These gluten-free and dairy-free banana muffins are moist, fluffy, and full of overripe bananas! They've got that beautifully domed muffin top, a must-have for bakery-style muffins!
Gluten free & Dairy free Banana Muffins
Muffins are the classic portable breakfast, or a mid-morning snack to accompany your cuppa. These banana muffins are both gluten-free and dairy-free, but fluffy and moist, and won't leave you feeling deprived! They're perfectly sweet and moist from the mashed bananas, and it pairs so well with the nutty walnuts (totally optional!), and a cup of coffee or tea.
If you love my mom's banana bread recipe, this is the gluten-free and dairy-free sister of that recipe!
Ingredients for these banana muffins
The ingredients needed for these banana muffins aren't complicated, but a few of them that need a little explanation to make sure you end up with successful banana muffins! Here are the key ingredients for these gluten-free and dairy-free banana muffins:
- Bananas - Obviously very important in a banana muffin recipe. Make sure you use overripe bananas! Not just slightly spotty bananas, but bananas covered in spots all over so the skin is mostly brown instead of yellow. You want them to be overripe for maximum banana flavor and a moist texture.
- Walnuts - You want to use toasted unsalted walnuts. You could buy walnuts that are already toasted, but I suggest buying raw walnuts and toasting them yourself at home. Freshly toasted nuts will always have more flavor and fragrance than pre-toasted nuts that have been sitting on a shelf for who knows how long.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour blend - Make your life easier by using your favorite gluten-free all-purpose flour blend! Especially if you're relatively new to gluten-free baking, or if you're making these in the morning for breakfast. Just make sure your flour blend includes xanthan gum.
- Vegan butter - Although the banana flavor is strong in these muffins, make sure to use a non-dairy butter that you enjoy the taste of. I personally love Melt Organic and Miyoko's, but use what's available and what you like!
- Apple cider vinegar - This is a crucial ingredient, not only to curdle the non-dairy milk to make non-dairy buttermilk, but to react with the baking soda to add fluff to the muffins. If you don't have apple cider vinegar, feel free to use white vinegar or rice vinegar.
What if I don't like walnuts?
No problem! You can simply leave them out, swap them for another nut, or add a different mix-in!
If you're looking to add a different nut, my recommendation would be to use pecans, as they're flavorful and crunchy without being too hard. If you want a different mix-in, chocolate chips are always a good idea, or you can add in some blueberries or raspberries!
Tips to getting a bakery style muffin
- Fill your paper liner. If you want a large muffin top, you need to fill the paper liners to the top so the batter can expand out of the muffin tin well.
- Add toppings. For that aesthetically pleasing muffin, top the muffins with more walnuts and a slice or two of banana before baking the muffins.
- Start the muffins in a hot oven. My number one tip to getting that beautifully domed muffin is to first bake the muffins in a very hot oven (410°F/210°C), and then lower the temperature (375°F/190°C) to finish baking. The initial hot temperature will give the muffins a boost and make them rise, and by lowering the temperature, they can continue to cook through without the muffin tops getting too brown.
How to store gluten free and dairy free banana muffins
Keep these gluten-free banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for a few days, or wrap them individually and store them in a freezer bag in the freezer. No matter what you use to wrap the muffins, whether it's plastic, aluminum foil, or beeswax wrap, make sure you remove it first before you reheat the muffins.
More delicious banana recipes to try!
- Mom's banana bread
- Double chocolate banana bread
- Peanut butter banana oat bars
- Banana coconut upside down cake
- Vegan banana cupcakes
- Vegan chocolate banana cupcakes
Gluten-free and Dairy-free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 2½ cup (370g) gluten-free all-purpose flour
- ¾ teaspoon (4.5g) fine sea salt
- 1 teaspoon (6g) baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon (6g) baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup (113g) vegan butter, softened at room tempreature
- 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cup (360g) mashed overripe banana
- ½ cup (120g) non-dairy milk
- 2 teaspoons (10g) apple cider vinegar
- 1 teaspoon (5g) vanilla extract
- 1 cup (113g) toasted walnuts, chopped
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine flour, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Take ¼ cup of the mixture and put it in a small bowl with the chopped walnuts and toss. Set both bowls aside.
- In a separate bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add one egg at a time, beating after each addition. Stir in mashed banana, milk, apple cider vinegar, and vanilla extract.
- Add the flour mixture into the banana mixture and beat until smooth. Fold in the flour coated walnuts, making sure to fold in the excess flour. Set aside to let the flour hydrate for 30 minutes.
- Preheat the oven to 410°F/210°C and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Scoop the muffin batter into the paper liners and bake for 7 minutes, then turn down the temperature to 375°F/190°C and bake for an additional 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted into the center comes out clean, or with a couple crumbs.
- Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before taking them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Colleen says
I’m always looking for best gluten and dairy free recipes. This one says apple cider vinegar is a crucial ingredient but is not included in the recipe. Can you tell me how much vinegar to use?
Ai says
Hi Colleen. Thank you SO much for catching that! I've updated the recipe. You'll need 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar. Thank you again 🙂