flourless chocolate + banana + walnut bundtlettes (or muffins)

I would not call myself a pastry lover. 

That's a total lie. I like to think that I am not a pastry lover, but the truth is, if I am somewhere and there are delicious looking baked goods behind the counter, chances in I will make an excuse to try one. And if that pastry happens to be vegan or gluten-free … well …. I never turn those down. 

The thing is …. the idea of a pastry excites me way more than actually eating a pastry. I usually take one or two bites, and say " wow, that was really good" or "wow, this is really not worth me consuming" and pass it along to a friend.

Between you and me, pastries make me feel a little guilty. Flour, butter, and sugar certainly make tasty treats, my body does not like these things. And, without flour, butter, and sugar … can you really make a tasty pastry? Well, I like to think you can, and these little bundtlettes will prove it's true. 

You might remember my bundtlette pan purchase around this time last year … and if you do, it might explain why I chose to share these bundtlettes with you today. 

My cute little bundtlette pan does not get as much action as I would like it to, so when I started testing this flourless recipe, I knew I wanted to give the bundtlette pan it's turn.

You do not have to be like me and go out and buy a fancy, unnecessary piece of baking equipment to make these (however, if you want to, I will totally stand behind you and keep on giving you bundtlette recipes). If you prefer, your regular muffin pan will be just fine for this. 

I love sweet recipes  that can be interchanged between breakfast / dessert / snack time. Because this recipe is flourless and packed full of healthy things, I feel like I can eat this any time of day, and feel really good about it. When you take your first bite, you're probably going to be reminded of a really moist banana bread, so if you're into that, then you will be into these. 

This recipe is super flexible, and is much more forgiving than most baking recipes. You can sub any nut butter you like, and the sugar source is up to you too, but I would always recommend sticking with maple syrup or honey and staying away from anything refined. The non-dairy milk is completely optional as well, but if you are like me and love super moist cakey things, they you will want to add it. I have not tried this without egg yet, but I would imagine a flax egg would work as a fine substitute. If you come up with your own combo, be sure to keep me in the loop.

Oh, and if you actually go out and buy a bundtlette pan - high-fives to you - I think we might have a lot in common.  

flourless chocolate + banana + walnut bundtlettes (or muffins)

MAKES
6 bundtlettes | 12 regular sized muffins | 24 mini muffins

INGREDIENTS

1 cup of walnut butter
2 ripe banana
1 tablespoon of cacao powder
1/4 cup of chia seeds
2 eggs
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
1 teaspoon of baking powder
a pinch of salt
1 teaspoon of apple cider vinegar
* 1/4 cup of unsweetened dairy milk of your choice (I used cashew milk) - this is optional, but necessary if you prefer a very moist result vs. a more dense muffin

METHOD

• Pre-heat the oven to 400º, and grease you bundtlette or muffin pan. 
• Add all of the ingredient to a blender or food processor. Pulse several times until everything is combined, but do not to mix on high, or over-mix. 
• Pour the mixture until the pan, filling up just slightly more than half-way. 
• Bake for 15-20 minutes. Allow them to cool for about 10 minutes before carefully removing from the pan. If you opted to use the milk for more moisture, the muffins or bundtlettes will need a little more care when removing from the pan because they will be more delicate and you don't want them to fall apart. I used a butter knife to make sure they were loose from the sides and then I flipped the pan over and gently tapped them out, and that seemed to work well. 
• These are best enjoyed warm, but they are also good in a day or two at room temperature.