Banana Muffins (Gluten-Free + Vegan)

I've been making this banana muffin recipe for years and I still look forward to it when I see a couple of bananas browning on the counter, and I know those overripe bananas just won't be good for anything else but baking. This recipe is super easy to make. Just plop everything in the blender and give it a quick mix. The almond flour and oat flour provide a great flavor for the gluten-free flour blend and the bananas and cinnamon give that signature banana-bread yumminess. The banana also does a fabulous job of binding the ingredients in this recipe, so there's no need for eggs or xanthan gum. Another great thing about this recipe is that it is full of moisture from the bananas and doesn't need any oil, making it a healthier option.

Important Ingredients

• Almond Flour — Almond flour gives the gluten-free flour blend extra flavor and protein.

• Oat Flour – Oat flour is good at binding other flours together and helps to create a stable muffin that is not too soft or delicate.

• Tapioca Flour – Tapioca flour helps to achieve a light and fluffy crumb.

• Bananas – Overripe bananas are best for this recipe. While you can use just-ripe bananas, the overall effect will be a little less sweet. Bananas sweeten further as they ripen, which makes overripe bananas great for baked goods.

• Baking powder – This recipe relies on baking powder to help these muffins rise. The rise created by baking powder doesn't last very long, however, so be sure to have your muffin pan greased and oven pre-warmed before you blend your muffin ingredients.

How to Make this Recipe

Grease your muffin pan. Grease a 12-count muffin pan and set it aside.

Preheat oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.

Blend wet ingredients. Place peeled bananas, brown sugar, coconut milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla in the blender. Blend till just combined.

Add dry ingredients. Add oat flour, almond flour, tapioca flour/starch, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and sea salt. Blend just till mixed, usually only for 10 to 15 seconds. Don’t over blend as we don’t want to blend out the baking soda rise.

Pour batter. Evenly distribute your batter into your muffin tin. It should make 12 muffins.

Bake. Bake muffins for 16-19 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Higher elevation may need an extra minute.

Cool. Allow muffins to cool in the pan for 10-15 minutes before removing.

Recipe Notes

Reduced sugar. If you are looking for a healthier option, consider reducing the sugar in this recipe by half. I often like to make these muffins with only 1/4 c. brown sugar, because I like the stronger banana flavor and less sweetness, but just know that sugar does help baked goods rise, so your healthier muffins will be a tad smaller.

Thin spatula. This Norpro Silicone Spatula is my favorite tool for scooping muffins out of the muffin pan.

Substitutions

Coconut milk. While I usually use coconut milk in this recipe, almond milk is another great alternative.