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I have a couple recipe “blogging rules” that I always try to follow: If I don’t feel a recipe in my heart, it doesn’t go on the blog. I’m true to that, especially over the past few years. Sometimes I drive myself a bit nuts (like the multiple recipes I tested this week and did not post). Also, if I can’t imagine myself (honestly) making the recipe again in the future, it doesn’t get posted. Eric gives me the low-down too. No sugar-coating.
It’s not that the recipes are horrible or that we don’t eat the leftovers (I will pretty much eat anything that I make!), but sometimes they just lack a certain je ne sais quoi. When you know it, you know it.
Anyway, after one bite (and 2, 3, 4, 5…) of these muffin tops, I knew it was going on the blog. No second guessing. My heart, mind, body, taste buds all screamed OH HECK YES.
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Granted, these fall under that unfortunate category of “tastes much better than it looks” – why do the homeliest foods always taste the best? This photo shoot was…interesting, to say the least. But really who cares what they look like? If you love chewy, gooey, dense, and naturally sweetened muffin tops you will adore these. These are not fluffy like a muffin. This recipe is simple to make (if you can throw things in a food processor you are golden!), uses common pantry ingredients, and the banana bread flavour is just heavenly – especially when served warm with a pat of vegan butter. I tested a batch the other night and we happily enjoyed some cuddled up on the couch watching our favourite shows. Sketchie curled up in my lap on a blanket…always.
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Even better, there’s no added sugar (thanks to the banana and date purée), unless you count the chocolate chips (covering my ears and singing la la la la laaaa) which you can easily replace with walnuts.
Actually, I think my favourite part about this entire recipe is that I didn’t dirty a single muffin pan! I don’t know what it is, but I would rather climb Mount Everest than clean out a muffin tin.
Anyone?
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![Banana Bread Muffin Tops](https://ohsheglows.com/gs_images/2013/09/bananabreadbreakfastcookies-0667-768x768.jpg)
Banana Bread Muffin Tops
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Yield
9 large cookies
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
Ultra dense and chewy, these banana bread muffin tops make a great running-out-the-door breakfast or snack. Sweetened with banana and dates, there are no added sugars (and the chocolate chips can be easily swapped for walnuts). Try them warm served with a pat of vegan butter, nut butter, or coconut oil.
Ingredients
- 2 large ripe bananas, peeled (230 grams banana without peel)
- 1/2 cup packed pitted Medjool dates (125 grams pitted dates)*
- 1/4 cup virgin coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/4 + 1/8 teaspoon fine grain sea salt
- 2 cups gluten-free rolled oats, divided
- 3-4 tablespoons non-dairy chocolate chips (or chopped dark chocolate)
Directions
- Preheat oven to 350F and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Add the peeled bananas, pitted dates, coconut oil, and vanilla into a food processor. Process until smooth. I let it run for a minute or so.
- Add in the cinnamon, baking powder, and salt and process again until combined.
- Add in 1.5 cups of the rolled oats and process for only 4-5 seconds, just long enough to roughly chop the oats.
- Remove processor from the base and then remove the blade and set aside. Carefully stir in the remaining 1/2 cup rolled oats and the chocolate chips.
- Spoon a large portion of dough (about 3-4 tablespoons or so for each) onto the parchment. Do not press down on the dough to flatten - simply leave it in a mound on the baking sheet.
- Bake cookies for 10 minutes, rotate the pan, and bake for another 7-9 minutes until golden brown on the bottom.
- Immediately transfer the baking sheet onto a cooling rack for 10 minutes. Then lift off muffins and place on the rack to cool completely.
Tip:
Make sure you use very soft Medjool dates. If you are using firm dates, be sure to soak them in water until softened before proceeding with recipe.
Nutrition Information
(click to expand)PS – We’re looking into why some of you didn’t receive the first newsletter (be sure to check your “social” and “promotions” folders if you use Gmail, by the way). I will most likely post the info on my book page in the near future in case you did not receive it. Stay tuned!
Running out the door to buy chocolate chips and dates…need something warm and delicious this morning…thank you (bless you!). And can’t wait for the new book! xox
Hi Angela. I’m new to your website, and just wanted to say how much I love it. While I’m not vegan, I am exploring how to eat more plants in fun ways, and how to generally increase the nutrient-density of my life. I’ve been trying many of your recipes over the last month or two. I just made these ‘muffin tops’ yesterday and they are a hit with my two little girls. Next up, kids, lentil walnut balls! Yeah! Keep up the great work!
Yum :) looks fantastic! I cant wait to try these tonight. Thx for sharing
These were amazing! I discovered your blog a couple of days ago and everything I made has been spot on but these were by far my favorite. I did substitute out the chocolate chips in favor of walnuts and I wanted to eat the whole tray.
I served my “muffin top” (which the really do look like) in a bowl with warmed almond milk. The perfect thing on a cold day for a sweet tooth like mine.
Thanks so much for this amazing recipe. It really hit the spot.
Just made these tonight for my 14 year old son to take to lunch tomorrow. They are great! We ate a lot of the batter before we even baked them! That’s one bonus of baking vegan – no worry about uncooked eggs when you sample the batter.
Made these over the weekend and they are SO good! It’s also filling and I don’t mind the look of them at all.
Just starting on my Vegan journey and your blog has been such an inspiration and valuable resource.
I have made these five times since you posted this! My family, including our two little boys, love these – and I even make it without the chocolate chips. Thank you so much!
I am waiting for these to come out the oven :) the wet mixture tastes pretty good, well, I had to try did I……….really looking forward to try them. I thought i might melt some chocolate to dip them in as i added nuts to the mixture not chic drops…..will let you know how they turn out :) many thanks for the recipe :)
I made this recipe about a week ago and LOVED how these turned out. I am making them again today but I’m going to swap the chocolate for raisins. Thank you for this delicious and easy recipe!
These are YUMMY! I used the unsweetened carob chips, very tasty, and would try nuts next time. Maybe both. They are filling and they DO taste like banana bread only better. My 18 yr old son loved them too. I will be making this quick easy recipe more than once!
I made these for the first time the day after you posted the recipe. Since then, they have become a grab and go daily snack at my house. I started using applesauce instead of coconut oil and they didn’t lose anything. I also just tried it with pumpkin instead of the applesauce and that worked great too. Probably used about a half cup of pumpkin purée instead of oil, and then followed the rest of the recipe adding chopped walnuts and chocolate. I wrap them individually after they cool and then throw them in our lunch boxes each morning. It is perfect, delicious, and filling! Thank you!!!
This is one of my all time favorite recipes, I have made them five times in three weeks. So easy and delicious! I love the idea of using applesauce and pumpkin!
Could steel cut oats work for this recipe? Thanks! Love your blog.
I was just at the supermarket, looked at the dates and said to myself, I’ll pick them up next time and grabbed raisins instead…
I’m kicking myself now! Would I be able to substitute raisins for the dates? I also sometimes have prunes in the house, how about those?
Would this recipe work if using a blender? I don’t have a food processor and I would really like to try this! All the ingredients sound amazing!!
Yes, just take everything out of the blender and place it in a separate bowl when you mix the banana mixture with the oats (and later the chocolate chips). It doesn’t work as well in the blender as in the food processor, but the tops still taste delicious no matter how you make them!!!
I just made these tonight! OHHHHH my gosh. They are delicious. And I have your vegan brownies cooling right now too :) I’m so glad I found your site! Keep the recipes coming!
I don’t have virgin coconut oil, can I use olive virgin oil???
I was reading other comments! will use apple sauce or pumpkin instead of the coconut oil. Thanks :)
Would I be able to freeze these?
I can’t see why not!
I’m looking for nutritional information on these addictive treats!!!
I have made these 3 times since first downloading the recipe. They are wonderful. The first time I made them exactly according to the recipe. The 2nd time I decided to add a carrot and to make them a little smaller (yield of 12 vs. 9). These were good but not as good as the 1st time. Today was my 3rd time, following the recipe with the exception of changing up the spices a little and again making 12 vs. 9. I have been using toasted chopped walnuts instead of chocolate chips each time, but maybe next time I’ll try the chips. I’m usually off early in the morning for a 6:30 am lap swim or to the fitness center for a core/cardio exercise class. The smaller size is enough to give me the energy I need but not so full as to interfere with the exercise. Thank you so much for the recipe.