A warm banana muffin starts the day off right and also is a good afternoon snack solution or lunchbox treat. Gluten-free and milk-free, these banana gems with toasted walnuts have no refined sugar and weigh in at under 200 calories per muffin.
These healthy, tasty muffins offer some fiber, protein, and healthy fats. Of course, you could always swap in (or add) some chocolate chips to make them more indulgent and kid-friendly!
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What you'll love about this recipe
- Good muffin for gluten-sensitivities and celiac disease
- Well-rounded nutrition with moderate carbohydrate and 3 grams each of fiber and protein, depending on the type of gluten-free flour used. (I like Bob's Red Mill (affiliate link) or King Arthur.)
- No refined sugar and only a few grams of added sugar.
- Under 200 calories per muffin, so you can add a carton of yogurt and some fruit for a well-rounded, satisfying breakfast. Or, enjoy as a healthy pick-me-up in the afternoon. (Better than a candy bar!)
Ingredients
- Bananas
- Baking soda
- Eggs
- Canola oil, or use light olive oil, soybean oil, or melted butter
- Maple syrup, or use date syrup or maple sugar
- Vanilla
- Gluten-free flour
- Cinnamon
- Salt
- Walnuts
🍌Bananas: Here you go—a recipe for overripe bananas. The riper the better since they will be sweeter and softer. You can also use frozen bananas.
🥚Eggs: They provide most of the loft for these muffins, so an egg replacer, such as flax or chia mixed with water and allowed to thicken will not get the job done.
Canola oil: This oil is heart-healthy and rich in polyunsaturated fats. Please read about seed oils in this article. Light olive oil and soybean oil are good substitutes. You could also swap in melted butter.
🍁Maple syrup: This tree sap sweetener provides some minerals and lovely flavor. It is not low in calories, but a little goes a long way.
Another good sweetener is date syrup, which causes a moderate rise in blood sugar. Maple sugar (affiliate link) is a flavorful granulated option that adds a tad of heft to the thin batter.
Vanilla: Any type of vanilla (affiliate link) extract with the word "Madagascar" on the label will be fine. You could also try this vanilla paste (affiliate link), that I am loving for everything from baking to smoothies. It does need refrigeration once opened.
Gluten-free flour: Bob's Red Mill (affiiate link) is a good mix, that includes flour from legumes and whole grains, so it's rich in fiber.
Almond flour is gluten-free, but the muffin recipe will not work with only almond flour. You could use it to replace Ā¼ cup of the flour needed in the recipe. I have not tested this recipe with oat flour. With oat flour, try adding Ā¼ teaspoon of xanthan gum.
Cinnamon: There is not much of this spice in the muffins, but the little bit bumps up the taste! However, be cautious here because many cinnamons contain high levels of lead.
Try using McCormick cinnamon (affiliate link) or one of these other brands that were tested by Consumer Reports and found to contain less of the toxic metal.
Walnuts: For best taste, the recipe asks that you toast the walnuts before using. It makes a difference. Of course, you could replace the walnuts with chocolate chips (affiliate link) and make banana chocolate chip muffins!
How to Make
Wash your hands, lathering with soap and rinsing with running water for 20 seconds, before starting.
Place your bananas in a large bowl.
Mash until fairly smooth, using a potato masher (affiliate link) or a fork. If using frozen bananas, let them soften for a few minutes before mashing.
Add baking soda, and mix into the mashed bananas. Put the mixture aside.
Put the mixture aside and preheat the oven to 350 F. Place cupcake/muffin liners in your muffin tin. I like that parchment liners (affiliate link) or silicone (affiliate link) are easy release.
Place all gluten-free flour, salt, and cinnamon in a medium bowl.
Whisk (affiliate link) the dry ingredients to combine.
Beat the eggs with a whisk and add the rest of the liquid ingredients: canola oil, maple syrup, and vanilla.
Whisk thoroughly and combine with the mashed banana-baking soda mixture.
Sprinkle the dry ingredients (flour, etc.) over the top and stir just until there are no more dry streaks.
Gently, stir in the chopped walnuts.
Transfer batter to cups in prepared baking tin using a scoop, and perhaps a spoon. The batter will be thin.
Fill baking cups almost to the top, leaving about an ā -inch rim.
Bake for about 20 minutes in preheated oven, until the tops are a light golden brown and a toothpick inserted comes out clean, not wet.
Remove the baked muffins from the oven and place the tin on top of the cooling rack for 5 minutes.
Place baking tin on top of cooling rack for 5 minutes. Then place it next to the racks and remove muffins to finish cooling on wire rack(s) (affiliate link).
👩🏽🍳Baking Tips and Storage
Tips
The most difficult part of this recipe is transferring the thin batter to the liners in the muffin tin. A spouted batter bowl (affiliate link) or extra-large liquid measuring cup (affiliate link) will make the process easier.
Either start mashing the bananas in the spouted vessel or transfer once the batter is finished. This is worthwhile because it will save you the mess of batter splotches on the baking tin and the counter!
When it comes to muffin/cupcake liners, silicone, which is reusable and dishwasher-safe, will yield a more compact muffin with a slightly denser crumb. With parchment paper liners, the muffin will be fluffier.
Be sure and let the bananas sit for 3 to 5 minutes with the baking soda, so it can activate. In general, you will not get as much loft with gluten-free muffins since they lack the gluten proteins that help form structure in baked goods.
🗓️Storage
These muffins keep for 2 to 3 days at room temperature. After this, they can be frozen for up to 3 months.
I like to freeze them on the same day, and pull them out for a quick blast in the microwave before packing them for an on-the-go breakfast. They are also a good lunchbox and/or afternoon snack.
Serving ideas
A single muffin with a carton of Greek yogurt and Ā½ cup of grapes or a cup of berries is a nice breakfast. This mix of carbohydrate, fiber, and protein starts the day right and sets you up for a productive morning.
Enjoy muffins with scrambled or poached eggs with a side of sliced oranges.
Having a brunch gathering? Bake them the night before or pull a pre-baked dozen out of the freezer to add to your spread. (Pre-baking will simplify your event!)
Here's a gluten-free brunch menu option:
- Egg frittata with spinach, mozzarella, and sun-dried tomatoes
- Milk Free Gluten Free Banana Muffins
- Fruit salad of strawberries, kiwi fruit, and mango
- Tea, coffee, and ice water with citrus slices
Are these muffins healthy?
Allergy answers: This muffin is excellent for anyone with a sensitivity to gluten or celiac disease. If you are allergic to tree nuts, you could swap in some pumpkin seeds for the walnuts, or simply omit the nuts.
(Of course, if you are allergic to bananas, this is not the recipe for you! 😁)
Whole grains and fiber: Choosing a gluten-free flour that has fiber and whole grains for this recipe will increase the muffins health score.
Scan the label to see if it contains whole grains like sorghum, millet, or brown rice. Chickpea flour is another good one to look for.
If you use choose a gluten-free flour from an excellent source like Bob's Red Mill (affiliate link) or King Arthur, your muffin will be healthy and delicious and will bake according to the recipe directions.
Oat flour is a healthy gluten-free flour. This popular banana bread recipe that relies exclusively on this flour! But, I have not tried oat flour in these muffins because it tends to produce a heavier, moister muffin.
Healthy fats, protein, micronutrition: The eggs in the muffins have loads of nutrients. In addition to protein, they supply vitamin D, choline, and more. Eat eggs for your muscles, bones, and mind!
❤️Canola oil is a source of heart-healthy fats, but olive, sunflower, and soybean are good choices that will not change the flavor profile of your muffin. Melted butter works fine but adds saturated fats, not recommended for cholesterol management.
Walnuts are another source of heart-healthy fats, and they have beneficial fiber and protein.
🧂This muffin is not high in sodium.
Despite the fact that no refined sugar is used in the recipe, it contains a few grams of tree sap sugar from maple syrup and fructose from bananas, which gives it natural sweetness!
Bear in mind, this is NOT a vegan recipe, since it does need real eggs. 🥚
FAQs
Look for a flour that says "all-purpose" or 1:1 replacer, then you will not need to use xanthan gum or an ingredient that holds it together.
Whole grain gluten-free flour fluffs up the nutrition in the muffin with fiber and B vitamins. However, if you choose brown rice, amaranth, or millet flours that come from one grain instead of a blend, you may need to add a binder.
If the label does not show xanthan gum, tapioca flour, or potato starch, you'll need xanthan gum or another ingredient although baking soda and eggs will help with lift.
Unfortunately, the eggs provide structure to the muffins, so a flax or chia eggs will not do the trick. I would even be hesitant to try egg replacer products.
As long the muffins are not overbaked , they will not be dry.
They will rise, but not quite as much as regular banana muffins, which is why I suggest filling the liners to almost the top with the batter. You will not have to worry about them overflowing.
Of course! This is a yummy variation that kids love (think lunchboxes). If you are celiac or gluten-sensitive, scan the label of the chips for the words, "gluten free."
Also, you can substitute pumpkin seeds for the walnuts, if allergies to tree nuts are an issue. Flavorwise, pecans are another good swap for the walnuts.
💚Craisins give them a holiday vibe!
Other recipes you may like...
If muffins are your fave, you'll like these Banana Blackberry Oatmeal Muffins, which use oatmeal and wheat flour. Gluten-free flour works fine in place of the wheat flour.
For a muffin with a bit more protein, try these Cottage Cheese Blueberry Muffins, which will remind you of classic blueberry muffins with some extra nutrition.
Brownie Baked Oats are another easy, gluten-free option for breakfast. Each oatey slice has 10 grams of protein and tastes like well...a brownie!
If allergies are a consideration when cooking, take a look at this Coconut Curry with Spinach recipe that features gluten-free pasta and plenty of protein. You can make it with either tofu or chicken, so it's vegan-friendly!
Milk Free, Gluten Free Banana Muffins
Equipment
- 2 Mixing bowls
- Spatula
Ingredients
- 3 bananas
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- 2 large eggs,
- ⅓ cup canola oil, or use light olive oil, sunflower oil, or melted butter
- ¼ cup maple syrup, or date syrup, or maple sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 1½ cups gluten-free flour, such as Bob's Red Mill. Do not entirely use almond flour, but you can swap in up to ¼ cup.
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt, fine crystals
- ⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
Instructions Start Cooking
- Wash hands thoroughly, lathering with soap and rinsing under running water.
- In a large bowl, mash ripe bananas. (I like using a small potato masher to make this easy, but a fork works fine, too.)3 bananas
- Sprinkle baking soda over bananas and then mix together. Let this stand for about 5 minutes while you continue with recipe.1 teaspoon baking soda
- Preheat oven to 350℉, and grease a muffin/cupcake tin or place paper liners in the wells. You could also use silicone muffin liners. (Place them in the muffin tin for support.)
- In a medium bowl, whisk together gluten-free flour, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside.1½ cups gluten-free flour½ teaspoon cinnamon¼ teaspoon salt
- Whisk the eggs together in a 2-cup liquid measure. Add oil, maple syrup, and vanilla. Whisk thoroughly and mix with the mashed bananas.2 eggs⅓ cup canola or other oil¼ cup maple syrup1 teaspoon vanilla
- Sprinkle the dry ingredients over the top of the wet ingredients. Gently combine, mixing just until the dry ingredients are moistened. (Do not beat!)
- Gently stir in the walnuts.⅓ cup walnuts, chopped
- Transfer the batter to the prepared muffin tin using a scoop, batter bowl, or extra-large liquid measuring cup.
- Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean or with just a few crumbs clinging to it.
- Place the hot muffin tin on a rack for 5 minutes; then set it to the side and remove the muffins, placing them on the rack to finish cooling.
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