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!
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…
Start With Simple Ingredients
- 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 brown 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…
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.
How To Make Healthy Banana Muffins, Step By Step
As always, you can find the full recipe, with ingredient amounts, detailed instructions, and tips in the recipe card below!
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment muffin cup liners or grease muffin cups.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a food processor (or stand mixer), combine bananas, coconut oil, syrup, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla. Puree until smooth.
- Mix In Dry Ingredients. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to the wet ingredients. Pulse until just combined. Use a spatula to fold in 1/2 oats and stir in mix-ins (if using).
- Scoop Muffin Batter. Then, 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.
- 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. Allow muffins to cool 1-2 minutes in the muffin pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling down.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away, or store leftover muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator or a freeze in a freezer bag up to 2 months, for best results.
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!
FAQ + Tips & Tricks For The Best Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
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!
Or, go for Peanut Butter Banana Muffins, Banana Streusel Muffins, or these Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins!
Did You Make This Recipe?
Tell me all about it! Leave a star rating below when you try our Gluten-Free Banana Muffins recipe. I can’t wait to hear how it goes!
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
For The Wet Ingredients:
- 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 teaspoons vanilla extract
For The Dry Ingredients:
- 1 3/4 cup gluten-free measure-for-measure flour* (210 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 1/2-1 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 cup quick-cooking oats, certified gluten-free as needed (+1-2 Tbsp. for the tops, if desired) (45 grams)
- Optional Mix-Ins: 3/4-1 cup chocolate chips or chopped nuts
Instructions
- Preheat & Prep. To start, preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Line a 12-cup muffin tin with parchment muffin cup liners or grease muffin cups.
- Combine Wet Ingredients. In a food processor (or stand mixer), combine bananas, coconut oil, syrup, almond milk, eggs, and vanilla. Puree until smooth.
- Mix In Dry Ingredients. Add flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt to the wet ingredients. Pulse until just combined. Use a spatula to fold in 1/2 oats and stir in mix-ins (if using).
- Scoop Muffin Batter. Then, 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.
- 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. Allow muffins to cool 1-2 minutes in the muffin pan before transferring to a wire rack to finish cooling down.
- Serve & Store. Enjoy right away, or 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
- Gluten-Free Flour. 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. If you use another gluten-free flour blend, be sure it contains xanthan gum. Do not use coconut flour or almond flour for this recipe.
- Measure Carefully. For best results, we recommend weighing your flour on a kitchen scale. If you don’t have one, use the scoop & level method. Fluff the flour with a fork, then spoon the flour into the measuring cups and level them off with the back of a knife to avoid packing extra flour into the measuring cups.
- Bananas. 3 bananas = about 1 cup mashed banana!
Video
Nutrition
Nutrition facts are an estimate only and will vary based on brands and amounts used.
Find it Online:
https://www.onelovelylife.com/gluten-free-banana-muffins/
I would Love to try these but have a thing against xanthum gum. Would these be a disaster without?
Most recipes developed with xanthan won’t work the same without it. It mimics that stretchy pull that gluten usually adds to baked goods, so without it, your baked goods can be dry and crumbly.
I’m a little confused – I don’t see xantahum gum on the ingredient list?
Sorry for the confusion! I don’t typically add it as a separate ingredient. Instead, what I recommend is a gluten-free measure-for-measure blend that *contains* xanthan gum. (King Arthur Measure-For-Measure or Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 are two great examples.)
Lovely recipe! Thanks so much!
Posted my pics just now on Instagram. Gave Emily the kudos and put @ and # in my post. I’m new to IG. I’ll follow you soon. Find me @historybellesmith on IG
I did recipe as written except I hand beat it all. Lots of experience doing that growing up. Added chocolate chips. I used Bob’s 1:1 because that’s what I have. Looks yummy. Can hardly wait to eat! Cooling now.
I’m so glad you loved them Bridget! Thank you so much for taking the time to leave a review!
Beautiful and delicate flavour ..I love these!
I’m so glad you enjoyed them, Melissa. Thank you for leaving a review! 🙂
Glad I found this. We are now on a dairy,egg, gluten free diet, arg! But these Came out great, and I even made my own GF flour mix! these are light, airy, and not too sweet, healthy for the family. Thank you!!!
Oh good! I’m so glad! 🙂
We have made these a few times now and added mini chocolate chips, hubby loves them. Thanks for sharing!
YAY! So glad they’re a win at your house! We love them.
Thank you for the delicious GF recipe! I have been gluten free for almost 4 years now. As soon as I saw you used 1 to 1 flour by Red Mill had to try it. I used 2 bananas and 1/2 cup of applesauce. Sprinkled walnuts on top of the muffins before baking. My house smells so good. Everyone in my family tried them including my youngest who is a picky eater and loved the muffins.
Hooray! I’m so glad they were a win Janna. Love your idea of using applesauce + walnuts!
I tried making gluten free banana bread from another site and it turned out terrible. I really liked the idea of muffins! After reading the stellar reviews I knew this was the recipe for me. And I’m writing a review to confirm that these are indeed DELICIOUS!Thank you for this recipe!
I applaud you for the low sugar (which I do prefer) but after tasting the wet ingredients I knew it wouldn’t be quite sweet enough for me and I added about 3 TBS coconut sugar. I also added 1/2c walnuts and sprinkled 4 of them with chocolate chips 🙂 Definitely a new staple! I look forward to making them again with coconut flakes and adding a few chocolate chips to the batter so that I don’t need the extra sugar.
Oh, I’m so glad it was a win! Thank you so much for sharing your additions & leaving a review. I appreciate it so much! 🙂
I made these today following the recipe using Namaste flour and a mix of ghee and avocado oil. The only deviation was adding chocolate chips. I live at high altitude so I baked them at 375 for 24 minutes. Turned out perfect!
Tatyana – I’m SO glad! Love the suggestion to do half ghee and half avocado oil. I bet it’s great for flavor!
These are delicious and I definitely will recommend this to my gluten free friends! I didn’t have Bob’s Red Mills GF flour so I looked up one w/o brown rice flour. Here is how to make a batch of gluten free flour. 2 cups (192 grams) almond flour, 1 1/3 c. (163 grams ) tapioca flour, 2/3 cup (82 grams) coconut flour. In your recipe I used 1 3/4 cup ( 245 grams) of this mix. They came perfect!
Fran – Thanks so much for the suggestion! I’m so glad they worked out! Thanks for sharing your homemade mix 🙂
Hi! I didn’t have any GF flour, so I used oat flour and 1.25 cups oat flour and .50 cups almond flour and a .25 tsp xanthum gum.
Oh yum! I’m so glad to know that works! I’ll have to try it next time. 🙂