naturally sweetened: Ripe bananas and honey provide the main sweetness, with no refined white sugar added to the muffin batter. ✔️ Made with sugar-free dark chocolate: Sugar-free dark chocolate chips provide rich chocolate flavor without the added sugar found in conventional chocolate chips. The exact carbohydrate and sugar content will depend on the brand and sweetener used. ✔️ Higher in fiber: Oat flour, almond flour, cocoa, hazelnuts and banana contribute dietary fiber, which supports digestive health and helps make these muffins more satisfying. ✔️ Made with whole-grain oats: Oat flour provides whole-grain carbohydrates as well as fiber, including beta-glucan, a type of soluble fiber associated with heart-health benefits. ✔️ Rich in cocoa: Unsweetened cocoa provides naturally occurring polyphenols, including cocoa flavanols, as well as minerals such as magnesium and iron. ✔️ Healthy unsaturated fats: Extra virgin olive oil or avocado oil, almond flour and hazelnuts provide predominantly unsaturated fats. Hazelnuts are also naturally rich in vitamin E. ✔️ Contains protein: Eggs, oats, almond flour and hazelnuts contribute protein, helping make these muffins more nutritionally balanced than a typical refined-flour chocolate muffin. ✔️ No refined flour: The combination of oat flour and almond flour replaces traditional white wheat flour while adding fiber, healthy fats and additional nutrients. ✔️ Gluten-free option: These muffins can be gluten free when made with certified gluten-free oat flour and chocolate chips confirmed to be gluten free. ✔️ Dairy-free: When made with dairy-free sugar-free chocolate chips, the recipe contains no milk, butter or cream. ✔️ Naturally portioned: At 14 muffins, each muffin makes a convenient individual serving for breakfast, an afternoon snack or a healthier chocolate treat. ✔️ Balanced but still a treat: Although these muffins contain nutrient-dense ingredients, honey, chocolate, nuts and oil still contribute calories. Pair one muffin with Greek yogurt, cottage cheese or another protein-rich food for a more substantial breakfast.
Nutrition Disclaimer: Nutrition values are estimates and may vary depending on the size and ripeness of the bananas and the specific brands of oat flour, cocoa powder and sugar-free dark chocolate chips used. Sugar-free chocolate products vary particularly widely in calories, fiber, sugar alcohols and net carbohydrates, so the nutrition label on your chosen chocolate should be used when precise values are required.
