Somehow muffins became popular as a so-called health food, but most aren’t any better than a donut, and some are even worse. While you may be able to find some decent, healthy muffins at an organic co-op or a farmer’s market, most muffins you buy at the store or the ones you buy at Starbucks are anything but good for you.
While muffins seem like the ideal, convenient breakfast food you can take on the go, they’re basically cupcakes without the frosting, loaded with sugar and packing a ton of calories. In fact, some may even include the silent killer known as high fructose corn syrup and other potentially harmful ingredients.
Instead, why not make your own? You can enjoy their convenience while supporting your health and a slimmer waistline too. These no-sugar muffin recipes are my very favorite so I thought I’d share them so you can enjoy them, and give up those junk muffins too!
Apple-Cinnamon Muffins
There may be no sugar in these muffins but they’ll still satisfy your sweet tooth and please everyone in the family.
Ingredients:
- Coconut oil for greasing muffin tin
- 1 cup dried dates, chopped
- 1/2 cup boiling water
- 1 large apple, diced
- 3/4 cup coconut milk
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned gluten-free oats + 1/4 cup for garnish, optional
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1 tbsp cinnamon, ground
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit, lightly grease muffin tin with coconut oil and set aside.
- Add diced dried dates into a blender, then pour the boiling water over the dates. Allow it to sit for 5 minutes before blending until smooth.
- Add diced apples and coconut milk; puree until smooth.
- Add all remaining ingredients to the blender and puree until the oats are thoroughly ground, scraping the sides of the blender as needed.
- Fill each muffin tin cup with batter until about two-thirds full, about 1/4 cup of batter per muffin.
- If desired, sprinkle each muffin with a half-teaspoon of oats.
- Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted in the center of one of the muffins comes out clean.
Carrot-Apple Muffins
These muffins are so tasty it’s hard to believe their gluten-free, sugar-free and vegan too. Plus, loaded with fruit and veggies, they’re incredibly nutritious, ideal for an on-the-go breakfast or a healthy snack any time of the day.
Ingredients:
- 2 tbsp coconut oil
- 1 banana, extra-ripe, mashed
- 1 large apple, grated
- 1 packed cup grated carrot
- 1/3 cup apple puree
- 1/2 cup coconut, hemp or almond milk
- 2 eggs, beaten
- 1 1/2 cups spelt flour
- 1/2 cup almonds, ground
- 2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger, ground
- 1 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/4 cup chopped walnuts, optional
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit and grease muffin tin with coconut oil or add paper liners.
- Melt coconut oil and add to the mashed banana; stir to combine.
- Add gated apple, apple puree, grated carrot, eggs and milk; thoroughly combine.
- Mix the spelt flour, almonds, cinnamon, ginger, baking soda and sea salt together in a large bowl.
- Add the wet ingredients to the dry and mix well.
- Fill the muffin tin, filling each cup almost to the top; sprinkle with chopped almonds if desired.
- Bake for about 35 mins, until golden brown or you can stick a toothpick in and it comes out clean.
Banana-Berry Muffins
While you may not be familiar with banana flour it’s a great alternative to other gluten-free flours like almond or brown rice flour, lower in calories at just 100 per 1/4 cup while offering more in the way of nutrition too. Each 1/4 cup serving contains 330 milligrams of potassium, and as it’s all natural, it retains many other vitamins and minerals from bananas like calcium too.
Ingredients
- 1 large ripe banana, mashed
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup plain Greek-style yogurt
- 1/3 cup coconut oil
- 1/3 cup applesauce, unsweetened
- 1 cup almond meal
- 1/2 cup flaxseed meal
- 1 cup banana flour
- 2 tsp aluminum-free baking powder aluminum free
- 1 cup frozen mixed berries, or 1 cup of your favorite berry, frozen
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit; prepare a muffin tin by greasing with coconut oil.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together mashed banana, vanilla, eggs, yogurt, coconut oil and applesauce.
- In a separate bowl, mix almond meal, flaxseed meal, banana flour and baking powder.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Stir in the frozen berries throughout the mixture.
- Spoon the batter into a muffin tin and bake for 45 minutes or until toothpick comes out clean when tested.
Zucchini Muffins
A zucchini muffin recipe without any sugar or flour probably sounds questionable but you’ll be surprised just how moist and full of flavor these muffins are.
- 2 1/2 cups old-fashioned, gluten-free oats
- 2 to 3 large, ripe bananas, mashed into about 1 cup
- 2 large eggs, lightly beaten
- 2 1/2 cups zucchini peeled or unpeeled, shredded
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 2 tsp baking powder
- 1/2 tsp baking soda
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 2 tsp cinnamon
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Place oats on a baking sheet and toast until lightly browned, about 5 minutes, stirring once. Allow the oats to cool to room temperature.
- Reserve one tablespoon of oats to top muffins, and add the remainder to a food processor and pulse until they reach a rough, flour-like consistency.
- Increase oven temperature to 350 degrees.
- Add mashed bananas, eggs, zucchini and vanilla to a bowl; stir to combine.
- Add the dry ingredients to the wet and mix just until combined; allow it to sit for 30 to 60 minutes before adding to your muffin tin.
- Scoop the mixture into a paper-lined or greased muffin tin, filling each one to nearly full.
- Sprinkle the tops of each one using the reserved tablespoon of oats.
- Bake for 30 to 45 minutes, or when a toothpick inserted comes out clean.
Super Blueberry Muffins
Not only are blueberries are true superfood, these blueberry muffins are super tasting, and not a drop of sugar or flour added.
Ingredients:
- 1 1/4 cups gluten-free oats
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tbsp cinnamon
- 2 tsp pure vanilla extract
- 3 large eggs
- 3 ripe bananas
- 1 pinch sea salt
- 1 1/2 cup blueberries
Instructions:
- Preheat oven to 355 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Add all ingredients except for the blueberries to a blender; blend until smooth.
- Pour the mixture into a bowl and then stir in the blueberries.
- Prepare muffin tin using paper liners or greasing with coconut oil and then add about two tablespoons of the batter into each.
- Bake for 30 minutes.
— Susan Patterson