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Gluten-Free Banana Muffins (So easy!)

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This popular gluten-free banana muffin recipe is the BEST around! With the golden tops and fluffy middles, you’d never know they’re gluten-free and dairy-free!

Front view of a banana oatmeal muffin on a coaster with a glass of almond milk in the background

I don’t know what it is about buying bananas, but I feel like I have never guessed the correct number we need a week in my life.

Some weeks, we FLY through bananas in a few days, and everyone’s begging for more. (“Why don’t we have more bananas!?”) Other weeks, I feel like the bunch I bought has somehow doubled, and they are all spotty because no one ate a single one all week. (“Why are there SO MANY bananas?!”)

There is no in-between at my house. It’s Eat All The Bananas or No One Eats Any Bananas. Anyone else?

Thank goodness for the best banana muffins. This simple one bowl banana muffin recipe couldn’t be easier, and it’s one of my favorite ways to use the overripe bananas staring me down on the counter.

With their golden tops, soft fluffy middles, and the perfect amount of banana flavor, these gluten-free banana muffins make delicious snacks, an easy breakfast for busy mornings, or tuck nicely into packed lunches.

Here’s what I put in my gluten-free banana oatmeal muffins that makes them taste so incredible…

Front view of gluten-free banana muffins cooling on a cooling rack.
Front view of two gluten-free banana oatmeal muffins stacked on top of each other. The top muffin has a bite taken out of it.

Simple Ingredients For These Easy Gluten-Free Banana Muffins

  • Ripe Bananas. This ultra-moist gluten-free banana muffins recipe uses 3 ripe bananas, which makes it such a great way to use up all the ripe ones on your counter. All those ripe bananas will give these muffins amazing flavor and texture., so you want them fully ripe with plenty of spots for this recipe.
  • Coconut Oil or Melted Butter. Thanks to the three bananas in these moist banana muffins, you only need a little additional fat in this recipe. I usually use melted coconut oil, or you can swap in melted butter/vegan butter for these muffins. It all works!
  • Pure Maple Syrup. A little maple syrup gives these delicious banana muffins a perfect gentle sweetness without refined sugar.
  • Almond Milk (Or Your Favorite). I usually use almond milk here, but feel free to use whatever your family drinks!
  • Eggs. A couple of eggs help give your banana muffins plenty of puff and stretch.
  • Vanilla Extract & Cinnamon. I like plenty of pure vanilla extract in my banana muffins. For a more traditional banana bread flavor I also add cinnamon.
  • Gluten-Free Flour. There are lots of different gluten-free flour blends out there to choose from, but for my gluten-free banana muffin recipe, you’ll want to be sure you’re using an all-purpose gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan gum. (These kinds of blends are often labeled 1:1, measure-for-measure, or cup-for-cup.) I highly recommend King Arthur Flour measure-for-measure gluten-free flour for this recipe since has a light, fluffy, golden finish and no weird aftertaste. My second fave is this one from Bob’s Red Mill, and my third pick is Cup4Cup. Don’t substitute almond flour, oat flour, or coconut flour here, as they won’t work the same.
  • Baking Soda + Salt. To finish off the dry ingredients, you’ll use a mix of baking soda and salt. The flavors feel beautifully balanced and that light, fluffy texture is tough to beat!
  • Quick Oats. I stir a few quick oats into my gluten-free banana muffin recipe (they add some substance while still keeping the muffins light), and then add a few on top right before they go into the oven to make them pretty.
  • Mix-Ins (If You Want). These gluten-free muffins are tasty enough to stand on their own, but there are lots of ways you can change up this recipe with mix-ins, flavor twists, and toppings, like…

HELPFUL TOOLS + INGREDIENTS FOR GLUTEN-FREE BANANA MUFFINS:

Overhead view of a gluten-free banana muffin drizzled with natural peanut butter
Front view of a gluten-free banana muffin drizzled with natural peanut butter

Our Favorite Mix-Ins & Variations To Try:

  • ADD CHOCOLATE CHIPS. My go-to variation on these banana muffins is to add chocolate chips to the muffin batter. Or you can try my slightly different banana chocolate chip muffin recipe here.
  • TRY CHOPPED NUTS. If you like nuts in your banana bread, try adding 3/4-1 cup chopped walnuts or pecans to these gluten-free banana muffins. It’s DELICIOUS!
  • STIR IN BLUEBERRIES. Or, experiment by making banana blueberry muffins! Add 3/4-1 cup fresh blueberries to the batter.
  • DRIZZLE WITH PEANUT BUTTER. When I eat gluten-free banana oatmeal muffins for breakfast, I love drizzling or spreading a little peanut butter on top. It makes them a more filling option and the combination of banana + peanut butter is one of my favorites! (Almond butter also works!)
  • ADD A FEW DROPS OF ALMOND EXTRACT. One of my favorite variations is to skip the cinnamon and add 1/2-1 tsp. almond extract along with the vanilla. It’s DELICIOUS!
  • TRY THEM WITH CHAI SPICE. Swap out the cinnamon for a little of our chai spice mix. It adds a warm depth of flavor that’s delicious!
Front view of a gluten-free banana oatmeal muffin on a white background. A glass of almond milk is visible in the background.
Front view of gluten-free banana oatmeal muffins. The one in the foreground has a bite taken out of it, showing a fluffy interior

FAQ + Tips & Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Banana Muffins:

THE BEST GLUTEN-FREE FLOUR FOR GLUTEN-FREE BANANA MUFFINS: My all-time favorite gluten-free flour for muffins is King Arthur Flour Gluten-Free Measure-for-Measure flour. It’s light, fluffy, and browns beautifully. My second favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Flour. If you use other brands, know that your results may vary slightly.

THE BEST MUFFIN LINERS EVER. Every time I share a muffin recipe, I share these parchment muffin cup liners. They are THE MOST nonstick liners ever. It’s rare that my muffins stick at all with these. If you use other paper liners, you may want to spray or mist them with spray oil first to help your muffins come out easily. Or…

OR, TRY THIS COMPLETELY NONSTICK MUFFIN PAN. Or, if you prefer to skip muffin liners, this silicone muffin pan is our favorite. The sides of your gluten-free banana oatmeal muffins won’t get quite as golden as they would in a metal pan, but they’ll pop right out of the muffin cups when they’re done baking!

A TIP FOR PRETTY BANANA MUFFINS. Any time I’m making muffins with toppings or mix-ins, I set aside a few tablespoons of the mix-ins (chocolate chips, nuts, etc.) to put on the muffins right before baking. That way they look extra pretty when they come out of the oven. It’s a simple trick, but that’s how so many bloggers and bakers make their muffins look so pretty!

CAN YOU USE FROZEN BANANAS FOR BANANA MUFFINS? Yes! I use this method to freeze bananas for baking, smoothies, and more, and they work really well here! It’s best to let the bananas thaw before baking with them. They will likely seep a bit of liquid. You can add it right along with the recipe or drain it off. Your choice!

Front view of gluten-free banana oatmeal muffins.

⭐ Don’t forget to leave a star rating below when you make our Gluten-Free Banana Muffin recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!

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Front view of a banana oatmeal muffin on a coaster with a glass of almond milk in the background

Gluten-Free Banana Muffins


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4.9 from 40 reviews

  • Author: One Lovely Life
  • Total Time: 30 minutes
  • Yield: 12 muffins 1x
  • Diet: Gluten Free

Description

This popular banana muffin recipe is the BEST! With the golden tops and fluffy middles, you’d never know they’re gluten-free and dairy-free!


Ingredients

Scale
  • 3 ripe bananas (they should be very spotty!), cut into chunks
  • 1/3 cup coconut oil, melted (can sub melted butter, or vegan butter)
  • 1/4 cup pure maple syrup
  • 1/4 cup almond milk (or your favorite milk)
  • 2 large eggs, room temperature
  • 1 1/2 tsp. vanilla extract
  • 1 3/4 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour*
  • 1 tsp. baking soda
  • 1/21 tsp. cinnamon
  • 1/2 tsp. salt
  • 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats, certified gluten-free as needed (+12 Tbsp. for the tops, if desired)
  • Optional Mix-Ins: 3/4-1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a muffin tin with muffin cup liners or grease muffin cups.
  2. In a food processor (or stand mixer), combine bananas, coconut oil, syrup, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla. Puree until smooth.
  3. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to the wet ingredients. Pulse until just combined.
  4. Use a spatula to fold in 1/2 oats and stir in mix-ins (if using).
  5. Scoop or spoon the batter into the prepared muffin cups, filling them most of the way full. If desired, sprinkle them with a few quick oats on top.
  6. Bake muffins at 350 degrees for 18-20 minutes, or until the tops are golden and a toothpick inserted in the center comes out mostly clean with a few moist crumbs.
  7. Allow muffins to cool 1-2 minutes in the muffin pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling down.
  8. Enjoy! Store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a freeze in a freezer bag up to 2 months, for best results.

Notes

*I highly recommend King Arthur Baking Measure-For Measure Gluten-Free Flour Blend for this recipe. My second favorite is Bob’s Red Mill 1:1.

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20-22 minutes
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Baking
  • Cuisine: American

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114 Comments

    1. Did you use King Arthur flour blend? I didn’t and added 2 t. baking powder just in case it was part of that blend. A critical success factor in GF baking is adequate leavening in the absence of gluten.

  1. This looks like a great recipe and I would love to try it! Do you think I could use the same batter and bake it in a loaf pan?

    1. That’s a great question! I haven’t baked it this way, but it might work in a large loaf pan, though you’ll definitely need to play with the baking time. I wouldn’t fill your loaf pan more than 3/4 full so it doesn’t overflow 🙂

  2. I couldn’t find my quick oats but I had a crunchy peanut butter granola bar that was mostly oats so I ground it up in a food processor. Not sure how it will really turn out but let’s hope for yummy.

  3. It is a wonderful recipe, easy and the muffins are so fluffy!!! I added Monk Fruit Sweetened Pancake Syrup instead of Maple and they came out perfectly!






    1. You may prefer one of our other banana muffin recipes (I linked several right above the recipe card.)

      Or, you can give them a try without the oats. They do absorb some of the liquid, so I’m not sure if you’d need to add an extra little bit of flour. It’s something you’d need to experiment with if you want to adapt the recipe.

    2. I made them without the oats and with Lactose free cow milk. They turned out very good! So go on – experiment and enjoy 🙂 good luck!

  4. It’s so hard finding gluten free recipes that my whole family can enjoy, but I made these for my family yesterday morning and everyone loved them! My family had eaten all of them by the time I went for seconds, which never happens when I bake gluten free! I’m going to make them again today or tomorrow, and was wondering if I made a double batch if I could freeze some of the batter? These are definitely a new family favorite. Thank you!






    1. I’m so glad they were all a win for you! I often double the batch, but I recommend freezing the baked muffins rather than freezing the batter. 🙂 Stored in an airtight container, the muffins should keep in the freezer at least 1 month!

  5. Hi could you tell me how many cups of mashed bananas- they vary so much in size- thank you! They sound wonderful

  6. Perfect GF muffins that no one would suspect are GF; they’re so delicious!

    I made walnut-pumpkin spice and can’t wait to try the almond extract version suggested, perhaps mixing in some almond flour and again adding 1/4 C flax meal.

    The day I made them, 5 very ripe bananas were on the counter, so I used them all with great results! It started with a great recipe. Thanks!






  7. These were delicious! I am so happy to find a fluffy and moist gluten free muffin recipe! Just a note: I added frozen berries to mine and left out the oats. The berries added some moisture and tasted really good.

  8. Has anyone tried Namaste perfect flour blend? I just purchased a giant bag from Costco and wanted to use it for this muffin recipe.

    1. Hi, Stephanie! I haven’t tried that particular blend, but if it’s considered a 1:1 flour and contains xanthan gum, it will probably work here! (If there’s no xanthan gum, you’ll want to add some so the texture turns out)

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