Healthy Peanut Butter Banana Muffins – These yummy banana muffins are naturally sweetened and made from healthier ingredients. They’re a hit with kids and grown-ups alike! (Gluten Free, Dairy Free)

I HAVE FOUR WORDS FOR YOU: PEANUT. BUTTER. BANANA. MUFFINS.

OKAY, THREE MORE: WITH CHOCOLATE CHIPS!

ACTUALLY, ONE MORE: GUYYYYYYS.

We’re talking about light, fluffy peanut butter-y banana muffins made with recognizable, relatively healthy ingredients. SO GOOD.

Maybe you saw the picture for these and said to yourself, “uh…Emily? Those look like they have chocolate chips in them. They’re not healthy!”

I hear you.

While I won’t claim they’re nutritionally “perfect,” they’re a healthier take on peanut butter banana muffins, made with a small amount of natural sweetener, no added oil, and whole grain oat flour to boot.

And yes, they’re (optionally) studded with chocolate chips. Which basically guarantees they’ll be a hit with all kids and grown-ups (without peanut allergies, obvi.).

Whether you need a fun snack to try this week, or a great weekend breakfast idea, these healthy (or, at least healthier!) peanut butter banana muffins are the perfect recipe.

Here’s what goes into them (it’s good stuff!)…

HERE’S WHAT’S IN MY PEANUT BUTTER BANANA MUFFINS

We make healthier peanut butter bananas by using a nice simple ingredient list. You’re looking at:

RIPE BANANAS. You want to use bananas with plenty of brown spots. The more ripe the banana, the sweeter it is, and the better the muffins will bake.

NATURAL PEANUT BUTTER. Using a drippy natural peanut butter (crunchy or smooth!) will give these peanut butter banana muffins the light, fluffy texture we’re looking for. (If you use a peanut butter with added sugar or oils, the muffins may have a slightly different texture.)

PURE MAPLE SYRUP. I love that these muffins are naturally sweetened. I love the subtle sweetness of pure maple syrup.

EGGS. Eggs provide binding and help give the peanut butter banana muffins some good puff.

VANILLA + SALT. I’ll be honest, the vanilla MAKES these muffins. I love that it ties the batter together, while the salt keeps the flavors nice and balanced.

OAT FLOUR. Instead of white or gluten free flour, I use oat flour (made from ground oats) for my healthy peanut butter banana muffins. If you’re gluten free, be sure to use certified gluten free oat flour. You can also make your own–it’s easy! Scroll down to the FAQ for a tutorial.

BAKING POWDER. Since I make these peanut butter banana muffins in a blender or food processor, I actually save the baking powder until the end. I’ve found with many blender muffin recipes, it’s easy to over-mix the leavening, which can lead to deflated muffins. Adding it at the end helps!

OPTIONAL (BUT RECOMMENDED): CHOCOLATE CHIPS! You don’t *have* to add the chocolate chips, but we sure love them! My kids especially like using mini chocolate chips since it looks like there’s more chocolate in the muffins. (We love these dairy free ones!)

FAQ + TIPS & TRICKS FOR THE BEST PEANUT BUTTER BANANA MUFFINS

THREE WAYS TO MAKE THESE MUFFINS. I love to cut down on dishes, so I typically make these in a blender or food processor. You can also make them in a stand mixer or in a bowl with a hand mixer or a spatula. Your choice!

A TRICK FOR MUFFINS THAT DON’T STICK TO THE PAN. I love using this silicone muffin pan (or the mini version!) for perfectly non-stick muffins that don’t need liners. If you go the liner route, these parchment liners are INCREDIBLE at not sticking to the muffins themselves and work in any muffin pan (metal, ceramic, silicone, etc.)

GLUTEN FREE? READ THIS! If you’re gluten free, you want to make sure you’re using certified gluten free oat flour. Oats themselves don’t contain wheat gluten, but they’re often grown and processed in ways that lead to cross-contamination. Buying certified GF solves this problem! You can also make your own gluten free oat flour by using gluten free rolled oats and following the next tip…

HOW TO MAKE YOUR OWN OAT FLOUR. You can make your own oat flour by measuring 1 cup of rolled oats into a blender and pureeing them until you’ve got a very fine powder. (This works best in high-speed blenders, but you can also use a traditional blender, working in batches). Do be sure to re-measure the flour into a measuring cup before adding to the recipe, as sometimes it makes more than enough. Leftover oat flour can be stored in the fridge or freezer for several months.

WHAT MAKES PEANUT BUTTER “NATURAL”? There are a lot of “peanut butter spreads” labeled as “natural” that aren’t really (they often have oils or added sugar). You know you’ve got a true natural-style peanut butter when the ingredient list is just peanuts + salt or just peanuts. Many stores carry a store-brand natural peanut butter that works great–Kroger, Trader Joe’s, Sprouts, Target, etc.

LOVE THESE MUFFINS? YOU’D PROBABLY LIKE…

HELPFUL FOR THIS RECIPE: