Banana Oat Breakfast Muffins

Banana Oat Breakfast Muffins (makes 11-12 regular size muffins or 26 mini-muffins) –
Source: Melissa d’Arabian

One of my most requested recipes. Gluten Free and Dairy Free

1/2 cup (gently packed) pitted dates
2T coconut oil
2 medium bananas, ripe, roughly chopped
2 eggs, room temperature
2 tsp vanilla extract
1 ¼ c rolled oats (gluten free, if making gluten-free)
¾ c almond flour
1 ½ tsp baking powder
¼ tsp baking soda
1 tsp cinnamon
½ tsp kosher salt

Heat oven to 350 degrees.

Place dates in small bowl and pour ½ cup boiling water on them. Let sit for 10 minutes to soften. Once soft, pour off the excess water (do not drain; you want to leave the dates very wet) and use a fork to smash into a loose paste. If you have any larger pieces that will not mash, chop them very small.

In a stand mixer using the whisk attachment (or hand mixer), mix the date paste, coconut oil and bananas on medium high speed until soft and creamy, about 2 minutes.

Add the eggs one at a time, mixing after each one, and add the vanilla.

Prepare the dry ingredients:

Place the oats in a dry blender or food processor and pulse until oats become a course flour.

Pour the course oat flour into a large bowl and add the almond flour, baking powder and soda, cinnamon and salt. Whisk to mix. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients half at a time, mixing after each addition. If the dough becomes too thick for the whisk attachment, fold in using a rubber spatula.

Prepare a muffin pan with paper liners. Spray them with an oil spray (like PAM).
If you use Silpat muffin pan, no paper liners or oil spray needed.
Use a small ice-cream scoop or a tablespoon to scoop dough into muffin pan.

Bake until muffins spring back to the touch, about 20 minutes.