Almond Flour Paleo Banana Nut Muffins With Chocolate Chips
These muffins are my go-to when I want something that feels indulgent but doesn’t derail a clean-eating week. They’re moist from ripe banana, nutty from almond flour, and just sweet enough thanks to coconut sugar and a few dairy-free chocolate chips. I test recipes in a small, sunlit kitchen and write the ones that stand up to real life: busy mornings, snack boxes, and midday cravings.
I like recipes that are straightforward and predictable. This one bakes up reliably, with a tender crumb and golden tops, and it’s forgiving if you mix a little less carefully. You’ll get six satisfying muffins from a single batch—perfect for a weekend treat or a portable breakfast.
The Ingredient Lineup
- 1 1/4 cups almond flour (125 grams) — The base: provides structure, tenderness, and that rich, nutty flavor classic to paleo baking.
- 1/4 cup coconut flour (25 grams) — Absorbs moisture and lightens the batter; a little goes a long way in almond-flour blends.
- 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon — Warms the flavor and complements banana and pecans.
- 3/4 teaspoon baking soda — The leavener that gives these muffins lift and a tender crumb.
- 1/4 teaspoon salt — Balances sweetness and heightens all the flavors.
- 3/4 cup ripe banana, mashed (200 grams) — Liquid, natural sweetener, and binder; riper bananas mean more sweetness and moisture.
- 1/4 cup coconut sugar — Adds caramel notes and a pale sweetness without refined sugar.
- 2 tablespoons coconut oil, melted — Adds moisture and richness; melts into the batter for tender muffins.
- 1 egg — Binds and helps with structure; keeps the crumb cohesive.
- 3/4 teaspoon vanilla — Brightens flavors and rounds out sweetness.
- 1/4 cup pecans, roughly chopped — Crunch and a toasty counterpoint to the soft crumb.
- 2 tablespoons mini dairy-free chocolate chips — Little pockets of chocolate that pair beautifully with banana and pecan.
Almond Flour Paleo Banana Nut Muffins With Chocolate Chips Cooking Guide
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Place an oven rack in the center position and coat a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or lightly grease it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 egg, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fold in 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans and 2 tablespoons mini dairy-free chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 6 muffin cavities.
- Bake on the center rack for about 22–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove them and finish cooling on a wire rack until completely cooled.
Why It Works Every Time
These muffins balance hydration and structure in a way that almond-flour-only recipes sometimes don’t. Almond flour is higher in fat and lower in starch than wheat flour, so using a small amount of coconut flour makes a big difference: it soaks up extra moisture and keeps the crumb from collapsing. The ratio in this recipe—mostly almond flour with just a touch of coconut flour—gives you tenderness without a gummy texture.
Banana plays three roles. It sweetens, it adds moisture, and it binds. Paired with an egg and a little melted coconut oil, the batter achieves a stable emulsion that traps air when the baking soda activates in the oven. The baking soda reacts with the banana’s acidity and gives the muffins lift, while the fat from the almond flour and coconut oil keeps the finished crumb luxuriously soft. Finally, the small amount of coconut sugar caramelizes slightly on the surface, giving the tops a lovely golden color.
Vegan & Vegetarian Swaps
If you’re vegetarian, you’re already set—this recipe is naturally vegetarian. For a vegan version, keep the swaps simple and stick to ingredients already in the batter when possible.
- Egg swap: Use an extra portion of mashed banana to help bind the batter (replace the egg with extra mashed banana). It won’t lift precisely the same as an egg, but it keeps the muffins cohesive and moist.
- Keep the chocolate dairy-free: The recipe already calls for mini dairy-free chocolate chips, so you’re covered on that front.
- Fat swap: If you need to avoid coconut oil, try using a neutral-tasting oil you already have on hand, but be aware this will slightly change the flavor profile.
Must-Have Equipment
- 6-cup muffin pan — The recipe is scaled for six muffins; a standard pan gives consistent results.
- Measuring cups and spoons — Accurate measurements matter with almond- and coconut-flour recipes.
- Mixing bowls — At least two: one for dry ingredients and one for wet.
- Spatula and whisk — A whisk for the dry and wet bowls; a spatula for folding in nuts and chips.
- Wire rack — Let muffins cool completely to avoid soggy bottoms.
- Toothpick — For the clean-center test at the finish of baking.
Problems & Prevention
Muffins are dense or gummy
Cause: Overmixing or too much liquid. Prevention: Whisk wet and dry separately and combine until just mixed. Resist the urge to keep stirring after you add the almond flour blend. Also, be mindful of banana ripeness—very watery bananas can thin the batter.
Muffins sink in the middle
Cause: Underbaking or too much leavening imbalance. Prevention: Bake on the center rack and test at 22 minutes; if a toothpick isn’t clean, add a few minutes. Don’t open the oven early in the bake—sudden temperature changes can cause collapse.
Tops are too dark but centers underdone
Cause: Oven too hot or pan too close to the heating element. Prevention: Move the rack to center and verify oven temperature with a separate thermometer if you suspect inaccuracies.
Spring to Winter: Ideas
One of the nicest things about this basic batter is how easy it is to season for the season without changing the structure.
- Spring: Fold in a tablespoon of finely grated lemon zest for brightness (add to the wet ingredients).
- Summer: Stir in a small handful of chopped fresh strawberries at the end of mixing—don’t overmix to avoid bleeding color into the batter.
- Fall: Swap or add a pinch of nutmeg and a little ground ginger to the cinnamon for cozy spice notes; increase pecans for crunch.
- Winter: Toss in a teaspoon of orange zest and use chopped candied ginger if you like bold contrasts with the chocolate chips.
Method to the Madness
Timing and simple staging keep this recipe friendly. Start by preheating the oven and preparing the pan; then measure and whisk dry ingredients so you can quickly combine them with the wet mix. Mash the banana in a larger bowl so you can whisk in coconut sugar, melted oil, the egg, and vanilla without splatter. Folding the chips and pecans at the end preserves their shape and texture.
Work gently. Almond and coconut flours do not develop gluten, so you won’t see the same stringy texture as wheat batters—but you can still overwork them, which leads to dense muffins. Stop mixing when you can no longer see streaks of dry flour.
Storage Pro Tips
These muffins store well and freeze beautifully, which makes them an ideal make-ahead snack.
- Room temperature: Keep in an airtight container for up to 2 days. Place a paper towel on the bottom and top to absorb any surface moisture if you live somewhere humid.
- Refrigerator: Store in an airtight container for up to 5 days. Bring to room temperature or warm briefly in a low oven before serving.
- Freezing: Cool completely, then wrap each muffin in plastic wrap and place in a freezer bag. Freeze up to 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge or at room temperature for a couple of hours.
Reader Q&A
Can I make this into mini muffins?
Yes. Baking times will be shorter—start checking at 10 minutes—but be careful not to overbake. The recipe yields six standard muffins; expect more if you switch to minis.
What if I don’t have mini dairy-free chocolate chips?
You can roughly chop larger dairy-free chocolate chips or omit chocolate entirely and increase the pecans slightly. Be mindful that larger pieces of chocolate will melt differently during baking.
Can I double the recipe?
Absolutely. Use two muffin pans or bake in batches. Keep the same temperature and watch timing—bake time may increase slightly if you crowd the oven, so check with a toothpick.
The Last Word
These Almond Flour Paleo Banana Nut Muffins With Chocolate Chips are practical, forgiving, and delicious. They require only pantry-friendly paleo staples and minimal fuss—just mash, whisk, fold, and bake. Whether you make them for a quick breakfast, a weekend baking session, or a little snack to stash in the freezer, they reward patience with tender crumb and warm, familiar flavors. Try them once, and you’ll find the little variations that make them perfect for your kitchen.
Almond Flour Paleo Banana Nut Muffins With Chocolate Chips
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cupsalmond flour125 grams
- 1/4 cupcoconut flour25 grams
- 1/2 tablespooncinnamon
- 3/4 teaspoonbaking soda
- 1/4 teaspoonsalt
- 3/4 cupripe bananamashed 200 grams
- 1/4 cupcoconut sugar
- 2 tablespoonscoconut oilmelted
- 1 egg
- 3/4 teaspoonvanilla
- 1/4 cuppecansroughly chopped
- 2 tablespoonsmini dairy-free chocolate chips
Instructions
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 350°F (177°C). Place an oven rack in the center position and coat a 6-cup muffin pan with cooking spray or lightly grease it.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 1/4 cups almond flour, 1/4 cup coconut flour, 1/2 tablespoon cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/4 teaspoon salt until evenly combined.
- In a large bowl, whisk the 3/4 cup mashed ripe banana, 1/4 cup coconut sugar, 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil, 1 egg, and 3/4 teaspoon vanilla until smooth.
- Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and whisk gently until just combined; avoid overmixing.
- Fold in 1/4 cup roughly chopped pecans and 2 tablespoons mini dairy-free chocolate chips with a spatula.
- Use an ice cream scoop or spoon to divide the batter evenly among the 6 muffin cavities.
- Bake on the center rack for about 22–25 minutes, or until the tops are golden brown and a toothpick inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean.
- Let the muffins cool in the pan for about 10 minutes, then remove them and finish cooling on a wire rack until completely cooled.
Equipment
- 6-cup muffin pan
- Mixing Bowls
- Whisk
- Spatula
- Measuring Cups and Spoons
- Wire Rack
Notes
*Please weigh your flour to ensure accurate results!
