Banana Carob Brownie Muffins (plant-based, gluten-free)

I call these banana carob BROWNIE muffins because whenever people eat them, they ask me “are you SURE there’s no chocolate in this?”

They definitely satisfy my craving for fudgy brownies, now that I’m not eating dairy, gluten, refined sugar, OR chocolate.

Plus there’s the added benefit of not having a sugar crash or a heavy buttery feeling afterwards. Wins all around!

The secret is to mix 4 different grains together, which gives these muffins a lovely rich cakey texture.

I hope you enjoy them! ❤️

Ingredients

  • 2 Tbsp ground flax seeds
  • 5 Tbsp water
  • 3 medium bananas
  • 1 tsp baking soda
  • 1/2 cup maple syrup
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1 tsp vanilla
  • 1/4 cup melted vegan butter or margarine
  • 1/4 cup soy milk ((or other plant-based milk))
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup buckwheat flour
  • 1/2 cup ground almonds/almond meal
  • 1/2 cup gluten-free rolled oats
  • 1/3 cup carob powder

Directions

In a small bowl, mix the flax seeds and water together. Let it sit for 5 minutes to thicken.

In a large bowl, mash the bananas and baking soda together, then stir in the maple syrup, salt, vanilla, melted vegan butter, flax mixture, and soy milk.

Next, add all the dry ingredients, and mix together just until combined.

Fill spoonfuls of the batter right to the top of 12 muffin cups and bake at 375F for 18-22 minutes until the tops have set and split nicely.

Cool in the muffin tin for 5 more minutes, then turn the muffins out onto a wire rack to finish cooling. Enjoy your banana carob brownie creations! ❤️

Inspiration

I got an email from Plum Village today with this wonderful message…

“My secret is to start right away doing whatever little work I can do.

I try to give joy to one person in the morning, and remove the suffering of one person in the afternoon.”

– Sister Chan Khong

Now that sounds manageable!

We don’t have to be overwhelmed by the amount of suffering in the world, we can just help one person in the morning and one person in the afternoon.

If everyone did that, imagine the ripples of joy and ease going around the world. I’m up for the challenge!

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Chef Maitri Carmichael brings a creative and peaceful energy to every plate. She grew up in Toronto with a British Grandma and an Italian Nonna who showed their love through food, then she moved to the San Francisco Bay Area for 15 years, spending her free time at community farms and zen kitchens. Originally a scientist and biotech entrepreneur, she graduated from the Vegan Chef School in London (2021) and the Raw Food Culinary Academy in Vancouver (2023), and is now settled in Hawaii.

11 responses to “Banana Carob Brownie Muffins (plant-based, gluten-free)”

  1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
    maitricookswithlove

    Mark says: are you SURE there’s no chocolate in this? 🙂

    Reply
  2. maitricookswithlove Avatar
    maitricookswithlove

    Instagram comment from @evancarmichael: Yummm😍😍

    Reply
    1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
      maitricookswithlove

      @evancarmichael Thanks Evan! ❤️🤗🙏

      Reply
  3. maitricookswithlove Avatar
    maitricookswithlove

    Instagram comment from itsmequincyb: Wow! They look so dark and rich👏🍫

    Reply
    1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
      maitricookswithlove

      @itsmequincyb Thanks again! Yes, they’re my daughter’s new favorite muffin/cupcake. And no dairy! I love seeing your brilliant dairy-free ideas coming across my feed – thank you for the inspiration!! 😍

      Reply
      1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
        maitricookswithlove

        Instagram comment from itsmequincyb: @maitricooks I can see why! They look awesome! 👏Thanks for the kind words🥰

  4. maitricookswithlove Avatar
    maitricookswithlove

    Facebook comment from Angela: Hi, these may cure the late night cravings for chocolate. i have been looking for some delicious plant based recipes. and I love chocolate! thanks for sharing!!

    Reply
    1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
      maitricookswithlove

      @Angela Yes, we find they definitely satisfy the chocolate craving, without the caffeine! Thanks for your comment, and hope you enjoy! 😍

      Reply
  5. maitricookswithlove Avatar
    maitricookswithlove

    Facebook comment from Heidi: So going to try this among many of your recipes for kiddo and I. I make sweets but we don’t need them around the house. They cause issues.

    Reply
    1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
      maitricookswithlove

      Followup Facebook comment from Heidi: Would you know if I replaced some ingredients such as unsalted butter for the vegan butter, would it completely throw off the recipe? I’ve never used vegan butter.

      Reply
      1. maitricookswithlove Avatar
        maitricookswithlove

        @heidi Awesome question, Heidi! Yes, you can totally use dairy butter instead of vegan butter. I generally use salted, so just taste the batter to see if it needs more salt if you use unsalted. Thanks so much for testing these in your house – let me know how they come out! My kids beg for these, so I’m curious how your kiddo likes them! ❤️🤗🙏

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