We eat a lot of smoothies in our house so we have a LOT of bananas in the freezer. I snagged three before the latest banana freeze and hid them behind the TV on the kitchen counter (I’ve tried notes – hiding is better. If you want to see me get really angry just eat one of the bananas I was saving to bake with). Rosie and I kept an eye on them and waited patiently until they were appropriately speckled.If you don’t know this by now, you must wait to bake with bananas until they are past edible. I don’t mean a few spots. As bananas ripen the starch molecules turn into sugar molecules, hence a much sweeter result.
With three little eaters in my house, healthy is my main concern for weekday baking. That being said, the food needs to taste good or it’s a total waste of time. These little cuties are full of healthy fats (coconut oil, flax and nut butter) as well as protein. With some milk and berries, it’s a perfect breakfast or after school snack. Healthy, yes, but tasty? Rosie ate four in about 5 minutes, and proclaimed them a two thumbs up treat. When I make mini muffins I freeze the entire batch in a gallon sized ziplock bag and toss in the freezer. I’ll grab out what I need, when I need it, and they taste as good as they did when they were first baked.
As always, if food is good for kids it’s good for you, too. Mini is what’s up because it’s less of a commitment than a regular sized muffin. You can absolutely make these larger – every direction remains the same except you’ll bake them for about twenty minutes. Happy baking!
Mini Peanut Butter Banana Muffins
Makes 5 dozen mini muffins
1/3 c. refined coconut oil, melted, or avocado oil
1/2 c. honey
1/2 c. creamy peanut butter
2 large eggs
3 over ripe bananas, mashed
1/4 c. milk
1 tsp. vanilla
1 tsp. baking soda
1/2 tsp. kosher salt
1 3/4 c. white whole wheat flour
1/3 c. old fashioned oats or quick oats
2 tbsp. ground flax seed
1. Preheat oven to 325 degrees.
2. Whisk melted coconut oil (or avocado oil), honey, peanut butter, eggs, bananas, milk and vanilla until smoothly combined.
3. Whisk baking soda, salt, flour, oats and flax until well combined.
4. Add wets to dries and fold to combine – do not over mix.
5. Grease mini muffin pan or, if desired, line with paper liners. Scoop batter into muffin tin, filling 2/3 of the way full.
6. Bake for 12-15 minutes (20-23 for regular sized muffins). Let cool about five minutes in muffin tin and remove to wire rack. Let cool completely and store in airtight container at room temperature. Freeze in gallon bag once cool.
