Vegan Banana Carob Chip Muffins
Soft and subtle, these sweet banana carob chip muffins are studded with pecans and topped with a crunchy crumble topping made with oats and pecans. These muffins pair the tropical fruity flavor of bananas with the nutty, woodsy spice of mesquite powder and the toasty sweetness of carob chips, and the delightful crunch of pecans. These muffins are the perfect afternoon snack, great for a sweet breakfast treat, and of course a great little sweet something to end your day. So go on, go bananas and make a batch of muffins or three!
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Why Don’t People Like Carob?
I grew up thinking I didn’t like carob. Most people I knew didn’t like carob. And I hadn’t thought much about it until I bought some carob to make dog-friendly “chocolate” covered strawberries- you can see that video here. And I was really surprised after trying those strawberries to discover that I didn’t dislike carob- in fact, I kind of loved it! Carob is rich, sweet, earthy, toasty, and has a gentle, warming spice flavor. It has very little bitterness. While it is usually sweetened if you buy it in a carob chip form, it does have a small amount of natural sweetness.
So why did I spend so many years thinking I didn’t like carob? I think it all comes back to the 1980’s, when carob was being touted as a healthier alternative to chocolate. It has a similar texture, and can be used in many of the same applications as chocolate. A lot of the time people claimed it tasted just like chocolate, and that I think is carobs downfall. It doesn’t taste like chocolate, it has it’s own unique and delightful flavor. By the time I came around in the early 1990s, people had generally stopped saying that carob tasted like chocolate and instead was generally looked down on as an inferior chocolate wanna be.
But let’s reframe things a little. Chocolate is great, and carob is great, but they’re not interchangeable. I used carob in this recipe because it is a sweeter, gentler flavor that works really well with the spices and bananas without overpowering them.
While I don’t think of carob as a chocolate alternative, I do think it’s a valuable crop whose use should be increased. Carob is a draught-resistant plant, that is being grown sustainably. Carob is not very labor intensive to grow, so it is unlikely that the same issues with child slavery and human rights violations that plague the chocolate industry will hit carob. There are perhaps some health benefits for carob as well, but I’m personally more sold on the benefits for our planet. If you are looking to buy carob chips, try your local health food store or co-op, or you can purchase them online here.
Let’s make a long story short- try carob, enjoy carob, and don’t try to make carob be chocolate.
Looking for Banana Recipes? Try one of These!
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How to Make Banana Carob Chip Muffins
This is a no mess, no fuss type of recipe. It’s all made in one bowl, and is the perfect use for those darkening bananas on your countertop. Start with four ripe bananas, and add them to a large mixing bowl. Mash them really well, and then mix the other wet ingredients into the bananas- the brown sugar, the plant-based milk (I use oat milk), and the vegetable oil. Once it’s well mixed, add the dry ingredients- all-purpose flour, baking powder, and spices. We also add chopped pecans and carob chips, and folded them into the batter.
The batter gets divided into 18 muffin tins, lined with muffin liners. You’ll add about 1/4 cup of batter into each tin.
On top of each tin, you’ll add a crumble topping. You can go ahead and make it in the same bowl as the muffin batter, once you’ve transferred the batter to the tins. The crumble is made with all-purpose flour, oats, pecans, brown sugar, and vegan butter, all mixed together. That is added to the top of each muffin, and then the muffins are transferred to the oven.
Less than half an hour later, your muffins are done. Let them cool, and dig in!
Vegan Banana Carob Chip Muffins
Ingredients
- 4 ripe bananas
- ½ cup brown sugar
- ½ cup plant-based milk
- ¼ cup vegetable oil
- 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp. baking powder
- 2 tsp. mesquite powder (sub ½ tsp. cinnamon)
- ¼ tsp. ground cloves
- 1 tsp. salt
- ¾ cup carob chips
- ½ cup chopped pecans
- ½ cup old fashioned oats
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- ¼ cup chopped pecans
- ¼ cup vegan butter
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C). Use muffin liners to prepare 18 muffin tins, and set aside.
- Peel the bananas, and place in a large mixing bowl. Mash well- you can also blend the bananas for a smoother mash. Add the brown sugar, plant-based milk, and vegetable oil in a large bowl and mix to combine. Add the all-purpose flour, baking powder, mesquite, cloves, and salt. Stir to combine. Once well mixed, add the carob chips and chopped pecans and fold to integrate. Divide the batter evenly between the 18 tins.
- Give the mixing bowl a quick rinse, and then prepare the topping. Melt the vegan butter, and combine with the oats, flour, brown sugar, and chopped nuts. Add a heaping teaspoon on top of each of the muffins. Place the muffins in the heated oven, and bake for 25 minutes. Let cool, and enjoy!
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