Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

The classic combination of PB and banana makes these peanut butter banana muffins truly delectable. You blend both ingredients into a coconut flour batter ensuring the taste of banana and peanut butter in every bite.

How to Make Peanut Butter Banana Muffins

As with many muffin recipes, these peanut butter banana muffins are quite easy to make. To start, you should grease or line a muffin tin with baking cups. For this coconut flour batter, silicone or parchment works best. Silicone baking cups are great because they are reusable and easy to peel off of a baked muffin or cupcake. Parchment paper liners will easily release the muffins, unlike paper liners which are overly sticky on coconut flour muffins.

Next, you whisk your dry ingredients together in a large bowl including coconut flour, optional tapioca starch, 1 teaspoon of baking powder, baking soda, and salt until combined. Whisking ensures that all of the ingredients are evenly distributed. Afterward, you mix your wet ingredients (eggs, peanut butter, mashed banana, maple syrup, and coconut oil) together until combined. You can use a whisk for easy blending or even a handheld mixer. If using a mixer, mix until just combined. You don't want to add too much air to the eggs which can cause cracking during baking.

The dry ingredients should mix into the wet very easily. Folding in some chocolate chips is great for added decadence. However, chocolate chips are optional if you prefer your muffins plain. Leaving a few chocolate chips aside is a good option if you want some added flair to your finished peanut butter banana muffins. The others may sink into the batter during baking. Once your batter is combined, you can divide it between your lined muffin cups. Using a cookie scoop or measuring cup is a great way to ensure you have an equal amount of batter in each one.

The total time for the muffins to bake should only be 18-22 minutes for small muffins and 30-35 for large ones. Although it may vary depending on your oven. To check for doneness, simply insert a toothpick in the center of one. If it comes out clean, the muffins are done. Don't worry if you see some chocolate chip at the end of the skewer. In this case, simply grab a new one and test the muffins again.

What Kind of Peanut Butter Should I Use in these Muffins?

There are so many peanut butter varieties on the market so it may be a challenge to decide which one to use. In the case of this muffin recipe, though, it is important to use plain natural peanut butter. This is because natural peanut butter has a simple ingredients list of peanuts and salt.

Some types may have vegetable oils, corn syrup, or confectioners sugar which may not be perfectly healthy additions to this dessert recipe. Additionally, the added ingredients may affect the way the muffins bake, as baking is a science.

Who Can Enjoy these PB Banana Muffins?

These banana peanut butter muffins are gluten free and dairy free which gives them great versatility. Rather than wheat flour, they utilize a combination of coconut flour and tapioca starch. These are derived from coconut and cassava instead of wheat. Additionally, this recipe doesn't use any dairy like butter, yogurt, or milk. Coconut oil and peanut butter are the main additions of fat to this muffin recipe. These inclusions ensure that those who can't have dairy can still enjoy them.

This peanut butter banana muffin recipe may pose a challenge if you have a family member or friend who is allergic to peanuts. Luckily, instead of peanut butter, you could substitute with similarly high-fat nut butter like almond butter. Sunflower butter may also be an excellent choice if you know someone who is allergic to all nuts.

Choosing Ripe Bananas

It is usually relatively easy to find a very ripe banana in the bunch after a couple of days on the counter. The perfect banana for any banana dessert recipe should feel soft to the touch and have a very potent banana smell. It may even have black speckles on it. In the case that you have to buy your bananas the same day you want to make these muffins, don't worry. It is still possible to make them.

To ripen bananas the same day you intend to use them, you can bake them. To do this, place the whole bananas on a baking sheet and bake in a 300° Fahrenheit oven until soft and blackened. You should turn the banana once during baking for even cooking. This process should take about 20 minutes total.

Some people will also use the microwave to soften their bananas, which is faster, but the taste won't be as ideal. If you must utilize a heat source to ripen your bananas fast, I recommend the oven method. This will help you achieve the most appealing flavour in your baked goods.

Another option to making sure you always have ripe bananas on hand would be to place ones that have over ripened on your counter in the freezer. Peel and place them in a sealable freezer bag and freeze until ready to use. Always make sure you label and date the items you put in the freezer so you can cycle through them in a reasonable time frame. Freezer bananas shouldn't be kept longer than 6 months, as their flavour and textures might start to deteriorate after that time has elapsed.

Peanut Butter Glaze

You can also take these muffins to the next level by adding a simple glaze drizzle. This delicious glaze is made with just peanut butter, maple syrup, almond milk, vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.

Just stir together all these ingredients until smooth and adjust sweetness if needed. Drizzle the glaze over cooled muffins just before serving. Coconut flour muffins are always ‘thirsty’ so over time they absorb much of the liquid in the glaze.

Random Questions

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