Sweet and satisfying, these banana and almond muffins are sweetened with dates, maple syrup and bananas. They're the perfect snack for anyone looking to cut down on refined sugar. Suitable for vegans.
A great lower sugar snack for kids
Got a kid who gets a sugar high, followed quickly by a slump? Me too.
And inevitably this leads to arguments and bad behaviour.
After many years of experimentation I now know that making sweet treats that use natural sugars like dates don't have the same effect.
Yes it's still sugar - but less processed.
There's also plenty of goodness in these almond and banana muffins - from the bananas, ground almonds and dates.
All in all they're a great choice for kids.
My kids love these and they have never noticed that they aren't as sweet as shop bought muffins or other homemade cakes.
Plus, I don't mind giving one of these to my toddler either as I know he'll get plenty of goodness from the fruit, the almonds and the dates.
Make them even healthier?
Want to make your banana muffins even healthier? Try:
- replacing the plain flour with wholemeal flour
- leaving out the maple syrup and adding more dates instead
- adding a couple of spoonfuls of ground chia or flax seeds
- chuck in some chopped walnuts.
Good for baby led weaning
While I always recommend starting off weaning with vegetables and savoury food, these healthy banana muffins are a good choice for older babies.
If you're following baby led weaning - where you give your baby food and allow the to feed themselves - then these muffins are a great choice.
If you feel they're a bit large you could cut them in half. Alternatively make them in fairy cake cases (you'll get around 24 cakes). Remember to reduce the cooking time if you do this.
Suitable for vegans
As well as sweetening the muffins the mashed banana does a great job of binding them together.
I've also added a tablespoon of cider vinegar into the recipe. This will react with the bicarbonate of soda, helping your muffins to rise without any eggs.
All in all these are delicious and healthy vegan banana muffins.
More healthy muffin recipes you might like
If you like this you might like:
- Healthy carrot and banana muffins
- Banana blueberry yoghurt muffins (vegan)
- Healthy chocolate muffins with sneaky kale
- Redcurrant muffins
- Healthy carrot muffins (vegan)
- Courgette chocolate rye muffins
- Spiced sweet potato muffins (vegan)
- Broccoli and cheese muffins
See all my kid-friendly muffin recipes in one place
Pin banana almond muffins for later
How to make these banana almond muffins
If you have made this recipe I would love it if you’d leave a comment and rating below. Thank you!
Banana almond muffins
Ingredients
- 3 ripe bananas mashed
- 50 g dates chopped*, use medjool dates if possible
- 50 g maple syrup or agave
- 125 g coconut oil melted
- 1 tablespoon cider vinegar or lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 250 g plain flour or wholemeal flour
- ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 50 g ground almonds
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan)/200°C/gas mark 6.
- Line a muffin tin with 12 muffin cases.
- Mash 3 ripe bananas in a bowl. Place your 50g chopped dates into a food processor** or blender and pulse until you have a paste. Add 50g maple syrup and blend again until you have a paste.
- Transfer the date paste to a mixing bowl then add 125g melted coconut oil and 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract. Whisk well until smooth. Add 1 tablespoon of cider vinegar and lemon juice and stir.
- Put a sieve on top of the mixing bowl and add 250g plain flour, ½ teaspoon bicarbonate of soda and 1 teaspoon baking powder. Remove the sieve and add 50g ground almonds. Gently fold into the mixture.
- Finally add the bananas and gently mix in.
- Spoon into the muffin cases then bake in the centre of the oven for 20 minutes or until golden brown and firm to the touch.
- Remove from the oven, leave in the tin for a few minutes then cool on a wire rack.
Notes
- *If your dates are dry soak them in hot water for 20 minutes before starting this recipe. Drain before pulsing.
- **If your food processor has a small jug use that. You could also do this using a stick blender in a tall jug or even with a pestle and mortar.
- Nutritional information is approximate and is intended as a guide.
Nutrition
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jenny paulin
what a great idea to substitute refined sugar using natural ingredients. I am always looking at ways of reducing sugars in my kids muffins and cakes. thank you for sharing x
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Jenny, it's really easy to do and my kids love them just as much x
Kirsty Hijacked By Twins
Oooh yummy! I love replacing sugar with healthier alternatives, banana and maple syrup are favourites. These muffins look so tasty x #CookBlogShare
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Kirsty, you can definitely taste the difference in the types of sugars used but in a good way I think!
Hayley
I'm a big fan of reducing sugar - great recipe 🙂 Thanks for linking it up to #CookBlogShare
Mandy Mazliah
Thanks Hayley x
Eb Gargano / easypeasyfoodie.com
I love this recipe, Mandy! I am trying really hard to cut down on refined sugars and carbs (except when your eldest goes on a school trip to Pizza Express, and then you have to eat the free pizza, don't you? This happened to me today...)
I am absolutely fascinated that one of yours has a different reaction to refined and natural sugars...I have read a lot of articles, which say 'sugar is sugar' and poo poo the idea that natural sugars are better, but to have such evidence to the contrary in one of your children is really interesting...ok it's only one child...but it would be interesting to do a trial...this is after you've written the book on children's eating habits around the world, you understand! 😉
Eb x
Mandy Mazliah
Yes I'm no expert but they definitely affect him differently. If he has one of these or a box of raisins or something like a Bear YoYo he's ok but something like haribo, chocolate buttons or shop bought cakes are a disaster, particularly on an empty stomach! I'll add that to the list of books I'm going to write shall I??
Mandy Mazliah
P.s. You absolutely can't turn down free pizza, it's the law!
Angela / Only Crumbs Remain
These sound so delicious Mandy. Your family must have loved these with their natural sugars and flavours.Angela x
Mandy Mazliah
Well I just opened the tin to get the last one out for the kids to share and found it mysteriously gone... So I think my husband enjoyed them too!!!
Corina
I really need to get some dates as I keep seeing recipes using them and I like to cut down on sugar when I can. These are such a great way of using up extra bananas too!
Mandy Mazliah
I buy bananas just to let them get brown for baking!!! Dates are such a good way to sweeten bakes. You can buy date syrup too which is another good sugar alternative X