Grain-Free Banana Bread Muffins

These Grain-Free Banana Bread Muffins are the perfect balance of light and fluffy with just the right amount of sweetness. They’re completely grain-free, but you’d never guess from the perfect texture and rich banana flavor. The avocado oil and plant milk keep them extra moist, while the vanilla adds warm flavors to every bite. They’re a great way to use up ripe bananas and they make a great snack or easy breakfast option for busy mornings.

These gluten-free muffins are a twist on my easy Vegan Banana Bread recipe. They’d go great with add-ins like chopped walnuts or vegan chocolate chips. Get creative and make these your own!

For more gluten-free recipes, try these Gluten-Free Pecan Pie Bars or Healthy Oatmeal Cookies. 

Why You’ll Love These Muffins

• Quick & easy – This easy recipe come together in just 5 minutes and are ready to enjoy in under 30 minutes.
• Gluten-free & allergy-friendly – These gluten-free muffins go one step further and are completely grain-free for those who have allergies or sensitivities to different types of grains. But they’re so delicious, you’d never know! This is a great recipe the whole family can enjoy!
• Customizable – Add chopped walnuts, vegan chocolate chips, or fresh blueberries to these muffins. The options are endless.

Ingredients

• Vegan buttermilk – You can make vegan buttermilk by adding plant milk and apple cider vinegar together and letting it set a few minutes to curdle. If you don’t have ACV or this is just one too many steps for you, skip it! It adds a touch of moisture, but plain old plant milk will work fine too.
• Mashed bananas – Overripe bananas add a delicious richness and sweet quality to these muffins, but if all you have is fresh bananas, go for it, these muffins will still be delicious.
• Avocado oil – Any neutral flavored oil will work. You can also use melted vegan butter.
• Cane sugar* – Any granulated sugar will work, just make sure to select a vegan variety. You can also swap for brown sugar if you prefer. 
• Cassava flour – Made from dried cassava root, cassava flour is a grain-free replacement for wheat flour.
• Grain-free baking powder – Traditional baking powder is mixed with corn-starch, so if you need to stay grain-free versus just gluten-free making sure to find a grain-free baking powder.
• Baking essentials – Don’t forget the vanilla extract, baking soda, and salt.

Helpful Equipment

In addition to measuring cups and spoons, the following equipment is helpful for this recipe:

• Large mixing bowl
• Standard 12-cup muffin pan x2 (I usually get 17-18 standard sized muffins from this recipe)
• Silicone reusable muffin cups (optional) – For best results, I do not recommend using paper liners as the wetness of the batter may result in them sticking.

How to Make

​This is a detailed step-by-step guide on how to make this recipe including photographs. For the quick version, skip ahead to the recipe card below!

Make the Vegan Buttermilk

Add the plant milk to a glass measuring cup with the apple cider vinegar. Give it a quick stir and set aside.

Make the Batter

Add the cassava flour, grain-free baking powder, baking soda, and salt to a large bowl and mix until evenly combined.

In a separate bowl, mash the bananas, and add the oil, sugar, and vanilla extract. Stir until evenly mixed.

Add the mixed wet ingredients to the bowl with the dry ingredients. Add the vegan buttermilk and stir until no streaks of flour remain.

If you are adding in chopped nuts or chocolate chips, do so during this step.

This will be a very wet and somewhat thin batter. Don’t worry, that is how it is supposed to be.

Time to Bake

Scoop the muffin batter into reusable muffin liners to fill them about 3/4 of the way.

Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 20-25 minutes or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean.

Let cool a few minutes before consuming. Serve and enjoy!

Variations

• Use a 24-well muffin tin to make mini muffins. The cooking time will be slightly less, make sure to check often. 
• Swap the granulated sugar for monk fruit or coconut sugar for a less refined option.
• Use any of your favorite mix ins: mini chocolate chips or chopped walnuts for a twist!

How to Store 

• Room Temperature: Store these muffins loosely covered at room temp for 2-3 days.
• Fridge: Store these muffins in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days. Reheat for 10-20 seconds in the microwave.

More Tips 

• Not Vegan? Use melted butter instead of oil. Use dairy milk instead of plant milk.
• Gluten-Free not grain-free? Use regular baking soda for this recipe or use a standard 1:1 gluten-free flour blend  and reduce the quantity to 1 1/2 cups.

FAQ: Grain-Free Banana Bread Muffins