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The next time you find yourself with almond meal on hand, rather than blanched almond flour, I’ve spent the past few weeks figuring out the best ways to enjoy it.
If you’re not sure what the difference is between the two, it’s easy to tell just by looking at them. Almond meal has brown flecks in it, from the ground almond skins. Almond flour is made from blanched almonds, so there are no brown flecks to be seen.
Aside from the visual difference, they also bake slightly differently.
Almond meal makes baked goods more moist and dense, thanks to those added almond skins. I’ve gotten around that with my favorite almond meal cookies, so I thought I’d tackle muffins next!
Ingredients for Almond Meal Muffins
Here’s what you’ll need:
- Almond meal. This is simply whole almonds that have been ground into a fine texture, including the brown almond skins! If you have blanched almond flour, that will work, too. (Almond meal makes baked goods more dense and moist, while blanched almond flour makes them lighter and fluffier.)
- Eggs. Since almond meal is gluten-free, it requires several eggs for binding and structure. I don’t recommend using an egg substitute for this recipe, so check out my vegan banana bread recipe if you need an egg-free (and gluten-free) option.
- Olive oil. This recipe uses minimal oil, and I prefer to use olive oil, as it won’t solidify when it comes into contact with cold eggs, unlike coconut oil. Since the oil is minimal, the muffins may stick to the muffin liners slightly. You can help reduce this by adding more oil, but I prefer to keep the muffins lower in fat. (Since almond meal already has some healthy fat, too!)
- Bananas. Use ripe bananas, with plenty of brown spots on their skins, for the sweetest flavor. Adding mashed banana to this recipe not only adds flavor and sweetness, but it also means you can use less oil. Pumpkin puree could be used as a swap, but the muffins will be significantly less sweet.
- Maple syrup. This natural sweetener helps to boost the flavor, making this recipe taste like banana bread. If you prefer a less-sweet muffin, you can cut back on the amount used.
- Baking powder. Not to be confused with baking soda, baking powder helps these muffins rise as they bake. (Baking soda tends to make things spread, the way cookies do, and is much more concentrated, so you wouldn’t use this much!) Make sure your baking powder is fresh for the best results.
- Spices. Ground cinnamon is the perfect addition to a banana-flavored muffin, and salt helps boost the overall flavor. If you reduce the sweetness, you should also reduce the salt. They work together for a balanced flavor!
How to Make Almond Meal Banana Bread Muffins
Step 1:
Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with 12 parchment paper liners. These muffins are stickier than traditional ones, so don’t be surprised if they stick to the wrapper slightly when you unwrap them later.
(Alternatively, you could generously grease the pan, but I prefer the guaranteed removal that muffin cups offer.)
In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork until they look like puree. Then, add in the almond meal, eggs, oil, maple syrup, ground cinnamon, baking powder, and salt.
Step 2:
Stir well until the batter looks relatively smooth. There should be no visible clumps of powder or flour, but it’s okay if you see a few lumps of banana in the mixture.
Use a 1/4 cup measure to transfer the batter to the prepared muffin pan. Divide the batter among the cups evenly until you’ve used it all.
Sprinkle a few chocolate chips or walnuts on top, if desired. You could also fold chopped nuts or chocolate chips into the batter, if you want some added texture throughout your muffins.
Step 3:
Bake the muffins at 350°F until they feel firm to the touch in the center, about 25 minutes. They will need to cool completely before serving. Transfer them to a wire rack to cool, if you want to help speed up the process.
As soon as they are cool, they are ready to enjoy.
Almond Meal Muffin Recipe Storage Tips
Since these muffins are very moist, I recommend storing them in the refrigerator for optimal shelf life. They should keep well in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Or, you can freeze them for up to 3 months. Let them thaw in the fridge overnight before serving them again.
Ingredients
- 2 ripe bananas
- 2 ½ cups almond meal
- 4 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ⅓ cup maple syrup
- 2 teaspoons baking powder
- 2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips or walnuts (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350ºF and line a muffin tin with 12 parchment paper liners. (These muffins tend to stick to the liners, so using them will guarantee that you can remove them from the pan later.)
- Add the peeled bananas to a large mixing bowl and mash them with a fork until they look like puree. Then add the almond meal, eggs, olive oil, maple syrup, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt. Stir well until the batter looks relatively smooth. It's okay if you see a few small lumps of banana.
- Fold in the chocolate chips or walnuts, if desired. Then use a ¼ cup measure to scoop the batter into the prepared muffin cups. Divide the batter among the 12 cups evenly. Then bake at 350ºF for 25 minutes, or until the muffins feel firm to the touch in the center.
- Let the muffins cool completely. Then you can peel away the wrapper and enjoy! Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Notes
Nutrition
More Recipes to Try
If you try this recipe, please leave a comment and star rating below to let me know how you like it.
