The Best Gluten-Free Banana Muffins

"I finally found the perfect gluten-free muffins. These were a breeze to make and my family didn't even realize they were GF!" - Claud

One of my favorite things as a kid was my Mom's banana bread. She would make it whenever she had a few over-ripe bananas and we would eat it warm from the oven, slathered in butter. Soooo... good.

That's what I was going for when I created this recipe. Muffins that are soft and tender, full of banana flavor, easy to make, and also gluten-free.

Ingredients Needed to Prepare this Recipe

• Gluten-free flour with xanthan gum. Choose a gluten-free flour mix that has xanthan gum listed somewhere in the ingredient list. I used King Arthur Measure-for-Measure Gluten-Free Flour.
• Ground flaxseed meal. It's important to use ground flaxseed meal NOT unground flax seeds in these muffins.
• Baking powder
• Baking soda
• Salt
• Ground cinnamon and nutmeg
• Brown sugar. To measure brown sugar pack it tightly into the measuring cup.
• Granulated white sugar
• Very ripe bananas. This recipe is a great way to use overripe bananas!
• Large eggs
• Vegetable or canola oil. Oil gives these muffins a light, soft texture and ensures that they will be moist and fresh tasting for several days.
• Pure vanilla extract. Always use pure vanilla, not imitation vanilla which can give baked goods a bitter aftertaste.
• Optional Mix-ins: Mini chocolate chips, chopped nuts, or peanut butter

"The texture of these banana muffins is so good! They were moist but still had structure. I added chocolate chips to mine. Will definitely be making this recipe again." - Elizabeth

Step-by-Step Photos and Instructions

Making the batter for these banana muffins is a quick and easy 4-step process that takes less than 15 minutes!

Start by adding all the dry ingredients (gluten-free flour, ground flaxseed meal, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg) to a bowl. Stir with a wire whisk to combine.

Then use an electric mixer to mix brown sugar, granulated sugar, mashed banana, eggs, oil, and vanilla. Beat these ingredients for about a minute to ensure they are well combined.

Add the dry ingredients to the mixing bowl and beat on medium-low speed just until everything is blended and the batter is cohesive.

Distribute the batter amongst paper-lined baking cups and bake! (If you don't want to use paper liners, grease and flour the inside of each muffin cup.

These muffins are very soft and tender, so allow them to cool in the muffin pan for at least 10 minutes until they are firm enough to be removed from the pan. Set them on a wire rack and allow them to cool completely.

Eat them as is, or slathered with a schmear of salted butter.

How to Add Mix-ins and Bake Gluten-Free Banana Bread Instead of Muffins

To make gluten-free chocolate chip banana muffins: Sprinkle 1-2 tablespoons of mini chocolate chips over the top of each muffin before baking. Use a butter knife to gently swirl the chocolate chips into the batter then bake as directed.

To make gluten-free banana nut muffins: Stir 1 cup of chopped nuts into the batter right before baking.

Use any kind of nuts you like, raw or roasted.

To make gluten-free peanut butter banana muffins: Melt ½ cup of creamy peanut butter in the microwave or on the stovetop. After filling the muffin cups with batter, drizzle the peanut butter over each muffin.

Use a butter knife to gently swirl the peanut butter into the batter then bake as directed.

To make gluten-free banana bread: Coat the inside of a loaf pan with a thin layer of butter or vegetable shortening and gluten-free flour. (Here's how to grease and flour a pan so the bread will not stick.)

Fill the pan ⅔ full with batter. (You'll have some batter left over that you can use to make a few muffins.) Bake the loaf at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 60-65 minutes. 

How to Store and Freeze These Muffins

These gluten-free muffins will keep well at room temperature for up to 3 days or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Store them individually wrapped or in an air-tight container.

The muffins also freeze well. Wrap each muffin individually, then pile them into an airtight container or zip-top bag and store them in the refrigerator for up to 3 months. Wrapping them individually will keep them from sticking together and makes it easy to remove however many muffins you want whenever you want them.

Allow frozen muffins, still wrapped, to thaw in the refrigerator or on the countertop. The muffins will thaw in 6-8 hours in the refrigerator or 2-3 hours at room temperature.

If you like warm muffins, pop them back into a muffin tin and cover them loosely with aluminum foil. Place the muffins in a preheated 350-degree Fahrenheit oven for about 8 minutes, until warmed through. Alternatively, wrap individual muffins in a damp paper towel and heat in the microwave for 30-60 seconds.

Recipe FAQs

More Delicious Gluten-Free Recipes

I have served this gluten-free vanilla cake to several large groups over the years and have yet to have one single person guess that it's gluten-free. It's everything you want from a classic white cake - light and tender with a gorgeous vanilla flavor that's perfect for any occasion.

For those days when nothing but chocolate will do, gluten-free rocky road bars are a ridiculously delicious indulgence. If chocolate cake is what you're craving (and who isn't?),try this almond flour chocolate cake or this chocolate ricotta cake. Both cakes are delicious topped with cherry sauce or this super easy fresh berry sauce.

While we're talking cake, the same can be said about this gluten-free caramel cake. Three layers of buttery gluten-free caramel cake are slathered with salted caramel Italian meringue buttercream, and topped with salted caramel sauce and almond pralines. This is the cake you want to make for any occasion that calls for pure, unapologetic decadence.

On the lighter, everyday side, try this classic gluten-free strawberry shortcake made with fresh strawberries and whipped cream sandwiched between gluten-free biscuits. Or, during peach season, try this healthy peach cobbler made with almond flour, pecans, and plenty of fresh fruit.

And these chocolate peanut butter bars are whole grain, gluten-free, and very low in sugar. Both the bars and these gluten-free chocolate almond cherry oatmeal cookies are perfect for after-school snacks, bake sales, and summer picnics and BBQs.

And, if you need a few more gluten-free muffin recipes, try these gluten-free blueberry muffins and gluten-free double chocolate muffins.