Fluffy, Flavorful, and Allergy-Friendly: The Best Gluten-Free Vegan Banana Muffins

Imagine your favorite banana bread, but perfectly portioned into a delightful, portable muffin. These aren’t just any muffins; they’re incredibly soft, bursting with sweet banana flavor, and crafted without gluten, dairy, or eggs. Get ready for these gluten-free vegan banana muffins to become your new breakfast obsession!

This shop has been compensated by Collective Bias, Inc. and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #SilkSipToSpoon #CollectiveBias

As the new year rolls on, many of us find ourselves reflecting on our resolutions. A common goal for countless people is to eat a more complete and nourishing breakfast. While I never skip breakfast, it often ends up being a quick, uninspired, and sometimes “sad” affair due to the morning rush.

Confession: I am definitively NOT a morning person. My energy levels tend to spike much later in the day, typically around 8:30 p.m. (coincidentally, right after my children have finally settled down for the night!). This often means I’m up until midnight, and when the kids’ enthusiastic morning calls begin, often before the sun has fully risen, the last thing on my mind is concocting an elaborate breakfast. My brain simply isn’t ready to tackle complex culinary decisions before my first cup of coffee.

Yet, countless experts and studies continuously highlight the undeniable importance of breakfast. It’s often hailed as the most crucial meal of the day, setting the tone for our energy, focus, and even our dietary choices throughout the rest of the day. I’ve personally observed that when I start my day with a nutritious and satisfying breakfast, I’m far more likely to make healthier choices for lunch, dinner, and snacks. It creates a positive ripple effect that helps maintain momentum for my overall well-being.

To combat my morning aversion to anything requiring significant effort, I’ve developed a successful strategy: making breakfast ahead of time. And when it comes to convenient, delicious, and make-ahead morning meals, muffins are my absolute champions. I can whip up a batch of these glorious gluten-free vegan banana muffins the afternoon or evening before, knowing that a delightful and wholesome breakfast will be waiting for me when I groggily emerge from bed. This foresight transforms chaotic mornings into calm, delicious starts.

One of the best parts about preparing these muffins is using ingredients I already have on hand, or that are easily accessible at my local and convenient store, Walmart. Finding allergy-friendly options can sometimes be a challenge, but I’ve been pleasantly surprised by Walmart’s increasing selection of dairy-free products, including a variety of non-dairy yogurts. While the shelf location for yogurt can sometimes be a fun little scavenger hunt (it seems to move between the very top shelf and the middle!), I appreciate not having to visit a specialty store just to find these essentials. They are always stocked right alongside conventional yogurts, making my shopping trip quick and efficient. This accessibility is a huge plus for anyone navigating dietary restrictions.

The inspiration for these specific muffins stemmed from my enduring love for classic banana bread. I adore its comforting flavor and texture, but I craved a more convenient, portable format suitable for grab-and-go mornings. To achieve an exceptionally soft texture and enhance the sweet flavor, I decided to incorporate something creamy and light into the batter. This is where Silk’s vanilla yogurt became the star ingredient. It was a natural choice, as my son, who has significant dairy allergies, has enjoyed countless cartons of Silk products over the years. The subtle yet distinct vanilla notes from the yogurt truly elevate the muffins’ sweetness, contributing to an incredibly moist crumb. And when I say moist, I mean truly, melt-in-your-mouth MOIST – a texture often difficult to achieve in gluten-free and vegan baking.

And here’s my secret weapon, a little trick to outsmart myself! I’m notoriously prone to eating muffin after muffin when a delicious batch is readily available. To prevent myself from devouring the entire batch in one sitting, this recipe is designed to yield a modest eight muffins. Once my husband, children, and I have each enjoyed one, there are only four delicious banana wonders left, effectively preventing any excessive indulgence. Should any remain, they also make fantastic, wholesome snacks or a delightful addition to school lunchboxes, providing sustained energy throughout the day.

Whether you consider yourself a dedicated morning person or, like me, prefer a more gradual start to the day, these wholesome muffins are an absolute winner. They are packed with the goodness of fruit and yogurt, completely free of lactose, entirely gluten-free, and suitable for a vegan diet. This means virtually anyone and everyone can – and should – enjoy these delectable, allergy-friendly treats!

What can I use in these gluten-free vegan banana muffins if I don’t have non-dairy yogurt on hand?

While I absolutely adore the rich moisture and subtle vanilla notes that non-dairy vanilla yogurt contributes to these muffins, I understand that it might not always be readily available. Rest assured, I’ve experimented with alternatives, and I’m happy to report that unsweetened applesauce works as a fantastic substitute! It adds similar moisture and a touch of natural sweetness without altering the texture significantly. Beyond applesauce, I’ve also had great success using both coconut yogurt and soy yogurt, with both yielding equally favorable results. I imagine most other plain or vanilla non-dairy yogurts would also perform wonderfully. If you decide to try a different type of yogurt, please share your experience in the comments below – your feedback helps our community!

Can I use regular flour if I don’t need these banana muffins to be gluten-free?

Absolutely! If you don’t have a gluten sensitivity or simply don’t need these muffins to be gluten-free, you can easily swap the gluten-free flour blend for an equal amount of regular all-purpose flour. A crucial step when making this substitution is to omit the xanthan gum. Xanthan gum is a common additive in gluten-free baking, acting as a binder and providing elasticity that gluten normally supplies. When using regular flour, which already contains gluten, xanthan gum is unnecessary and can lead to an undesirable gummy texture.

Can I use a different egg replacer for these vegan banana muffins?

We are fortunate to live in a time with a diverse array of excellent egg replacers on the market, each suited to different types of recipes. For these specific vegan banana muffins, I highly recommend sticking with the Ener-G egg replacer mentioned in the recipe for the most consistent and best results. Ener-G has proven to be incredibly reliable in providing the necessary binding and leavening for this particular muffin recipe, contributing to their perfect texture. The good news is that one box of Ener-G egg replacer typically lasts quite a while, making it a cost-effective choice. You can find a convenient link to purchase it on Amazon within the recipe card if you’re looking to stock up.

What are some other delicious gluten-free vegan muffins?

Our household is filled with enthusiastic muffin lovers! I often bake a fresh batch almost every weekend, which means having a diverse collection of recipes to rotate through is essential to keep things exciting. Here are some of our absolute favorite gluten-free vegan muffin recipes that we wholeheartedly recommend:

• 20+ Allergy-friendly Muffins Recipes
• Healthier Double Chocolate Muffins
• Gluten Free Blender Oatmeal Banana Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Vegan Double Chocolate Banana Muffins
• Top 8 Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins
• Gluten Free Spiced Pumpkin Muffins with Cinnamon Glaze
• Gluten Free Vegan Chocolate Chip Muffins
• Gluten Free Cinnamon Applesauce Muffins

If you’re looking to expand your recipe repertoire even further, I also highly recommend trying some incredible recipes from my talented friends in the allergy-friendly baking community: Almond Flour Banana Muffins by Texanerin, or perhaps the delightful Gluten free Banana Bread with Streusel by Eat At Our Table. For those without severe allergens but seeking healthier options, consider the wholesome Blueberry Banana Bread with Chia Seeds from Perchance to Cook.

Do you have a video showing how to make these vegan gluten-free banana muffins?

Yes, I certainly do! For a quick and easy visual guide, I love using TikTok. Their short, engaging video format is perfect for demonstrating the key steps without unnecessary fluff. This overview should give you a clear understanding of the process for making these delicious banana muffins. You can also find the video conveniently saved to my Instagram Highlight Bubbles for easy access. Happy baking!

@allergyawesomeness##glutenfree & ##vegan banana ? muffins. ##learnontiktok ##tiktokpartner ##foodallergies ##foodallergy♬ original sound – Megan Lavin

 

Gluten Free Vegan Banana Muffins

Yield:
6 muffins

Prep Time:
10 minutes

Cook Time:
20 minutes

Total Time:
30 minutes

Your favorite banana bread, packed into a portable muffin, with added soft texture and sweet flavor all without gluten, dairy or eggs!

Ingredients

• 1 large banana
• 1/3 cup Silk vanilla yogurt (if you don’t have this, unsweetened applesauce will do in a pinch)
• 1/4 cup melted coconut oil
• 1 tsp vanilla
• 1 Tablespoon Silk’s Coconut milk (or any safe milk that works for your diet)
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/4 cup brown sugar
• 3/4 tsp Ener-G egg replacer
• 3/4 tsp cinnamon
• 1 cup gluten free flour
• 1/2 tsp baking powder
• 1/2 tsp baking soda
• 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
• pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees fahrenheit. Grease muffin tins.
2. In a stand mixer, beat the banana until it is a uniform liquid with no large lumps.
3. Add the yogurt, melted coconut oil, vanilla and milk and mix.
4. Add the sugars and blend well.
5. With the stand mixer on slow, add the egg replacer, cinnamon, baking powder, baking soda, xanthan gum, and salt one at a time.
6. Mix for one minute to incorporate.
7. Finish by adding the flour. Only stir it long enough to incorporate it. You do not want to over mix it.
8. Fill muffin tins 3/4 the way full.
9. Bake for 20-22 minutes, until the edges are brown and the tops of the muffins spring back when lightly touched.
10. Allow to cool in the pan. Keep covered.

Notes

This makes a nice, small half dozen. Feel free to double it if feeding a bigger crowd.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 3
Serving Size: 1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 517Total Fat: 20gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 6mgSodium: 360mgCarbohydrates: 79gFiber: 3gSugar: 41gProtein: 6g

I wholeheartedly encourage you to try this incredibly satisfying recipe! Bake a batch of these gluten-free vegan banana muffins and discover how effortlessly you can start your day on the right, delicious foot. Don’t forget to come back and comment below to let me know how these muffins helped transform your morning routine!

Adapted from: Averie Cooks