Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins Recipe

I make Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins in the blender with only a few pantry ingredients, and I reveal a surprising shortcut in the recipe that most people don’t expect.

I never meant for these to become my go to guilty pleasure, but they did. Ripe bananas and creamy peanut butter get blitzed in a blender and somehow turn into something that tastes way more complicated than it really is.

They come out tender, a little rustic, and honestly kind of addicting, you will probably hide them from yourself. I call them Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins and people always ask if there is flour or sugar, like no way.

If you want something fast that still feels a tiny bit rebellious try one warm straight from the tin, you wont regret it.

Ingredients

• Ripe bananas bring natural sweetness, fiber and moisture making muffins tender and less sweet
• Peanut butter adds protein, healthy fats and rich peanut flavor, also helps bind batter.
• Eggs give structure, protein and lift they help muffins hold their shape
• Baking powder gives a leavening boost for lightness, it just makes muffins rise
• Adds warmth, caramel notes and extra sweetness, moisture if you want it
• Chocolate chips add melty pockets of sweetness, texture and a little treat
• A pinch of salt balances flavors, makes sweetness pop barely noticeable
• Vanilla lifts aroma and rounds flavors, makes muffins taste homier

Ingredient Quantities

• 2 large ripe bananas mashed (about 1 to 1 1/4 cups)
• 1 cup (240 g) creamy peanut butter, room temp
• 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1/4 cup (50 g) brown sugar or 3 tablespoons honey, optional for extra sweetness
• 1/3 cup chocolate chips or chopped peanuts, optional mix-in

How to Make this

1. Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C) and line a 12 cup muffin tin with paper liners or grease the cups real good so they don’t stick.

2. Add the mashed bananas, creamy peanut butter, eggs, baking powder, salt and vanilla to a blender (if your peanut butter is super thick warm it 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave so it blends easier).

3. Blend the mixture until mostly smooth, stop and scrape the sides once or twice; a few tiny lumps are fine, don’t overblend.

4. If you want extra sweetness add the brown sugar or honey now and pulse a few times to combine, taste and adjust if needed.

5. Fold in the chocolate chips or chopped peanuts by hand so they don’t get totally smashed in the blender.

6. Spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups filling each about 3 4 full; you’ll get roughly 8 to 10 muffins depending on how big you make them.

7. Bake for about 16 to 20 minutes until the tops are set and a toothpick inserted near the center comes out mostly clean (a few moist crumbs is ok, you don’t want dry).

8. Let the muffins cool in the pan 5 to 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool more so they finish setting.

9. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days or in the fridge for up to 5 days; they freeze well too, just thaw and warm for 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave before eating.

Equipment Needed

1. 12-cup muffin tin, plus paper liners or cooking spray to grease the cups real good
2. Blender or food processor for the banana + peanut butter batter
3. Measuring cups and spoons
4. Large mixing bowl to fold in chips so they dont get smashed
5. Rubber spatula to scrape the blender and fold
6. Cookie scoop or tablespoon for portioning batter (about 3/4 full)
7. Wire cooling rack
8. Toothpicks to check doneness
9. Oven mitts and a microwave-safe bowl or plate to warm thick peanut butter if needed

FAQ

Flourless Peanut Butter Banana Muffins Recipe Substitutions and Variations

• Peanut butter → Almond butter or sunflower seed butter, 1:1 swap. Sunflower is great if you’re allergic to peanuts, it can be a bit thinner so the batter might be looser but it still bakes up fine.
• Eggs (2) → Flax eggs: 2 tbsp ground flax + 6 tbsp water (mix, let sit 5 min) for 2 eggs, or 1/2 cup silken tofu, blended, for 2 eggs. Flax gives a slightly denser muffin, tofu keeps them moist.
• Baking powder (1 tsp) → 1/4 tsp baking soda + 1/2 tsp cream of tartar (per 1 tsp baking powder). If you only have baking soda you need an acid (like 1 tsp lemon juice or a splash of yogurt) or it wont rise properly.
• Brown sugar or honey → Coconut sugar 1:1 as a dry swap for brown sugar, or maple syrup 1:1 for honey. If you use maple syrup reduce other liquids a little (about 1 tbsp) so the batter isnt too wet.

Pro Tips

– Warm the peanut butter a little if it feels rock solid, about 10 to 15 seconds in the microwave, then stir. Natural peanut butters separate so give it a good mix, otherwise youll end up with oily spots or lumpy batter.

– Use very ripe bananas, with lots of brown spots, they add sweetness and moisture so you can skip extra sugar if you want. If your bananas are too ripe and you cant bake right away freeze them peeled, then thaw and mash when you need them.

– Dont overblend the batter, otherwise it gets dense and gluey. Blend just till mostly smooth, scrape the sides once or twice, then fold in chips or nuts by hand so they dont break up. A few tiny lumps is ok, they actually help the texture.

– Watch the bake time not the clock, ovens vary. Start checking at about 14 minutes and pull when a toothpick comes out with a few moist crumbs not bone dry. Cool in the pan a few minutes, then move to a rack to finish setting. To freeze, cool completely, wrap individually and reheat about 10 to 20 seconds in the microwave.