These Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are naturally sweet and scrumptious.  They’re the perfect healthy breakfast or snack… or dessert.  Easy and quick to make, these muffins are guaranteed to satisfy your sweet cravings!

Who doesn’t love Banana Muffins?  And with chocolate chips?  And walnuts?  Yum.  I can’t even eat bananas, and I love these muffins.  I’ll sneak a few bites just to do a “taste test” and figure the tummy upset later will be worth the momentary pleasure. 

Our daughter is the only one in the home right now who can eat bananas, and there are only so many bananas she can eat in a day.  So, we always have bananas getting too ripe too fast.  These Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins are the perfect recipe for using up ripening bananas, and the muffins freeze great, so you can stash them away for a rainy day… or maybe a quick snack for a last-minute picnic or playdate. 

These muffins are Paleo and Gluten Free.  They’re Dairy Free and Vegetarian, and they are completely Sugar Free, just sweetened with a little stevia.  They’re low in cholesterol and saturated fat, since we’re using Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks instead of coconut oil. 

Muffins are a natural candidate for turning Paleo, because almond flour works really well in denser cakes and breads.  And bananas are so sweet naturally that they are perfect for using in a Sugar Free recipe.  Especially super ripe bananas. 

This is an easy and forgiving recipe.  It uses only one bowl.  A stand mixer is optional.  You can mash the bananas by hand if you don’t have a mixer. 

So, what are you waiting for?  Grab those ripe bananas on your counter and treat yourself to an amazing and super healthy muffin!

Why You’ll LOVE this Recipe:

• Paleo
• Gluten Free
• Dairy Free
• Completely Sugar Free
• Naturally Sweet
• Super quick to make
• One-bowl recipe

Ingredients for Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins:

• bananas
• eggs
• vanilla extract
• liquid stevia
• Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks, melted
• almond flour
• baking powder
• kosher salt
• ground cinnamon
• chocolate chips
• walnuts

Notes on Ingredients:

Bananas – Use super ripe bananas that are sweet and very soft. 

Eggs – Use large eggs.  They’re the binder, and they give these muffins structure and tenderness.

Vanilla extract – Whenever I’m cutting sugar out of a récipe, I amp up the flavorings.  Vanilla is my go-to flavoring, and it’s warmth brings out the depth of all the other flavors.

Liquid stevia – I always use liquid stevia and not powdered stevia.  Liquid stevia is much less bitter and it’s easier to modulate the intensity of the sweetness.

Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks – This shortening works great in baked goods because of its neutral flavor and its ability to provide a good structure to baked goods.  I love that it’s plant-based and also that it’s low in cholesterol.

Almond flour – Almond flour is the only flour in this recipe, and the dense moist quality that almond flour tends to lend is perfect for these muffins. 

Baking powder – Baking powder, however, keeps these lovely muffins from getting TOO dense.  It lifts them up and gives them just the right texture.

Kosher salt – Essential, always, for flavor.

Ground cinnamon – I love the combination of bananas and cinnamon, and the cinnamon also helps to “sweeten” the muffins.  When your baked goods are full of flavor, you won’t miss the sugar.

Chocolate chips – Use Sugar Free chocolate chips to make sure these muffins stay Sugar Free.  I love Lily’s Dark Chocolate Baking Chips.

Walnuts – The walnuts are optional, but I love the contrast of the crunch from the walnuts with the softness of the bananas.  You could use pecans if that’s preference, too.

How to Make Paleo Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins From Scratch

Muffins are - and, in my humble opinion, should be – easy and quick to make.  One-bowl wonders.  An adaptable and forgiving comfort food that isn’t fussy.

Preheat the oven to 350 F first.  Line a muffin tray with muffin liners.  I love these compostable ones, not only because they’re compostable but also because they make the most awesome crenellations.

You can use a stand mixer (that’s my preference, because it’s just so easy) or not.  If not, then just mash the bananas by hand.

Either way, mash those bananas and make them super soft. 

Now, add the wet ingredients - the eggs, vanilla, liquid stevia, and Earth Balance Vegan Buttery Sticks.  Mix until smooth.

Next, add the dry ingredients - the almond flour, baking powder, salt, and cinnamon.  Mix until combined.

Stir in the chocolate chips and walnuts.

Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin tin, filling each liner about ¾ of the way to the top.

Bake the muffins for 30 minutes.  Remove from oven and allow to cool. 

Some Paleo baked goods are better cool than warm, but I’m happy to say that these delicious muffins are soooooooo good when they’re warm and the chocolate is melty and the cinnamon is fragrant.  I highly recommend enjoying them with a cup of coffee or tea for a mid-morning snack or anytime you need a little treat.  Eat and enjoy!

More Sugar Free Breakfast Recipes:

• Paleo Strawberry Lemonade Muffins
• Paleo Blueberry Pancakes
• Paleo Chocolate Cherry Pancakes
• Gluten Free Belgian Waffles with Yeast
• Sugar Free Chocolate Frosted Donuts