Gluten-Free Banana Muffins Recipe

We don't know about you, but banana muffins are our favorite breakfast. There is something just so right about a banana muffin and a warm cup of joe in the morning. Plus, we've found that by having a batch of these muffins on hand at all times, we are always prepared for a quick and healthy snack.

Recipe developer and health coach, Miriam Hahn, brings us these gluten-free and vegan banana muffins. "I like to have these on hand for a quick breakfast on-the-go, [a] pre-exercise snack, or dessert. They are great with some fresh fruit and a cup of coffee," she says. 

This recipe utilizes almond flour instead of wheat flour to make these gluten-free. Additionally, Hahn uses flax eggs instead of chicken eggs to make these vegan. But if sticking to a vegan diet isn't of primary importance, you can substitute chicken eggs in place of the flax eggs. Follow the step-by-step guide to make a batch of these muffins.

To make these gluten-free banana muffins, we'll start by gathering our ingredients. You'll need ground flax seed, water, almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, bananas, maple syrup, vanilla extract, and chocolate chips. In terms of equipment, you'll need an oven, muffin tin, and paper muffin liners. While you can mix the batter in a stand mixer, if you don't have a stand mixer, a simple bowl and spoon will also do. 

Start by preheating your oven to 350 F. Next, you'll need to make the flax eggs — a vegan-friendly egg substitute. Hahn notes "To make a flax egg you simply add 1 tablespoon ground flax seed (this is sometimes called flax meal) [to] 3 tablespoons water and stir. After about 5 minutes the mixture will turn into a gel-like substance that can be used as an egg replacement in baked goods." If you don't want to use flax eggs, you can always use 2 chicken eggs, instead.

Now, you can mix the dry ingredients. In a large bowl, add almond flour, baking powder, baking soda, and salt. Use a whisk or a fork to stir. Be sure to mix well to ensure full incorporation of these ingredients. Because these are gluten-free, you'll avoid the use of wheat flour and instead replace it with almond flour. But don't worry, you won't be able to tell that they're gluten free. They'll still rise and taste delicious.

Next up, you need to mix your wet ingredients. In a separate medium bowl, add the bananas. Mash them against the sides of the bowl with a fork until they are well-mashed and no large chunks remain. Add the maple syrup, vanilla extract, and flax egg mixture. By this time, the flax egg mixture should be gel-like in consistency, just like normal eggs would be. Using a spoon, stir well to ensure the ingredients are well combined.

Add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients. Stir to make sure the batter is well-mixed. Hahn notes that the batter will be quite thick. Now, add in the chocolate chips. Give the entire mixture another good stir to ensure the chocolate chips are incorporated. Make sure your oven is preheated. Add paper liners to the muffin tin. Now, scoop the batter as evenly as possible into the muffin tin.

Add the muffin tin to the preheated oven for 20 minutes. Once the time is up, remove the muffins from the oven. Check the doneness with a toothpick by inserting it into the center of one of the muffins. If the toothpick comes out clean, they're done. Allow them to cool for at least 10 minutes, then serve and eat them while they're still warm. Hahn notes that these "store well in the fridge for up to a week." She also mentions that you can "freeze these for up to one month."