Buckwheat Banana Almond Muffins
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Banana, buckwheat, almond, and dark chocolate muffins with slight tweaks to balance flavors and textures. Uses Greek yogurt instead of sour cream for a bit tang and moisture difference. Brown sugar swapped for coconut sugar for a deeper, less processed sweetness. Almond flour added for nuttiness, replacing half the chopped almonds. Baking time adjusted to 20-27 minutes depending on visual and tactile cues. Technique focuses on gentle mixing and recognizing done-ness by muffin spring-back.
Prep:
30 min
Cook:
25 min
Total:
55 min
Servings:
12 muffins
#vegetarian
#baking
#snack
#breakfast
#nutty muffins
Banana muffins with buckwheat and almonds. Not the usual all-wheat fluff. Buckwheat hits differently—earthy, nutty, and dense. Creamy Greek yogurt swaps sour cream for a lighter tang. Coconut sugar in place of brown sugar; more complex, less sweet punch. Almond flour makes crumb richer, chunks and nuts add character. Chocolate? Bittersweet; melts just right without overpowering. Crowded kitchen? Mix dry and wet separately to speed assembly, never overmix — muffins toughen fast. Watch for domed tops and sides shrinking from liners, your best doneness signs. Tried longer baking before; ends dry. Now, quick checks with skewer; err on moist crumbs, better that than dryness. Muffins cool fully or fork fights crumb. Works for breakfast, snack, sometimes replaces lunch. Smart swaps, simple steps.
Ingredients
- 390 ml (1 2/3 cups) ripe bananas mashed (about 3 medium bananas)
- 125 ml (1/2 cup) Greek yogurt, full fat
- 90 g (1/3 cup) coconut sugar
- 75 ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil (neutral oil like canola)
- 1 large egg
- 5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla extract
- 135 g (1 cup) all-purpose unbleached flour
- 75 g (1/2 cup) buckwheat flour
- 30 g (1/4 cup) almond flour
- 5 ml (1 tsp) baking powder
- 3 ml (3/4 tsp) baking soda
- 1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt
- 40 g (1/4 cup) roasted chopped almonds
- 90 g (3 oz) bittersweet chocolate chunks (60-70% cacao)
About the ingredients
Bananas matter. Ripe, spotted, soft. Under-ripe, flavor falls flat. Greek yogurt carries moisture and tang; thicker than sour cream but less fatty. Substitutions: sour cream or even buttermilk works, but adjust oil down slightly if more liquid. Coconut sugar lends caramel notes, brown sugar can replace, but swap 1:1, may be sweeter. Oil? Neutral only; olive oil overpowering. For nuts, almonds toasted beforehand release oils, enhancing flavor and crunch. Almond flour important addition, adds tenderness—don’t skip or swap for regular flour. Chocolate chunks sized irregularly keep melty pockets. Use dark or milk but dark controls sweetness. Salt and leaveners balanced to rise but not collapse. Buckwheat flour crucial for bite and earthiness—can’t fully sub with whole wheat or expect the same.
Method
- Position rack center oven, preheat to 175 °C (350 °F). Line 12-cup muffin pan with parchment or silicone liners.
- In medium bowl, whisk mashed bananas, Greek yogurt, coconut sugar, oil, egg, and vanilla until creamy but don't overmix. Roughly 20 seconds max. Stop when combined.
- In large bowl, sift or whisk together all-purpose flour, buckwheat flour, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Ensure no lumps.
- Add wet mixture to dry. Fold gently using spatula. No stiff batter but lumpy is okay. Overmix and muffins toughen. Add chopped almonds and chocolate pieces. Fold until distributed but don't overdo.
- Spoon batter evenly into muffin cups, filling ~3/4 full. You want about 50-60 ml batter per cup for domed tops.
- Bake 20-27 minutes. After 20 minutes, test with skewer near center. Should come out with few moist crumbs, not raw batter. Muffins should spring back when pressed lightly. Edges will pull slightly away from pan.
- Cool in pan 8-10 minutes until warm but stable. Transfer to wire rack. Let cool completely. Warm muffins crumble easily; cooling firms crumb.
- Store airtight at room temp 2-3 days or freeze.
Cooking tips
Dry ingredients sifted or vigorously whisked to avoid lumps—clumps mean uneven rise and pockets of baking soda. Wet ingredients mixed until just combined; stop mixing when no dry streaks remain. Overmixing = tunnels, dense muffins, sad faces. Folding in nuts and choc should be slow; avoid crushing chunks. Batter thicker than pancake batter but loosens with folds. Use a measuring scoop or two spoons for filling; even fill cooks evenly, no stubborn soggy middles or burnt edges. Oven calibration important; hot spots ruin batch. Visual cues rule here: muffins should puff, develop a slight crust, sides pull from liner. The classic skewer poke is a must: moist crumbs still sticking but no wet batter signals readiness. Let muffins cool in pan for warmth to settle crumb before flipping out—prevents breakage. Can rewarm in toaster oven; don’t nuke or they dry instantly.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Split dry and wet mixing bowls. Whisk dry heft; sift preferred. Avoid lumps for even rise. Overmix means tunnels; fold gently but thoroughly to blend. Never shake the bowl; batter toughens fast.
- 💡 Measure bananas ripe with brown specks; underripe loses punch. Greek yogurt thicker than sour cream, adds tang and moisture but fewer fats. Swap with sour cream or buttermilk; reduce oil slightly if more liquid.
- 💡 Use neutral oil only, canola or sunflower. Olive or flavored oils overpower delicate banana and nut aromas. Toast almonds before chopping to unleash oils; boosts crunch and warmth in crumb.
- 💡 Filling muffin cups close to 3/4 full or around 50-60 ml batter works each time for dome tops, avoids overflow. Use spoon or scoop; even fill equals even bake, no soggy middle or burnt crust edges.
- 💡 Bake 20-27 minutes depending on oven hot spots. Test skewer near center after 20 minutes. If crumbs stick but no wet batter, done. Sides pulling from liners and slight spring-back on press are key visual cues.
Common questions
Can I swap flours?
Buckwheat unique taste and density. Whole wheat may bulk but loses earthiness. Almond flour crucial for texture and crumb; no sub with regular flour or texture fades.
How to avoid dry muffins?
Watch bake time, 20 min minimum. Overbake dries crumb. Check with skewer, better moist crumbs than raw. Cool completely before eating; warm crumbles easily.
What if no coconut sugar?
Brown sugar one-to-one swap. Sweeter and less complex caramel notes. White sugar works but lacks depth, affects moisture slightly. Adjust sweetness to taste.
Can I freeze muffins?
Yes, store airtight at room temp 2-3 days max or freeze for longer. Thaw at room temp. Rewarm in toaster oven for texture; microwaving dries out crumb fast.
