These Gluten-Free Banana Muffins are soft, chewy, and moist, made without flour or refined sugars. Plus, they’re made with pantry staples!
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
After sharing my healthy pumpkin muffins, I knew I had to create a banana version immediately! Those muffins have become wildly popular, and I’m thrilled to share this recipe today, which is similar to the pumpkin muffins: it contains no flour, no butter, and no refined sugars.
These naturally gluten-free muffins are made with regular pantry staples, requiring no trips to a specialty health-food store or online purchases. The ingredient list is fairly short; below, I’ve listed the ingredients used in these muffins.
Quick Tip
While the ingredients in Gluten-Free Banana Muffins are naturally gluten free, make sure to check all your ingredient labels to be sure they weren’t processed in a facility with gluten.
Ingredients In Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
- Old Fashioned Oats: Blend into oat flour for your gluten-free muffins.
- Overripe Bananas: The sweeter the bananas, the sweeter the muffins.
- Egg: Helps hold everything together and improves texture.
- Baking Agents: Makes the muffins light and fluffy. Check they’re fresh.
- Ground Cinnamon and Salt: Optional, but enhance and balance flavors.
- Vanilla Extract: Optional for a subtle flavor enhancement.
- Coconut Oil: Use a small amount, melted and cooled.
- Pure Maple Syrup: Naturally sweetens and adds nutrients.
- Dark Chocolate Chips: You can also use milk or semi-sweet chocolate.
How To Make Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
- Prep: Let the coconut oil cool before adding it to the batter.
- Blend Oats: Level off the oats before blending for the right amount.
- Mash Bananas: Mash 2-3 ripe bananas with a fork until they’re smooth.
- Mix Batter: Stir until combined, but don’t overmix to keep them fluffy.
- Bake: Test the muffins by gently pressing them; they should bounce back when ready.
- Cool: Use a fork to gently lift the muffins without breaking them.
Tips For Success
- Grease Tin: Generously grease the muffin tin for easy release. Avoid liners as the batter sticks to them.
- Smooth Batter: Thoroughly mash the bananas to avoid lumps in your Gluten-Free Banana Muffins. For speed, use an electric mixer.
- Extra Chocolate: Add a few extra chocolate chips on top of each muffin before baking.
- Salty Sweet Touch: Optionally, sprinkle Maldon® sea salt flakes on the muffins fresh out of the oven.
Storage
Storage Tips
- Cool muffins completely before wrapping and freezing.
- To freeze: Wrap Gluten-Free Banana Muffins individually in plastic wrap and then place in large freezer bags.
- To thaw: Set out at room temperature, or heat frozen muffins in the microwave.
More Gluten-Free Recipes
- Gluten-Free Carrot Cake
- Gluten Free Zucchini Muffins
- Zucchini Cake
- Gluten Free Apple Muffins
- Gluten Free Brownies
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
Soft, chewy, and moist, these Gluten-Free Banana Muffins are made without any flour or refined sugars. For a fun flavor addition, add chocolate chips. This recipe relies on pantry staples and requires no unique ingredients!
Equipment
- Muffin pan
- Blender or food processor
Ingredients
- 1 cup old-fashioned oats not steel cut or quick oats
- 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas 2–3 large bananas
- 1 large egg
- 1/4 cup + 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1/2 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/4 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons melted coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1/4 cup dark chocolate chips
- 1/4 cup mini chocolate chips see note 1
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Generously grease 9 cavities of a muffin pan. Melt the coconut oil and set aside so it can come back to room temperature (we don’t want to add hot oil to the batter).
- Fill the 1 cup measure of oats to the very top. Then level off the top by scraping the back of a table knife across the top. Add the cup of oats to a blender or food processor and blend until the oats resemble flour—a fine powder. If needed, stir and reblend to break up larger chunks of oats. Set aside.
- Mash very ripe bananas in a small bowl with the back of a fork. Mash thoroughly.
- Add the mashed banana, egg, maple syrup, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, salt, melted coconut oil, and vanilla extract to a large bowl. Stir until well combined. Add the blended oats and stir until combined. Add dark chocolate chips and mini chocolate chips and stir again.
- Transfer the batter into the prepared muffin pan, adding equal amounts to the 9 cavities; cavities should be about 3/4 filled. If desired, add a few more chocolate chips on top. Bake for 23–26 minutes or until lightly browned around the edges and no longer gooey/wet looking on top (if you lightly touch the muffin, it should spring back). Remove from oven and let stand 5 minutes before using a fork to coax the muffins out onto a cooling rack.
Video
Recipe Notes
Note 1: Dark chocolate offers health benefits and a fun textural addition. Milk or semi-sweet chocolate can be used, but they do make the muffins slightly less nutritious. You can use all mini chocolate chips or all dark chocolate chips if preferred; just keep the amount to 1/2 cup total. Chocolate doesn’t contain gluten, but check the label to be sure.
Storage: Once completely cooled, store the muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 2–3 days. To freeze, cool muffins completely, wrap them in plastic wrap, and place in large freezer bags.
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 178kcal | Carbohydrates: 27g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 156mg | Potassium: 191mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 58IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 1mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Just saw these on FG and they look great! I just posted banana oatmeal choc chip cookies today with very little butter. But they do have flour 🙂 Your muffins look awesome! Need to try!
So I am a huge muffin person but never make them! Obviously I needed this recipe. Love that they are flourless! Genius, Chelsea!!
WOW-these muffins are gorgeous! the texture is perfect, I love all those chocolate chips, and the fact that they’re so healthified is amazing! YUM YUM YUMMERS
Love these flourless muffins! They look delicious and perfect for a healthier start to the morning!
These look insanely good! I love baking with oat flour. I am going to have to let my bananas go brown so that I can make these ASAP.
These muffins look amazing! Love that they are flour less!
The Texture of these muffins looks perfect. I can never resist gooey chocolate in a muffin.
These look great– and I happen to have two sad looking bananas on my counter. Still love your flourless oat pumpkin muffins- made a batch or two of them this week and froze some extras. Can’t wait to try these. Thanks!
Ohhh I LOVE those big chunks of chocolate chips inside these cute lil’ muffins! And because they’re on the healthier side, you can have 3 or 4, right ;).
I love this recipe, I made something similar, but I actually used a little flour, and blueberries, but I love all that chocolate, may have to try it your way!