Any time we have an overripe banana on our counter, these gluten free banana nut muffins are on the menu. They are quick and easy to make and they turn out perfect every time (trust me, I have made them at least 50 times). These banana nut muffins make a great breakfast treat or a perfect lunchbox snack. Hopefully you will enjoy them as much as we do!
What ingredients go into banana bread muffins?
Flour – For almost all of my recipes, I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 Gluten Free Flour Blend. I have found it to be the most versatile gluten free flour. You can use your own favorite flour blend but keep in mind this recipe was developed with BRM, so your final product may be slightly different.
Baking Powder – Leavener helps the air bubbles grow to create a light fluffy muffin.
Spices – Cinnamon and nutmeg create that classic banana bread flavor, while salt helps balance the sweetness.
Oil – For recipes that call for oil, I always use extra light virgin olive oil. If you prefer another oil, just make sure it has a neutral flavor.
Sugar – This recipe calls for white sugar, but not too much because bananas are already naturally sweet.
Egg – In this recipe, the rise comes from the air beaten into the egg. I haven’t tried it with any egg substitutes, so if you do please let me know how it works out in the comments.
Vanilla – Just a hint of vanilla to sweeten the flavor.
Milk – I use oat milk or coconut milk in this recipe, depending on what I have on hand. Cow milk will work fine too.
Nuts – Totally optional. I used walnuts, but pecans would also be delicious. If you’re nut free, you can leave them out entirely (I do this frequently) there are no changes need to the recipe when eliminating nuts.
Banana – the most important ingredient of all!
That’s it!
How do you make gluten free banana nut muffins?
The key to making a great muffin lies in the mixing. Personally I always use the muffin method when baking breakfast treats. The muffins come out soft, fluffy and perfectly moist every time.
The muffin method is a simple process, no mixer is required. All you will need is two bowls, a whisk and a spatula.
First, you will combine all of your dry ingredients in one large bowl: gluten free 1-to-1 flour blend, baking powder, salt and sugar. Whisk them all together so they are well combined.
Second, crack your egg into a second smaller bowl. Use your whisk to beat it until it’s frothy (like soap bubbles). Then add the remaining wet ingredients to the egg: oil, milk and vanilla. Whisk them all together until they are also well combined.
Finally, you will pour the wet ingredients into the dry and fold it together about ten times with your spatula, until most of the flour has been mixed in. Then add the banana and walnuts and fold about 5 times more. You don’t want to over mix here, as the whisking added air to the eggs which will be lost if you stir too much. That’s it! This is effective for any kind of muffin or quick bread recipe.
Finally, fill your muffin cups nearly to the top and bake at a high temperature. That will help the domes rise nice and high like professional bakery muffins.
How long to bake gluten free banana muffins?
When using the muffin method, you want a higher temperature in your over. I bake these at 375 degrees F, no fan. The high temperature helps the tops cook before the inside is done. When the inside continues to cook, it pushes the tops up creating a nice dome. In my oven, this takes about 27-28 minutes. Check the muffins are done by gently poking the top with your finger. If it bounces right back then they are ready, if it leaves a small indentation then cook a minute or two longer before checking again.
How do you store leftover banana nut muffins?
If you will consume the muffins within a day or two, you can store them at room temperature in an airtight container. If your home is especially warm, store in the refrigerator as the bananas will continue to riped and get a fermented flavor otherwise.
If you love muffins, check out these other great recipes!
Gluten Free Blueberry Streusel Muffins
Gluten Free Peach Cobbler Muffins (Dairy Free Option)
Gluten Free Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
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Best Gluten Free Banana Nut Muffins
Ingredients
- 1 C Gluten Free 1-to-1 Flour Blend
- 1 tsp Baking Powder
- ¼ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Cinnamon
- ⅛ tsp Nutmeg
- ½ C Sugar
- 1 Egg
- 3 Tbsp Olive Oil
- ½ tsp Vanilla
- ¼ C Non-Dairy Milk Dairy free or regular
- 1 Ripe banana, mashed
- ¾ C Walnuts roughly chopped
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees. Line a 6 cup muffin pan with paper cups.
- Add the flours, baking powder, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg and sugar to a large bowl. Whisk together.
- In a small bowl, crack the egg and whisk it until it’s frothy. Add the oil, milk, and vanilla. Whisk until well combined.
- Pour the wet ingredients into the dry. Fold together about 10 strokes until most of the flour is incorporated
- Add the banana and 1/2 cup of the walnuts. Fold about 5 more times.
- Fill muffin cups nearly to the top. Sprinkle the remaining 1/4 c walnuts on top of the batter.
- Bake in preheated oven for 28 minutes.
- Serve immediately or cool and store in airtight container.