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Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

· Natalie 27 Comments

Homemade Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream with hints of caramel and peanut butter mixed in for the dreamiest dairy-free date-sweetened dessert!

No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream You know the classic combination of apple pie + ice cream?

Ever wonder what would happen if you took the pie part out of that equation? You and me both, friend. Don’t worry, I tested it out. For both of us.

Spoiler alert: Subtracting pie = 2x yum. No pie > pie. Pie divided by ice cream = cinna-apple scrumptiousness. (FYI that is the most math I’ve done in 5 years without opening the calculator app on my phone.) No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice CreamNo-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

See here’s the thing – since I live in Florida, I cannot rely on the weather to tell me when to shift into full-force all the fall flavors mode. By the time it feels like fall outside, most of the rest of the world is throwing away week old jack-o-lanterns, wearing shoes that require socks exclusively, and made a minimum of two batches of soup already. So I start cozy baking and pumpkin pie making long before it feels natural.

But I adore cinnamon-spice treats and flip-flop weather, so a place where they overlap is pretty idyllic to me. Although a few more shades of those autumnal leaves falling and crackling on the sidewalk would be great to set the September/October mood, Florida. If you are taking suggestions.

No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

Naturally relying on my internal seasonal cues (a.k.a. craving for pumpkin pie and caramel apples) sometimes means I get a little ahead of myself and post allthepumpkinallatonce. Not to say I regret this ice cream, or those bars, or these cupcakes. Cupcake regret is not even humanly possible – one is always glad one made cupcakes. Even if sometimes one should’ve shared/saved for later more of said cupcakes.

What I am saying is I’ve done a lot of pumpkin-ing considering it’s not even October yet, which means now it’s time to step back, put the can opener down, and dig into some less-hyped but so yummy fall flavors.

Apple cinnamon. Annnnnd GO.

No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

I am a fairly pretty somewhat fairly decisive person, but I had the hardest time picking a name for this creamy stuff. Because it contains a hint of everything that pairs perfectly with apples, but calling it PEANUT BUTTER CARAMEL CINNAMON APPLE PIE ICE CREAM was too much.

Even though that name was too much of a mouthful to say, it is the most magical kind of mouthful for actually eating. Like a caramel apple dunked in a jar of peanut butter and doused with cinnamon. But much much creamier. And somewhat less messy.

No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

If there is one things apples are not, it is creamy. They are killing it on crispy and have a lot going on in the sweet-tart flavor department, but sorely lacking in creaminess. And if you freeze them? Game. Over.

So for texture reasons, I stirred the apples in instead of blending them in. But first I coated them in cinnamon and baked until soft and sweet and all kinds of cozy. And I did all of that in the microwave. Because impatience. But you can do it on the stovetop too.

The blended portion of this recipe involves just four things: peanut butter, medjool dates, cinnamon, and coconut milk. And a pinch of salt if your PB doesn’t come with. I partnered up with So Delicious for this recipe so all hella creamydreamy texture credit goes to those guys and their Culinary Coconutmilk. Oh hey, most fuss-free coconut milk ever. No weird ingredients like the carton stuff. No can opener required like the canned stuff. Not even one of those plastic peel off lid-under-the-lid thingies. Just simple, organic, ice cream ready creaminess in a cute little carton that reminds me of my juice box days.

Sidenote: I’m not drinking coffee at the moment, but I have tested and can tell you this stuff makes a mean matcha latte. Or if you are dreaming of the luscious smoothie possibilities right now, I can vouch for that very yummy use too. If creamy and coconutty as can be is the goal, this stuff has your back. Always. No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

I used the Lite Culinary Coconutmilk in this recipe because with the peanut butter in there too it will be plenty creamy. You could use the original kind and decrease the amount of peanut butter if you wanted instead. (But peanut butter ♡) Or you could substitute another nut or seed butter that you love in place of the peanut butter.

I have now made 3 batches of this ice cream with varying amounts of peanut butter and anywhere from 1/2 to 1 cup works. The more peanut butter the creamier obviously, but even the 1/2 cup version was very creamy especially if you break apart into chunks and re-blend the next day (which I always do because getting a smooth scoop shot on video stresses me out and I am going to do everything in my power to increase my chances). If you choose not to re-blend, let it thaw out for 10-15 minutes before scooping for best texture.

No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

The best part? Spooning warm spiced apples on top of cold caramel-y ice cream and serving up a scoop of that crazy-good contrast into your bowl.

And by bowl I mean face.

And by scoop I mean double scoop.

And by happy ice cream making I mean you need this cinna-apple sweet stuff in your life asap!

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Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

★★★★★ 5 from 5 reviews
  • Yield: 4 people 1x
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Description

Homemade Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream with hints of caramel and peanut butter mixed in for the dreamiest dairy-free date-sweetened dessert!

Ingredients

Scale

Ice Cream

  • 2 cups So Delicious Lite Culinary Coconutmilk
  • 1/2–1 cup nut/seed butter ((I used creamy peanut butter))
  • 8–10 pitted medjool dates
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • Pinch of sea salt ((omit if nut butter is salted))

Cinnamon Apple Chunks

  • 1 apple, chopped
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup ((optional))
  • 1 tsp lemon juice
  • 1 tsp cinnamon

Instructions

  1. For the ice cream, blend all the ingredients in a high speed blender until creamy and smooth.
  2. Pour into a shallow dish and freezer overnight.
  3. The following day, either break into chunks and re-blend (creamiest) or allow to thaw for 10-15 minutes before you are going to scoop and serve.
  4. For the apple chunks, toss all the ingredients in a bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes on high or cook stovetop until soft. Allow to cool.
  5. Spoon the apples on top of the ice cream and scoop into bowls. Or layer the ice cream and apples parfait style.
  6. Drizzle with nut butter and enjoy!

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No-Churn Apple Cinnamon Ice Cream

This post is sponsored by So Delicious Dairy Free, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Feasting on Fruit possible!

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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

· Natalie 65 Comments

Pumpkin spice cupcakes or muffins – either way this grain-free date-sweetened recipe is the perfect fall snack or frosted dessert!

 Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Or muffins. They can pull off the frosting-free look quite flawlessly too.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

I posted these chocolate cupcakes last week, and judging by the remake rate since I think we can agree that cupcakes are quite possibly the most perfect dessert form. Chic. Shareable (or not). Less work than a cake. More frosting than a muffin. And actually healthy with a little date-sweetening savvy.

However I got a lot of questions asking for a grain-free option. WHICH I AM THRILLED ABOUT. Not because I had a ready and tested answer, I didn’t (although I do now!) But because I am obsessed with grain-free baking at the moment (a. it makes me feel good and b. almond flour is the best thing ever), and clearly I am not the only one. I was worried you wouldn’t be on board with the subtle oat → grain-free shift that has been taking place around here, but it seems many of you are. And I cannot even tell you how happy that makes me!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

So. We are not just fall-ifying those cupcakes today, but switching up the flour situation too. Swapping from oat flour to almond flour is not just a straight, simple, 1-for-1 thing. On the one hand oat flour is very dry/absorptive and starchy/sticky, whereas almond flour is incredibly moist and not sticky at all.

That means some extra ingredients and amount adjusting is necessary…

More flour. Bottom line is you will need more dry and less liquid in the batter when baking with almond compared to oat. For this recipe that means adding an extra 1/4 cup of flour and leaving out the non-dairy milk.

Tapioca starch. Like I said, almond flour is not sticky and therefore not very good at binding on it’s own. That is where tapioca starch comes in. It is just the gluten-free “glue” these cupcakes need. Too much will turn them gummy, but just a couple of tablespoons holds things together without ruining the lovely crumb texture inside.

Nut/seed butter. This new addition is optional, but recommended. The batch I tested without is just a bit more…delicate. Like if you dropped one of each out of a second story window the one without nut butter would splat onto the pavement in more pieces than the one with nut butter. Yes, I think that’s the best way to describe it. Any kind of nut or seed butter will work, I personally used cashew butter because that’s what was in front on the shelf.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Not too complicated, right? And I promise well worth the adjusting because they turned out even more moist and tender and dare I say sweeter too somehow. This almond flour stuff is magic I tell you!

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Now comes the part where we address how these aren’t chocolate but orange squash-ed and spectacularly spiced instead. Everything is getting the pumpkin treatment lately, muffincupcakes are not immune. Pumpkin puree blended with the dates makes up the base of this batter, and a generous teaspoonful (or 2…or 3!) of pumpkin pie spice…gah I could snack on them every day. Oh wait, I have for the past week now. But I could happily keep this snack streak going. And they already have my car snack stamp of approval too.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Frosting. If you want to go the cupcake route (because you’ve seen the quote, and these muffins are believers), there are a few frosting options…

I used my go-to coconut butter glaze, but popped it in the fridge for about 5 minutes after stirring everything together so it solidified enough to spread. Very easy, but very coconutty in flavor.

You could also use my vanilla sweet potato frosting to really up the fall feels even more. Not as simple, but low fat and really delicious to have leftovers of plus a spoon.

Or you could top them with date caramel. Chocolate frosting. Ice cream. If it’s creamy and compliments pumpkin – it counts.

Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

Happy muffincupcake making to you, friends!

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Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes

★★★★★ 4.6 from 17 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 40 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cupcakes 1x
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Description

Cupcakes or muffins – either way this grain-free date-sweetened recipe is the perfect pumpkin spice snack or frosted dessert!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup pitted medjool dates ((about 12))
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk ((or water))
  • 1/2 cup pumpkin puree
  • 2 tsps pumpkin pie spice
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 1/4 cups almond flour ((*see notes for oat flour option))
  • 2 tbsp tapioca starch ((can sub cornstarch or arrowroot))
  • 1/4 cup nut/seed butter ((I used cashew))

Coconut Butter Frosting (see above for other frosting options)

  • 1/4 cup coconut butter
  • 1 tbsp maple syrup ((optional))
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • 3–4 tbsp non-dairy milk

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. In a blender of food processor, combine the dates, non-dairy milk, and pumpkin. Blend until well combined with minimal chunks remaining.
  3. Add the rest of the cupcake ingredients.
  4. Blend again until just combined.
  5. Divide the batter between 6 muffin tins that have been lightly oiled or lined with paper liners. Fill each so it is level with the top of the pan. Smooth the tops.
  6. Bake for 25-30 minutes at 350F.
  7. Remove from the oven and cool completely before frosting.
  8. For the frosting, melt the coconut butter. Combine melted coconut butter with maple syrup and vanilla. Slowly add the non-dairy milk until creamy and pour-able (it may seize up at first, just keep stirring and adding milk). Refrigerate for 5-10 minutes or until thick and spreadable like frosting.
  9. Frost the cupcakes. Garnish with pumpkin seeds. Enjoy!

Notes

For the oat flour option: Replace the almond flour and tapioca starch with 1 cup oat flour.

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 Pumpkin Spice Cupcakes (Vegan + Paleo)

Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

· Natalie 66 Comments

Your favorite fall pie meets gooey cookie goodness in these Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars with pecan crust, date-sweetened filling, and lots of chocolate chips!

Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

Not to say pumpkin pie isn’t already magical enough, because I firmly believe it is. But I never say no to extra magic. And if magic = coconut whipped cream on top I am a-okay with extra of that too.

You guys thought I was crazy about ice cream. HA. That obsession is nothing compared to my obsession with pumpkin pie. The first official month of fall came, the canned good shelf of my pantry became the canned pumpkin shelf, and my imagination began plotting new twists on pumpkin pie almost immediately. This is still my go-to classic crust + filling style recipe, but there is so much space left (in the world and my pumpkin-loving stomach) for un-classsic orange-spiced experimentation.

And these Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars are pie un-classic in a step-aside-circles-where-have-these-squares-been-all-my-life! kinda way.

Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

I posted a couple of vegan magic cookie bar recipes over the summer – the original and the blueberry version. Neither use or require making your own sweetened condensed milk. Both have been BIG hits. But these.

Dare I say better than original version? I dare.

Dare I say better than pumpkin pie? You tell me – does pumpkin pie have chocolate chips baked in? I think we both know the answer then.

This magic bar version is a little different though, in ways other than the obvious orange-ness. And you can thank the beautiful people over at Natural Delights for that. For gracing us all with their most delectable Medjool dates, which are pretty much magic materialized into fruit form, and inspiring me to make this magic cookie bar version even easier/healthier/fruitier than any that came before it. This version is 100% fruit-sweetened from gooey delicious top to chewy cookie bottom.

(P.S. Have you spotted the Pumpkin Pie Spiced Date Rolls yet this year? Cannot wait for those to return!)

Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

The cookie crust. Do you know what pairs just swimmingly with pumpkin and it’s posse of warming spices? Pecans. It’s a new-ish fact in my life that I’m still processing and testing as often as possible, but I think I believe the hype. This nugget of nutty knowledge is what led me to jump out of my almond flour rut and revisit the good old date + nut crust, which I haven’t made in longer than memory can recall.

It is a two-ingredient technique often reserved for raw treats, but it bakes into a delicious cookie base too. You will need a blender or food processor to break down and blend up these two whole food ingredients, but it only takes about 10 seconds to make and maybe a minute longer to press into the pan. Give or take 30 seconds depending on how much of a perfectionist you are with these sorts of tasks.

Any type of nut will work if pecans aren’t our thing, or even seeds of some sort to skip the nutty-ness entirely.

Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

Pumpin pie layer. Now comes the really good stuff. The stuff before was good too, but not make-you-want-to-lick-every-inch-of-your-blender good.

These may be magic cookie bars, but in FOF fashion we are skipping the sweetened condensed milk in favor of fruitier things. I did not use bananas this time because I didn’t want them to compete with the pumpkin pie flavor, so instead I used a combination of pumpkin puree (I always go with organic because it just tastes better) and Medjool dates. You will also need non-dairy milk to help it blend, arrowroot starch to thicken and set as the bars bake and cool, and spices because it’s fall.

Chocolate chips + coconut + more pecans. Sprinkled on, squished in, and off to the oven we go!

After baking the bars do need to chill overnight. But your patience will be rewarded. Pinky pumpkin pie promise.

Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

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Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

★★★★★ 4.7 from 10 reviews
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 55 minutes
  • Yield: 6 squares 1x
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Description

Your favorite fall pie meets gooey cookie goodness in these Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars with pecan crust, spiced filling, and lots of chocolate chips!

Ingredients

Scale

Pecan Crust

  • 1 1/2 cup pecans ((or any nut will work))
  • 6–8 pitted Medjool dates

Pumpkin Pie Layer

  • 1 cup pumpkin puree
  • 8–10 pitted Medjool dates
  • 1/2 cup non-dairy milk
  • 2 tbsp arrowroot starch
  • 2 tsps pumpkin pie spice
  • 2/3 cup chopped pecans
  • 2/3 cup unsweetened shredded coconut
  • 2/3 cup chocolate chips

Instructions

  1. For the crust, combine the pecans and Medjool dates in a food processor or blender. Process until it forms a sticky crumbly mixture. 
  2. Press into the bottom of a baking dish (I used this 8×5″ glass dish) lined with parchment paper. Set aside.
  3. In a high speed blender, combine the pumpkin, Medjool dates, non-dairy milk, arrowroot, and pumpkin pie spice. Blend on high until smooth and creamy. Add an extra 1 tbsp milk if necessary to get it to blend.
  4. Pour on top of the crust.
  5. Sprinkle a generous layer each of coconut, chopped pecans, and chocolate chips. Gently smush into the pumpkin layer.
  6. Bake for 40-45 minutes at 350F or until the top is starting to brown and the center does not jiggle.
  7. Cool, then chill overnight.
  8. The following day, slice into squares and enjoy! Keep in the fridge for up to a week.

More pumpkin things in case you are obsessed too…
– Forget the crust, and just skip straight to the pumpkin part
– Abundant in pumpkin, spices, and cuteness
– You know what’s great sandwiched in-between chocolate? Pumpkin.
– Making up for the lack of bananas in those magic bars
– Sugar-coated. Literally.

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 Pumpkin Pie Magic Cookie Bars

This post is sponsored by Natural Delights, but all thoughts and opinions expressed are my own. Thanks for supporting the brands that make Feasting on Fruit possible!

The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

· Natalie 225 Comments

Moist, fluffy, rich, and with ingredients unlike any cake you’ve seen before – these Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes will blow your mind!

Oh so you like healthy cake too? Or is it the frosting you came for?

Well whichever the cake/frosting reason you find yourself here, I’m very glad that you are so we can chat about how healthy and easy and deeeeeeelish and generally mind-blowing these little cakes are. I was thinking we’d start from the bottom and work our way to sprinkles, cool?

The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

If you ask me which recipe I suggest starting with to anyone new to fruit-sweetened baking…

Or if you ask which recipe is my go-to for sharing with friends and family, vegan or not…

Or which recipe has been remade with more positive reviews than any other…

Or which you should make for your {insert celebratory event here} this weekend…

The answer to any and all of the above is the same: CHOCOLATE CUPCAKES. Do I have the stats to back up all those answers? Nah don’t need ’em. Because I’ve got chocolate-frosted chocolate cupcakes, and no one argues with the girl holding the cupcakes.

So if any dessert around here deserved a revisit/revamp/take 2/opportunity for me to gush on about how and why I love them so, it’s these guys.

The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

Ingredients. They haven’t changed too drastically, but for a quick preview of the how-do-these-things-possibly-make-cake? list:

1. Medjool dates
2. Water
3. Rolled oats
4. Cacao powder
5. Baking powder
6. Non-dairy milk
7. Sea salt
8. Vanilla extract

Short, sweet, and definitely a case of the whole being way more magical than a simple sum of the parts.

Take 2 tweaks. There are a couple of ingredients I left out the first time in favor of keeping the recipe super simple. But those little things can make a big difference on flavor, so we’re not skipping them this time around. I also amped up the chocolate flavor because that is never not a good idea. And there are a couple of technique tips too that will make your life easier and your cupcakes better-textured.

If you ever needed proof of the power of a pinch of salt in sweet things, these cupcakes are it. As is salted caramel. And salted chocolate. But the topic today is cupcakes, so don’t even click those salted-stuff links. A pinch of salt paired with a teaspoon of vanilla extract makes all the difference between this recipe and the old one. It’s like chocolate to CHOCOLATE if you know what I mean. Deeper, richer, bolder, and just. plain. better.

Have you ever in your life said: “this chocolate cake is just a little too chocolatey”? Because I know I haven’t, and I’m guessing you are shaking your head as well. If you answered yes – are you sure you’re okay? So for this updated version, I made the cupcakes chocolatey-er (chocolatier? more chocolatey?) with more cacao powder. And never looked back.

The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

Blend better. There is this thing that happens when you make the same recipe a zillion times and know it by heart and can do it with your eyes closed. No it’s not a mess that you can’t see because your eyes are closed. (Although that too.) The thing is you figure out the ideal, efficient, turns-out-perfect-every-damn-time way to do it. And at this point I’m pretty confident I’ve got blender cupcake batter all figured out.

The first time I made these cupcakes I used a food processor. But if you happen to own a certain brand of food processor of a certain capacity, there is a chance that combining dates + water in it could lead to date-water violently spraying all over your kitchen. I thought it was just me and my machine was defective or something, but nope turns out it has happened to others too. So for the sake of your walls, use a blender.

In the original recipe, I also say to “blend on high”. No, no no. I have since learned that high speed and excessive blending does terrible things to oat flour based baked goods, so actually blending on low speed and just long enough to combine all the ingredients works much better. And honestly if there are a few lumps left I’m not even worried about it. I’d rather stir those in by hand than risk gummy cupcakes from overly aggressive blending. So blend on low and as briefly as possible.

If you don’t have a blender that can handle no-bowl batter jobs like this, my best advice is to blend just the dates and water in whatever you’ve got and then do the rest of the mixing by hand.

Fudgier frosting. Perhaps the biggest transformation actually took place on top of the cupcake rather than inside. The original recipe featured a date-based chocolate frosting made up of just Medjool dates + non-dairy milk + cacao powder. But sometime between then and now I discovered that nut butter makes that mix of frosting things approximately 100000x better. So I’ll be adding that from now on ALWAYS.

Almond or cashew butter (the thicker/less runny the better!) is best for a nutty-neutral just chocolate frosting. But peanut butter…brb, lemme go grab a spoon! And while I’m gone why don’t you go ahead and blend up another batch to actually put on the cupcakes.

The nut butter addition also means this frosting thickens and sets as it chills, so if your frosting seems too soft to pipe right after blending pop it in the fridge for a bit first. And after frosting you definitely want to chill the cupcakes before serving so the frosting doesn’t start to soften again. If you aren’t opposed to it, a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil blended in will make it set that much better too.

This recipe started out as “everything-free cupcakes” but that name never felt quite right. While they are free of oil, gluten, nuts, dairy, eggs, and refined sugar, they do still contain things. Very good things in fact like dates and oats and cacao! So while whipping out a word like “best” seemed a bit over-confident back then, three years and many reviews later I, without hesitation, dub them The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes. Boom.

Update to the update! The below photos are from a batch I just made swapping the 1/4 cup almond milk with coconut oil and it made them even richer and more delicious. Or 1/4 cup of your favorite nut or seed butter would work too.

If you try them, either leave a comment and rating or snap a pic and tag me on Instagram to tell me if you think they live up to the title.

So now you can be that person at the party who waits until after everyone takes a bite to say: “Oh btw, that chocolate cake you’re stuffing your face with is made of fruit and oatmeal!

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The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

★★★★★ 4.7 from 53 reviews
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 25 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Yield: 6 cupcakes 1x
  • Category: dessert
  • Method: baking
  • Cuisine: american
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Description

Moist, fluffy, rich, and with ingredients unlike any cake you’ve seen before – these Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes will blow your mind!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 1 cup Medjool dates (200g or about 12 pitted)
  • 1 cup (240g) water
  • 1/3 cup (35g) cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tsp vanilla extract
  • Pinch of salt
  • 1 cup (125g) oat flour*
  • 1/4 cup (60g) non-dairy milk**

Chocolate Fudge Frosting

  • 1 cup Medjool dates (about 12)
  • 1/2–2/3 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1/2 cup nut or seed butter (almond used)
  • 1/4 cup cacao powder (or cocoa powder)
  • Pinch of salt
  • Optional: sprinkles for topping

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. Combine the dates and water in a high speed blender. Blend on high until smooth.
  3. Add the rest of the ingredients. Blend on low speed briefly until just combined. DO NOT over blend.
  4. Divide the batter between 6 cupcake tins that have been lightly coated with oil. (I do not recommend paper liners because this recipe is oil-free and they will stick.) Fill each so it is level with the top of the pan.
  5. Smooth the tops with the back of a spoon.
  6. Bake for approximately 25 minutes at 350F.
  7. Remove from the oven. Cool for 10 minutes before removing from the pan. Cool completely of ideally chill overnight before frosting.
  8. For the frosting, combine all the ingredients in a high speed blender and blend until smooth and creamy. Start with 1/2 cup of milk and add more only as necessary to get it to blend, you want it as thick as possible. Transfer to a piping bag and chill for at least 1 hour to thicken.
  9. Pipe frosting onto cooled cupcakes, or spread with a knife. I recommend storing the cupcakes unfrosted, and frosting right before serving.
  10. Top with sprinkles and enjoy!

Notes

*For a grain-free option: Replace the oat flour with 1 1/4 cup almond flour. Add 2 tablespoons tapioca, corn, or arrowroot starch. And replace the non-dairy milk with 1/4 cup of any nut/seed butter.

**For a richer cupcake, replace with 1/4 cup nut/seed butter or coconut oil.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 cupcake
  • Calories: 220
  • Sugar: 32g
  • Fat: 2g
  • Carbohydrates: 51g
  • Fiber: 6g
  • Protein: 4g

Keywords: baking, easy, healthy, chocolate, birthday, vegan, gluten-free, sugar free

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The BEST Healthy Chocolate Cupcakes

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Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread

· Natalie 84 Comments

Soft naturally sweet banana bread spiced up with cinnamon and speckled with raisins for a healthy and simple breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread

The first time I tried cinnamon raisin toast (which is later in life than you might imagine) I expected it to be sweet. Or more like SWEET! Even though I heard “toast”, my mind interpreted that to mean “oatmeal raisin cookie in bread form”. Spoiler: it’s actually just subtly sweet raisin-speckled bread. Usually. Although I’m sure there are some sugar-loaded sticky swirled recipes out there that could prove me wrong, and undoubtedly a packaged loaf or two too.

So when I was brainstorming banana bread flavors that haven’t been done a million times a billion ways by a zillion people, that same naturally sweet fruit+spice concept came to mind.

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

It’s been a while since I’ve baked anything with bananas. So long that when I posted this teaser photo on Instagram a couple of days ago no one even guessed banana bread. Surprise. More than a month long banana-free recipe streak = broken.

There was a time when I had not one but numerous bunches of ripe/ripening/so-ripe-that-when-you-pick-them-up-they-suicide-squish-to-the-floor bananas in my house at all times. But then my body said: whoa too much. And my freezer agreed. So I backed off, created some banana-free recipes to satisfy my smoothie appetite, and found love for other fruits (hello all the berries!)

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

And guess what? Now I can eat bananas in normal human amounts and my stomach is cool with it. Or even go a little overboard with the pan of fresh baked banana bread and a fork sometimes (because warmandfluffy = irresistible) and still feel fine. Proof that sometimes temporary absence does make the heart stomach grow fonder…or something like that.

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

When I start to crave all the baked and cozy and September-appropriate things, banana bread comes to mind almost immediately. It’s the epitome of healthy un-fussy baking. Tastes like cake. Feels suitable before 10am. Feels suitable again around 10pm maybe in combination with some form of chocolate this time. Basic in the best sort of baked good way.

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

I already have a couple of banana bread recipes on the blog – this basic oat flour version and this much more popular cornmeal one. This time my flavor brainstorming sesh led me down a long and decadent road of ideas involving streusel and chocolate and chocolate chips and chocolate chunks and chocolate glaze…

And then I remembered the last loaf thing I shared was chocolate. Back-to-back chocolate of the same shape, and you guys are going to think I forgot what the word “variety” means. I really should’ve invested in that bundt pan.

BUT. One bite into this cinnamon raisin BB and you too will be saying chocolate who? Jk we’ll never forget chocolate. For real though, if I could only bring one kind of banana bread to a deserted island it’d be this one. Two kinds of fruit, my fave spice, so much grain-free fluffy bread goodness – easiest hypothetical banana bread decision of my life.

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

Before we get to the recipe, allow me to use my powers of substitution telepathy and answer a few of your questions before you even ask…

Yes you can use oat flour, but know that the crumb will not be as nice. I set out with the intention of making this recipe with oat flour, but the texture turned out too gummy for my liking unfortunately. And I just couldn’t let that happen when I know there are better fluffier flour ways.

After the oat flour experiment, my next go to combination was almond flour + tapioca starch since I’ve been loving those two together lately. The texture was better this time around, but the crumb could still be better. Mashed bananas add so much moisture, it can be tricky to find the right dry ingredient mix to balance that out.

For batch number three, I swapped out the tapioca starch for flax meal. It tends to be a bit less sticky than tapioca and usually easier to find too. This batch was definitely my favorite of the three! The crumb was soft but not sticky, and I actually like the flax flavor in a wholesome bread like this too.

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

Oh wait! I almost forgot to tell you the thing. The thing that makes this loaf extra special and all-times-of-day apropos and…adult-y (although adding a -y to the end of words immediately cancels out any level of maturity, yes I know). There is no added sweetener in this recipe, just the natural sweetness of all the fantastical ingredients like almonds and raisins and bananas. It’s less sweet than you may be used to, but so perfect after your tastebuds settle into it. Sweeter than toast. Not as sweet as cake. It’s banana bread balance, friends.

But my favorite part of this banana bread? Three words: GOLDEN CRUSTY EDGES. Would it be weird to spread banana bread batter on a sheet pan and bake it flat like granola so it’s nothing but edges? Yes? Kay, never mind then.

Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)

Not toast. Not a cookie. Better!

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Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread

★★★★★ 4.6 from 13 reviews
  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 40 minutes
  • Total Time: 50 minutes
  • Yield: 6 slices 1x
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Description

Soft naturally sweet banana bread spiced up with cinnamon and speckled with raisins for a healthy and simple breakfast, snack, or dessert!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 very ripe bananas
  • 1/4 cup almond butter ((or any nut/seed butter))
  • 1/3 cup non-dairy milk
  • 1 tbsp baking powder
  • 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar ((or lemon juice))
  • 1 tbsp cinnamon
  • 1 3/4 cup almond flour (*)
  • 1/4 cup flax meal (**)
  • 1/3 cup raisins

Instructions

  1. Preheat the oven to 350F.
  2. In a blender or food processor or mixing bowl, blend/mash the bananas. 
  3. Add the almond butter, non-dairy milk, baking powder, vinegar, and cinnamon. Mix until fully combined.
  4. Add the flour and flax meal. Mix until just combined, but be careful not to over-mix.
  5. Stir in the raisins.
  6. Spread evenly into a loaf pan (I actually used this 8×5.5″ glass container, but a standard loaf pan works too) lined with parchment paper or lightly oiled.
  7. Top with additional raisins and cinnamon.
  8. Bake for 35-40 minutes at 350F, or until golden brown and firm if lightly pressed in the center.
  9. Remove from the oven and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes before slicing and eating.
  10. Keep in an airtight container for up to a week, preferably in the fridge for optimal freshness.

Notes

*You can make this recipe with oat flour, although I recommend the almond flour for best texture. You will not need the flax meal, just 2 cups oat flour. And be sure to not over-blend!

**You can use tapioca or cornstarch instead.

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Cinnamon Raisin Banana Bread (vegan, grain-free, no added sugar)