GF Hazelnut Chocolate Swirl Muffins

Dessert

Aug 20

When I tell you people freak out over these muffins, I am absolutely serious, no joke. These moist gluten-free muffins are filled with and topped with a creamy, chocolaty, hazelnutty Nutella-like spread. A few years ago I came across Good Good Belgian Coco Hazel Spread which is as close to the real thing. Spending summers in Italy as a kid, Nutella became an obsession. Good Good has no added refined sweeteners, which makes this muffin the perfect healthy-ish after school sweet treat. Grown ups and kids alike are crazy about this muffin. Because they are peanut-free, sugar-free and can be made vegan, they are a wholesome baked good treat option to bring to school and share for birthdays and potlucks and to serve those kiddos after a long day of learning.

Makes about 15 muffins/ Preparation time 10 minutes/ Bake time 20 minutes/ cooling time 20 minutes/ Total time 50 minutes

Gather

Non-stick baking spray (coconut or avocado oil)

8 tablespoons/ about 113 grams (1 stick) Melt organic vegan butter or butter, room temperature

1/2 cup/ 100 grams plus 1 teaspoon coconut sugar

1/4 cup/100 grams Monk fruit sweetener (I like the Lakanto brand)

2 large eggs beaten or substitute with 2 tablespoons ground flax meal stirred into 8 tablespoons cold water and allowed to rest for 5 minutes.

1 and 1/2 teaspoon 7.5 ml vanilla extract

4 ripe bananas mashed well

2 cups/ 188 grams 1-to-1 gluten-free flour blend

1 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup 200 grams chocolate hazelnut spread. We use Good Good brand

****a note about unripe bananas. Banana bread recipe taste the best with days old super ripe bananas. But here is a solution if you have firm yellow, unripe bananas and want to make this recipe immediately. Preheat oven to 300 F/149 C degrees Place individual bananas with peel ON in a single layer onto a baking sheet. Bake for 20 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool 15 minutes. Remove the bananas from the peel, instantly ripened, they are ready to mash and go into your recipe.

Make

Preheat oven to 350 and prepare muffin tin. You can use muffin liners and spray them lightly. Mix all ingredients together except for the hazelnut spread . Fill liners half way and using a small spoon and your fingers, put a dollop of the hazelnut chocolate spread in each and give it a swirl with the end of a chops stick or wooden skewer stick. Fill remainder of muffin liners 3/4 full and place another teaspoon sized dollop of the hazelnut chocolate spread on each muffin and give them a swirl. Bake for 20 minutes. Cool for 5 minutes in the baking tray and then transfer to a wire cooling rack.