This is the best recipe for gluten-free banana muffins. It makes classic, homestyle muffins. For the best flavor and texture, use really overripe bananas. The recipe is naturally dairy-free but if you love buttery muffins, use melted and cooled butter. The easy one-bowl recipe comes together in just minutes!
I love these banana muffins. They’re one of those “You can’t tell this is gluten-free!” recipes. I promise that there isn’t a hint of grittiness that some gluten-free muffins contain.
Since these are so good, I often double the recipe. Just like my gluten-free blueberry muffins, these freeze beautifully. So when I’m in the mood for a muffin–but not in the mood to bake–there’s always a few in the freezer along with gluten-free chocolate chip cookies and a loaf of sandwich bread.
Ingredients.
- Bananas. For the best flavor and texture, you really want to use overripe bananas. They’re sweeter and contain more moisture than yellow bananas. It’s easy to tell when bananas are overripe. The skin gets very brown–it can even turn black. And the banana gets soft and mushy.
Substitute: There’s really no substitute for bananas in this recipe. But if you don’t have overripe bananas, use yellow bananas and add two teaspoons of additional brown sugar plus two teaspoons of water or milk. - Dark Brown Sugar. These muffins have a nice sweetness thanks to the dark brown sugar. Use dark brown sugar that’s soft. If it’s gotten hard in the bag, soften it by placing a lightly damp paper towel over the sugar and warm it on low heat in the microwave.
Substitute: Replace the dark brown sugar with either light brown sugar or granulated sugar. I don’t recommend honey or maple syrup for this recipe because it can make the muffins too moist. For sugar-free muffins, use a sugar replacement that’s suitable for baking. - Gluten-Free Flour. I tested this recipe with Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour. It makes great muffins. Use a gluten-free flour blend that contains xanthan or guar gum. Without it, the muffins can turn out dense.
Substitute: If you don’t want to use a premade gluten-free flour blend, whisk together: 1 ¼ cups white rice flour. ½ cup cornstarch and ¼ cup sweet rice with ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. - Eggs. Two large eggs bring the batter together and give the muffins a nice crumb.
Substitute: Do you want to make these muffins egg-free? Here’s what to do: use a “flax egg”. To make it, whisk together two tablespoons of ground flaxseed and five tablespoons of hot water. Let that sit for about five minutes and then use it like you’d use the egg. By the way, it’s important to use ground flaxseeds. Sometimes the bags are labeled “flaxmeal.” Whole flaxseeds don’t work as well for an egg replacement. - Oil. The oil is an important ingredient in this recipe. It makes the muffins moist and rich, plus it helps keep them fresh. So it’s not an ingredient you want to skip. Use a neutral flavored oil, like vegetable or canola oil.
Substitute: Butter works great in this recipe. To use it, melt the butter and let it cool slightly before adding it to the muffins. - Baking Powder, Baking Soda, and Salt. These three ingredients contribute a lot. The baking soda and baking powder help the muffins to rise and the salt enhances the flavor.
Optional Ingredients.
- Chocolate Chips. Banana muffins and chocolate chips go great together. Use regular or mini-chips. Both taste great.
- Chopped Nuts. If you love banana-nut muffins, add a cup of your favorite chopped nuts to the batter.
- Vanilla Extract. You’ll notice this recipe doesn’t call for vanilla extract. Since the bananas and brown sugar are so flavorful, it doesn’t require it. But if you love vanilla, add a teaspoon of extract along with the eggs, sugar, and oil. It adds a lovely flavor to the muffins.
- Cinnamon. For spiced banana muffins, add a teaspoon of ground cinnamon along with the vanilla extract.
How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Muffins: Steps for Success.
This muffin recipe is so easy to make. All you need do is mix the simple batter. Let it rest. And bake the muffins. You got this!
Make the Batter.
You only need one bowl to make this batter. Start by mashing the bananas. Do this with a fork or an electric mixer both work great. Then add the brown sugar, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Mix everything together until it’s almost smooth. If you see a few lumps of bananas, that’s fine.
Stop the mixer and add the remaining ingredients. Stir until a batter forms. This takes about 30 seconds. You’ll notice that the batter is thick. So it’s a good idea to stop the mixer and scrape the bottom of the bowl. A lot of times, there’s a thin layer of flour clinging to the bottom or sides of the bowl. Mix any flour or other ingredients into the batter before you let it rest.
Let the Batter Rest.
A lot of people believe that after they mix a batter they need to get it into the oven as fast as possible or the muffins won’t rise. This isn’t true. As long as the batter contains double-acting baking powder, the batter can rest. And muffins turn out better if it does.
Let’s quickly talk about double-acting baking powder since it’s the key to letting the batter rest. Unlike baking soda, which releases gas once when it interacts with the acid and liquid in a recipe, double-acting baking powder works twice. It first releases gas when it comes in contact with liquid and then again when it’s heated.
If you’re going to let your batter rest, be sure the label says “double-acting.” The good news is that most do.
Resting batter simply means mixing it, covering the bowl, and waiting a little while before baking. But how long should you wait? Good question.
I’ve found that a 30-minute rest gives you the best results. It’s long enough to allow the starches to soften but not so long that a batch of muffins becomes a day-long task.
But what if you don’t have 30 minutes to wait? For this recipe, it’s fine. The muffins still rise and turn out really well. They might not be as tender but if you’re in a rush, I wouldn’t worry about it.
Prepare and Fill the Muffin Pan.
This recipe makes about 16 standard-size muffins. I say “about” because the size of muffin pans varies depending on the manufacturer. You might get 15 muffins if your pan is large or 18 if it’s smaller.
To prevent the muffins from sticking to the pan, I like to line the pan with paper liners. It makes it so easy to get the muffins out of the pan. If you want to skip the paper liners, grease each muffin cavity lightly with oil to prevent the muffins from sticking. Do this even if your muffin pan is nonstick.
As an added layer of protection from the muffins sticking, I spray the top of the pan with nonstick cooking spray. This way, if the muffin batter overflows, it won’t stick to the top of the pan.
Fill each muffin cup about ⅔ full. I like to use a muffin scoop to do this because it makes the task so quick. If you don’t have one, use a ¼ cup measuring spoon.
Bake Until Brown.
These muffins take about 22 minutes to bake. Baking time varies depending on your oven and the size of the pan. Check the muffins for doneness by inserting a toothpick into the center. Testing the center is important. The outside of the muffins bake faster than the center. Always aim the toothpick for the very center of the muffin. If you hit the bottom of the pan, you’ve gone too far down.
Since gluten-free baked goods have a slightly denser crumb than wheat baked goods, some folks like to use a thermometer to test for doneness. If you prefer to use a thermometer, you want the temperature to reach 203℉ to 205℉.
Cool on a Rack.
If you learn one thing about gluten-free baking from me, I hope it’s this: use a cooling rack. Hot baked goods contain a lot of steam. And if they’re allowed to cool in the pan, things can get soggy or gummy. There are a few exceptions, like gluten-free coffee cake, but most things do better when cooled on a wire rack.
When the muffins are done, remove the pan from the oven. Let the muffins cool in the pan for about five minutes. Then transfer the hot muffins to a cooling rack. This allows steam to easily escape and keeps the muffins from getting soggy on the bottom.
How to Freeze Gluten-Free Banana Muffins.
Gluten-free muffins freeze really well as long as you follow a few steps.
- Let the muffins cool. You don’t want to freeze warm muffins. When muffins are warm, they contain a lot of extra moisture. If you pop them in the freezer, this moisture turns to ice crystals. When the muffins thaw, you’ll notice they’re soggy and dry. It’s easy to avoid this! Just let the muffins cool completely before you freeze them.
- Use a freezer container. Place the muffins in a freezer bag or container. This keeps them from drying out in the freeze.
- Freeze for up to three months. For the best texture, freeze the muffins for up to three months. When you’re ready to enjoy them, remove the muffins from the freezer. Allow them to thaw at room temperature.
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
These gluten-free banana muffins are tender, moist, and really easy-to-make. You'll need three large bananas for this recipe. For the best flavor and texture, use overripe bananas. They're sweet and add a
Ingredients
- 3 medium very ripe bananas (about 15 ounces; 425 grams)
- ¾ cup lightly packed dark brown sugar (5 ½ ounces; 155 grams)
- ½ cup oil or (1 stick) butter, melted and slightly cooled (4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 2 large eggs, whisked (about 4 ounces; 113 grams)
- 2 cups Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten-Free Baking Flour (9 ounces/ 260 grams)
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup chocolate chips, optional (3 ounces; 85 grams)
- ½ cup chopped walnuts, optional (3 ounces, 85 grams)
Instructions
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In a large bowl, mash the bananas with a fork or potato masher. Add brown sugar, oil, and eggs. Add the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Mix until batter is thick. Stir in chocolate chips and nuts if using.
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Cover the bowl and let the batter rest for 30 minutes. (This step is optional. It makes the muffins more tender and helps them to rise more.)
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Preheat oven to 350℉. Grease or line 16 standard size muffins cups with paper liners. Fill prepared muffin cups ⅔ full with batter.
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Bake for about 22 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Cool muffins in the pan for 5 minutes; remove from pan and place on a wire rack to cool completely.
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Store, wrapped, on the counter for up to three days or freeze for up to three months.
Recipe Notes
Ingredient Substitutions.
Gluten-Free Flour Blend. If you prefer to mix your own flour, use 1 ¼ cups white rice flour, ½ cup cornstarch, ¼ cup sweet rice, and ½ teaspoon xanthan gum. Whisk together. Use in place of the premade flour blend.
Dark Brown Sugar. Use an equal amount of light brown sugar or granulated sugar. Muffins made with granulated sugar bake up a little lighter than those made with brown sugar.
Eggs. Replace the two eggs with a flax egg. To make it: stir together two tablespoons of ground flaxseed and five tablespoons of hot water. Let the mixture sit for five minutes. It will thicken during this time. Add it to the recipe along with the brown sugar and oil.
Oil. Melted butter is a great substitute for the oil. Melt one stick (4 ounces) of butter and allow it to cool slightly before adding it to the batter.
Leora says
I made these tonight and substituted the sugar for Xylitol (and used only 1/3 the amount), and added a splash of vanilla. They turned out really good! Thanks so much for the recipe!!
Leora says
Yes, 5 stars!
Cat says
I made tbese with my littles today and they did it all! Very easy recipe, I used Robinhood Gluten Free flour and omitted the salt. I made 12 regular muffins and 12 mini ones, baked for 19 minutes. 🙂 so delicious!!! Thank you!
Nichole says
Fantastic! First attempt at gluten free baking and turned out great. Thank you!
Jenna says
Tried these tonight, had to sub 1/2 the sugar for light brown sugar purely because I didn’t have enough left, they still turned out beautifully! So light and fluffy which is rare for GF cake! Thank you!
Elizabeth says
Yay! Glad you enjoyed them!
Jay s says
I used an extra 1/4 cup of flour (half tapioca flour and half Bob’s gf for whole recipe), because seemed too liquidy and missed adding a splash some vanilla but turned out Great! I also threw in a couple blueberries just cuz . I filled about 3/4 full and no problem. Ty! My wife will dig when she gets home today ?
Jay says
I used an extra 1/4 cup of flour (half tapioca flour and half Bob’s gf for whole recipe), because seemed too liquidy and missed adding a splash some vanilla but turned out Great! I also threw in a couple blueberries just cuz . I filled about 3/4 full and no problem. Ty! My wife will dig when she gets home today ?
Tracey says
These were really good! Great texture, flavor and everything! I modified them a little to be egg free (used one flax egg in place of the 2 regular eggs). And I added a teaspoon of vanilla extract just for fun. They were delicious! With how over-ripe my bananas were I could have probably done 1/2 cup of brown sugar and they would have been sweet enough. They were like cupcakes. Yum! I definitely will make these again… Maybe right now since I shared them with everyone and they are gone. LOL.
Haley says
Soo delicious, you wouldn’t even know they were gluten free. I have previously purchased GF muffins that were incredibly dry and would flake apart. This recipe is nothing like that; so moist and fluffy! ?
Michelle says
These muffins are fantastic! We will definitely be keeping this recipe to make again and again. We have had varying degrees of success with GF baking. This recipe was perfect. Thank you so much!
Linda says
Delicious and still moist the next day! Even the non gluten free members of the family really enjoyed them
Liz S says
I put the bananas in a bowl, microwaved for 5 mins, put bananas and juice in colander to drain/separate juices. Put bananas in separate bowl. Cooked banana juice down to concentrate the sugar, let cool and add to bananas. Added a lot of banana flavor.
Adora says
These are delicious! My non-gluten free family members love them and request them!
Elizabeth says
So glad you enjoy them!
Ginny S says
Hi, I’m wondering if I could make these on a sheet pan. I’ve been looking for a GF banana cake recipe, but haven’t found any that look good and are ‘cakey’. Based on some of the comments, this muffin recipe sounds like it would work for my purposes. (I bake pastries and such for a local restaurant and would make petit fours with a cream cheese frosting. They are baked on a sheet pan, cut into squares and frosted between layers and on top. The sides are left naked.) Thoughts?
Elizabeth says
This is a great question. And I’m working on a banana cake but, sadly, it’s not ready yet.
I think this recipe might work in a sheet pan. What size sheet pan do you want to use? This recipe makes 15 muffins; so it’s not a lot of batter.
Ginny S says
I was considering doubling it and using a half sheet pan. I think that’s 15″x18″. Maybe I’ll make the recipe as is and use a quarter sheet pan as to not waste ingredients in case it’s a miss.
Lindsay Gonzalez says
You had me at Micheal Bolton.
Elizabeth says
Ha!
Sue says
Delicious and easy. I used the King Arthur Measure for Measure Gluten free flour because that’s what I had on hand. I just threw all the ingredients in my stand mixer and let it rip. I did make a small modification and added a teaspoon of vanilla and a half a teaspoon of cinnamon. They were delicious. Next morning I microwaved one and slathered it in butter, and could barely tell it was gluten free!
Grace Harvat says
I have a sugar allergy (on top of gluten and dairy… I live a very sad life), and I was wondering if you had any tips for swapping the brown sugar for syrup. I think I’ll use about 3/4ths of a half of a cup of maple syrup, and just cross my fingers that it doesn’t mess with the consistency too much!
Elizabeth says
I haven’t tested it with maple syrup. Both maple syrup and brown sugar are sucrose but tablespoon per tablespoon, maple syrup is sweeter. So it’s a good idea to reduce it.
The biggest issue, as you mentioned, is that it brings additional liquid to the recipe. In gluten-free baking, it could mean the muffins turn out gummy. So I can’t say for sure this recipe would work with maple syrup. If you try it, let me know how it goes!
Findapenny says
I made them with erythritol and another poster made them with Xylitol, neither of which increases blood sugar. Both came out great. I did 3/4 cup erythritol and that was perfect. I think you’d have a problem if you added liquid to this recipe; I made it a few times with blueberreis and the first batch was too wet just from some of the blueberries bursting, and I had to add more flour to the second batch, then the flavor wasn’t as good.
Lauren says
I made these into pumpkin muffins and just subbed roasted pumpkin for the banana. I added cinnamon and vanilla extract and used coconut oil for the oil. I used bob’s red mill 1 to 1 flour. They are so delicious and taste like regular muffins.
Jeannine A Sturm says
Oh what a great idea! That may be my next experiment. How much pumpkin did you use?
Jeannine says
Just took these out of the oven. They are perfect. Even though I only used two bananas since my husband went and ate the other one at breakfast, they still came out tasty! They rose well and are nice and moist and fluffy. I had to add some water to the batter as it was very thick and more like bread. So I thinned it out a bit and filled the pretty much to the top. Yielded 12 standard sized muffins. So excited to have these for breakfast this week! 🙂
Elizabeth says
Yay! Glad to hear you liked them!
And, yes, without the other banana, the batter would be thick. Glad you thought to add a bit of water!
Karoleena says
These are FANTASTIC!
Easy to make, came out great and I love that they can be frozen, since it’s only two of us at home. Also, my muffin tin is for 12, so I just put the remaining batter into a small (individual) ceramic loaf pan, popped it in the oven with the muffins and just left it in for about 8 minutes longer than the muffins. It came out great!
Thank you, Elizabeth! You’re the BESTUS! 🙂
Danette Tornatore says
I just put mine in the oven. I used coconut sugar with a little molasses in these. And added cinnamon and nutmeg. It made 16 regular sized muffins. Can’t wait to try them! ?