When life gives you brown bananas… make homemade banana bread muffins! These healthy gluten free banana muffins are naturally sweetened using honey and bananas.
Perfect for an easy breakfast, on-the-go snack, or sweet tooth craving.
They are SO moist, nutritious, fluffy and delicious. No one will miss the cane sugar or butter... trust me!
It's an easy recipe, made in one large bowl. I make them so often we have a dedicated container on the counter for them...
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What makes these muffins healthy?
Everyone has a different definition of a healthy muffin, here is mine. Traditional banana muffins have minimal beneficial nutrients - they are loaded with processed cane sugar, unhealthy saturated fats and processed wheat flour that is stripped of most nutrients.
These healthy gluten-free banana muffins are naturally sweetened with honey instead of sugar and each ingredient provides beneficial nutrients:
- Raw honey - natural sweetener, contains antioxidants, enzymes, and amino acids including tryptophan which can help promote rest and relaxation.
- Bananas - natural sweetener, rich in potassium, magnesium, vitamin B6, and vitamin C.
- Almond flour - good source of vitamin E, magnesium, protein, and fiber. Lower glycemic index than refined wheat flour, providing sustained energy. Gluten-free.
- Avocado oil - Monounsaturated fat (good fat), lowers bad cholesterol levels, and provides vitamin E.
How these muffins fit into your specialty diet
This recipe is (or can be easily modified) to be:
- Gluten Free
- Paleo
- Dairy Free
- Refined Sugar Free
- Vegetarian / Vegan (with flax egg substitution)
- Egg Free (with flax egg substitution)
Ingredients
- Bananas: the more brown, the sweeter the muffins will be and the more sugar they will contain.
- Almond flour: fine almond flour should be used for this recipe, instead of almond meal. Almond meal can be used as a substitute but the texture of the muffins will be a little different since almond meal has a coarser grains that can weigh the ingredients down.
- Eggs: Eggs add moisture, texture, and rise to muffins. Look for pasture raised, non-GMO, or organic, and certified humane eggs if possible. Pasture raised & certified humane eggs come from chickens with ample room to roam and eat natural foods like bugs and grass. Additionally, look for a non-GMO or organic label to ensure the feed if free of chemicals. "Cage Free" and "Free Range" are misleading labels as the chickens are still confined indoors! Pasture raised eggs have more omega-3 fat, vitamin D, vitamin E, and beta-carotene than conventional eggs, making the extra cost and effort worthwhile.
- Honey: I buy "raw" or "unfiltered" honey for because it's bottled straight from the hive. Conventional honey is often pasteurized and finely filtered, removing essential nutrients. Some brands may also add high fructose corn syrup as a sweetener, so always read the label.
- Avocado oil: Moist muffins need fat so instead of butter, I prefer to use avocado oil. It has a neutral flavor, is a monounsaturated fat (good fat) and I don't have to worry about burning the oil since it has a high smoke point of 400°F.
- No sugar added chocolate chips (optional): I love Lily's no sugar added chocolate chips - they are sweetened with stevia, contain no sugar and taste no different than your typical chocolate chips!
Ingredient Substituions & Variations
- Avocado oil substitute: substitute with an oil with a neutral flavor, do NOT use olive oil the taste will not compliment the muffins. You can also use the same amount of melted butter, melted coconut oil or plant based butter.
- Vegan egg substitute: the 2 chicken eggs can be substituted for 2 flax eggs (just ground flax seeds + water!). 1 flax egg = 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 1 tablespoon water + 10 minutes to thicken the mixture. The muffins won't rise as much as they do with the chicken eggs but they taste just as delicious!
- Salt: not using sea salt? you can use this salt conversion chart to decide how much salt to add.
- Honey substitutes: substitute for with your favorite sweetener (coconut sugar, stevia, pure maple syrup, granulated sugar).
- Less sugar: to reduce the natural sugar in this recipe omit or reduce the honey or use less brown bananas (the more brown, the more sugar). I make this recipe sometimes without honey and with ripe bananas and they aren't as sweet but still delicious.
- Use almond flour: These are almond flour banana muffins. I don't recommend using a different type of gluten-free flour.
- Add ins: instead of chocolate chips you could add blueberries, raspberries, walnuts, pecans, walnuts, a dash of cinnamon... this recipe is super versatile so you can make it your own by mixing in your favorite toppings.
How to make it
Preheat oven to 350°F and line the muffin pan with baking cup liners.
Mash bananas with a fork until they look like baby food in a large bowl. Add rest of wet ingredients to mashed bananas and mix well.
No need for a separate bowl, add the dry ingredients on top of the wet ingredients and whisk until well combined.
Add mixture into the lined muffin tin and bake for 25 minutes.
Let muffins rest for at least 10 minutes. Enjoy!
FAQs
To make muffins without muffin liners coat the muffin pan with a neutral oil or butter. The muffins may need to cool completely before you can remove the muffins from the pan without the sides sticking. You can also create your own rustic muffin papers out of parchment paper.
Yes, bananas can be too ripe to make banana bread. Once you peel your banana if any of it is liquid, moldy or infested with fruit flies do not use it.
You can store banana muffins in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months.
Once the muffins come to room temperature, freeze them in a single layer without any muffins touching each other. This will ensure they don't get squished in the freezer and keep their shape once you thaw them. Once they are frozen, place them in an air-tight container or freezer bag. Freeze for up to 3 months.
Thaw overnight in the refrigerator, at room temperature or heat up in microwave slowly at 30 second intervals.
Expert Tips
- Styling tip: After pouring the batter into the muffin pan, place a few chocolate chips on each of the uncooked muffins before placing them in the oven.
- Save your brown bananas: Whenever you have brown bananas, peel and freeze them so that you can thaw the frozen bananas next time you want to make these muffins.
- Double the recipe and freeze half for later! See freezer tips above in the FAQs.
More healthy recipes you'll love!
I hope you love these healthy gluten free banana muffins! If you make it I’d love if you could leave a rating & connect with me on Instagram @passthesprouts!
Recipe
Healthy Gluten Free Banana Muffins
Equipment
- Muffin pan (12 cup)
- Baking cup liners optional, disposable or reusable
- Fork for mixing & mashing
- Spoon or ice cream scoop to scoop batter into muffin cups
Ingredients
- 3 bananas overripe bananas - the browner the banana, the sweeter the muffins will be
- 3 tablespoons honey raw, unfiltered
- 2 eggs see vegan egg substitutions in notes
- 2 tablespoons avocado oil
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 2 cups almond flour blanched super-fine almond flour works best
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ⅓ cup no sugar added chocolate chips optional but delicious! I use Lily's brand
Instructions
- Preheat oven: Preheat oven to 350°F and line the muffin pan with baking cup liners. If you don't have baking cup liners be sure to coat the muffin pan with avocado oil to prevent sticking.
- Combine ingredients: In a large mixing bowl mash the bananas with a fork until they look like baby food. Combine the bananas with the honey, eggs, avocado oil and vanilla. Mix in the dry ingredients - almond flour, baking soda, salt, and chocolate chips (optional).
- Scoop batter: Place the muffin cups in the muffin pan and scoop batter into the baking cup liners. Top each muffin with a few chocolate chips (optional).
- Bake: Bake for 25 minutes at 350°F or until a knife/toothpick can be inserted into the middle of the muffin and come out with just a little muffin batter on it. Let muffins rest for at least 10 minutes.
Video
Recipe Notes
- If you aren't baking your muffins right away, don't mix in the baking soda until just before you are ready to bake or else the muffins won't rise.
- Storage: air-tight container at room temperature for up to 3 days, in the refrigerator for up to 1 week or in the freezer for up to 3 months
- Avocado oil substitute: the same amount of oil with a neutral flavor (do not use olive oil), melted butter, melted coconut oil or plant based butter.
- Vegan egg substitute: the 2 chicken eggs can be substituted for 2 flax eggs (just ground flax seeds + water!). 1 flax egg = 2 tablespoons ground flaxseed + 1 tablespoon water + 10 minutes to thicken the mixture. The muffins won't rise as much as they do with the chicken eggs but they taste just as delicious!
- Salt: not using sea salt? you can use this salt conversion chart to decide how much salt to add.
- Less sugar: omit or reduce the honey or use less brown bananas (the more brown, the more sugar).
- Add ins: instead of chocolate chips you could add blueberries, raspberries, walnuts, pecans, walnuts, a dash of cinnamon... this recipe is super versatile so you can make it your own by mixing in your favorite toppings.
- Serving suggestions: brown in a hot pan with avocado oil and top with nut butter or jam.
Johanna says
These are amazing. My boyfriend and I are addicted and he can’t even tell that they’re GF/DF. Great recipe!! Will definitely be a staple in our house.
Rachael says
So happy you like them!! xx
Margo says
I make these muffins for my children all the time. Sometimes I substitute the chocolate for blueberries! The kids don't even know they're eating something healthy!
Rachael says
The blueberry substitution is a great idea! Glad you and the kids enjoy them.
John says
These muffins are top notch!