These gluten-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!
This post was originally published on July 18, 2021. It was updated with new recipe information on February 19, 2024.
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
These banana muffins are gluten-free but fluffy and moist, and won't leave you feeling deprived! They're perfectly sweet and moist from the mashed bananas, and they pair so well with the nutty walnuts (totally optional!), and a cup of coffee or tea.
If you love this moist banana bread recipe or my gluten-free banana bread recipe, this is the muffin sister of those recipes!
Ingredients
Here are the ingredients for these gluten-free banana muffins:
- Gluten-free flour blend. Make your life easier by using your favorite gluten-free 1-to-1 flour blend! Just make sure your flour blend includes xanthan gum.
- Cornstarch. Adding a little cornstarch to your flour blend will make your muffins tender. Feel free to substitute with equal amounts of gluten-free flour blend.
- Salt. Use fine salt for this recipe. I use finely ground Himalayan pink salt, but you can also use fine sea salt.
- Baking soda & baking powder. The combination of the two leavening agents will give you the fluffiest banana muffins.
- Cinnamon. Just a little hint of cinnamon gives this recipe a deliciously warm aroma!
- Butter. Regular butter or vegan butter sticks will both work in this recipe.
- Sugar. This recipe uses a combination of granulated sugar and brown sugar. You can substitute it with organic cane sugar or light brown sugar if you like.
- Eggs. To provide moisture and flavor, and help the muffins rise in the oven.
- Bananas. Make sure you use overripe bananas for maximum banana flavor and a moist texture! Not just slightly spotty bananas, but bananas covered in spots all over so the skin is mostly brown instead of yellow.
- Milk. You can use whole milk, non-dairy milk, or buttermilk.
- Mix-ins (optional). You can get creative with your mix-ins! Two of my favorites are chopped toasted walnuts and chocolate chips.
How To Make Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
Step 1: In a bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set the bowl aside.
Step 2: In a separate bowl, combine the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla.
Step 3: Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix until smooth. Fold in mix-ins if adding any, cover the bowl, and set it aside to let the flour hydrate for 30 minutes.
Step 4: Preheat the oven to 410°F (210°C) and line a muffin pan with paper liners. Evenly divide the muffin batter into the paper liners and bake for 7 minutes, then turn down the temperature without opening the oven 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 of crumbs.
Step 5: Cool in the pan for 5 minutes before taking them out onto a wire rack to cool completely.
Tips For Making Bakery-Style Muffins
- 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 for 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.
- Fill every other cavity. To get even taller domes on your muffins, fill every other cavity in your muffin pan, rather than filling all of them. This allows more space between the muffins and it helps them get taller as they bake.
How To Store Muffins
Storing: Keep these gluten-free banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
Freezing: 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 Banana Recipes To Try!
- These banana oat bars are another great option for breakfast on the go!
- If you love the combination of bananas with chocolate, try these vegan chocolate banana cupcakes or this double chocolate banana bread. They're both so chocolatey and moist!
- If you want something impressive to serve, this banana upside down cake is for you!
Gluten-free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
- 1¾ cups gluten-free 1-to-1 flour
- ¼ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon baking soda
- 1½ teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ cup oil
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ cup brown sugar
- 2 large eggs
- 1½ cups mashed overripe bananas
- ¼ cup milk or buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 cup mix-ins optional
Instructions
- In a bowl, combine gluten-free flour, cornstarch, salt, baking soda, baking powder, and cinnamon. Set the bowl aside.
- In a separate bowl, combine the oil, granulated sugar, brown sugar, eggs, mashed bananas, milk, and vanilla.
- Add the flour mixture to the banana mixture and mix until smooth. Fold in mix-ins if adding any, cover the bowl, and set it 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. Evenly divide the muffin batter into the paper liners and bake for 7 minutes, then turn down the temperature without opening the oven 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 of 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 🙂
Michele says
These were great!!! I made a few changes - instead of vegan butter I used 1/2 cup coconut oil. Instead of sugar, I used 1/2 cup honey. Also omitted the nuts because I didn't have any.
I am Gluten free, dairy free and sugar free, so very challenging to find recipes that I can use.
Looking forward to making these again and adding some nuts!
Michele says
These were great!!! I made a few changes - instead of vegan butter I used 1/2 cup coconut oil. Instead of sugar, I used 1/2 cup honey. Also omitted the nuts because I didn't have any.
I am Gluten free, dairy free and sugar free, so very challenging to find recipes that I can use.
Looking forward to making these again and adding some nuts!