The Orange Kitchen

Choc Chip, Banana and Oat Muffins.

It's been a hot second since I've made muffins and to be entirely truthful, I feel like I've seen the light. Like, how GOOD are muffins?! I'm addicted! I'll be making muffins all the time from now on I think - they're so tasty and so wholesome and make the perfect (as in legitimately perfect!) snack! Winner winner, muffins for dinner (but actually....)! In actual fact, I do believe that this is the first actual muffin (not cupcake) recipe I'll have shared here, so I guess this is a big old welcome to the fam muffins! May you continue to be on this site, and more importantly, in my kitchen, in plentiful supply!

These muffins are based on the recipe for The Most Delicious Banana Bread Ever, and like that banana bread, these too can go on the list of most delicious things ever. They're slightly sweeter though, courtesy of the chocolate, and a little more hearty because of the oats. I've been having them as a mid-morning snack for the last few days because let's be honest, chocolate cravings in the vicinity of 10.30/11am in the morning are REAL and also because they're the perfect snack size.

I've been doing a fair bit of baking with banana lately because in the hot Australian summer weather they ripen so quickly and I keep ending up with overripe bananas. This is actually a blessing in disguise though, because very ripe bananas mean baking and baking results in cake and we all love some of that! And, even though I'm not heading back to school or uni anymore (YAAAAAS for adult freedom!!!), these would make the perfect addition to a lunchbox/packed lunch. Happy days!

Ingredients;

1 3/4 cups self raising flour
3 tsp baking powder
1 cup rolled oats
1/3 cup brown sugar
1 chia 'egg' (1 tbsp chia seeds soaked in 3 tbsp water/plant milk for 5 mins)
3 tbsp rice malt syrup
1 tsp vanilla bean paste
3 very ripe bananas
1/3 cup plant milk (I used oat milk)
250gm dairy free chocolate chips

+ handful extra chocolate chips (optional)

1. Preheat a fan-forced oven to 180 degrees Celsius.
2. In a bowl, combine the flour, baking powder and oats.
3. In a small bowl, mix the sugar with the chia egg, rice malt syrup and vanilla until well combined. Add this wet mixture to the bowl with the dry ingredients.
4. In the now empty small bowl, peel the bananas. Use a fork to mash the bananas really well, and then add the banana to the bowl with the other ingredients, along with the plant milk and chocolate chips. Mix everything really well, making sure that the mixture is fully combined.
5. Take a muffin tin and line it with muffin patties. Scoop approx. 2 tbsp of mixture into each patty, making them about 2/3 full.
6. Right before putting them in the oven I like to sprinkle some extra chocolate on the top because there is no such thing as too much chocolate!
7. Bake for 20 minutes, or until they're starting to turn golden brown and are slightly firm to the touch.
8. Allow to cool down, then serve! Store in an airtight container. If not eating right away, I suggest microwaving them for 15 seconds before eating - it doesn't change the taste or anything, so isn't a must do, but lemme tell you there's something very luxurious about a warm muffin for morning tea! Enjoy!!!