Banana Spelt Choc Chip Muffins
These banana spelt choc chip muffins are a Sunday staple in our house. We make a batch every week and they are gone by Tuesday, which tells you everything you need to know. They are made with organic spelt flour and sweetened mostly by ripe bananas, with just a touch of maple syrup, or none at all if you would rather skip it. Completely dairy free and nut free, they are the kind of wholesome snack we feel good about tucking into lunchboxes all week long.
Spelt flour absorbs liquid a little differently to plain wheat flour, so do not overmix the batter or your muffins can turn dense. For no added sugar, leave out the maple syrup, use the ripest, spottiest bananas you can find and choose sugar free choc chips. Store cooled muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, or freeze them individually for up to 3 months. Pop one in a lunchbox frozen in the morning and it will be perfectly thawed by recess.
Enjoy them warm from the oven, or at room temperature as an after school snack alongside a piece of fruit. For a special weekend breakfast, warm them lightly and add a drizzle of coconut butter or a little extra maple syrup.
Method
Preheat your oven to 180 degrees Celsius fan forced. Line a 12 hole muffin tin with paper cases, or grease each hole well with a little coconut oil or olive oil.
Peel and mash the ripe bananas in a large mixing bowl until smooth. The riper the bananas the better, as lots of brown spots means more natural sweetness.
Add the eggs, maple syrup if you are using it, melted oil, milk and vanilla extract to the mashed banana. Whisk everything together until well combined.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the spelt flour, baking powder, bicarbonate of soda, cinnamon and sea salt so everything is evenly distributed.
Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and fold gently with a spatula until just combined. Do not overmix. A few small lumps are perfectly fine and will keep your muffins light and tender.
Fold through most of the choc chips, reserving a small handful for the tops.
Divide the batter evenly between the 12 muffin holes, filling each one about three quarters full. Scatter the reserved choc chips over the top of each muffin.
Bake for 18 to 22 minutes, or until the tops are lightly golden and a skewer inserted into the centre of a muffin comes out clean.
Remove the tin from the oven and allow the muffins to cool in the tin for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely. They firm up as they cool, so be patient before diving in.
