Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins (Egg, Soy and Fish-Free, Can Be Nut, Milk and Wheat-Free)

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping

This is one of those recipes that came from the thought, "What am I going to do with these brown bananas?"  I didn't want to make the same old banana bread, delicious as it is, because I was in the mood to try something new.  I knew that a lot of people liked the chocolate and banana combo, and I also knew that some people like banana and peanut butter, so I thought, "I wonder if there's a recipe for something with all 3 out there?" and I was off on my quest!

A few Google searches later, I found a recipe to work with from allrecipes.com.  The original recipe was for Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Bread as submitted by QueenCook, and it looked heavenly, but I decided to modify it (quite a bit) so that it was more allergy-friendly.  This is the result.

This recipe is soy-free (if you use all soy-free ingredients), egg and fish-free, and can be nut, milk and wheat-free (see variations).

Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins

2 Cups natural, soy-free peanut butter (creamy or crunchy) (I recommend Smuckers)

2 Cups white sugar

1 Tablespoon vanilla (optional)

3 Cups soy-free flour (whole wheat or white) (I recommend King Arthur brand)

1 to 2 teaspoons salt

2 teaspoons baking soda

5 or 6 overripe bananas

1 bag soy-free chocolate chips
(I recommend Enjoy Life which is also dairy-free, but you can use any chocolate chip that fits you dietary needs.)

1. Preheat oven to 325^oF.
2. Grease muffin tins or line them with paper cups.  (Note: This recipe makes from 24 to 36 muffins.)
3. In a large bowl, cream peanut butter with the sugar and vanilla (if using).
4. Add flour, salt and baking soda and blend thoroughly. (Note: This recipe can be quite dense, so if you are having trouble stirring it by hand or with a regular mixer, I recommend using a mixer with a dough hook attachment.)
5. Blend in the banana thoroughly. (Note: The amount of banana used depends on size.  If the bananas are large, use 5.  If they are small, use 6.  You can even use as little as 4 large bananas if you wish.)
6. Mix in the chocolate chips until evenly distributed.
7. Distribute the dough evenly among the muffin tins and bake for 20 to 30 minutes or until lightly browned and a toothpick or cake tester inserted in the center of the muffins comes out clean.

These muffins are best eaten completely cooled.  We found that they had a slightly bitter aftertaste when we tried to eat them warm, but that disappeared when we ate them completely cool.  If you choose to use the vanilla, that does greatly reduce the bitter aftertaste when eaten warm, but it is still slightly detectable.  Please, resist the urge to eat them right away, and let them cool completely before consuming.  In fact, they are best eaten the second day.

Variations:

• Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Banana Muffins with Streusel Topping: Follow the directions above, except before baking them, add a little bit of the following streusel topping to the tops of each muffin:Streusel Topping:1/2 Cup brown sugar
  1/4 Cup flour
  1/4 Cup full-fat, salted butter (softened)
  1/4 Cup oats
  
  In a small bowl, mix the brown sugar with the flour, then stir in butter with a fork until crumbly before adding the oats.
    
• Nut-Free: Replace the peanut butter with a tree nut butter if you can have tree nuts or with a seed butter if you can't have tree nuts or peanuts.  Just be sure to make sure that the substitution you choose fits all your allergen needs.
    
• Milk-Free: Use a dairy-free chocolate chip for the chocolate chips, like Enjoy Life brand.  If using the streusel topping option, substitute a dairy-free butter for the butter, like Earth Balance.  Just check labels to make sure that the chocolate chips and butter you use fit all your allergen needs.
    
• Wheat-Free: Substitute a gluten-free flour like King Arthur gluten-free flour for the flour.  You may have to add up to 3/4 teaspoon xanthan gum or ground flaxseed for textural purposes.  Just make sure that the ingredients you use fit all your allergen needs.
    
• More Peanut Butter, Less Banana: If you want more intense peanut butter flavor, and less banana flavor, increase the amount of peanut butter to 3 or 4 Cups and reduce the amount of bananas to 2 or 3 (2 if they are large, 3 if they are small) and bake as directed.  Note that this version is very intense and rich.
    
• No Chocolate: If you like the flavor of peanut butter and banana together, but not chocolate, leave the chocolate chips out.
  
  
  

No matter which way you make it, this recipe is great for breakfast/brunch or dessert!  Enjoy! :)

(This recipe was originally posted on my original site, Natural and Free.)