Almond meal banana muffins! Yes, we’ll get to the recipe, but first, hi and how was your weekend?
Here in Chicago it was a beautiful 60 degrees (in February!). Of course, I took full advantage of the weekend by taking a break from work and taxes. On Friday night we stayed in, made cookies and watched the new(er) Steve Jobs movie. I full blown LOVED it and thought Michael Fassbender was fantastic. If you haven’t seen it yet, you must!
Saturday morning arrived early as my cat Milly wakes me up daily around 5am. I did manage to fall asleep for a few more hours then decided to hit a workout. The fitness studio is about 1.5 miles away, but I always walk because I can and honestly, I love walking EVERYWHERE. Yesterday I walked nearly 25,000 steps — pretty proud of myself for that one.
On my way to my workout, I enjoyed one of these lovely banana muffins. I made them a few weeks ago and have been tweaking the recipe every week since. Honestly, I test my recipes about 5 or 6 times before they finally end up on the blog. What can I say? I’m a perfectionist, especially when it comes to muffins.
Ingredients in these paleo almond meal banana muffins
These muffins are MAGICAL. They’re made with almond meal and flaxseed meal for incredible nutrition, vitamins and minerals. They’re also naturally sweetened with bananas and no additional sugar. Unless you count the dark chocolate, which personally I don’t.
The benefits of dark chocolate are completely underrated; as you know, I’m quite the advocate of putting it in baked goods and eating it alone as a heart-healthy treat. It’s not the chocolate that’s the issue, it’s the amount of sugar in the chocolate.
If you’re having these as a breakfast muffin, you can replace the dark chocolate with blueberries or walnuts, or just leave it out and spread them with jelly or nut butter. OR just go all in and enjoy a little chocolate in the morning because #treatyoself.
I hope you have the best week. I’ll be back soon with more nutritious goodies. xo!
More healthy muffin recipes you’ll love:
Paleo Double Chocolate Tahini Banana Muffins
Vegan Paleo Banana Muffins with Chocolate Chips
Healthy Gluten Free Chocolate Chip Muffins
The Best Healthy Blueberry Oatmeal Muffins (gluten free!)
Ambitious Kitchen
Cookbook
125 Ridiculously Good For You, Sometimes Indulgent, and Absolutely Never Boring Recipes for Every Meal of the Day
Flax Almond Meal Banana Muffins with Dark Chocolate (paleo!)
Ingredients
- 1 3/4 cup almond meal
- 1/4 cup flaxseed meal
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 2 medium extra ripe bananas (about 3/4 cup mashed banana)
- 1 egg, slightly beaten
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil (avocado or olive oil also works)
- 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 2 tablespoons unsweetened almond milk
- 2.5 oz 72% dark chocolate bar, chopped (use vegan chocolate, if desired)*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. In a medium bowl, whisk together almond meal, flaxseed meal, baking soda, cinnamon and salt. Set aside.
- In a large bowl, mix the following together until smooth and creamy: mashed banana, egg, coconut oil, apple cider vinegar, vanilla and almond milk.
- Add dry ingredients to wet ingredients and mix until just combined. Fold in dark chocolate chunks, leaving a few for sprinkling on top of the muffin batter.
- Fill greased or paper-lined muffin cups 3/4 of the way full. Bake 20-23 minutes until toothpick comes out clean or with just a few crumbs attached. Makes 10 muffins.
Recipe Notes
Nutrition
Recipe by: Monique Volz // Photography by: Sarah Fennel
Great recipe! Over time I improved it! Instead, I used 3 eggs, 1.5 tsp baking powder and 1/2 tsp baking soda. I use Enjoy Life morsels, so those do contain sugar but are allergen-free. Fill 3/4 full or more to get rounder tops. Bake to internal temperature of 203-206 degrees (instant read thermometer). About 18 min. Incredible fluffy and moist! Remember to bake when oven is at temp, not when it beeps (it’s not up to temp, it lies!)
Perfect! Such a great snack 🙂
Delicious! Love no added sweetener either. So nutty and wholesome from the almond meal and flaxseed!
Absolutely! Perfect breakfast or snack 🙂
Hi how are you , can i use almond flour instead of almond meal ?
Hi! I haven’t tested this recipe using almond flour, but try these muffins that use it 🙂
Super easy, and delicious. I did modify the temp I went up to 365’ and baked them For 18 minutes. I live up at 8400 altitude so things cook differently and these turned out perfect.
great! Thanks so much for sharing, glad they turned out great for you!
I have made a similar recipe to this without the apple cider vinegar. This is superb, the muffins are perfectly moist and they rose beautifully. I added an extra 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon. I have sometimes made the other recipe with a flax egg, simply take one tablespoon of flaxseed meal and 3 tablespoons of water, whip it with a fork until it has egg-like elasticity and use it in the recipe like an egg. I’m sure a flax egg could be used if one prefers to make it vegan. Thank you for a great recipe. I look forward to trying more recipes on Ambitious Kitchen.
Perfecdt! I’m glad those little swaps work out well 🙂
could you used this recipe in making mini muffin and how long would you cook them and at what temperature
Sure! I’m not positive on how long, but I suggest starting with 12-15 minutes.
Made these for my 14 month old and we both loved!! Subbed blueberries for the chocolate chips for him. Sooo delicious and soft!
Amazing! So happy to hear that!
I just made these and they are amazing. I love that I can eat these guilt free because they are super healthy.
I also threw in a few flax seeds for fun and a dash of nutmeg for additional flavour.
Yummy!
So happy to hear that!
LOVE this recipe! The family does too! I ended up taking Monique’s recommendations on how to make this vegan and it totally worked great (I’ve made it both ways). I also typically add a third banana to give it a little bit more of a banana flavor and it doesn’t seem to adjust the texture all that much.
Perfect! I’m glad that worked out well 🙂
These are sooo good, and on steady rotation at my house. I love that banana is the only sweetener. I usually use ground chia instead of flax and avocado oil instead of coconut, just because that’s what I usually have. But I’ve made them as written, and that’s great too!
Perfect! I’m glad those little swaps work out well 🙂
Just simply a truly delicious and easy recipe. Thank you so much!
Glad you love this one!
Absolutely loved this recipe! Already making a second batch now!
Amazing! So happy to hear that 🙂
Can you use almond flour instead of almond meal?
Yes that should be fine 🙂
The absolute best muffins, love almond flour recipes with no added sugar. Banana and dark chocolate + the extra texture and health boost from flaxseed meal make these my favorite breakfast muffins.
Glad you love them!
I see others have asked this, but don’t see the answer. Can this be made without the apple cider vinegar and without the flax, and if yes, how would you adjust the recipe? It’s a great recipe for Passover but those items aren’t typically available in a Passover version.
The base of this recipe uses flax so I’m not sure of another sub — maybe more almond flour or oat flour! And yes you can skip the vinegar, they just may not rise as much.
Not sure about the Apple cider vinegar, but I’ve used ground chia instead of flax and it works well
These are delicious. I used almond flour instead of the almond meal and added some fresh cherries to the batter with the dark chocolate. They taste great, are moist (but not gummy), freeze wonderfully, and are great for breakfast or a healthier-dessert.
Glad that swap worked out! Cherries sound delicious in here 🙂 Such a great breakfast or snack.
Love your recipes. My second batch of your skinny double chocolate banana muffins are in the oven. I do not have apple cider vinegar. Can I use lemon juice?
These are in the oven now! Nixed the chocolate and added in 3oz raisins since these are for breakfast meal prep. My mix came out to 12 muffins. Can’t wait to try them, thanks for the recipe!
Delicious! Love the ideas of breakfast muffins.
Hello! I know the vegan substitution for eggs was covered in a comment above but just to clarify…I am increasing the flaxseed meal amount from 1/4 c. to 1/3 c. and I am increasing the almond milk amount from 2 Tbsp. to 1/4 c., right? Thank you!
Yes that should work!
I just made these AGAIN and had to leave a comment. These are my go to muffin! I make a batch every week and always have some in the freezer. Tonight I am shaking things up and adding coconut! Gettin crazy over here! 🙂
YES these are the perfect snack! Coconut sounds amazing in here.
I made these for my kids (ages 7-14) and they were devoured. I made your version with 1 scoop of cookies and cream protein powder and about 1 tsp honey. It was devoured! Great recipe and will definitely make it again!!! Double batch next time!
i just stumbled upon this recipe when i was *done* with my holiday baking. of course i had to make. i subbed sweet potato for the banana (can’t eat them) and flax egg for the regular egg and i cannot believe how good they taste. most things i bake with flax eggs come out doughy/gummy but this tastes unreal. i don’t know if it’s because you suggested milk with the flax instead of water or what. i have a feeling i’ll be making another batch tomorrow night. happy holidays!!
Amazing!! I’m so glad those swaps worked out for you. Happy holidays and enjoy!
Can you sub pumpkin for the banana? Want to make it more fall!:)
Hi Carly! I haven’t tried it, so I’m not 100% sure how the texture will hold up. If you try it let me know!
Do these need to be stored in the fridge or can they stay in a container on the counter? I never know what determines if some baked goods should be in the fridge or out!
I usually keep them in a container on the counter, but no harm in keeping them in the fridge for a few extra days! If you’re keeping them for awhile feel free to freeze them in airtight bags 🙂
I made them yesterday, except without the chocolate and they came out so delicious! My family loved them.
Never going to use whole wheat in my banana muffins again.
Thanks for the recipe!
So glad you guys enjoyed!
Is there anything you can use other than flax seed meal? or would they be okay without?
Do these freeze well?
can any other type of vinegar be used?
I was thinking about adding coconut….. good idea? If yes, how much would you recommend?
I made these into mini muffins this morning and my whole family loved them! My four-year-old said “Mom these are AWESOME!!” I did sub mini cinnamon chips for dark chocolate and used FF coconut milk because I was out of almond milk. We will make these again and again. Thank you for creating awesome recipes!
What could I sub the flaxmeal for?
I’m forty but these did not turn out at all and I followed the recipe exactly. They tasted of baking soda. What a waste of dark chocolate!!
Hey girl these look soo good!! I’m dying to make them. Question for your note on the vegan substitution – do you mean just to increase the flax meal to 1/3 cup and add 1/4 cup almond milk, or to add 1/3 cup of flax (+ almond mlik) in addition to the 1/4 cup flax meal?
Thanks doll – love your site!
Just increase the flaxmeal to 1/3 cup and add 1/4 cup almond milk 🙂
Just wanted to thank you for this recipe – my picky, picky daughter LOVES them – in fact, we all do! Absolutely delicious made exactly as written! Thank you! 🙂
Just made these! I used Lily’s sugar free chocolate chips (stevia sweetened) and added the vanilla protein powder. They came out amazing. Truly a power muffin which will be great treat after my workout! My family is devouring them as I type this. I will now peruse your site for more recipes 🙂 THANK YOU