Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
Tender banana muffins with a soft crumb and simple gluten-free ingredients.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine American
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- A 1-to-1 gluten-free blend does all the work — no mixing your own flours.
- Ripe bananas provide moisture, which is what gluten-free baking usually lacks.
- Two bowls, a whisk, and thirty minutes.
Recipe
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins
Soft gluten-free banana muffins made in two bowls.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Preheat the oven to 190 C / 375 F. Line a 12-cup muffin pan with paper liners.
- Step 2. Mash the bananas in a large bowl.
- Step 3. Whisk in the brown sugar, eggs, oil, milk, and vanilla until smooth.
- Step 4. In another bowl, whisk together the gluten-free flour, baking powder, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt.
- Step 5. Add the dry ingredients to the wet ingredients and stir just until combined.
- Step 6. Divide the batter evenly among the 12 muffin cups, filling each about 3/4 full.
- Step 7. Bake for 18-22 minutes, until the tops spring back and a toothpick comes out clean.
- Step 8. Cool in the pan for 5 minutes, then transfer the muffins to a rack.
Notes
- Let the batter stand about 10 minutes before filling the cups. Gluten-free flours hydrate more slowly than wheat, and that pause is the difference between a soft crumb and a slightly gritty one.
- Do not worry about overmixing here. There is no gluten to develop, so the usual warning about stirring too much does not apply.
- They firm up as they cool, so a muffin that feels soft straight from the oven is not underbaked.
Gluten-Free Banana Muffins — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/gluten-free-banana-muffins/
Ingredient Notes
- 1-to-1 gluten-free baking flour with xanthan gum
- The xanthan gum matters more than the brand. It replaces the structure gluten would provide, and without it the muffins crumble apart. A single flour such as rice or almond will not substitute — those are not blends and behave completely differently.
- Ripe bananas
- Doing double duty here as sweetener and as moisture. Gluten-free flours absorb more liquid than wheat, so the wet bananas are a large part of why these muffins are not dry.
- Neutral oil
- Oil rather than butter, because oil stays liquid at room temperature and keeps the crumb soft for longer. Gluten-free bakes firm up faster than wheat ones.
Equipment
- 12-cup muffin pan
- Paper muffin liners
- 2 mixing bowls
- Whisk and spatula
Substitutions
- Milk
- Any plant milk works in the same quantity — almond, oat and soy all behave the same way here, which makes the recipe straightforwardly dairy free.
- Brown sugar
- Coconut sugar or white sugar work in the same weight. Brown sugar gives the most moisture and the deepest flavour.
- Add-ins
- About 80 g of chocolate chips or chopped walnuts folded in at the end. Check chocolate chips are labelled gluten-free if that matters for you.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Keep in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days. Gluten-free bakes dry out faster than wheat ones, so seal them properly once cool.
Freezing: Freeze for up to 2 months. Thaw at room temperature or warm for 20 seconds in the microwave.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why are my gluten-free muffins dry?
Gluten-free flours absorb considerably more liquid than wheat flour, so a recipe converted directly will bake dry. This one uses ripe bananas and oil to compensate. Overbaking is the other cause — check at 18 minutes rather than waiting for deep colour.
Do I need xanthan gum for gluten-free muffins?
You need something doing that job. Most 1-to-1 baking blends already contain xanthan gum, in which case add none. If your blend does not, add about 2 g, roughly half a teaspoon. Without any binder the muffins fall apart when handled.
Can I use almond flour or rice flour instead?
Not as a direct swap. Almond and rice flours are single flours, not blends, and they absorb liquid quite differently. This recipe is written for a measure-for-measure blend labelled 1-to-1 or cup-for-cup.
Why do gluten-free muffins crumble?
Almost always a missing binder, or slicing into them while warm. Make sure the blend contains xanthan gum, and let the muffins cool for at least five minutes in the pan so the structure can set.
Do I have to let gluten-free batter rest?
It is not essential, but ten minutes makes a noticeable difference. Gluten-free starches hydrate slowly, and resting lets them absorb the liquid rather than staying gritty in the finished muffin.
Can I make these dairy free?
Yes. The recipe already uses oil rather than butter, so swapping the milk for any plant milk makes it fully dairy free with no other changes.
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