Sugar Free Banana Muffins

This article will show you how to make Sugar Free Banana Muffins that are tasty and healthy! I make these muffins for my son every other week and he eats one every single day for breakfast. This sugar free banana muffin recipe is nutritious and delicious with no added sugar at all - not maple syrup, nor honey. They are so soft and moist and they suffer no loss of texture or taste as a result of the low sugar content.

WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS

• Moist and tender muffins - this recipe makes muffins that are moist and soft even though they contain ZERO sugar.
• NO sugar added - these muffins are made with absolutely no sugar. The sweetness is coming solely from bananas, so make sure they are very spotty and ripe.
• Blueberry muffins - I often mix in blueberries, but you can also use cranberries, raspberries or even diced strawberries.
• Easy to make - all you need is a whisk, a bowl and a spatula to make this recipe. It is so super simple.
• Healthy muffins - this recipe is wholesome and nutritious. They're made with oat flour, almond flour, flax, whole eggs, olive oil and no sugar at all. They're full of protein, fiber and healthy fats. I think this is a great healthy snack for kids and adults too.

INGREDIENTS

This muffin recipe uses simple ingredients that are readily available. See the FAQ section below for possible substitutions.

• Olive Oil - I love using olive oil for its fruity flavor and healthy fat fractions. It adds extra flavor since these bananas have no sugar. You can certainly use any other cooking oil, such as sunflower or canola oil.
• Eggs - Two large eggs will add nice structure and help with the moist spongy texture.
• Pure vanilla extract - vanilla is definitely necessary to make these muffins tasty. I like this Madagascar Bourbon Vanilla extract.
• Milk - I use whole milk to make this recipe, but 2% or 1% milk will also work. You can also use any non-dairy milk.

• Vinegar - yes, vinegar! I like to use apple cider vinegar, but white vinegar will do. It is important to elevate the natural sweetness since there is no sugar in this recipe. It will also react with the baking soda so they rise nicely.
• Berries - You can use fresh or frozen in this recipe, but beware that frozen berries tend to bleed too much into the batter so be sure not to thaw them. Also, you will need to add a few minutes to the baking time since the frozen berries will cool down the batter. I like to use blueberries and I often make these with frozen cranberries. I just slice them in half before folding them into the batter.
• Ripe banana - bananas that you should use for making muffins should be really spotty and very ripe. That means they are at their sweetest and will make moist muffins. I know that many people like to make muffins with frozen bananas, but I do not recommend it. Frozen bananas lose a lot of moisture and their cell structure breaks down during the freezing process so that they can't lend as much structure to the batter. This can lead to a gummy layer forming in the muffins or loaf. I also find that the flavor changes during freezing.

• Spice - cinnamon and a pinch of nutmeg add some comforting aroma and extra flavour in combination with the banana! The aroma will make your house smell incredible as the muffins are baking.
• All purpose flour - regular unbleached all-purpose flour works great for open-textured muffins.
• Almond flour - use blanched ground almonds or fine almond flour.
• Oat flour - I often do not have oat flour handy, so I just grind oats in my food processor until they are very fine. This works perfectly for me!
• Flax seed - I like to add a bit of ground flax seed or flaxmeal for added nutrition, but it is optional. I have tested this recipe without it and it still turns out great.

STEP BY STEP INSTRUCTIONS

• STEP 1). Combine wet ingredients. In a large bowl, mash the banana with a fork until very smooth. Whisk in olive oil and eggs. Add milk, vinegar and vanilla and whisk until blended.
• STEP 2). Add non-wheat dry ingredients. Add oat flour or ground oats, almond flour and ground flax seed and whisk it in until evenly combined. Don't worry about over-mixing at this point. Let batter stand for 5-10 minutes to allow the oat flour to hydrate.
• STEP 3). Combine flour and leaveners. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, baking soda, ground cinnamon, nutmeg and salt until evenly blended.
• STEP 4). Add dry ingredients. Add flour mixture to the bowl with the rest of the ingredients and fold it in evenly. '
• STEP 5). Fold in berries. Add the fresh or frozen berries and fold them in gently.
• STEP 6). Rest the batter. Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 20-30 minutes. This allows the oats to hydrate for softer, fluffier muffins.
• STEP 7). Bake. Divide batter evenly among prepared muffin cups, filling them quite full. Bake for 20-25 minutes until golden brown around the edges and firm to the touch. Transfer pan to a wire rack and let muffins cool for 5 minutes before transferring individually to the rack to finish cooling.

EXPERT BAKING TIPS FOR SUGAR FREE BANANA MUFFINS

• Do not over-mix the batter. Once the flour is mostly combined with a few streaks remaining, then fold in the blueberries. That last step will mix the batter enough to incorporate the rest of the flour.
• Use VERY ripe bananas. They should be full of black spots, but not bruised. These bananas will have the most sweetness as the carbohydrates have converted into simple sugars. This is the only source of sweetness in the recipe so it is important that they are soft and ripe.
• Mash the banana well. This will ensure that the natural sugars from the banana get evenly incorporated into the batter.
• Sift the flour. Sifting the flour will eliminate any lumps and separate all of the flour particles which means it will incorporated into the wet ingredients more easily and more quickly. This will minimize the amount of mixing required so that you ensure the muffins are soft.
• Let the batter rest. Some resting time allows the oats and the flour to hydrate which makes softer, fluffier and more moist muffins. Too much time will affect how they bake as the leavening gases release through the batter, but 30 minutes is just enough.
• Do not over-bake. Over-baking will definitely lead to dry muffins. Make sure you check with a skewer for doneness or press the tops - they should spring back.

RECIPE FAQ

STORAGE & FREEZING

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