Gluten-free banana oat muffins that are actually fluffy and light, not dense and gummy. My daughter took one bite and said "mmm... these are really good," and honestly, that's all I needed to hear. Made in one bowl with wholesome ingredients and no refined sugar.
If your family loves clean eating grab-n-go breakfasts and snacks, these will fit right alongside my gluten-free apple oat muffins and banana oatmeal breakfast cookies.
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These banana muffins are delicious and a new family favorite! I loved the hint of cinnamon in these muffins as well as the chocolate chips I added to the recipe. I will definitely be making these again…very soon! -Tera
about These gluten-free banana oat muffins
If you've ever made gluten-free muffins and they end up dense and gummy, you are not alone. Gluten provides structure, and when you bake without it, you never know what you might end up with.
These gluten-free banana oat muffins are made with oat flour + rolled oats (which keeps them whole grain) and tapioca starch, which provides structure and lightness. In addition, these muffins are:
- Gluten-free and dairy-free - All ingredients are naturally free of gluten and dairy.
- Naturally sweetened - I use just a little bit of pure maple syrup (and of course mashed banana) to sweeten these naturally, resulting in a healthier banana oat muffin that isn't overly sweet like traditional muffins.
- One bowl - Like my oat flour chocolate chip cookies, you just need one bowl for these healthy banana oat muffins!
- Customizable - Easy to add in your favorite mix-ins (my kids always request chocolate chips).
- Kid approved - Along with my gluten-free mini chocolate chip muffins and blackberry almond flour muffins, these are loved by kids!
As with my oat flour pancakes, I've learned over the years to let oat flour rest before baking. This gives the oat flour time to absorb the liquid, resulting in a lighter, fluffier texture.
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Ingredient Notes
- Rolled oats - Because oats can become contaminated with gluten during processing, be sure to use certified gluten-free oats if serving these to someone with a gluten sensitivity.
- Oat flour - Same as with rolled oats, if you are making for someone with a gluten sensitivity, be sure to use certified gluten-free oat flour. Check out my guide on how to make oat flour and make it yourself (it's so easy and cheaper than buying it).
- Tapioca flour - This helps to create a lighter and fluffier texture. This can be labeled as either tapioca flour or tapioca starch.
- Maple syrup - Use pure maple syrup and not the imitation/fake stuff.
- Mashed bananas - Extra-ripe/spotty to brown bananas work best as they will provide more natural sweetness and moisture. Extra bananas? Try these healthy banana protein muffins.
A complete list of ingredients and amounts can be found in the recipe card below. The above are specific notes to help with selecting ingredients.
🤍Clean food tip: Look for organic oats and oat flour, when possible. Most conventional oats are sprayed with glyphosate, a common herbicide. Choosing organic helps reduce exposure.
Substitutions & Mix-ins
- To make vegan: Use an egg substitute, such as flax-eggs, in place of the eggs.
- Don't have coconut oil on hand? You can use avocado oil or extra-virgin olive oil.
- Add chocolate chips: Turn these into banana oat chocolate chip muffins by adding 1 cup of your favorite chocolate chips.
- Add walnuts or pecans: Do you like banana nut muffins? Add ½ cup of your favorite nuts. Banana walnut muffins would be my top pick.
- Add blueberries: Bananas and blueberries perfectly complement one another. Add 1 cup blueberries to the batter for banana oat blueberry muffins.
Step-by-step Directions
- Step 1: Combine dry ingredients in a large mixing bowl and then push ingredients off to the side creating a well in the center of the bowl.
- Step 2: Add the wet ingredients to the well.
- Step 3: Using a whisk or fork, mix the wet ingredients together
- Step 4: Once the wet ingredients are mixed, fully mix the wet and dry ingredients together.
- Step 5: Evenly divide muffin batter between a greased muffin pan.
- Step 6: Bake at 350-degrees F for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean.
Sara's Tips & Notes
- Use the spoon and level method to measure oat flour. If you scoop the oat flour you may end up with too much, resulting in dry muffins. I also provide the amount of oat flour in grams if you have a kitchen scale (best way to measure).
- Use room temperature eggs as they incorporate better into gluten-free muffin batter and help with a lighter/fluffier texture.
- Do not overmix the batter!
- Skip the muffin liners and just grease the muffin tin. Muffins often stick to the liners and they are just unnecessary in my opinion.
- Let batter rest for 10-15 minutes before baking. This helps the oat flour absorb the moisture, resulting in fluffier muffins.
- For rounded muffin tops, use a spring-loaded cookie scoop for scooping the batter into the muffin pan.
- For extra large muffins, make 8 muffins and fill each muffin cup to the top.
Gluten-Free Banana Oat Muffins Recipe FAQs
Oat flour muffins will naturally be more dense compared to muffins made with all-purpose flour, however, they should not be too dense. If you end up with overly dense muffins, it's most likely due to having too much oat flour or skipping the rest time.
These are much healthier than traditional muffins, yes! You get all the benefits from whole grains from the oat flour and oats (fiber, protein and numerous vitamins and minerals). Plus, they are minimally and naturally sweetened, which makes them great for breakfast or a snack.
Technically, yes, but I don't recommend it. They aren't as hearty and are actually more processed than rolled doats.
Very ripe with brown spots are the best. They are sweeter and add more moisture, which helps keep the muffins soft.
Storing & Freezing
Storing: Allow muffins to fully cool. Then store in an airtight container at room temp for up to 2 days. To extend freshness, you can store in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Freezing: Make sure to let them fully cool before storing. Then transfer to a freezer-safe container (I like using Stasher bags to store muffins) and freeze for up to 3 months. Leave them on the counter for a couple of hours to thaw, or warm in the microwave for about 20 seconds.
More Gluten-free Baking Recipes to Try
If you make this recipe, please let me know what you think! I would so appreciate you leaving a star rating and/or comment below. And don't forget to share a photo on Instagram or Facebook and mention @CleanPlateMama!
Eat Clean.Be Well!
-Sara
Gluten-free Banana Oat Muffins
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Equipment
- 1 large mixing bowl
- 1 muffin pan
Ingredients
- 1 ½ cups (175g) gluten-free oat flour
- 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats
- ¼ cup tapioca starch (also called tapioca flour)
- 1 tsp. cinnamon
- 2 tsp. baking powder
- ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- 1 cup very ripe mashed bananas
- ¼ cup coconut oil, melted
- 2 large eggs, room temp
- ⅓ cup pure maple syrup
- 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350-degrees F. Lightly grease 10 cups in a muffin pan and set aside.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the oat flour, oats, tapioca starch, cinnamon, baking powder and salt.1 ½ cups (175g) gluten-free oat flour, 1 cup gluten-free rolled oats, ¼ cup tapioca starch, 1 tsp. cinnamon, 2 tsp. baking powder, ½ tsp. fine sea salt
- Create a well in the middle of the dry ingredients and add the remaining wet ingredients. Whisk the wet ingredients together and then fully mix them with the dry ingredients. Don't overmix the batter.1 cup very ripe mashed bananas, ¼ cup coconut oil, melted , 2 large eggs, room temp, ⅓ cup pure maple syrup, 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
- Allow batter to rest for 10-15 minutes, then evenly scoop muffin batter between the 10 cups in the muffin tin (I like using a spring-loaded cookie scoop, but you can use a measuring cup or large spoon).
- Bake for 15-17 minutes, or until a toothpick entered in center of muffins comes out clean.
- Allow to cool slightly in the pan, then remove and transfer to a wire cooling rack to finish cooling. Enjoy!
Notes
- To quickly get eggs to room temperature, run them under hot water for about a minute.
- I usually make 10 muffins so they are slightly larger. Feel free to divide between 12 muffins for smaller muffins.
Nutrition
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June Otto says
I made these… so good! I did end up with 18 pretty good sized muffins instead of 12🤷♀️
Sara says
Wonderful to hear! I've never gotten 18 muffins from the recipe, but more for you to enjoy 🙂
Betsy Evans says
Would like to try this! Can you tell me how many grams / cups for the bananas? 3 bananas feels too vague since they come in so many sizes. Thanks!
Sara says
Great question! You will need roughly 1 cup mashed banana (if it's a little under/over they will still turn out). Hope you enjoy them and please let me know what you think after you've mad them. Thanks!
Brittany says
Thank you! I love this recipe, didn’t change a thing.
Sara says
I appreciate you sharing and so glad you love them. These are definitely one of my favorite muffin recipes!
Sherry says
I have tried so many “GF” recipes, and most turn out like hockey pucks. I was not even in search of a gf recipe, when I came across this one, but a refined sugar free recipe. I used garbanzo/fava bean flour and only used 2 tbsp of maple syrup. Everyone in the family loved them!!
Sara says
Thanks so much for letting me know and love hearing your whole family loved them! They are one of my favorite muffin recipes. And love hearing that they turned out with garbanzo bean flour - thanks for sharing!
Sheri B says
I baked this in a 9"x9" non-stick baking pan with very good results. After tasting it warm (not the best idea), I wanted a sweeter taste so I drizzled maple syrup on top and let is soak in. I'm going to try it next with a peacan/oat crumble of some sort, maybe swirled in (can't decide). After relying on everything coconut for 4 years, I am now sensitive to coconut. This recipe works with avocado oil. I used a blend of home made and purchased flours: almond, chickpea, potato, and oat (I don't always write down what ratio I use, I just know for me, it can't be more than 1/4 almond flour. I can no longer have rice flour, so I avoid purchasing gluten free flours). I feel like I don't need to add xanthem gum when I use potato flour (I grind instant potato flakes in my grinder.) I live at about 5000ft, but did not modify this recipe for high altitude baking.
Sara says
I'm so glad to hear it worked with your modifications! And love the idea of baking in a square dish instead of muffins 🙂
Tera Gregory says
These banana muffins are delicious, and a new family favorite! I loved the hint of cinnamon in these muffins as well as the chocolate chips added to the recipe. I will definitely be making these again…very soon!
Sara says
Yum, you can never go wrong with adding chocolate chips!
Lisa says
Oh my gosh, I’ve been looking for a good gluten-free banana muffin and these are amazing! Will make again for sure!