Gluten-Free Chocolate Banana Protein Muffins

Fuel Up With a Feel-Good Treat

A protein-filled breakfast that tastes like dessert? Yes, please!

A snack that’ll pick you up and won’t let you down later? Even better!!

If you’re looking for superpowered nutrition, but also an indulgent treat that’s decadently delicious, but not overloaded with sugar… look no further.

A Sweet Eat Without the Crash

These gluten-free chocolate banana protein muffins are simple to make and pack a nutritious punch. They’re perfect for an on-the-go brain and body boost, whether you’re heading out the door for work, need an afternoon nosh, or want a better post-workout reward without the repercussions.

Prepare to be HOOKED. (But don’t worry; you can totally have seconds.)

Prefer some light reading while your muffins are baking?

Click to skip straight to the steps!

Better Ingredients Kick Major Butt

Ever notice how “treating yo’ self” often comes at a price?

Not today, fam!

Unlike traditional store-bought muffins, this recipe includes specific ingredients so you can indulge without worry. No more sugar spikes (or dips) and no more gluten gut.

Here are a few reasons these beautiful banana bombs of joy are better than any other muffins you’ll find in the market:

• Gluten-Free, Baby

  Because this recipe calls for a combo of almond flour and gluten-free flour, you won’t have to sift through all the negative side effects gluten can cause to your gut. (1)

• Power Up with Protein

  The right protein can elevate nutritional benefits by giving your body more fiber, providing crucial amino acids, and promoting an optimal environment for good gut health. It can also help regulate blood sugar and give you more energy to tackle your day. (2)

  Keep reading for more on picking the right protein.

• Get a Brain Boost

  Chocolate is arguably one of nature’s most perfect foods. Why? Not only does it satisfy our sweet tooth urges, but it’s also incredibly powerful when it comes to cognitive function. Due to antioxidants and other properties, cocoa flavonoids can help “improve attention span, information processing speed, and memory”...among many other things. (3)

  *Important Note: it’s crucial that you select chocolate made of 70% cacao or higher for optimal effects, which we have done in this recipe.

  And, as if you need convincing to eat more chocolate, there’s a whole lot to learn about how it works and why it’s beneficial for the brain here.

  

• More Potassium, Please

  And vitamin B6, fiber, magnesium, vitamin C, manganese, etc…

  While chocolate and protein compete to be the stars of this recipe, bananas are clearly in a 3-way tie for first place! Not only are they rich in so many nutrients - supporting cardiovascular health, digestive function, and weight management (4) - but they also give these muffins some much-appreciated moisture AND flavor.

• Low in Sugar, Not in Scrumptiousness

  Instead of loading your mixture down with the processed white stuff (like the majority of other muffins), these bad boys have a couple of sweet secrets up their sleeves: coconut sugar and monk fruit. There are countless benefits to using these natural sweeteners over refined sugars (5, 6) but we’re sure you’re already salivating in anticipation so you can find more on that in the resources at the bottom.

  Coconut sugar can be found at most grocery stores and, as a BONUS, we’ve already handled the addition of monk fruit for you! Spoiler Alert: it’s in the protein powder.

  

• A Vegan Alternative

  A simple swap can turn these gluten-free goodies into a completely plant-based party! Simply replace the egg with a flax egg or half of an extra banana to create a vegan-friendly version that everyone can enjoy.

Pick Your Protein Carefully

Before you begin, it’s imperative to know which protein powder is best for this recipe - and why.

Check out the reasons to opt for a superfood vegan variety, instead of the whey-filled phonies on many store shelves.

Organifi Complete Protein (in both chocolate and vanilla flavors) is delicious, healthy, certified organic, plant-based, vegan, nut-free, dairy-free, and gluten-free.

The chocolate version is made with the highest-quality cocoa powder and mixed with some of the most potent plant-based protein sources, including pea, quinoa, and pumpkin seeds. Plus, it has super handy enzymes to help with digestion and absorption which is ideal for healthy chocolate recipes. It’s designed to have all the amino acids a complete protein does, so you can use it as a supplement in your meat-free diet, and rest assured that you won’t miss anything.

Important Tips: Baking With Protein Powder

Protein powders can easily replace flour in most baked goods, but you have to adjust the proportions. Otherwise, you can end up with either a smoothie mix that won’t get doughy enough or a tooth-breaking rock cake you’ll end up trashing.

Here’s how to avoid common protein pitfalls when baking:

• Less is more. When using protein powder to support or replace flour (like in this recipe), start with using only 1/3 cup of protein powder for every 1 cup of flour.
• Moisture, moisture, moisture. Protein powders tend to be dense, so if you’re completely replacing flour, you must add a hydrating or moisturizing ingredient to weigh them down a bit and help with consistency. Bananas, applesauce, greek yogurt, and pumpkin puree are all great options.
• Want a bit of a crisp? Add some fat. If you like the feeling of biting into a warm, soft muffin, you won’t need to change anything about this recipe. However, you can add some healthy fats to the mix to give some added texture.
• Fluff it up. While you don’t want to overmix your batter, you can use a blender or a hand mixer to give the dry ingredients some extra floof. Just be sure to fold in the wet ones!
• Go with the good stuff. Not all protein powders are created equally - nor are they all vegan! These products can vary widely in texture, flavor, and resulting consistency. Picking the right protein powder, as we explained earlier, is the best move. Any substitutions to this step could result in a kitchen nightmare instead of muffin magnificence.

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Make These Muffins

Without further ado, here’s what you’ll need to make the magic happen in your kitchen. (Don’t worry, you don’t have to be a seasoned pro to pop these in the oven!)

Ingredients:

• 3 large, very ripe bananas
• 1/2 cup coconut sugar
• 1 large egg (Vegan swaps: one flax egg or half of an extra banana)
• 1/3 cup (79g) unsweetened applesauce
• 1/2 cup (65g) almond flour/brown rice flour
• 1/2 cup (63g) gluten-free flour
• 2 scoops Organifi Complete Protein Powder Chocolate
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp of baking soda
• 1 tsp of baking powder
• 1 cup (180g) dark chocolate chips (70% cocoa or higher)
• Extra chocolate reserved for topping

Instructions:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F.
• Line a muffin tin with baking cups. Set aside.
• In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork very well - no big lumps. You should have about 1 and a half cups of mash afterward.
• Stir in the sugar, egg or egg substitute, and applesauce.
• Sift the flour, cocoa powder, salt, baking soda, and baking powder into the wet ingredients.
• Mix lightly to combine.
• Fold in chocolate chips. The batter will be slightly chunky. Do not overmix.
• Divide the batter between the 12 muffin cups - fill them all the way to the top.
• Bake for 18-20 minutes at 375 or until a toothpick inserted into the middle comes out clean.
• Allow muffins to cool for 3 minutes, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

Share the final product with friends and family, or keep them all for yourself! No judgment. These can stay fresh in an airtight container for up to 5 days or can be frozen for up to 3 months.

★ Pro Tip: Pour yourself a warm tea - like Organifi Gold, a take on turmeric milk tea - or a mug of healthy hot chocolate - like Organifi Gold Chocolate - and you’ve got yourself the perfect pairing.

Additional Customizations

If you’d like a less chocolate-forward fix, you can easily substitute the powder for vanilla protein flavor to give it a different spin. You’ll still get bites of chocolate from the chips, with a smooth vanilla taste throughout the dough.

More Healthy Chocolate Recipes

On a healthy sweet kick? We’ve got you covered!

Try these other delightful dishes and bites:

• Vegan Chocolate Protein Brownies
• Chocolate Chia Pudding
• Peanut Butter and Chocolate Chip Cookies
• Chocolate Coconut Popsicles
• Chocolate Nicecream Protein Ice Cream
• No Bake Chocolate Almond Butter Coconut Energy Balls

If you make any of these recipes, share a pic and tag Organifi on social media. We love seeing what you cook up in your kitchen!