Delicious gluten free banana bread muffins are made with oat flour, ripe bananas, and lots of browned butter for deep, satisfying flavor. Add chocolate chips to take them over the top.
Fluffy, tender, and made just with whole grain gluten-free oat flour, these are the best gluten free banana bread muffins you'll bake! Nutty browned butter is swirled with dark brown sugar, maple syrup, and tangy yogurt to balance the sweetness. Loads of very ripe bananas and a handful of dark chopped chocolate or chips make these muffins hard to resist. For a fruity version of banana muffins, try my gluten free banana blackberry muffins or gluten free banana blueberry muffins!
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Why I Love Banana Bread Muffins
First off, I can't understate the importance of using browned butter! It is a simple step that adds so much depth of flavor to any baked good and goes especially nicely with bananas. I don't add vanilla to these muffins so that extra depth of flavor from the browned butter is very welcome. I also love that the muffins stay moist and fluffy thanks to the combo of oat flour and yogurt, and you'd never guess that they're gluten-free. More highlights:
- Easily gluten-free. Just one gluten free flour is needed, but you can try a different type if you can't eat oats.
- Light and moist. This is NOT a dry gluten free batch of muffins! In fact, I dare you to serve these and see if anyone notices they're made with gluten-free flour.
- Warmly spiced. A little kiss of cinnamon and a secret ingredient—ground cardamom— make banana bread muffins extra cozy.
- Chocolate is a must. And while you're at it, add some walnuts!
Ingredients Needed
I've outlined the ingredients needed to make these easy muffins below. Make sure to scroll down to my recipe card at the bottom of this post for the full ingredient amounts.
- Butter - Unsalted butter is best; if you need to use salted butter omit the added salt.
- Oat flour - Pick up a package of oat flour or learn how to make oat flour at home. Use gluten-free oat flour if needed. If you can't eat oats, substitute gluten-free all-purpose flour by weight, or use brown rice flour.
- Brown sugar - I used dark brown sugar and light brown sugar is also fine. Or try coconut sugar.
- Rising agents - A combo of baking powder and baking soda.
- Spices - Ground cinnamon and cardamom add warmth to these muffins.
- Salt - I used fine sea salt and table salt works, too.
- Eggs - Large eggs at room temperature, please!
- Yogurt - Regular whole-fat or low-fat yogurt, or vanilla yogurt, may be used.
- Bananas - Very ripe bananas (those bananas with dark spots) will infuse the muffins with a deep undertone of flavor.
- Maple syrup - A little maple syrup or molasses adds a touch of extra sweetness.
- Chocolate chips - This is optional, but I do love a handful of semisweet chocolate chips in my banana muffins!
Variation Ideas
- Add nuts - Walnuts were made for banana bread muffins! Add 1 cup to the batter for a little crunch.
- Coconut - Give these muffins a tropical flair with some flaked or shredded coconut.
- Applesauce - Swap 1 cup of unsweetened applesauce for the mashed bananas for a different take.
- Pumpkin - Or try 1 cup of homemade pumpkin puree for the bananas.
How to Make GF Banana Bread Muffins
If you don't have time to brown the butter you can melt it and let it cool slightly before you begin assembling the batter. Check out the easy steps that go into these muffins in the photos below:
- Prep: Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners. Brown the butter then set it aside to cool slightly.
- Make dry mix: Whisk together the dry ingredients until combined.
- Combine bananas: In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and yogurt, then whisk in the mashed bananas and maple syrup.
- Add butter: Whisk in the browned butter.
- Combine batter: Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients and mix them together. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.
- Bake: Divide the batter between the muffin cups. Bake the muffins in a 350℉ oven for 20-25 minutes.
Baking Tip: Use Really Ripe Bananas
Banana bakes taste best when you use really ripe bananas. (You know those bananas you meant to eat but never got around to and now they are getting a bit black? Those are perfect.) The longer a banana ripens the sweeter it becomes, and it adds a wonderful rich flavor to muffins and breads.
Banana Muffin Tips
- Play with the spices - Try a blend of cinnamon and cardamom as written in the recipe, or go your own way. I love ginger in cozy baked treats, or if you really love a kick of ginger, add 1 tablespoon of peeled and grated fresh ginger.
- Use a gluten-free flour blend - If you don't do oat flour, substitute your favorite gluten-free flour blend (I love my homemade gluten free flour blend in all of my recipes!). Use 2 ½ cups of blend for the oat flour.
- Other nuts - Add chopped almonds or unsalted pistachio nuts instead of the walnuts.
- Make dairy-free - Use melted coconut oil or olive oil instead of the melted butter, and use non-dairy yogurt in place of the yogurt.
- Make refined sugar-free - Substitute coconut sugar or maple syrup for the brown sugar.
Proper Storage
- Counter – Keep the cooled muffins in an airtight container on the counter for up to 2 days.
- Fridge – Place the muffins in their airtight container or sealable bag in the fridge for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
- Freezer – Place blackberry muffins in a freezer-safe, sealable bag, and store them in the freezer for up to 3 months. Defrost in the fridge before serving.
More Gluten Free Banana Recipes
If you try this gluten free banana bread muffins recipe, please let me know! And if you have any questions, always feel free to reach out in the comments or by email. I hope you love it! ❤️
Gluten Free Banana Bread Muffins
Ingredients
- ½ cup unsalted butter
- 2 ½ cups oat flour (280 grams)
- ¾ cup dark brown sugar
- 2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 teaspoon baking soda
- ¾ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon ground cardamom
- ¼ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 2 large eggs, at room temperature
- ¼ cup plain yogurt
- 3 bananas large, mashed
- 2 teaspoons maple syrup, or molasses
- 1 cup semisweet chocolate chips, optional
Instructions
- Place a rack in the center of the oven and preheat to 350° degrees. Grease or line a 12-cup muffin tin with liners.
- Melt the butter in a heavy saucepan over medium heat. Butter will begin to foam and crackle as it melts. When the crackling subsides, the butter will begin to brown. Swirl the pan as the butter cooks. When the butter browns and begins to smell nutty, remove the pan from the flame and transfer the butter to a small bowl. Taking the butter out of the hot saucepan will stop the butter from overcooking and burning. Set it aside to cool.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the oat flour, sugar, baking powder, baking soda, salt, cinnamon, and cardamom.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together eggs and yogurt, then whisk in the mashed bananas and maple syrup. When butter has cooled, whisk in the browned butter.
- Add the wet ingredients all at once to the dry ingredients. Fold together, making sure to scrape the bottom of the bowl to reveal any hidden pockets of flour. Fold in the chocolate chips if using.
- Preheat the oven to 350℉. Divide the batter equally between the muffin cups in the prepared pan. Rest the batter for up to 20 minutes, then bake for 20-25 minutes, or until a skewer inserted into the center of a muffin comes out clean. Remove from the oven and allow to rest in the pan for 15 minutes, before inverting onto a wire rack to cool completely.
- Muffins may be stored in an air tight container in the fridge for 5 days.
Notes
- Play with the spices - Try a blend of cinnamon and cardamom as written in the recipe, or go your own way. I love ginger in cozy baked treats, or if you really love a kick of ginger, add 1 tablespoon of peeled and grated fresh ginger.
- Use a gluten-free flour blend - If you don't do oat flour, substitute your favorite gluten-free flour blend (I love my homemade gluten free flour blend in all of my recipes!). Use 2 ½ cups of blend for the oat flour.
- Other nuts - Add chopped almonds or unsalted pistachio nuts instead of the walnuts.
- Make dairy-free - Use melted coconut oil or olive oil instead of the melted butter, and use non-dairy yogurt in place of the yogurt.
- Make refined sugar-free - Substitute coconut sugar or maple syrup for the brown sugar.
KimP says
oh thank you for this recipe today!! i have bananas just sitting on my counter, waiting for the right recipe, and this is IT :) Also, thank you for the GF subs!!