These muffins are perfection when it comes to banana bread! Wonderfully moist and delicious, with ooey-gooey chocolate and dates throughout, this is a most delicious comfort treat for the cold season! The cinnamon and spice paired with the sweetness of dates and bananas is a sultry combination that will warm you all up! My favorite part is the bittersweet chocolate in these little cakes; they balance the sweet dates and cinnamon spice with a satisfying dose of dark chocolate. These cinnamon spice banana date muffins will be a hit with everyone you share these with!
I also serve this as a coffee cake with a walnut streusel on top (if my nut-allergy husband isn’t around). Simply pour the batter into a 9 inch round pan, with the nut streusel on the bottom. This recipe is sweetened with plenty of bananas, dates, and a small amount of cane sugar that won’t make you feel guilty, but enough to make these an indulgent treat. You can easily swap out the sugar for your preferred sweetener and throw in some rolled oats and ground flax seed in place of 1/2 a cup of the flour quantity to make this a scrumptious and nutritious breakfast muffin for your children (who am I kidding- for the adults too)!
This version of banana bread is a bit lighter and more nutrient dense than your average banana bread recipes. I have completely omitted butter and added coconut oil instead to keep these muffins supremely moist with a hint of coconut. I also cut the sugar in half and added gooey sweet dates instead. You may have read in my other posts about the plentiful health benefits of dates. They are a low glycemic sweetener and energizer, with a bounty of nutrients and minerals our bodies need.
Then, I add CHUNKS of bittersweet chocolate. Who doesn’t love chocolate? Here is my secret: use a high-quality bittersweet chocolate bar, and chop it. The irregular chunks of chocolate ooze throughout each cake for gooey and rich deliciousness. I love using HU chocolate gems for a richer, sugar and dairy free option to chocolate. 
Finally, and most importantly, I infuse some warmth and spice with my stash of high quality spices: a couple of heaping spoons of cinnamon, a pinch of himalayan pink salt, and a dash of ground cloves and cardamom. The sweet and spicey aroma is incredible and is the perfect flavor for this comfort treat.
I bake these in a muffin pan to make 12 jumbo bakery-style muffins, or I bake 6 muffins and pour the other half of the batter into a 9 inch round pan with a walnut streusel on the bottom. Simply toss chopped walnuts with a tablespoon of coconut oil and a spoon of cinnamon and sugar; spread along the bottom of the pan. The more cinnamon-sugar coated nuts, the merrier. The walnuts pair perfectly with this cake and dresses it up just enough to serve to guests. Just be sure to bake this on the top rack so that the bottom of the cake doesn’t brown too much, since you will end up flipping it to serve.
This recipe is very easy. You don’t even need a mixer. Mash up ripe bananas with the coconut oil. I like to soak my pitted dates in hot water to get them really juicy and gooey. I then mash the plump dates with the bananas. Add the sugar, eggs, spices, and mix-ins (chopped chocolate and dates). Add the flour last and only fold gently until incorporated. Over-mixing makes the cake tough and rubbery, so be frugal with the stirring. Bake for about 30 minutes, and enjoy!
Do it right, and enjoy these sweet gooey muffins or a slice of cake with a cup of tea. <3
Cinnamon Spice Banana Date Muffins
Ingredients
- 6 ripe bananas or 4 bananas and 1 ripe avocado
- 2/3 c coconut oil
- 3/4 c sugar
- 2 whole eggs
- 1 c Medjool dates pitted and diced
- 1 c chopped semi-sweet or bittersweet chocolate
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/4 tsp ground cloves
- 1/4 tsp cardamom
- 1/4 tsp himalayan pink salt
- 1 ½ tsp baking soda
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 3 c flour
- 1/2 c OPTIONAL: chopped pecans or walnuts
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 350 degrees (F) because you will be done mixing in no time.
- Soak the dates in hot water so that they become plump and soft for about 5 minutes. Drain the water from the dates.
- Smash the peeled bananas, soaked dates, and coconut oil together.
- Mix in the sugar and spices.
- Add the eggs with the vanilla. Whip it in.
- Stir chocolate into the batter, along with nuts if using .
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the the flour, baking soda, baking powder, and salt,
- Add in the flour mixture last. Fold in gently until incorporated, being careful not to over-mix. Over mixing makes for rubbery muffins!
- Scoop the batter into a muffin pan or into two 9 inch round pans. If you want to dress up the round cake, prepare a walnut mixture on the bottom of the pan by mixing chopped nuts with coconut oil, cinnamon, and sugar. Pour the batter on top and bake on the top rack of your oven. Bake for 18-22 minutes, depending on your oven.
- TIP: If you want muffins to rise with big fluffy domes, allow the muffins to rest in the pan, on the counter for about 20 minutes. Start the oven at 400 degrees (f) for the first 8 minutes, then turn down to 350 (F). Bake for 18-22 minutes total, depending on your oven. Check them at 18 minutes. If they look set, then prick with a toothpick. The stick should come out clean, aside from the gooey dates and chocolate.
- Once removed, allow to cool for 5 minute, and then remove from the pan and set on a towel so that the bottoms don't get soggy. ENJOY!
Notes
