Gluten Free Banana Muffins

How to Make Gluten Free Banana Muffins

1. In a mixing bowl combine the mashed bananas, vegetable oil, eggs and vanilla extract. Stir to combine with a spatula.
2. In a separate bowl combine the flour, granulated sugar, baking soda, baking powder, cinnamon, and salt.
3. Gradually mix in the dry ingredients, mixing by hand just until combined. The batter will be thick.
4. Cover the bowl with a towel and allow the batter to rest for 15 minutes. During this time, preheat the oven to 425ºF.
5. For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffins liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Fill the liners super full with batter, about 6-8 heaping tablespoons. Top the muffins with additional nut pieces and sanding sugar.
6. Place one pan in the center of the oven and bake for 7 minutes at 425ºF, then keep the muffins in the oven, and turn the temperature down to 350ºF and bake for 13-16 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool in the pan for 15 minutes before removing. Repeat with the remaining batter, bumping the temperature back up to 425ºF.

Total time required

• 10 minutes to prep the batter
• 15 minute rest (this helps produce domed tops!)
• bake for 7 minutes at 425º
• bake for 13-16 minutes at 350º

Moist Banana Muffin Recipe Variations

There are so many things you can add to banana muffins to create different flavor variations.

• Chocolate Chips or Chunks: Add semi-sweet or dark chocolate chips or chunks for a delightful and classic combination with bananas.
• Nuts: Chopped walnuts, pecans, or almonds add a lovely crunchy, nutty flavor to the muffins.
• Berries: Fresh or frozen berries like blueberries, raspberries, or strawberries can add a burst of color and fruity sweetness.
• Coconut Flakes: Toasted coconut flakes bring a tropical twist and a slightly chewy texture to the muffins.
• Cinnamon or Spice: Sprinkle in some ground cinnamon or other warming spices like nutmeg or cloves to enhance the banana flavor.
• Peanut Butter: Swirl in some peanut butter for a delightful blend of flavors with the bananas.
• Crumb Topping: Create a crumb topping with a mixture of flour, butter, sugar, and cinnamon for a crumbly, sweet finish.

Tips for making this Moist Banana Muffin Recipe

How to Mash Bananas

Any good gluten free banana muffin starts with ripe or (even better) over ripe bananas! 

You want to mash the bananas well. Use a potato masher, electric mixer or blender for this step. You need about 2 heaping cups of mashed bananas.

It’s important to actually measure the mashed banana since bananas vary so much in size. 

If you don’t have ripe or over ripe bananas on hand, you can quickly ripen bananas in the oven.

How to Quickly Ripen Bananas

Spotty, over ripe bananas make the best banana muffins! If your bananas aren’t ripe, you can fix that! 

Place the bananas on a foil lined baking sheet in a 300ºF oven for 30-40 minutes, until the peels become black and shiny. Roasting them in the oven causes them to become sweet and mushy.

How to Create Bakery Style Muffins

Bakery style muffins are known for their domed tops. Plus who doesn’t love them? I used a few techniques to help “lift” these muffins so they would have large, domed tops!

1. The Rest Period

Let the batter rest for 15 minutes after it’s mixed and before you scoop it into the muffin pan. During the resting period, starch molecules in the flour are absorbing the liquid in the batter, causing them to swell and giving the batter a thicker consistency (ref the kitchen whisper). Our 15 minute rest is just a quick rest. 

2. Fill Every Other Muffin Cup

This tip has been a game changer! For bakery style muffin tops, line a 12 count muffin pan with 6 muffin liners, meaning you’ll only fill every other muffin well with batter. Filling every other cup allows the muffins to spread and dome without running into each other. This technique also encourages the muffins to brown, creating a golden muffin top.

3. Fill Them To The Top

Fill your muffin liners to the top with batter. Yes, this goes against everything you’re heard but it’s important in helping the muffin gain that height.

4. Bake at High Temperature Initially

Bake the muffins at a high temperature (425ºF) initially, then lower to 350ºF. Starting the muffins off at a higher temperature causes the batter to rise rapidly, setting the outer surface of the muffin, producing a dome shape.

Storing and Freezing Muffins

Muffin Storage

If you’ll be eating the muffins within 24 hours of baking, you can leave them uncovered on the counter. The muffins will not dry out while left at room temperature for 1 day. 

In fact, muffins are so moist they can become soggy and those crunchy, sugary tops can disappear when stored in an airtight container.

But I have a trick to help that – paper towels. 

For longer storage, 2-4 days, line the bottom of an airtight container with paper towels. Place the muffins in a single layer in the container then cover the muffins with any additional layer of paper towels. The paper towels will act like a sponge, absorbing the moisture they release while they are stored. 

If the paper towels become too moist around day 2 or day 3, replace them with fresh paper towels. 

How To Freeze Muffins

Individually wrap each muffin in plastic wrap. Then place them in a ziploc bag or airtight container and place in the freezer for up to 3 months.

To thaw, leave them at room temperature until defrosted, about 1 hour. Or unwrap them and microwave at 20 second intervals until defrosted.