These gluten-free banana muffins are soft, fluffy, and bursting with sweet banana flavor. Each bite is perfectly moist, with a tender crumb and golden edges that make them hard to resist. Whether you’re serving them warm for breakfast or packing them for a quick snack, these muffins bake up beautifully every time—and nobody will guess they’re gluten free.
With simple ingredients and a flexible recipe, you can make these muffins just the way your family likes them. Add chocolate chips, blueberries, or toss in chopped nuts; they’re a reliable, delicious base for all your favorite mix-ins.
❤️ Sandi’s Recipe Summary
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My inspiration for these muffins is my homemade Gluten-Free Banana Bread recipe. They are perfect for a quick gluten-free breakfast, healthy school snacks, or an afternoon treat. These muffins are easy to make and freeze beautifully. Whether you’re baking them for yourself or friends, this recipe is one you’ll want to make again and again.
If you love muffins as much as we do, check out my Gluten-Free Muffin Recipes on the blog to find new favorites!! You may also love these dome-topped, bakery-style Gluten-Free Carrot Muffins.
Allergen Information:
I know many of my readers have multiple food sensitivities. These homemade banana muffins are:
- gluten-free
- dairy-free
- oat-free
- soy-free.
- See the Substitutions section below for nut-free, gum-free, and refined sugar-free options.
Ingredients Notes and Swaps:
For the full list of ingredients and amounts, please go to the recipe card below.
- Gluten Free Flour Blend – I tested this recipe using Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 Gluten Free Flour Blend, my DIY Gluten Free Flour Blend, and King Arthur’s Measure for Measure Gluten Free Blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work. I haven’t tested other flour blends.
- Xanthan Gum – Only needed if your flour blend doesn’t already include it. Add ¾ tsp for best texture.
- Baking Powder and Soda – Use aluminum-free baking powder. These are your main leavening agents. They help the muffins rise and create that soft, fluffy texture by releasing carbon dioxide when it reacts with liquid and heat.
- Almond Flour – Helps the muffins stay moist with a tender crumb. Avoid almond meal, which makes the muffins gritty. See Substitutions below for a nut-free option.
- Flaxseed Meal: Use ground rather than whole seeds. You can omit it if you prefer. This ingredient adds a boost of fiber and holds moisture. Optional but recommended.
- Bananas – Look for bananas with brown speckles for the best flavor and natural sweetness. If your bananas are not ripe, see below for tips on ripening them quickly.
- Coconut Sugar – Has a warm, caramel-like flavor. You can use brown sugar instead if you don’t need it to be refined sugar-free.
- Eggs – Use size large.
- Coconut Oil – You can use any light oil or butter. I love the slight flavor that coconut oil adds to the ripe bananas.
- Non-Dairy Milk—I used almond milk, but any dairy-free or regular milk works in this recipe. I do not recommend canned coconut milk.
- Vanilla Extract – I recommend pure vanilla extract.
I tested four gluten-free flour blends to see which works well in this gluten free banana muffins recipe. Check out the muffin test results.
Ingredient Substitutions:
- Gum-free – (aka no xanthan or guar gum), use my DIY Gluten-Free Flour Blend.
- Nut-Free – Skip the almond flour and add ¼ cup more gluten-free flour blend. Use nut-free milk like oat or rice milk.
- Refined Sugar-Free – Stick with coconut sugar or swap in maple sugar.
- Add Mix-Ins – Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, or blueberries for extra flavor and texture.
How To Ripen Bananas:
If your bananas aren’t ripe yet (and stores rarely sell them that way!), here are a few easy tricks:
- Oven Method: Bake unpeeled bananas on a sheet at 225º F for 20 minutes. The skins will turn black, but the insides will be sweet and soft.
- Paper Bag Method: Place bananas in a brown paper bag and fold the top closed. Add an apple to speed it up!
- Freezer Hack: If your bananas ripen and you’re not ready to bake, peel and freeze them. Thaw when ready to use.
Once you ripen bananas, you can use them for these Gluten-Free Banana Donuts or this decadent Gluten-Free Banana Bread Pudding.
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If you are new to gluten free baking, you can check out my Gluten-Free Pantry to see what gluten free flours and products I use daily in my kitchen. If you love chocolate, you will also love these gluten-free chocolate banana muffins.
How to Make Gluten-Free Banana Muffins (Step-By-Step):
Note From The Kitchen: Don’t overmix! Stirring too much can make your muffins dense or gummy. Always mix just until combined. Your batter should be slightly lumpy—this is a good sign!
Step 1: Prepare the dry ingredients. Preheat your oven to 350º F for regular muffin tops or 425º F for big, dome tops. Add your dry ingredients to a large bowl. Whisk to blend them all.
Step 2: Prepare the wet ingredients. Melt the coconut oil or butter and whisk in the remaining wet ingredients in a smaller bowl.
Step 3: Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients and add the pecans and any other mix-ins. Your muffin batter should be slightly thick and not pourable. Every gluten-free flour blend is different, so my rule of thumb is if your batter or dough is too runny, add more flour, and if it is too thick, add more liquids.
Step 4: Add parchment paper muffin liners to the muffin pan and fill each cup with the banana muffin batter. Fill each about 3/4 full with the batter.
Step 5: Bake the muffins. For dome tops: bake at 425º F for the first 5 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350º F for 20 minutes until done. For regular tops: bake for 25 minutes.
To check to see if the muffins are finished baking, insert a toothpick into the center of a muffin. If the toothpick comes out clean, they are finished baking. If you see crumbs or batter, they need to be baked longer.
Step 6: Move the muffins to a cooling rack. Let them sit in the pan for 5 minutes to set. After, gently lift them out of the pan onto a cooling rack.
Storage and Freezing Tips:
- Store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days.
- Freeze cooled muffins in a freezer-safe bag or container for up to 3 months.
- To reheat, thaw at room temp or microwave for 30–45 seconds for that fresh-baked texture.
These gluten free banana muffins are perfect for breakfast. I love serving them with this Gluten Free Frittata and this Egg and Potato Skillet Breakfast.
Frequently Asked Questions:
Typically, if the center is extra moist or mushy, there is a chance your oven temperature is off. I would double-check the oven temp. In the meantime, I recommend turning down the heat and baking them a little longer. Do the toothpick test to make sure it comes out clean before eating.
Sometimes gluten free muffins can be crumbly. This doesn’t happen often, but I can think of a couple of reasons this may happen. First, if you overbake your muffins, this can certainly happen.
You want to check your muffins after 20 minutes of baking with a toothpick. If the toothpick comes out clean, your muffins are ready. If there are crumbs or batter, you will want to bake them longer. Another reason is if you use too much flour. Use a level to scrape the flour off the top of the measuring cup to use an accurate amount.
Yes! I have so many more tips to bake perfect gluten-free muffins. Check out my Gluten-Free Muffins Troubleshooting Guide.
More Gluten Free Banana Recipes:
Love This Recipe?
💬 Did you make this recipe? Drop a comment below, and let me know how it turned out! ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ Please include which flour blend you used. This will help others know this recipe is delicious. Thank you!
Easy Gluten Free Banana Muffins
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Preheat the oven to 350º F. If you want a dome muffin top, preheat the oven to 425º F.
- In a large bowl, add 2 cups gluten free flour blend, 1/2 cup almond flour, 1/4 cup flaxseed meal, 1 cup coconut sugar, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1/2 teaspoon baking soda, and 1/8 teaspoon salt. Use a wire whisk to blend.
- In a smaller bowl, add 2 ripe bananas and mash with a fork.
- Add 2 large eggs, 1/3 cup melted coconut oil, 1 cup non-dairy or regular milk, and 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract to a large mixing bowl and whisk to blend.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry ingredients along with the raisins and pecans. You want to mix until just barely mixed. This will help keep your muffins light and fluffy.
- Add liners to a muffin tray and fill each 3/4 full with batter.
- Dome Top Baking Directions: Bake the muffins at 425º F for 8 minutes, then turn the oven temperature down to 350º F and bake for 19-20 additional minutes.
- Regular Tops: Bake the banana muffins for 25 minutes.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the middle of a muffin. If the toothpick comes back clean, they are finished baking. If you see crumbs or batter, they need to bake longer.
- Remove from the oven. Let the muffins sit in the pan for 5 minutes. Remove them carefully and set them onto a cooling rack.
Nutrition
Notes
- I have tested this recipe with King Arthur Measure for Measure GF and Bob’s Red Mill 1 to 1 GF blend. That doesn’t mean others will not work, I just have not tested other flours.
- If your gluten free flour blend doesn’t contain xanthan gum or guar gum, please add 3/4 teaspoon.
- To keep your muffins light and fluffy, it is important not to overmix your batter.
- I highly suggest using almond flour and not almond meal. Almond meal is coarser and will make your muffins grainy.
- To test for doneness, insert a toothpick into the center of the muffins. If the toothpick comes out clean, it is done baking. If you see batter or crumbs, the muffins need to bake longer.
- These muffins will keep up to 4 days in an airtight container, or up to 4 months in the freezer.
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- Nut-Free – Skip the almond flour and add ¼ cup more gluten-free flour blend. Use nut-free milk like oat or rice milk.
- Gum-Free – Use my DIY gluten-free flour blend with psyllium husk or flax instead of xanthan gum.
- Refined Sugar-Free – Stick with coconut sugar or swap in maple sugar.
- Add Mix-Ins – Stir in chocolate chips, walnuts, or blueberries for extra flavor and texture.
Nutritional Disclaimer
Nutritional information is an estimate provided to you as a courtesy. You should calculate the actual nutritional information with the products and brands you are using with your preferred nutritional calculator.
Tried this recipe?
Let us know how it was!
This post was updated from an older May 2019 post with more recipe details.
These muffins are delicious as are all of your recipes! I appreciate them so much & I’ve shared them with my gluten free friends as well. Living gluten free in a gluten filled world isn’t easy & you’ve made our journey much easier!
Thank you so much for coming back to leave a review. I saw your Facebook comment as well and I am grateful for your comments.
The made the muffins for my gluten free diet. They are awesome.
Thanks so much for the recipe!
I am so glad you loved these muffins, Margaret. Thank you!
I haven’t tried these muffins yet but wondering if I could omit the almond flour and just use one gluten free flour instead of the combination of flours.
Also, could I substitute coconut or oat milk for the soy milk? thanks, Barb
Hi Barb, You can omit the almond flour and add additional gluten free flour blend, but this recipe (and most gluten free recipes) will not work as a single flour. You need the blend to help the flours bind and hold together.
Hi Sandi. Maybe I’ve missed it somewhere, but I can’t see the quantity for raisins and pecans in the list of ingredients. Can you point me in the right direction please. I love your recipes. I made cupcakes for a fundraiser at work and no-one knew they were gf ??
Thanks, Annie
Hi Annie, as they are optional I usually let the person choose how much. I would say for us, I add anywhere from 1/4 to 1/3 a cup of each
Fantastic recipe! I normally make GF banana bread with almond and coconut flours, but these are more cakelike and less spongy than my usual recipe.
Thank you so much 🙂
Of all the gf websites I look at, I always come back to your recipes. These muffins are ? delicious! I love the flax meal with the little chewy bite. Flavor is great, so quick and easy. I didn’t have coconut sugar so I used regular and cut it down by 1/4 c. I had enough batter to do 12 reg. Muffins and 10 mini muffins. You need to make these, they are great!!
Wow Karen, you absolutely made my day :-).