*This is not a sponsored post. I was not compensated in any way by Bliss Nut Butters for this recipe & review. And as always, all opinions in this article are entirely my own*

Today is my birthday! (Yay!!!)

And in lieu of a “traditional birthday cake,” I’ve decided to bake these Gluten Free, Peanut Butter, Birthday, Banana Bread Bites for my sweet, celebrational treat!

That’s how magnificent, moist, and “Mmmmmm” worthy this recipe truly is!

(Despite being gluten, dairy, & egg free! As we all remember that recipe that was like eating food-shaped-cardboard! 😉 )

The star of the show is the Saigon Cinnamon Peanut Butter by Bliss Nut Butters!

This is easily one of the most delicious Peanut Butters I’ve ever eaten (you can read my rave review on Facebook from December of 2017), and I could easily justify polishing off an entire jar straight from a spoon in an afternoon (been there, done that), but the combination of the sweet yet salty, Saigon Cinnamon Peanut Butter with the Rolled Oats, Coconut Sugar and Bananas in this recipe is one that will take your tastebuds on a trip to heaven! (I even sprinkle in a little extra Cinnamon for good measure.)

This Peanut Butter has the most incredible, “goldilocks approved” texture! It’s not too thin & practically a soup, like some “well known,” natural, creamy Peanut Butters and it’s not crazy chunky, and sort-of similar to sampling straight-up peanuts, like some of the others! It’s an amazing, best of both worlds texture that’s truly “just right.”

These Banana Bread Bites are made with Rolled Oats, as opposed to Wheat Flour, so they’re Gluten Free. (Though, if you have an allergy, or sensitivity, please be sure to buy the certified gluten free Oats.)

And the Egg replacement is made by combining ground Flaxseeds with Water!

(It’s almost a cake + bread hybrid! A break? A cred? Those don’t sound delicious!)

I bake them in a muffin pan and top them with Bliss Peanut Butter, so they’re almost like a Cupcake! I actually recently gifted them to a few friends who agreed with me that they’re more of a Cake than a Bread, so I think it’s fantastically fitting that they could be mistaken for Cupcakes!!

Obviously, these are positively perfect for my (or your) birthday!   

Here’s what you need to have on hand to make them for your special day, for any typical Tuesday, or even Earth Day… 😉

(This post contains affiliate links.)

Ingredients

3 Medium, Super Spotty, Browning Bananas! (The spottier, the better)

2 ½ Cups of Gluten Free Rolled (Old Fashioned) Oats-Separated

½ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Coconut Sugar

¼ Cup + 1 Tablespoon Natural, Drippy, Room Temperature Bliss Peanut Butter (Plus additional for topping!)

2 Tablespoons of Ground Flaxseeds* + 6 Tablespoons of Filtered Water

1 Teaspoon Baking Soda + 2 Teaspoons Cream of Tartar (Can be substituted with 1 Tablespoon Baking Powder**)

1 Teaspoon Apple Cider Vinegar

1 Teaspoon Vanilla Extract

1/4 Teaspoon Sea Salt 

½ tsp Cinnamon

Optional, but Awesome!

~Your favorite Chocolate Chips

Notes & Nuances

-I buy my Flaxseeds whole and ground them myself in my Ninja Food Chopper. Doing it this way keeps them fresher, longer. Once the oil that’s released when grounding is exposed to the air, it begins to break down and turn rancid, which won’t hurt you, but will affect the freshness / taste. That’s why I ground mine fresh immediately before using them. However, buying Flaxseed Meal (pre-ground Flaxseeds) will work just as wonderfully.

**For some strange reason, I never seem to have any Baking Powder on hand. So when I heard that combining Cream of Tartar with Baking Soda will have the same effect as using Baking Powder, I was thrilled! I tried it and it turned out to be true!!

Here’s what you do

Step One: Preheat your oven to 350°F, use your favorite style to make a muffin tin non-stick (papers, silicone cups, Coconut Oil, etc) and set aside. I lightly oil mine with Coconut Oil.

Step Two: Add two cups of the Old Fashioned Oats into a blender or food processor, reserving the ½ cup for later, and process until you create an “Oat Flour.” I use my Ninja Food Chopper for this.

Step Three: Ground the Flaxseeds. Then, mix the Ground Flaxseeds and Filtered Water together in a small bowl, stir thoroughly, and set aside. This will create your “Flax Eggs.” Be sure to allow the mixture to sit for at least 10-15 minutes. I buy my Flaxseeds whole, and ground them myself in my Ninja Food Chopper.

Click Here to check out the chopper on Amazon.

Step Four: Thoroughly mix the Baking Soda and Cream of Tartar together in a small bowl.

Step Five: Combine all the “dry ingredients” (the Oat Flour, Coconut Sugar, Sea Salt, Baking Soda / Cream of Tartar Mixture & Cinnamon) together in a large mixing bowl and whisk them together.

Step Six: Combine all of the remaining ingredients (Bananas, Bliss Peanut Butter, Apple Cider Vinegar, Vanilla & Flax Egg) together in your food processor & process until it is evenly incorporated.

*This can alternatively be done by mashing the Bananas in a bowl with a fork and mixing everything together.

Step Seven: Slowly pour the Banana / Peanut Butter mixture from the food processor into the mixing bowl with the dry ingredients and stir together until everything is evenly assimilated into a uniform “dough.”

Step Eight: Fill each muffin cup evenly with batter & bake for 20-30 minutes, until the top is golden brown and / or until a toothpick can be inserted and removed cleanly.

Step Nine: Allow the bite-sized-breads to cool slightly in the pan before removing, & then transfer them to a cooling rack to allow them to finish cooling completely.

Step 10: After they’ve cooled and you’re ready to serve, spread Peanut Butter over the top of the bites & bon appetit!

These treats are equally amazing with and without the Peanut Butter on top, but I believe that the tasty topping gives them more of a “decedent dessert” vibe.

~An additional way I enjoy eating them is as a bite-sized breakfast with some Fruit or as a mid-afternoon munchie!

(For a vegan version, switch out the Bliss Peanut Butter for another room temperature, Natural Peanut Butter. The Cinnamon Bliss Nut Butter is sweetened with Honey and is therefore not vegan.)

I hope you enjoy these Banana Bites just as much as I do!

If you do decide to bake them, please be sure to tag @crunchyveggiemama in your photos on Facebook & Instagram so I can see your beautiful Banana Bites! 🙂

~If you, or someone you know, would consider these Banana Bites worthy of a birthday party, please be sure to share this recipe!

You know what they say, sharing is caring, and caring is love! <3

Until Next Time…

Peas, Love, & Peanut Butter,

~Stephanie

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