Soak the dates. Start by placing your pitted dates in a bowl and cover them with the boiling water. Let them soak for about 10 minutes to soften up.

Make the date paste. In a (high speed) blender, quickly blitz together the eggs, oil, and milk just until combined. Then add your soaked dates (drained!) and blend everything into a smooth, sweet paste. If the paste is too thick you might need to use a tamper to push it down towards the blades or add a tiny bit of milk (1 tablespoon at a time).

Mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, and salt.

Mash the bananas. In a separate bowl, mash your ripe bananas with a fork until mostly smooth with just a few chunks left.

Combine wet and dry. Now add the banana mash and date paste into the bowl with the dry ingredients. Gently fold everything together until just combined- don’t overmix!

Add extras (optional). If you’re adding walnuts (I highly recommend it) or chocolate chips, fold them in now. I also added some chopped dates as a topping.

Bake. Spoon the batter into a lined muffin tin (fill each cup about ¾ full). Bake at 330℉ (165°C) for around 22-25 minutes, or until golden and a toothpick comes out clean. Let sit in the tin for about 10 minutes, then transfer muffins to a wire rack and let cool completely.