Peanut-Banna Millinare Bar

Sweet, salty, and totally indulgent 🍫🥜🍌

These peanut butter and banana bars have a soft, nutty base, a gooey date caramel layer, and a chocolatey top sprinkled with cocoa nibs. Gluten-free, naturally sweetened, and perfect for make-ahead snacks or breakfast!

Ingredients

Base

• 1/3 cup peanut butter

• 1/2 cup ground almonds

• 1 cup gluten-free oat flour

• 1 ripe banana, mashed

• 1 tsp cinnamon

• Pinch of salt

• 1/4 cup date syrup (or maple syrup)

  
  

Date Caramel

• 2 cups Medjool dates, pitted and soaked in hot water for 10 minutes

• 1 tbsp nut or seed butter

  
  

Chocolate Topping

• 4 tbsp coconut or other neutral oil, melted

• 4 tbsp maple syrup or date syrup

• 4 tbsp cocoa powder

• Pinch of salt

• Optional: cocoa nibs for topping

  
  

Method

1. Make the base

1. Preheat your oven to 170°C (fan) / 350°F. Line a square or rectangular tin with baking parchment.

2. In a large bowl, mash the banana, then mix in the nut butter, syrup, cinnamon, and salt.

3. Fold in the ground almonds and oat flour until a sticky dough forms.

4. Press the mixture evenly into your prepared tin. Bake for 15-20 minutes, or until lightly golden and firm to the touch. Let it cool.

   
   

2. Make the date caramel

1. Drain the soaked dates and blend with the nut butter until smooth and spreadable. Add a splash of water if needed to reach a soft caramel consistency.

2. Spread the caramel evenly over the base.

   
   

3. Make the chocolate topping

1. In a bowl, mix the oil, syrup and cocoa powder. Add a pinch of salt.

2. Pour the chocolate over the date caramel layer and spread evenly. Sprinkle cocoa nibs on top if using.

3. Chill in the freezer until set, then cut into bars.

Tips & Variations

• Nut-free: Swap almond flour for oat or buckwheat flour, and use a seed butter instead of nut butter.

• Storage: Store in the freezer.

• Add-ins: Chopped nuts, dried fruit, or shredded coconut can be folded into the base or sprinkled on top.

These peanut butter and banana bars are the ultimate sweet-and-salty treat—soft, nutty, gooey, and chocolatey all at once. They’re perfect for make-ahead snacks, breakfast on the go, or whenever you need a little pick-me-up. I love how versatile this recipe is—you can swap flours, try different nut or seed butters, add chopped nuts, dried fruit, or even a sprinkle of coconut on top.

They’re also a great way to use up ripe bananas, and every time I make them, I like to experiment with small variations to see what new combo I like best. Slice them, stash them in the freezer, and grab when you need them!

If you try them, I’d love to see your creations! I share more recipes like this, kitchen experiments, and other bakes I’ve been making over on Instagram at @rubysgfkitchen.

Happy Baking,

Ruby x

Gluten-free Pb&J Banana Muffins

Soft, fluffy banana muffins with a gooey nut butter + berry chia jam centre, crunchy walnuts, and an optional chocolate addition. Naturally sweetened, gluten-free, and perfect for an easy breakfast or snack.

Ingredients (Makes 4–6 muffins)

Muffin Batter

• 1 ripe banana, mashed

• 1 large egg (or chia/flax egg for vegan)

• 3 tbsp milk (dairy or plant-based)

• 2 tbsp maple syrup or honey

• 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

• 1/2 cup gluten-free oat flour

• 2 tbsp ground almonds

• 1/2 tsp baking powder

• 1/4 tsp baking soda

• Pinch of salt

• 1/2 tsp cinnamon (optional)

• 1/4 cup chopped walnuts

  
  

Filling

• 2 tbsp nut butter (I use peanut)

• 1/3 cup berries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• Optional: 1–2 tsp chocolate chips or a small piece of chocolate per muffin

  
  

Method

1. Prepare chia jam

1. Mash 1/3 cup berries (fresh or frozen) in a saucepan over medium heat

2. Stir in 1 tsp chia seeds and leave for 10 minutes.

   
   

2. Make muffin batter

1. Preheat oven to 180°C. Line a muffin tin with 4–6 paper cases.

2. In a bowl, mash the banana and mix with egg, milk, syrup, and vanilla.

3. In another bowl, whisk together oat flour, ground almonds, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and chopped walnuts.

4. Fold the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients until just combined.

   
   

3. Assemble muffins

1. Spoon 1 tbsp of batter into each muffin case.

2. Add 1 tsp of nut butter and 1 tsp of chia jam in the centre of each muffin.

3. If using, add 1–2 tsp of chocolate chips or a small piece of chocolate on top of the jam.

4. Cover with 2-3 tbsp of the remaining batter.

   
   

4. Bake

1. Bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a knife inserted into the muffin comes out clean.

2. Let cool for 5 minutes in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.

   
   

Tips & Variations

• Nut-free: Use sunflower seed butter and replace ground almonds with extra oat flour. Use seeds or dried fruit instead of chopped walnuts.

• Vegan: Use a flax or chia egg and plant-based milk.

• Extra sweetness: Drizzle a little maple syrup on top before baking.

• Jam options: My favourite to use is blueberry, but any will work well.

• Extra crunch: Sprinkle a few walnut pieces on top before baking.

• Chocolate addition: Swirl melted chocolate into the top or fold in extra chocolate chips.

These muffins are a great way to use up those overripe bananas sitting in the fruit bowl, and they’re easy to switch up each time with different jams, nut butters, or add-ins. I love experimenting with new variations, and I share other recipes I recommend—plus what else I’ve been making lately—over on Instagram. Come find me at @rubysgfkitchen to find other new recipes and recommendations.

Happy Baking,

Ruby x

Gluten Free Layered Apple Bars

Do you ever end up with apples that just aren’t good enough to eat as they are? Wondering how to save them from being thrown in the bin? I found myself in this exact situation and decided to adapt my banana bread recipe into an apple loaf.

However, without enough almond flour, I found myself at a crossroads — so I improvised and came up with these instead: apple bars with a coconutty shortbread-style base, topped with a layer of date caramel, peanut butter, and swirls of tart berry chia jam.

They truly have it all: a blend of textures, sweet and salty notes, and layers of flavour that work beautifully together.

These bars are perfect as an easy make-ahead snack or breakfast. They store really well in the freezer, making them ideal for busy mornings or on-the-go moments.

They’re also very allergy-friendly — naturally gluten free and easy to adapt to be vegan, dairy free, or nut free too. Wondering how?

Dietary Adaptations

Vegan

To make this recipe vegan:

• Substitute the yoghurt for a dairy-free option such as coconut or soya yoghurt.

• Replace the egg with a shop-bought egg replacer, applesauce, or a chia or flax egg.

• Use maple syrup or another liquid sweetener (such as date syrup) instead of honey.

  
  

Dairy Free

This one is super simple — just swap the yoghurt for a dairy-free alternative like coconut or soya yoghurt.

Nut Free

A few easy substitutions are needed:

• Replace the ground almonds with additional coconut flour or another flour such as oat or buckwheat flour.

• Swap the almond butter and peanut butter for a seed butter (like sunflower or tahini).

Ways to Switch It Up

If you’re looking to add some variety, here are a few easy ways to change the flavour or texture:

• The berries used for the chia jam can be any you like — frozen or fresh both work well, so have fun experimenting with different combinations.

• Peanut butter adds a salty contrast, but any nut or seed butter works just as well if you prefer something different.

• In the date caramel, almond butter can be replaced with your favourite nut or seed butter.

• Extra add-ins like chocolate chips, dried fruit, nuts, or seeds all make great mix-ins or toppings.

  
  

Ingredients

Apple base

• 2 small apples, grated

• 1½ tbsp honey or maple syrup

• 1 large egg

• 70g yoghurt

• 20g ground almonds

• 105g coconut flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 1 tsp xanthan gum

• ½ tsp cinnamon

• ½ tsp nutmeg

  
  

Date caramel

• 75g Medjool dates, pitted

• 1–2 tbsp boiling water

• 1 tbsp almond butter

• Pinch of salt

  
  

Chia jam

• 75g berries (fresh or frozen)

• 1 tbsp chia seeds

• Optional: 1–2 tsp honey or maple syrup

  
  

Peanut butter layer

• 8 tbsp peanut butter (smooth or crunchy)

  
  

Method

Make the chia jam

1. Heat the berries in a small pan until soft and releasing their juices.

2. Mash with a fork, then stir in the chia seeds and optional sweetener.

3. Set aside to cool and thicken for 15–20 minutes.

   
   

Make the date caramel

1. Place the dates in a heatproof bowl, cover with boiling water, and soak for 10 minutes.

2. Drain, reserving 2 tablespoons of the soaking liquid.

3. Blend the dates with almond butter, salt, and most of the reserved water until thick and spreadable. Add more water if needed.

   
   

Prepare the apple base

1. Preheat the oven to 170°C (fan). Line a square tin with baking parchment and lightly grease.

2. In a large bowl, mix the grated apples with the honey or syrup.

3. Whisk in the egg and yoghurt until fully combined.

4. Fold in the ground almonds, coconut flour, baking powder, xanthan gum, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

   
   

Bake

1. Press the mixture evenly into the prepared tin.

2. Bake for 25 minutes, then remove from the oven and allow to cool completely.

   
   

Layer and swirl

1. Spread the date caramel evenly over the cooled base.

2. Add an even layer of peanut butter.

3. Spoon over dollops of chia jam and swirl gently using a toothpick or spoon.

4. Place in the freezer until fully set, then slice and enjoy.

Store the bars in the freezer for easy snacking whenever you need them.

If you’d like to see what else I’ve been baking recently, check out my Instagram @rubysgfkitchen.

Happy baking

Ruby x