Recipe – Banana Blueberry Muffins

6 November, 2024 Chelsea Winter

These muffins are on heavy rotation in my kitchen, so much so that I pretty much know the recipe by heart. Obviously they taste good, but also the texture is spot-on (I am particular about this). They’re great for lunchboxes and kids love them, but they also have quite a ‘grown-up’ muffin vibe, so they work for adults, too. And most importantly, they’re one of the only things I could cope with toddler Sky ‘helping’ me with in the kitchen, because you can kind of just do it all in one bowl (or close enough), stir it and you’re done. If banana choc chip muffins are a bit more you, sub out the blueberries for chocolate chips or chopped chocolate. I’ve used frozen wild blueberries for these, and they tend to make the mixture a bit more swirly with blue.

Makes 12

PREP 15 minutes
COOK 30 minutes

Ingredients

1 tbsp ground flaxseed
5 tbsp cold water
2 large ripe bananas
1 cup plant-based milk, plus
more if needed
¾ cup neutral oil or melted
coconut oil
¼ cup maple syrup
1 tbsp pure vanilla extract
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
2 cups flour (see tips for
gluten-free)
¼ cup chickpea flour
¾ cup coconut sugar
½ cup desiccated coconut
¼ cup hemp seeds (optional)
1½ tsp ground cinnamon
1 tsp baking powder
1 tsp baking soda
½ tsp salt
¾ cup frozen blueberries or
sugar-free, plant-based
chocolate chips or
chopped chocolate

How To

Preheat the oven to 190°C (375°F) regular bake and line a 12-hole muffin tin with paper cases.

Stir the flaxseed and water together in a mug or small bowl and set aside for 5–10 minutes to thicken. Stir again before use.

Mash the bananas in a medium mixing bowl. Add the milk, oil, maple syrup, vanilla, vinegar and flaxseed mixture and stir to combine.

Place the flours, sugar, coconut, hemp (if using), cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda and salt in a larger mixing bowl and whisk to combine. Add the banana mixture and stir until evenly combined.

Stir in the blueberries or chocolate.

Use a 1⁄3 cup measuring cup to fill the paper cases right to the top (a little bit piled up is even better).

Bake for 25–30 minutes until golden all over (you might need to turn the tray around halfway so they cook evenly). Allow to cool in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool. Once cooled completely, store at room temperature in an airtight container. They’re lovely warmed up just a smidge the next day with a smear of butter.

TIPS & SWAPS
• If you use my gluten-free flour blend, you may need an extra ¼ cup milk.
For store-bought blends, add 1/8 tsp xanthan gum.

• Sub out the flaxseed mixture for 1 large lightly beaten free-range egg if you like.